We checked into the resort and decided to scope out the grounds to get our barrings since the property was enormous. We quickly figured out the lay of the land and headed to the beach to dip our toes in the water. I'd say it was perfectly warm while still being refreshing and Jeff would say it was freezing cold and not suitable for anything more than a toe to be dipped into it. Feel free to assume it was somewhere in the middle of those two assessments. :) There were tons of hammocks dotting the space between the pool and the beach and we lounged about for a bit before heading back to the room to get ready for drinks and dinner. We'd made reservations at the Brazilian Steak House and were anxious to see if the resort food would be as good as it was last year. We figured out quickly that food was not going to be a highlight of the MLM Trip this year when every piece of meat that was served could have doubled as a hockey puck. To say that a piece of boiled corn on the cob was the best thing on our plates should provide all the explanation you need. Oh well, the cocktails were delicious and if I had to prioritize, I'd say that was more important anyway.
We hit the pool early the next day and got a great spot shaded by a thatch roof hut, but close to the swim up bar and one of the deep water sections of the pool. We read books, drank cocktails, swam, played Phase 10 and talked for most of the day. I wouldn't have changed a thing - it was a perfect day! I won't bore you (or make you envious) by detailing every minute of the trip, but here are some highlights:
Before the rest of the group arrived on Wednesday, Jeff and I got to know an awesome couple from Green Bay, Wisconsin. We spent the good portion of the morning/afternoon lounging (and laughing) at the other swim-up bar with them. At some point in the conversation we started talking about Intuit and in a totally small world coincidence we learned that James (the husband) works for the father of the man who assumed the job that Jeff vacated in November. WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!? At one point I realized I was getting terribly sunburned, but made a conscious decision not to get out and reapply sunscreen because I was afraid the fun would end. I think that decision may be the only reason I actually have a bit of a "tan" still today - 4 days after getting back from Mexico. We exchanged contact info with James and Becca and hope to see them again sometime. Such fun!
Jeff, Peter, Alicia and I went to Xel-Ha Water Park one day and even though it was a bit chilly and overcast, we had a blast playing on a rope bridge, cruising down some zip lines, cliff diving and floating down the lazy river. We also had (probably) the best food of the entire trip at the Mexican restaurant inside the park. We made a mental checklist of all the activities we wanted to complete and pretty much hit them all. Side note: on the drive to the park in a huge bus we nearly died when the bus in front of us decided to make a left turn on the drop of a dime in the middle of the divided highway and our driver had to jam on the breaks and swerve to the right. Jeff let out a little screech which made me look forward and promptly cover my head and duck. Yup, that would have saved my life in a high speed crash. Duck and cover. HA!
Peter, Alicia, me and Jeff in our tubes at the start of the lazy river!
Before dinner one night we all met in the lobby for some cocktails and to play a dice game called Left, Right, Center. It was impossible to find a spot for all of us to sit so I asked a lovely couple from Canada who was sitting alone if we could join them. Within 20 minutes they were not only playing the game with us, but money was in the middle of the table and we were playing for cash! They were really funny and we learned that they had 6 daughters between the ages of 14 and 24 and their home in suburban Montreal was a veritable sorority house. We exchanged contact information with them, too. We'll see what happens...
We all decided to get henna tattoos (mostly as a joke...) and see who could get the most cheesy or cliche one. Someone (who shall remain nameless) got the cheesy and cliche tattoo he actually wants in real life and was so impressed with it's splendor that he is threatening to get it inked on his neck permanently. Let's hope the urge passes quickly!
We went to the disco at the resort one night and had the great pleasure of watching a woman in her 60s "dance" for hours. I can honestly say that I have never seen anything like this before in my life. She sort of stumbled around and shuffled her feet while flailing her arms around like she was having a seizure. She was REALLY into her moves and at one point starting hiking her skirt up her thighs. Her male companion came out onto the dance floor to retrieve her for a bit and offer her some water, but she quickly returned and continued providing us with free entertainment. It was quite a sight to be seen.
On our last day at the resort we decided to split our time between the beach and the pool. We played beach volleyball with a motley crew of other guests and had an absolute blast. I was dared to make grunting noises when I served the ball (a la Serena Williams) and as you can probably guess - I am not one to turn down a dare. I tried to get more and more creative with the sound effects and as luck would have it, I was actually decent at serving and at one time had to serve the ball 9 times in a row! By the end of the game I was laughing so hard I could barely get the ball over the net.
Overall, the trip was really great. I was glad to have the extra few days since we did have rain in the middle of the week and it would have been a bummer to only be there for 4 days if it rained for 2 of them. I look forward to seeing what destination we come up with for 2014! Ole!
I am off to Boston for Evie's 5th birthday. She is having a "sleep under" with 4 of her girlfriends on Friday night and my parents then come for the weekend. I can't believe she is 5 already. Where does the time go? Parker turns 7 in May and that is even harder to believe. We are having dinner with Connor on Sunday night and I can't wait to hear how his sophomore year co-op job at Gray, Gray and Gray is going. Look for a post with photos from the weekend next week. Don't forget to Spring Forward on Sunday morning...
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