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The rest of my TR April 16-23 - 7/25/2012 11:42:54 AM
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Animooshe
Posts: 202
Joined: 3/7/2011
From: Ontario
Status: offline
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More Lessons Learned at ABR visit #3 April 16-23
This is the end part of my trip report I started as Terrell the Lurker and other...
This was to be our fifth week at ABR inside of an elapsed year. Our previous 2 trips were each for 2 weeks and both times we were in room 625. Christmas and New Years were monumental feasts and drinking binges both DW and SIL have forbidden me from presenting photographic evidence of that trip. They are both grandmothers and are concerned for the children.
This trip was sadly only for one week but once again we were joined by my brother and SIL. Last trip we had flown with Air Canada and hated it because it was so bare bones. This trip DW took the package upgrade and it was more pleasant even if we didn’t get all that was promised.
DW usually picks flights that leave early in the morning so that we get a full first day. The down side of that is that we need to get up just seconds after we got to bed. The limo would pick us up at 0300 to get us to the airport (Toronto Pearson) in time. This time our flight didn’t leave until eight in the evening.
It is so f’n frustrating sitting around the house all day Saturday with nothing to do but wait for the clock to tick down. There is just no point weighing the luggage a tenth time. For some reason we are on different flights than my bro, who leaves right after lunch.
Lesson #1 I will never again complain about getting up early for a flight. It beats all hell out of wasting a day clock watching.
We had a Thomas Cook flight which was pleasant. Good food and plentiful drinks. 3 ½ hours, we left ten minutes early and arrived thirty minutes early. All the extra time was taken up waiting for our bags. A thunderstorm started just after we landed and all the bags were wet. Ours are hard shelled so no worries for us BUT there were several wedding groups and lots of cursing and tears. Three planes at once so there was a huge crowd for immigration and customs.
Lesson #2 Read the immigration form and fill it in completely both left and right. No bonus points for remembering to put pens in the carry on. DW laughed at me as the officer showed me all the places I had left blank. He had a rough time keeping a straight face as he showed DW where she had forgotten to sign!
We put our bags through the scanner and push the button for a green light. We get organized and prepare to charge through the glass doors and run the gauntlet of sales sharks. Once again it wasn’t even entertaining, no sales shark spoke to us! In fact in all my trips through CUN I have only once had to say NO to somebody. Maybe, we are just plain ugly and look ornery.
The man with the USA Transfers sign was right there along with a couple of his colleagues. In less than seconds we are confirming that all our bags are in the van and we are on our way heading out the 307. Is it just me, or does that water tower painted with Corona say “welcome home” to anyone else?
The late night drive was an uneventful hour. We pulled into ABR just before midnight. Just time for a drink or three, thank you Clemente. It is always impressive when they remember you, even if it was only 3 months ago.
Lesson #3 Ask, if you don’t ask, don’t complain! DW asked for a room in the range of 401-404. We got 401 Super Score! She asked for some sandwiches, two plates of sandwiches and bananas were there waiting for us. It just amazes me that people will complain but not ask.
The next day was looking like it was going to be a cloudy rainy day, just perfect for hanging out at the bar.
page2 mixed sunrise
Timhy was setting up.
And then I remembered that people are always asking about their signs.
So DW took two shots just of the signs.
I was telling my bro how wonderful it was to be back, sippin on my bubba with the sand at my feet, down at the Moonrise.
From the next table, some doufus and I use that word loosely as I am not sure he even qualifies, turns to us and loudly proclaims “I hate drinking in AIs, they water down the drinks. Back home I only drink doubles but here it tastes like water”. I asked him if he had asked for a double. “No, two times water is still water!”.
“Timhy” I yell, “double rum and coke por favor”
“You got it Robbie”
I take the old drink from the doufus and give him the double.
“How’s that?”
“Oh, ah...gee.. thanks ”
“They will make it even stronger if you want, just ask”
“Wish I’d known, tomorrow’s our last day!”
DW was making comments not so under her breath about watching the bartenders break the seals on the bottles and Bro nearly fell out of his chair laughing so we left for lunch.
Repeat lesson: if you don’t ask, don’t bitch!
Young Samuel was a new face working in the buffet.
He also works the main bar. Samuel and Filipe.
As we enter the buffet we see Alejandro (Alex, the food and beverage manager). I am surprised that he remembers us but clearly he does as he greets my Bro and I first, saying how nice it was to see us again. I thank him for such an amazing feast at Christmas and again at New Years. He is very gracious and I think our praise embarrassed him a bit. As all good managers do, he said it wasn’t him, it was his staff. As we go to join the women at the table my brother says “What a class act” only to be greeted with “What did you boys do now? Did you remember to apologize for New Years?” oops.
“Hey look at those clouds” I point out the window to change the subject. “Do you think we are going to get it?” For the first three days we have off and on, thunderstorms and showers. It didn’t matter, we were back in Akumal! Was it sunny with cloudy breaks or cloudy with sunny breaks?
It didn’t really matter. Most of the time we would see monstrous black cloud banks come rolling in and go over the bay to the south.
There was a point when the black cloud bank was solid from north to south. We were sitting under a palapa over by the massage hut guessing how long until the rain arrived. I suggest that we might want to grab a table at the snack bar before the rain moved everybody off the beach. Was it going to be 30 minutes or an hour? Nope try 5 minutes and we got the last free table..
Day two the wind was down a bit and the flags were yellow so we went snorkelling. The water was full of silt all the way out. Even poor visibility is better than sitting at my desk. For years I have used one of my brother’s old masks. It didn’t matter which one I used I always had a slow leak. Even shaving my mustache off didn’t make a difference. Every 5 to 10 minutes I would roll over on my back and clear my mask. Two weeks before this trip I went to a dive shop and got properly fitted for a mask. What a huge difference!!
Lesson #4 If you like snorkelling, it is worth the few extra dollars to get a proper fitting mask.
As always happens to me when I hit the beach (or bar) I lose track of time. I know that the first part of the trip the weather was not ideal for snorkelling. Not that DW and SIL need an excuse to walk into the village to go shopping, but it seems to me that they did that a little more often than previously.
Lesson #5
How many times and how many different ways am I going to learn this one.
Pay in pesos it is cheaper.
One afternoon it started to pour so we ducked into the Lol Ha and ordered beer. The rain ended faster than we finished the beer. We waved for the bill and it was clearly printed $5 a beer of 40 peso a beer.
So we go on to La Prisca, as the women do a bit of bling shopping. They each found several items and tried to bargain the price down each time, but never settled on anything. DW finds one last (don’t I wish) ring and was told it was $100 US. Final! No less! Won’t go lower No! she says, it is silver and has fire opals and a stone he claims is Tanzanite. She knows if it is real Tanzanite it is the buy of the century but even if not it is a very pretty ring with the fire opals. She went to leave, he calls out you pay cash, yes? and he accepted 800 pesos.
Lesson #6 You get it cheaper if you pay cash than Credit Card, it is even cheaper if you pay in pesos.
Lesson #7 Always Always bargain when buying jewelry!
Lesson #8 Walk away and the price usually comes down. You can always come back later if you still want it.
After our trip DW took all her new additions to her jewelry collection into her favourite jeweller to have some of the stones’ clasp tightened. They went over the prices and even if she had paid full price there is no way she could have gotten that quantity and quality of silver and stones for the same price here in Toronto. All the silver and jewelry she has bought in Mexico was cheaper there than it would be here.
No, it was amethyst, not tanzanite.
Lesson #9 You can not resize a ring set with opal except by removing and resetting the opal. The heat used to stretch the silver will bake the opal and ruin it. Still a good bargain.
So it starts to rain again. I am dead tired but DW is still pumped by her purchases.
We stop at Cueva Del Pescador. New menus!
For a quick drink, Coco Loco
Turns into dinner. SIL says ” I will buy, I owe you guys.”
We start with an appetizer of ceviche. But once again it looked so good we ate it first and then remembered to take a picture.
We will never be good at food porn
DW really liked it. Right down to the last drop.
.
My Bro had a Shrimp brochette that left him hungry.
DW and I had our usual, the seafood platter for two.
It comes with two of the Caribbean Spiny lobster, which has no big front claws that we northerners are use to.
Now I knew this next lesson and it was one that my SIL will never forget.
When dinner is done she waves for the bill and pulls out her credit card.
Lesson #10.
Cueva is cash only.
She turns that lovely pink that only a true blonde can do.
We all dig for pesos and cover the bill.
With lots of weather like this
It was great for washing in sea beans, which DW collects.
This one was right in front of our palapa.
The water was very silty and with all the rain it was also brackish making for poor pictures.
The usual eagle rays
Baracuda
The sun came out just in time for the wedding, Heidi and Mathew. They even got engaged at ABR.
We were snorkeling when we realized what was happening.
We finally got around to putting up a sign at the Moonrise with help from Timhy.
Do I need an excuse to throw in a gratuitous picture of Wilbert, Super Hero.
How about Clemente and DW
and then there is Juan (don’t pronounce the J) Anti and Jeshua (do pronounce the J).
Cheyenne (Shy)
There are at least 3 guys named Carlos at ABR. Pappi Carlos who was off during this trip, we saw him on our latest trip in July, Carlos who works at the Moonrise with Timhy and then there is Carlos in the buffet.
Carlos EK Sandoval.
As time passes the weather improves.
Now DW takes all the pictures so I have to use what I get. On our next trip she finally turned off the time stamp. These pictures are for her and like so many she enjoys the sunrise. We usually get up before dawn at home, so it is a habit even on vacation.
Most mornings were cloudy.
One morning it was clear but she felt the shot was ruined because there are people in the water!
With all the afternoon thunderstorms even sunset pictures are problematic. maybe not.
We arrived in the dark so she couldn’t take this picture until we left. It really should be one of the first pictures , not the last.
ABR Sign
This trip may have seemed like a bit of a wash out, but the days really were typical Caribbean. It was stormy for a bit and then the sun came out. We will go back again in April, in fact I have been told, “ We” are planning to go back again in April 2013, it just isn’t booked yet!
Writing these trip reports is a bit of work and my family asks me why I do it, the truth is I get to relive my trip. I hope you enjoyed reliving our trip with me.
Enjoy Robbie
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RE: The rest of my TR April 16-23 - 7/26/2012 4:40:06 PM
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gibneyfam
Posts: 68
Joined: 12/6/2006
From: Central Oregon
Status: offline
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fantastic report. The sunrise, ah!
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RE: The rest of my TR April 16-23 - 7/27/2012 10:19:26 PM
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Vancouver Sundog
Posts: 5908
Joined: 10/1/2006
From: North Vancouver
Status: offline
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Great report and photos
Sorry we just missed you
Samuel is a great addition to the staff
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AASB 13 Done it - AAFB in the planning
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RE: The rest of my TR April 16-23 - 7/29/2012 5:30:22 AM
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uphillklimber
Posts: 5531
Joined: 2/17/2005
From: Bryant Pond, Maine
Status: offline
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quote:
Lesson #3 Ask, if you don’t ask, don’t complain! DW asked for a room in the range of 401-404. We got 401 Super Score! She asked for some sandwiches, two plates of sandwiches and bananas were there waiting for us. It just amazes me that people will complain but not ask.
quote:
From the next table, some doufus and I use that word loosely as I am not sure he even qualifies, turns to us and loudly proclaims “I hate drinking in AIs, they water down the drinks. Back home I only drink doubles but here it tastes like water”. I asked him if he had asked for a double. “No, two times water is still water!”.
“Timhy” I yell, “double rum and coke por favor”
“You got it Robbie”
I take the old drink from the doufus and give him the double.
“How’s that?”
“Oh, ah...gee.. thanks ”
“They will make it even stronger if you want, just ask
Why is it that people complain? Okay, I've done my fair share of complaining, but specifically, why do they complain on and on about their vacation? For me, it is probably the single most expensive elective expenditure of the year. When i plunk down that much cash, I have a fairly decent idea of what I am plunking it down for. Some things don't always go as planned, but that is life, deal with it. Vacation is a time of fun and building memories, memories of good times with loved ones. Don't sweat the small stuff.
I ask for quiet rooms and quiet locations all the time, and get them. I ask for virgin drinks all the time, and get them. I just can't imagine a vacation where all I did was complain. I'm there to have fun and enjoy and relax, and that's what I'm a gonna do. This ain't America and Walmart, where you can count on everything being all lined up.
Hmmmm.... Why am I suddenly finding myself standing atop a wooden crate with 3 "X"s on it???? Anyways, I love your lessons! Thanx for sharing!
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Lovin life,
Bob
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