Final Entry

Thanks for reading along.

The primary purpose of this blog was to let people know my status during the hurricane since texting was not an option.

As it is over now, there is no point in continuing to write.

After all, what happens in Cabo stays in Cabo.

Day Four - Mai Tai?; My God!

After a loungy day by the pool, which included a few colourful drinks and some beer-battered shrimp soft tacos (which I am going to have every other day until I leave - they were sooooooo good), we went out to dine at the Market Restaurant (by Jean-Georges Vongerichten) at The One & Only Palmilla Resort.

This seven-star property was incredible in every way. There was a server to guest ratio of (at least) three to one and I later learned that this restaurant had the most complete wine selection in all of Mexico. While too fancy for me (I like my food fairly plain and I don't deal well with lots of staff - or anyone - fussing over me), I really enjoyed the night out with good friends. I skipped having a starter to ensure I finish my main course but my portion was so generous, my hunger was more than satisfied. I think the chef may have given me extra to compensate for not having a starter. The desserts looked great but until I head back to the gym, I will test my will power a little longer.

Our plan was to hit a salsa club after dinner but after eating such a full meal, it didn't seem like a realistic option. Instead, we ventured out to the pool bar for one last drink under the (full) moonlight before the 25 minute cab ride back to our resort. The view was nothing short of spectacular (photo above). The moon was full and there was a huge ring around it which I was desperate to capture in a photograph but it was impossible for me to do so with a point and shoot. Between the glow of the moon and the hypnotic fire in the nearby firepit, I was mesmerized. I could have sat there all night - or so I thought (keep reading).

The girls each ordered a vodka tonic and I asked for a Mai Tai for the first time. I tried my very first mojito before dinner but I didn't like it. I felt like I was drinking a salad. I had bigger hopes for the MT. The drink was strong, but not as strong as the will I needed to not embarrass myself by freaking out over the bill.

Processing exchange rates in one's head can be confusing, but I am clever enough to be able to do math without electronics. Still, I had to confer with my friends as there was no way I could have been right. When I told them the bill for the three drinks was $75, all I heard in return was "SHUT up!". Well, it was true. Including service charge, the one round of three drinks came to $74.55; nearly a thousand pesos.

What baffled us the most was that the cocktails we enjoyed with dinner, which involved a lot more labour than simply twisting off a cap on a bottle of vodka and pouring some into a plastic cup, were half the price. Perhaps the drinks were better priced in the restaurant because guests were also spending money on food? I suppose guests who are paying $600-1,500 a night for their hotel rooms are not too concerned about shelling out $25 for a cocktail.

I paid the bill and we walked back to the lobby to catch our cab home. "Oh well", I thought, "at least this story gives me content for my blog".

As such, I am accepting donations from all of my loyal readers for your share in my experience.

Day Three - Paradise Found

There was no hurricane damage over the course of the night. A few leaves were scattered on the ground and one small branch on the palm tree outside my window had snapped but otherwise, that was about it. We were anxious to move back to our original hotel but our hosts at the sister property were being a bit difficult about letting us leave. Perhaps they were experiencing separation anxiety because they kept prolonging the time of our return. Not wanting to waste a third day, we took control of the situation and ordered a taxi-cab to take us to Hacienda Encantada. Our departure was held up twice - once to wait for an inspection of the rooms and then some lame excuse to waste even more of our time.

I was the only one who hadn't already been to Hacienda Encantada so I had the most to gain from the return. Everyone else had gone from amazing to mediocre but I was doing the opposite. The room blew me away. After a drive on an oversized golf cart from the reception to Phase One of the room blocks, I knew it would be great, but wow. The room was very well decorated and the view from the balcony (seen above) was impressive.

We were given two rooms which inter-connected via a third (common) room. This intermediary room consisted of a full kitchen, dining room, sitting room with TV/DVD, balcony and another (huge) bathroom. Both bedrooms had all of those features as well. All three rooms overlooked the five-tiered pool so after one minute of checking out the room, we didn't waste any more time getting to the glorious sunshine.

The day by the pool (which was one of those endless-type pools which looks like it blends right into the ocean) was great. I took a small hike on the beach to explore the affect-effects of the high waters from the hurricane. All I could find was a washed-up fish with it's eye pecked out and a crab with bits of it removed as well. The beach wasn't great and the water was unswimmable, but I will take a pool over a beach anyday so the rocky beach was no disappointment to me. There were fierce undercurrents and plenty of rocks under the water too, making any attempt at swimming rather suicidal/in denial.

We finally went out for dinner at around 11pm after a few rounds of Pancake Poker. The thing was, it wasn't dinner (I was tricked). We went clubbing to Cabo Wabo, a spacious club with no fixed demographic but a decent band covering hard-rock tunes from the 80's and 90's. They played a bit too much Van Halen but I supposed they had to since the club is owned by former Van Halen front-person...Sammy Hagar. I bet you were thinking David Lee Roth. Nope. I meant Sammy. I can't recall more than one song by Van Halen featuring Sammy. No that's not true. Two songs. "Right Now" and "Why Can't This Be Love?".

Dinner was finally celebrated at about 2 a.m. We asked a cab driver to take us to a tacqueria - an outdoor (sheltered) hole-in-the-wall, in-the-middle-of-nowhere taco/quesadilla restaurant with tasty food. I had BBQ chicken tacos (some flour, some corn) with a rather runny guacamole with a rather spicy tomato-cilantro chutney. It was too spicy for me but being so stubborn, I piled it on, although I can't remember what I was being so stubborn about. It comes so naturally to me...

Bedtime came at 4 a.m. No one puked so I think it was a successful night.

Day Two - Survivor: Mexican Edition

Day Two began with a mission.

We woke up realizing that we were low on staples (water, food, alcohol) so we all met in the lobby to head out in search of a supermaket. We hiked through large puddles of water and the odd blustery wind to the only store still open. Fifty dollars later, we left with enough supplies to get us through the coming storm.

We made a feast of scrambled eggs, French toast and coffee by pooling our skills in the true spirit of cooperation. I lended my voice of sarcasm while everyone else cooked, cleaned and catered to my needs. Sorry everyone for being so selfish. Our hotel, although not the one we really wanted to be in, maintained good communication. We received several notices under the door showing us internet print-outs of the location of Hurricane Jimena along with a few phone calls advising us to stay indoors. Fortunately, the hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm and it spared land. Actually, the whole thing was a bit of an anti-climax. The palm trees were swaying a bit and there were intermittent spells of rain, but otherwise, NOTHING HAPPENED.

We stayed indoors all day, playing cards in between napping and eating. With the previous night's bedtime equating to 8am Toronto time, we were all beat, so we retired early in hopes that we' d be able to head back to Hacienda Encantada in the morning.

Day One - The Long, Long Journey

This trip began like most of my others. I thought I had more time before my departure but an unplanned reminder helped me realise I was wrong. I had one hour less which meant I had to cut out some errands I planned to do on the way to the airport. Thankfully, I received a call from Mexico to see if I was still coming due to the expected hurricane which prompted me to check my itinerary.

Being so used to carrying-on my luggage, I declined to check my bag. I worried that a 55-minute transfer in Dallas would not be enough time to make my connection. Having made it to the security scanner, after a cool 40 minute wait for Immigration, I remembered the bottled water, wine and toiletries I did not want to throw out. I had to be buzzed out of American territory to go back to the ticketing desk to get a tag to check my bag. I had to go through Immigration again (with a new form) but I was lucky enough to talk my way into the priority lane.

The flights on AA were basic but efficient. There was no entertainment service and although I had my computer, there were no AC outlets. I am proud to state that I did two more lessons of my German language studies before time ran out - something I haven't done since returning from Germany.

The flight to Cabo had about 17 people occupying the 140-odd seats. Many tourists backed out due to the hurricane. Just before landing we were given two forms - one was only written in Spanish. I guessed my way through it, and cleared Customs, so I must have done OK.

I exited the terminal and was soon approached by a man offering shuttle service to the hotels. Reluctantly, but knowing my only other choice was an $80 cab ride, I gave my hotel name. He was wearing a uniform but that only lessened my suspicion by one or two per cent. He quoted me $15 so I gave him a twenty, half thinking that I'd never see him again as he walked away to get my change. I felt bad for being so untrusting, especially when I saw him walk back to me after only a few minutes with my change, a receipt and a great big smile. He took my bag to another man who loaded it into a mini-van. Again in doubt, I couldn't rest until I checked to see if my bag was in fact on my shuttle or left behind to be looted later on. Fortunately, it was there.

Unfortunately, I arrived at my hotel some 75 minutes later to learn that the whole property had been evacuated due to the hurricane and everyone was moved to the hotel's sister property in town. I arrived at the sister property with mixed feelings. I walked through a pleasant outdoor concierge with cockroaches bigger than mice on route to a friendly reservation team that couldn't find me my room (I was sharing with others and there was trouble finding the correct surname on the booking). After some time, I learned that my friends hadn't checked in yet. I waited for them in the lobby and one hour later, they showed up, completely shocked that I had arrived. They were told the airport closed several hours before I landed and that there was no possible way I'd be coming.

Our new hotel has little to write home about. The microwave, air conditioning, one sink, wi-fi and safe didn't work. It was clean, but it reflected good times from about 20 years ago. I heard our real hotel - Hacienda Encantada - is absolutely amazing. I am hopeful I will get a chance to get back there by Thursday morning.