Heaven is just past hell
Everyone has one truly hellacious travel experience. Karma, irony and Murphy’s Law all indicated that mine would be for my relaxing fun holiday vacation. That understanding, however, didn’t make it easier when I got stuck in the middle of my travel hell to meet my family in Mexico on Christmas Eve. Whatever bad thing you can imagine happening, short of the airplane falling out of the sky, happened to me on Sunday. There were delays, missed connections, re-routing, assholes, lost luggage, and 2 meltdowns.
But I did get to our resort on the Rivera Maya on Christmas Eve (barely), and my family was awaiting me with hugs and cocktails. I was dirty, tired and luggage-less, but quite happy.
Christmas morning we woke up to blue skies. We opened Christmas presents near the tree in the lobby, sipping our complimentary mimosas. Brunch was followed by pool time and the swim up bar. The afternoon was cloudy. My Dad and I read books in covered cabana beds on the beach listening to the soft sound of rain on the thatched roofs. I napped in my hammock. I used the Jacuzzi in my room.
Our hotel, El Dorado Royale, is a palace wedged between jungle and beach on the Rivera Maya – about 40 minutes south of Cancun. It was beautiful, but not overwhelming - white curved buildings surrounded by impeccable landscaping. The hotel is a little over 400 acres and has just over 400 rooms. There were more than 6 pools of varying sizes, all with swim up bars, and comfortable lounge chairs with bar service. There were peacocks and huge iguanas around the palace. The food was excellent. Every meal I had – from hamburgers and beer to high end Italian was perfect. In short, this is the nicest place I’ve ever stayed. Luxury was way of life - a relaxing, enjoyable way of life.
My sister and I treated each other to Christmas massage and body scrubs. This included a power jet shower, with 16 shower heads. If I am ever rich, I am getting one of these installed in my house.
We went snorkeling on a nearby reef, filled with fish of all colors and sizes. Mesmerized, I don’t think I blinked for the first 30 minutes.
My Dad and I took a bike ride. My Mom and I took a walk. I went running. I read and laid in the sun. We drove ATV’s through the jungle, and then took speedboats on the Caribbean.
We visited Playa de Carmen, a busy little city bustling with tourists, for dinner and some shopping.
And now, I am snuggled in First Class due to an awesome booking fluke, not payback for bad travel. I just finished my snack of fruit, brie cheese, and prosciutto with proper dinnerware and a cloth napkin, and am on my way to the second leg of my relaxing holiday vacation - Kent’s family cabin in the North Carolina mountains.
My hellacious travel from Sunday is becoming a distant memory. Well, except for the carry on bag I have with all my clothes for the cabin, and the scorching letter I have drafted to Continental.
But I did get to our resort on the Rivera Maya on Christmas Eve (barely), and my family was awaiting me with hugs and cocktails. I was dirty, tired and luggage-less, but quite happy.
Christmas morning we woke up to blue skies. We opened Christmas presents near the tree in the lobby, sipping our complimentary mimosas. Brunch was followed by pool time and the swim up bar. The afternoon was cloudy. My Dad and I read books in covered cabana beds on the beach listening to the soft sound of rain on the thatched roofs. I napped in my hammock. I used the Jacuzzi in my room.
Our hotel, El Dorado Royale, is a palace wedged between jungle and beach on the Rivera Maya – about 40 minutes south of Cancun. It was beautiful, but not overwhelming - white curved buildings surrounded by impeccable landscaping. The hotel is a little over 400 acres and has just over 400 rooms. There were more than 6 pools of varying sizes, all with swim up bars, and comfortable lounge chairs with bar service. There were peacocks and huge iguanas around the palace. The food was excellent. Every meal I had – from hamburgers and beer to high end Italian was perfect. In short, this is the nicest place I’ve ever stayed. Luxury was way of life - a relaxing, enjoyable way of life.
My sister and I treated each other to Christmas massage and body scrubs. This included a power jet shower, with 16 shower heads. If I am ever rich, I am getting one of these installed in my house.
We went snorkeling on a nearby reef, filled with fish of all colors and sizes. Mesmerized, I don’t think I blinked for the first 30 minutes.
My Dad and I took a bike ride. My Mom and I took a walk. I went running. I read and laid in the sun. We drove ATV’s through the jungle, and then took speedboats on the Caribbean.
We visited Playa de Carmen, a busy little city bustling with tourists, for dinner and some shopping.
And now, I am snuggled in First Class due to an awesome booking fluke, not payback for bad travel. I just finished my snack of fruit, brie cheese, and prosciutto with proper dinnerware and a cloth napkin, and am on my way to the second leg of my relaxing holiday vacation - Kent’s family cabin in the North Carolina mountains.
My hellacious travel from Sunday is becoming a distant memory. Well, except for the carry on bag I have with all my clothes for the cabin, and the scorching letter I have drafted to Continental.
See pics on Flickr!
posted by Kristine at
12:32 PM
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