Africa 2017

Africa 2017

Monday, July 14, 2014

We all are together at last



Who would have thought it could take almost two hours from landing at the airport till we got in our rental car to at last be on the road to our vacation villa.  We were told to look for a man in a red t-shirt who would then take us to the rental car office.  There were quite a few men wearing red t-shirts.  Tim walked around while we stood out front with a crowd of new arrivals, the rental car people looking for their customers, and a variety of people that just seemed to be standing around like us wondering how to leave the airport.  At last our man is found and we board a van with a couple and their precocious but preparing for a melt down little girl.  After another round of waiting we get our van, because with six of us and luggage we need a van and it has the best air conditioner that covers from front to back with complete comfort.

I look at my watch which shows near 6:00 PM and think it is only another three hours till our other daughter arrives from the East Coast.  It will take us near 2 hours to get to Tulum where we will quickly get dinner (I'm already starving and wishing for some caffeine to wake me up) where upon we will turn around and somehow find her at the ADO station in Playa de Carmen at 9:50 PM.  With the Super Moon to be full tonight I hope it guides us all to a conjunction of the aligned sky and then to fall into bed with the sound of the waves gently crashing to shore where my mind and body will swiftly fall asleep.

We find our Villa easily after an uneventful drive except for the random times we must come from a fast speed to a near stop to cross over the largest obstacles of speed bumps I've ever seen.  These at night are approached in the distance of red and blue flashing lights which as you get within range is a  Policia station where it seems to be a way to check everyone out as they slowly drive by.  God forbid if you didn't realize a speed bump was coming or you would surely take flight over it to land like a stunt car in an action film. 

The Villa is gorgeous and we are greeted by the caretaker who shows us the home and how to operate the fans and air conditioners in our bedrooms and the living area.  There are three dogs who guard the home and we make friends with them easily.  So nice to have dogs to be around us while we are away from our two.  On every bed the towels have been turned into the most lavish of creations.  Some elephants, swans and octopus of which I hate to take a part and use.  Perhaps Rosa can teach us how she makes them!  Even the toilet paper is crimped in a decorative way.

We dash next door where conveniently there is a little restaurant.  We sit under an large open Palapa that is just off the beach by about 7 feet.  The full moon is rising and we sit there gazing as it rises and attempt to take photos of it.  We wolf down our dinner of fajitas, tacos and fresh fish, guzzle the water and feel sloppy with knowledge that our vacation has begun.

Back at the villa we wait for K. to call us that we should drive on to Playa de Carmen to pick her up.  The scheduled time arrives and passes and no call from K.  We try to call her and only get voice mail.  I decide to check on her flight and find that both of her flights were delayed and now she will be a half hour late.  The bus for 9:50 PM is surely to be missed.  We at last get her call and she is sharing a taxi to Playa de Carmen so we head out in the dark of night to find her.  I'm extremely glad our son is to navigate us to the bus station.  So what could go wrong?  How about two ADO stations and we of course go to the wrong one.  R. leads us on to the other station.  I don't know how in the world that we seem to just come to find it along with a Policia car vibrating with red and blue lights at the station, Tim is turning onto the curb and our daughter tries to get in the car with the door that won't open (child locks?).  Tim makes a neat little 3 point turn and off we go.  I observe two policia walking down the street with large guns out for the ready.  What?!  

We at last are all together......and off we tumble into bed.


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