Posted by Toni in Cincy on November 11, 2001 at 14:45:28:
The big day was finally here. After the 11th of Sept. the joy and excitement I usually feel was missing. But as the day to leave got closer, we of course started anxiously awaiting the big day .We left early for the airport, not knowing what to expect w\increased security etc. Very easy check in ,did not look through our luggage as we checked it in. As we went to the gate and passed through the X ray, Mark was pulled aside and frisked, checked very carefully. Actually he does look like a very shady character if you know what I mean!!! It was fine, he was not upset about it, but it made me a little sick to my stomach to think why this is happening. National Guard was there. Not a lot in Cincy, it was still early in the AM. But in Dallas they were literally marching in large groups through the airport.
Easy on time departure. Plane looked about 75% full. Got to DFW, circled and circled and then more circling. They said the fog was too thick, no one landing, but not to worry about your connecting flight b\c if planes weren’t landing, then planes weren’t taking off. Well, after a lot of circling …off we go to Oklahoma City to refuel. !!We sat on the tarmac for a loooong time and by the time we got to DFW our plane was long gone. Late 5-30PM departure was our only option, We were supposed to arrive in Mx at 12-30. OK, we are still going and we are mentally and physically on vacation!! One very nice thing occurred in DFW. While eating lunch we were seated next to a sailor in his starched whites. 2 young ladies were seated on our other side. They arranged to have a dessert delivered to the young sailor. With a note thanking him for all he is doing, what he stands for etc. The man was so surprised and touched, The young women kept saying” Thank YOU. Good Luck “ etc. It was such a great Random Act of Kindness. I wanted to put my head down and cry. I had a lump in my throat believe me!!
Finally board, and as we are ready to leave they can’t find someone who checked in and had luggage checked but did not get on the plane, so we had to wait on the plane while they took all the luggage off and took off that persons luggage. They said with increased security all persons who checked in baggage must be on the same plane. I was wondering if we would ever get there?
Finally arrive 8 hrs late…but we are here and it is fine. No problem w\MX customs. No change in the procedure arriving. Got the green light. Hoorayy!! The weather is warm, a lot of stars out. Great breeze. Get our car at Budget and here we go. As you know 307 is a lot easier to drive than the old road. 4 lane. Markers well lit and painted lines very bright. A lot of new AI’s along the road w\these massive entry ways.
On all of our trips to AK we have always stayed on HmoonBay. Last yr. since our daughters and son-in-laws were joining us , we rented a house at South Akumal. Then after they left..Mark and I stayed in Sharooni’s wonderful Seven Seas Condo. (It is a great place to stay by the way) We liked S.Ak so well that we decided we would try Aventuras Akumal this trip. That way we will have stayed at all the beaches at Akumal.
We got a last minute special through Kay. Found the place easily. But there is no key where it’s supposed to be. It’s late, pitch dark, we are pretty frazzled and want to get a beer and sit on that sand and celebrate arriving, celebrate life and watch the ocean. Luckily there were a few locals working on their car and they knew where we could get a key. I think now it about 10 or 11PM. Sure enough…outside of Marcy and Memo’s condo (more about them later) is a welcoming note w\the key!!! Yay!! We can get in and officially start our holiday.
Had several beers on the beach, star gazed and just totally relaxed. The Milky Way was very bright. Incredible sky.
The next day was (as almost every day of the trip) fantastic weather. Blue, blue sky. Turquoise and vivid blue water. Great!! We “assumed our positions” on the padded beach chairs, w/beverage and books and proceeded to start our holiday. I brought 2 small US flags. One for Kay and I put the other one in a big flowerpot on the beach patio.
Marcy walked up to make sure we were settled in, she felt bad that we did not know that she would have the key. No big deal. She and her hubby Memo were actually at Kay and Gary’s when we arrived!!
Our first dinner was at Lol-ha beach bar . It is Sat night and only one man there. They had a full staff too. The Lol Ha restaurant was closed the weeks we were there. The Lol Ha beach bar was open the entire time serving the usual menu. That is the only time it was so quiet there, the rest of the time it seemed pretty busy. Also everyone from Kay, Marcy, Memo and others said even though this was the slow season that since the 11th of Sept it is virtually empty of tourists.
As we were pulling into AK. from 307 to go to LolHa, we saw a horrible wreck. A large pick up truck hit a little VW bug. I ran to help…all were cut and bleeding. I will not go into a lot of detail except to say this was right at the entrance to Akumal, they were locals and it still happened. Since the improvement on 307 I really think people forget to be extra careful. Believe me, we were even more cautious the entire time than usual. .
The beach at AV. AK is also wonderful. Beautiful white sandy beach, reef off shore for snorkeling. Quiet. Mostly houses w\a few small condos. The bay does have an AI on each end. At the north end is Oasis Akumal. They did not seem too busy. Seemed to be mostly Europeans. And on the S end was I think the Bahia Principe…I think.. Anyway it is where that big fake hacienda shopping center is located. . We walked up one day to look around and the enormously huge place seemed like a ghost town. Again mostly Italians there I think.
On our 3rd day we went to Turtle Bay Café and who is leaving as we're arriving??? Well it is Kay and Gary!! Hi guys!! Hugs all around, have not seen them since last yr. Talked awhile, will see them Thurs night for the “big” LocoG party. Since Joe in Maine could not make it…it is just Mark. And me. Hahaha
More to come later Toni