10. It pays off to do your research before you travel!
Jason and I knew we wanted to go to Mexico and we knew we wanted an all-inclusive trip. We didn't know where we wanted to actually stay or what resort to stay in. So, being the tech savvy people that we are we decided to find some reviews on our travel sites first. We looked at Expedia and Travelocity for the highest rated resorts in our $3,000 price range. We wrote down the names of the resorts with 4 stars or higher. Then we read the reviews. It is rare that you have a person really come back and explain what a great time they had. It is all too common to find a review of a P.O.'d traveler who wants everyone to know why they are mad. We wanted to see what made them mad and was it actually the resorts fault? Could it have been prevented? When we did find negative reviews on the Valentin they weren't anything too gruesome for us to handle. We knew that the Valentin Maya was the right resort for us.
9. Make sure you update all travel documents before leaving the country!
When traveling out of the country you will have to have certain travel documents ready. Ours needed to be our passports. Fortunately, Jason had just been to Canada 2 years ago and I got mine my freshman year of college when we went to Europe. All we checked were the expiration dates and they were both great! We thought all was well until we got to the Oklahoma city airport Thursday morning at 4:30 and they said your name on your passport doesn't match your name on your plane tickets. Lucky for me, they had come across this before and were able to change my plane ticket to my maiden name Jeanis. So all weekend for our 5th anniversary trip, we weren't married according to my passport :)
8. Do not over pack!
I packed entirely too much for this short 3 day trip. I figured that I would need a day outfit then a dress for each night for our formal dinners. Well we spent so much time at the beach and the pool that I wore my swimsuit more than anything. I didn't wear any of the day outfits I brought! On the way home the people checking us in told us that each bag had a weight limit of 50 pounds and if it was over it was a $200 fee!! I barely made it with a 48 pound bag. Next time I know better.
7. Mexico does not have squirrels...instead they have Iguanas everywhere!
Ok, so that may be a little of an exaggeration, but I swear they are everywhere! They would run right out in front of you when you were walking. There are small, medium, and large and in the last picture extra large :) At night the Gecko lizards would come out and stick to the walls. One day we even saw what Jason and I call the equivalent to a 1/2 raccoon 1/2 anteater. The bellboy told me what they call it something like "toran", but they were completely harmless.
6. The water is crystal clear in Mexico.
No explanation necessary.
5. I love my husband more today than I did 5 years ago on our wedding day.
Taken the first day on the golf cart waiting for our pina coladas.
At the cigar bar after the Japanese restaurant.
At the cigar bar after the Japanese restaurant after a couple of drinks :)
The French restaurant on our actual anniversary. I had duck. He had Beef Wellington. He wanted to go "Gordon Ramsey" on some people, but it was cooked perfectly.
At the cigar bar again. Jason got to smoke his Cuban. I got to drink rum and cokes :)
4. In Mexico Saki bombs are made with Dos XX, and frankly they are...the bomb!
Anyone who really knows me knows that I do not drink a lot of beer. In fact the only beer I really like is Lambic. The first night in Mexico we decided to go to the Japanese restaurant called Ginger. We walked in and the hostess asked us if we wanted to sit at a table, the sushi bar, or the hibachi grill. We got extremely lucky because as we were standing at the podium a couple called and canceled their reservations for the hibachi so we got to take their seats. We met 4 really amazing couples, 2 from Missouri, 1 from Philly, and 1 from Mexico. We had an awesome time watching the chef do his thing.
3. Dolphins are amazing creatures.
If you haven't done so already, I believe everyone should watch the movie The Bucket List. After I watched it, I sat down and wrote out a "bucket list" of my own. I wrote down all of the things I want to do and see before I kick the bucket. :) This list is constantly growing and changing. On this trip I got to swim with dolphins. I have wanted to do this since I was a small child. They are so graceful and majestic. They are very gentle, and love to perform. Our dolphins names were Cozumel (the female) and Azul (the male). I really think they were mates because any time they weren't performing for us they were kissing each other!
This is the nose touch.
Dolphins love to dance ;)
Their noses are very hard. They told the dolphins to kiss our cheek and I was expecting a little tap, but they rammed the side of your face! I wasn't expecting it!
Then it was time for us to give up the goods!
This is Jason at the beginning of his "foot push". There were 2 different options for actually swimming with the dolphins. This was the foot push. The other way was a dorsal fin ride. Which leads me too...
2. Don't sell yourself short. You can do anything you set your mind to.
Did I already know this? Yes. Did I think that I would actually be able to do the foot push? No. I figured with my overweight body I would have to do a dorsal fin ride. The first guy to get out and try the foot push couldn't do it. It didn't help me in my confidence department. Jason went out and tried and did amazing! I had an inner desire so strong...I HAD to do this. So I swam out to the other end of the pool. I assumed the Superman position, floating on my belly hands out in front of me with my toes toward the bottom of the pool. Then he blew the whistle and sent the dolphins. My heart was pounding! Can I do this? Am I going to embarrass myself in front of every one? LOCK YOUR KNEES!!!
I know you can tell from the shear joy on my face, but I was born to swim with dolphins! I told Jason that I need to go back to school to be a marine biologist! I was in absolute heaven. I can't wait to go back and do the full day become a trainer program!
and last but certainly not least...
1. I love this boy more than words can say.
I know that it is important to have some adult mommy daddy time, but I sure missed this boy when we were gone! I can't wait until he is old enough to go to the beach with us. He would love the water and I think he would even swim with the dolphins and mommy :)
