I have been negligent in my blogging duties. I didn’t post anything in February. I will do better in the future. (Who am I kidding?!) I would like to say that we have been so busy having fun that we didn’t have time. I would LIKE to say that, but it ain’t the truth! We hit Arizona and just sort of got into a groove. Melinda works, I go to the gym and the casino. and boom! a month has gone by.
In January, we went to Cancun. We were feeling the need for blue water and white sand and I can honestly say that you can’t get that anywhere in the states like you can in the Caribbean. I used an airline credit and flew for free and Melinda used mileage points.
Now’s the part where I tell you we went down for 9 days and had non-stop adventures… NOPE. Sat by the pool and ocean and read books. Quietly and relaxed. We went out to eat a few times and found the casino, but for the most part we tanned and chilled simultaneously.
We rented a car for super cheap, until we found out that mandatory insurance was sky high. Then we returned a car super fast. Turns out the grocery store is NEXT to our hotel.
We stayed at Casa Turquesa, an old art museum-turned-hotel. It was definitely older, but cool in a-weird-sort-of-not-sparkling-new-Marriott-sort-of way. There was only 38 rooms and we practically had the pool to ourselves all the time.
We came back home feeling mucho revitalized.
Things to be aware of:
- The exchange rate is flexible by ESTABLISHMENT. One restaurant may be accepting dollars at a 20-to-1 ratio (standard) and the next at 16-to-1. Exchange your money at the airport and then you get the best rate. (one place charged us $45 for nachos after the exchange rate – before the exchange they were $15!)
- Any American dollars with the slightest little nick or cut in them (and I am talking micro-meters here!) and NO ONE (not taxis, or casinos, or stores, etc.) will accept them. Make sure your dollars are pristine, crisp, and new.
- You need a full passport to fly into Mexico and a full passport to exchange money. Passport cards will NOT work.
- Banks won’t exchange money.
- Unless you have your full auto insurance policy on you (and who does that?!) and it specifically says that it will cover you in a foreign country, rental car companies will NOT let you use that insurance and charge you an arm and left testicle for insurance. AND based on the way people drive there, you need it. Easy answer for us was take the car back and walk.