Week One in Paradise
Pinch me, are we really here? It seemed, at times, like this was never really going to happen. Our house in S.C. has not sold yet but we packed up our bags and rented a place in Puerto Aventuras for 6 months. When I say packed our bags I am talking 3 large suitcases weighing between 64 and 74 pounds, a medium suitcase and 4 carry ons. We packed all our summer clothes and several kitchen items that I missed having when we were traveling for 3 months last winter. Since we were only buying a one-way ticket, we splurged on the upgrade to business so they didn’t charge us a dime for the luggage.
Our flight was at 5:45 AM to Cancun via Miami. We had a 3:30 AM Uber pickup, and with a number of sleepless nights leading up to this, we boarded the plane in a fog. We were the first plane of the day to land in Cancun so we went through immigrations and customs quickly. Some people were telling us we may have issues with a one-way ticket but we whisked through with a smile and a “Bienvenido.” Our driver met us out in front of the airport, and we made a quick stop at the Chedraui (grocery store) on our way into Puerto.
Within a few minutes of our arrival someone came to greet us at the condo and hand over our keys to our new, temporary home. We had seen photos, and a few friends had told us that we picked a nice place, but signing a lease sight unseen had us wondering what we would find. What we found is the perfect spot for us! The only downside is the construction going on next door, but it looks like they will be finishing soon. We are on an end unit, which gives us less living space than the other condos in our complex, but many more windows, which we love. We have windows and/or sliding glass doors in the laundry room, kitchen, dining and living areas, as well as the master. From our living room we are just a few steps to the canal and from our bedroom we are steps to the pool. Early morning and sunset are our favorite times, with both gorgeous sunrises to our left and sunsets to our right. The birds entertain us in the morning just before the boats start heading out. In the evening, as the sun is setting, the party and fishing boats return. It is very reminiscent of our first months together on a sailboat in San Diego, but with a whole lot more room.
And how has retirement been in our new homeland? Peaceful! Relaxing! Stress-free! With each day we feel ourselves sighing less, inhaling more with worries just seeming to slip away. The other morning Mike came in to check on me because I had slept for almost 12 hours - making up for those sleepless nights! Even when I do wake up in the middle of the night I am able to slip right back to sleep without running through a list of lists of things to do or worry about.
Life isn’t going to be perfect because we have finally made the move and retired on the Caribbean Coast, but it suits our priorities and fits our lifestyle. I’m sure to many it may seem like a dreadfully dull life, but to us it is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. After so many years of hustling, working multiple jobs, immersed in the rat race of life, bombarded with information and news and chasing the dollar this is perfect for us. Life is slower, needs are less and we have the time to reevaluate priorities. Not to say it doesn’t come at a price, we miss our son, grand children and good friends but know we will have quality time and memories when we do get together. And who doesn’t want to have friends and family with a guestroom in a tropical place?!
There are some inconveniences that come with living abroad, fewer “creature” comforts, such as not flushing toilet paper – Mexico is the only country with 1 inch piping, so to avoid clogging up the entire system, people are required, in almost every place, to throw their TP in a waste basket. We don’t have a car, bike or golf cart so we are walking every day and we welcome the offers from friends for a lift to the store or anywhere outside of Puerto Aventuras. We will start to rely more on local transportation, but for right now we are content to be in our marina community. And there are additional steps in food preparation in order to clean your produce. Oh, and the world here revolves on manana time!
All in all I would say the move was well worth the wait, planning and stress. Stay tuned for more about our adventures. For now I have to say they have been very low-key, but certainly not dull with wine tastings at Lolha, costume party at Latitude 20 for Day of the Dead, and several dinners al fresco with friends. We have caught up with old friends and met new ones. This is the calm before the storm. Slow season is winding down and holidays and high season are gearing up. So there is no telling what lies ahead.
And I just realized we have not yet put our toes in the Carribean Sea, so now I must say manana, and see if we can’t get that checked off today’s to do list.