Sunday, June 11th
An hour later, Andrea woke us all up…we loaded up and headed for the airport. It only takes 30 minutes to get there from our house, but we didn’t want to take any chances!
The guys dropped us off and we checked everyone in for the flight…that was going to leave at 7:30am. The guys finally found us again and off to the security checkpoint we go. Packy was marked for a more invasive security check while the rest of us walked through without a problem. Shoes on and backpacks collected, we anxiously waited and watched others load onto planes…when would it be our turn?
Finally, it was our turn. We waited to be the last ones on the flight so we wouldn’t have to sit for so long. Good idea, it was hot on the plane! Unfortunately, it never did really cool off. Some of us dozed more than others on the flight down.
Good thing it was a direct 2 hr flight. As we neared Cancun we talked Jeff in to taking pictures out the windows. Boy, we could almost smell the mangroves and salty air…with the heat in the plane, we felt like we were already on the ground!
Landing was great and the pilot tells us it’s busy in the immigration. We walked right in and passed through rather quickly…off to collect our bags. Soon we were approaching customs. Feeling home-free, we strode right up to the officals. They were scanning incoming bags from Dallas but not from San Antonio. Spying the red/green light, I explain, “…get the green light and keep on walking, we’ll meet up outside…” Famous last words! Andrea pushed the button...uh-oh, red light! Snickering, I pushed the button…crap! Red light! How could that happen? Panic set in…we have lots of chocolate chips for Heather and SarahB. They checked all the bags and happened to move a few of Jeff’s shirts…finding the chocolate chips. The customs agent says. “Chocolate chips?” Thinking on his feet Jeff said, “Yup, I’m a diabetic!” We laughed all the way to the Lomas group for our transfer to the El Dorado Royale.
Arriving at the EDR we walked through the motions…negotiated rooms that we liked, eat lunch, change clothes and head to the beach or the pool.
Our rooms were in building 44, where they have swim up ocean front jr. suites. Of course, we were on the second and third floors, respectively. The part of the resort we stayed in was newly added since the last time we were here. Our room faced a new saltwater pool and had a partial view of the ocean. It was very nice and also very cold when we walked in.
We waited for our rooms to be cleaned and decided now would be a great time to catch a bite to eat. The restaurant we ate in was being remodeled the last time we were her. Jo-Jo's quickly became our favorite place to eat during the day. While we waited for lunch, Packy decided he would inspect the ocean.
After lunch we quickly changed and headed to the swim up bar and saltwater pool closest to the rooms we would live in for the next week. Finally it was 3pm and we could pick up the room keys and check out our new rooms.
We dropped our bags off and headed down to make dinner reservations for the evenings we would be at the resort…and also pick up our “special gift.” After a very polite “no” to the lady about the time share sales pitch, we headed back to the pool for more drinks.
Andrea and I left the guys at the swim up bar and decided to cruise the canals toward the beach. We found palapa beds that were available for those who are not casita guests. Now, if you’ve read any of my previous posts about the palapa beds, you will know that my main mission for this trip included napping on those beds during at least one of our days on the beach. Yee-haw! We’re going to get up early in the morning and spend the whole day down there! We decide to walk the beach. It is much rockier here than it was before. We find a few shells and head back to the pool. Jeff was thrilled at the info on the palapa beds and we begin to make plans for tomorrow.
After some time in the pool, we decide to clean up and get ready for dinner. Our dinner reservations for our first night were at our favorite restaurant the last time we stayed here, D’Italia. Dinner was great!
Full of food and spirits, we head to the beach to watch a storm roll in from Cozumel…on a Palapa bed.
We decide we are too tired from the day’s activities and turn in for the night. Tomorrow will have to be another early morning…to beat those who play the towel game! Tomorrow night is the Peep Meet! We plan to go to Playa early to pick up our Playa Deal Cards and stop in to see Pony at Scream Ink...do we make it? Tune in tomorrow to find out!