Turtle Tracks in the Moonlight

I had a craving for a margarita last night (OK, 2 for 1 margaritas) so I coaxed my "neighbours", Constance and Jeff, to join me at CCs for a drink. The sky was almost totally clear and I knew there was a good chance we would have a pretty sunset. We were not disappointed. My friend, Tom was also there, on his own for dinner so we invited him to join us. Connie and I had the taco special (3 for 16 pesos -- she had cheese; I had chicken), Tom had the fish special (60 pesos) and Jeff had enchiladas off the menu. With drinks (quite a few!), food and a generous tip, the bill was 400 pesos divided between the four of us.

As we made a move to leave CCs, I saw my friend Christine ("Martillo") hanging out on the beach looking for her boyfriend David. It turns out that they were on "turtle patrol" and were spending their evening roaming the beach between the river to the outcropping at the south end of Los Muertos, looking for nesting turtles. Once found, they wait for them to lay their eggs and then David digs them up to help preserve them. They are both volunteers for the Program for the Protection & Conservation of Sea Turtles in Puerto Vallarta (email the Program at seaturtlespv@yahoo.com).

As we were standing around talking about the group's activities, David came bounding down the beach to tell Christine that there were TWO turtles further down the beach who had come ashore to lay their eggs and we were invited to join them! We ended up almost at the end of Los Muertos, just past the Blue Chairs. One turtle was busy digging her nest while another had just come out of the water and was heading in towards the beach. The first, slightly smaller turtle did her business and left relatively quickly. David scooped out the nest and recovered 89 eggs! He was digging in the sand up to his elbow and let us each hold an egg for a moment.

The second turtle was very tenacious. She didn't just land on the beach. She climbed up a very steep incline and hauled herself over the top and started digging. After about five minutes, she must have realized that the sand was too hard or something else was wrong, because she continued inland about another 15 feet to a spot under a palapa and started digging like crazy! She must have dug that nest for over 20 minutes. Her shell appeared to be bending but it was actually just tipping back as the hole got deeper and deeper.

Finally she stopped moving and started laying her eggs. Christine said she has seen turtles who "cry" with the effort to lay their eggs. We debated the option of giving birth to one 8 lb. baby vs. 90+ golf ball size eggs (I guess you have to be a woman to appreciate this discussion!). She was so still and lifeless -- it is said that they go into sort of a trance at this stage. Finally she was done, almost an hour after coming ashore. She began rocking back and forth, filling the hole with sand. You could actually hear her thumping the sand as she packed it down with her flippers! It was an eery sound on the beach, in the dark, with the full moon shining above us.

All of sudden, she stopped, started to turn and head back towards the water. David said she must have been tired because she made no effort to disguise the nest. The nest ended up holding 93 eggs and it was dug in two adjoining compartments. At first David thought we had stumbled across another nest but she had just dug it an unusually shaped nest. As she slowly made her way back "home", the track she made in the sand was beautiful. So perfect and simple in its design. I actually felt a little bit sad -- I don't why -- but just watching her trundle back into the water brought tears to my eyes. It was truly an amazing experience and one I will never forget!

I'm So Lucky!

I've been here a week now. I think I've lost weight and I'm getting a little bit browner. I'm slowly but surely reconnecting with all my friends and making new ones. Life is good!

Today, I offered to take two of our guests at Casa Andrea, Constance and Jeff from Fort Collins, Colorado, on a little walking tour of PV. Anyone who knows me will shudder at the thought because a walking tour with me is more like a hike. But I digress ... we headed north, towards Gringo Gulch and went up the coloured stairs to Calle Zaragoza. I wanted to show them Gringo Gulch, Liz and Dick's place, and some of the beautiful homes up there. We passed by Cafe des Artistes and El Arrayan. We came out on the main drag, at the top of the Malecon and continued north to San Salvador.

This is where my luck kicked in because we found Northern Delights open on a Sunday at 11:30AM! James, the owner, was inside and we entered this lovely restaurant salivating at the thought of some good old fashioned comfort food from NOTB (North Of The Boarder). We were not disappointed. The restaurant is air conditioned, the water and ice are purified (and free), and the food is amazing! James makes his own bread so we were treated to homemade raisin toast with butter, cut up and placed on the table instead of the usual chips and salsa. Yummm ...

Constance and I both had a small green salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, jicama) with our choice of dressing (thousand islands, homemade blue cheese, italian, etc) for 25 pesos and a small macaroni and cheese for 25 pesos. The macaroni and cheese was homemade and crusty on top. We were in heaven. We ate everything. Jeff had a ham and cheese sandwich, which he ate so fast, I hardly saw it! I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone who wants a "taste of home" while away on vacation. They are open 11AM to 8PM, every day but Wednesday.

Short Post, Long Day

I didn't do much today. Got up late and hung around the Casa, waiting for Andrea to call. Met with some potential new clients and showed them around. You know, hotel stuff. I took our guests, Connie and Jeff, to Plaza Caracol. We had fun wandering around the mall and then up and down the aisles at Gigante. We bought way too much and had to take a taxi home. The watermelon alone weighed 5 kgs! It started to rain just as the taxi pulled up and I managed to fall down the stairs because they were wet and I was wearing an old pair of flip flops with no treads. I bruised myself badly and did not feel like going out after that so Connie made popcorn and we all watched a movie with the dogs at our feet -- very cozy. So here it is, almost 10PM, and I'm ready for my bed! ¡Buenas noches ...tengo sueños!

Lazy Days

I didn't leave Casa Andrea yesterday until almost 7PM. Why leave? I had food, drink, books, a pool, TV, the internet and a phone. We didn't get any rain the night before so it was hot, hot, HOT and sunny. I spent the latter part of the afternoon at the pool, just languishing and enjoying some serious "down" time. Did I mention that I don't have to go back to work until October 18th? So I have a whole month to unwind ...

I met John for dinner last night and we went to El Arrayan (www.elarrayan.com.mx). What a wonderful place this is! I might actually go back for my birthday dinner it was so delightful. The food and ambiance were fabulous. The owner, Carmen, is charming and the service was excellent. Check out the website and the menu! John had the shrimp pozole and I had the grilled shrimps zarandeado for $135. I will definitely be going back to this restaurant and SOON!!! The chocolate flan alone is worth the trip and I want to try the Chiles en Nogada.

Last night was an early night and this morning was the same. I was up in good time to be at the bank when in opened. I exchanged the balance of my Canadian money and got a rate of 8.75 at the Scotiabank Inverlat on Juarez. FYI, the cambios on Olas Altas were only offering 8.2 so I'm glad I made the walk up there. I hopped on a bus to Mega to pick up a few supplies and was back here by 11:30AM. After an hour and a half of dilly dallying, I walked a block and a half to Maximillian's to meet my new friend, Anna, for lunch. We talked non-stop for 3 hours! My friend Sonia walked by and joined us for a cold drink. You know it is a good day when you make a new friend!

Felipe Reyes, my massage therapist, also happened to walk by so we made an appointment for 4PM. He is an excellent masseur, practicing out of his home on Pilitas, just around the corner from Olas Altas. If anyone would like his contact information, please let me know. He is professional and very knowledgeable about human physiology because he is an athlete. I'm sliding off my chair here because of all the massage lotion so I think I will hit the showers and have a bit of siesta. We are still expecting some guests to arrive sometime today and I guess I will have to stick around until they get here ...

ADDENDUM: Well it's Friday night and my "date", Coco, just stood me up. She went to the gym today for the first time in about ... hmmm ... 20 years and now she can't walk! LOL She says we can go out tomorrow night but I have a feeling she will be hurting even more by then.

Did I forget to mention that I am sharing my digs here with this bitch named Lola and her three puppies? Well today they decided it would be fun to roll around in the mud underneath the hibiscus plant (we had a lot of rain earlier today). Did I mention they are all "white" dogs?

Anyway, I guess I can now add "dog washer" to my resume ... haha!

My Day So Far ...

I got up early this morning (8AM) and donned my running shoes for a long, power walk on the Malecon. I took the stairs at the top of Fca. Rodriguez and nearly killed myself! They are all mossy and slimey from the rainy season ... I won't be doing that again soon. There was still quite a bit of water around from last night's rain. I guess it continued on into the night and early morning hours although it had stopped by the time I left Que?Pasa last night around 10PM.

So I hiked up Ignacio Vallarta, over the bridge, to the Malecon and up all the way to the Rosita and back to the dolphin statue in front of Los Arcos. That is considered "one lap". I did two and came back behind Los Arcos and across the new bridge. The sand in front of the Molina de Agua was hard packed because of the rain so it was kind of nice to run on. I think I was gone less than an hour but I was sweating when I got home.

Did a few stretches, took a shower and brought my breakfast of mango yogurt and banana down here to check my emails. Then Andrea called. Once I got business out of the way, I headed over to check out my new digs effective October 15th. Kevin called and said he was up (he is home late because he owns "La Noche", a really cool martini/cocktail bar). I wanted to see the apartment again because it has been a while since I was in it.

Getting in is a bit tricky in the rainy season. More slippery, slime and wet leaves on the stairs but I managed. It is going to be really nice once the rains stop. Pray for an early end to the rainy season will you? So, for those of you that don't know, the apartment has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 entrances, 2 living rooms, shared kitchen/dining room, washer/dryer, cable TV, phoneline and high speed internet cable. I will be sharing with my friend Colleen. :)

After I left there (the place is in chaos because Kevin is packing!), I went to the San Franciscan Hotel at the top of Olas Altas and Pilitas. I met with the owner, David Rhodes, and got a tour of the facilities. This is a great place to stay! Beautiful, well appointed rooms, great location, pool, gym, yoga classes, beauty shop, etc. The link is www.san-franciscan.com. David and I sat and chatted for hours about mutual friends. This is NOT an exclusively gay hotel but rather an adult only hotel. Unfortunately, it is not equipped for small children. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a short or long term stay in southside Vallarta!

To continue ... yesterday was an action-packed day! I came home for lunch and met the new guests from Colorado who arrived at 2PM. BTW, it was snowing in Fort Collins when they left ... LOL!!! After deciding on a room for the next three weeks, I offered to show them where the grocery store was so we all walked over to Rizo's. I left them at the small restaurant across the street while I picked up a few things and then joined them for a Coca Light before heading back to Casa Andrea. I tried to "siesta" (is that verb?) but couldn't sleep.

I finally got up, made a few phone calls and headed over to Que?Pasa for some of Brenda's home cooking but she wasn't in. Then I walked down to Viva so say hi to my workmates. Tried to locate another friend for dinner and he wasn't home. Now I didn't know what to do! A lot of my favourite places are closed for September, with most re-opening on October 15th. So I decided on Greek food and went over to Karpathos for their Combination Plate! Yummy! After a fabulous dinner and a glass of wine, the owners, Ruben and Soccorro, arrived so I had another glass of wine while we sat around, chatting about everything that has happened since we last saw each other.

Coco offered to drive me home in her brand new SUV. Unfortunately, she is still not entirely comfortable with the standard transmission and the steep hill up to Casa Andrea proved too much for her. The road was slick from rain run off and when she put the truck into reverse, she lost control of the vehicle and it slammed in the high curb on the other side of the street and slid down a few stairs. She could not get it unstuck! I ran back to the restaurant to get Ruben and, with the help of all the neighbours, we managed to get her back on the road. The back bumper looked a little bent but everyone was OK. The whole neighbourhood came out to help and that is how I found out the mother of the woman who owns the laundromat I frequent lives across the street! Vallarta is SUCH a small town ... really! :)

Another Day In Paradise

I made it home last night without a raft. It was an interesting walk though. All I can say is, thank the Goddess for sports sandals! There were one or two cracks of thunder that sounded REALLY close and I heard from someone today that one of them hit at the water at the end of the pier on Los Muertos. I didn't see any damage today so I'm not sure what happened but it was LOUD and it was instantaneous with the streak of lightening. Very cool ...

Today I played hotel manager and was advised that one of our clients got stuck in the bathroom. Apparently he thought it necessary to close the door FIRMLY on his wife of 20 years and as a result, could not get out of the bathroom because the humidity had swollen the door. Serves him right ... just what the hell was he doing in there anyway??? It was funny and we all laughed. BTW, I didn't have to break the door down. He eventually got out but not until I offered to roll peanuts under the doors in case he got hungry ... LOL

What else happened today? Oh yeah, our ISP here at Casa Andrea went down because of the storm and so I couldn't get online this morning. I was going crazy! Amazing how much I depend on my internet "fix" several times a day. After the bathroom fiasco, I walked over to my friend John's place to apologize for not making my 9AM appointment with him and his English students, Brenda and Dora. He wanted me to speak to them in my "Canadian" accent. If you're ever in Vallarta and meet one of these sisters speaking English with a British accent, you know they are John's students! :)

After that, John served me lunch (lamb curry ... ymmm!) and we went out to research gyms in the area. He wants to starts working out and I need to do it too. We started at the PowerHouse gym on Madero. Right now, they have a special on ... 2 for $400MXP. That's either two people or two months. It is close to John's place but a bit of hike from my place. Plus they only open at 7AM and are closed on Sundays. Then we walked over to the south end of Olas Altas to the San Franciscan hotel to try to meet the owner, David. The location would be ideal for me as it is just a couple of blocks from where I am living. I need to see what he has there but 24 hour access is appealing ...

I then came home and hung out here all afternoon, waiting for Adan to come back from "lunch" at 4PM. We got back online around 5PM and I answered some emails. By 6PM, it was time for a shower since I was meeting JR at Langostino's for happy hour at 7PM. Made it a little bit late but the rain had started again and we got to see a terrific light show out over the Bay. It didn't really rain a lot here but cooled things down considerably. We made our way to Que?Pasa for one more drink and I had a hot dog. Home by 9PM, in bed by 10PM. It is so quiet here at night ... no dogs, no donkeys, no roosters, no construction, no NOTHING! I don't even need my earplugs to block out the sirens like I did in Toronto. Life is good ...

Big Rain

This big ass rain has got me stranded at Jeff's place. I came over for dinner at 7PM and it had already been raining for two hours at that point. Well it is almost 10PM and it is STILL RAINING!!! I'm going to need a boat to get home. The water was ankle keep on the way over. I can't even imagine what it is now ... knee deep??? Good thing Jeff has a second bedroom because I don't think I'm going anywhere for a while. Pinche lluvia!

Day Two

I went to Que?Pasa last night and saw everyone there. It was nice to be "home" again ... BTW, my picture is now up on the wall in the bar so I am feeling very much like part of the local scene. Just look for the babe in the tiara and boa -- that would be me! LOL I didn't stay out too late because I had been up since 2AM Vallarta time. After a yummy dinner of beef stroganoff, prepared by Brenda Martin (70MXP) and two Coronas, I was ready to call it a night. It rained for about an hour until 9PM and I headed out soon after that. I think I was in bed before 10PM and I woke up after 8AM this morning. I was one tired Goddess! The beds here are fantastic. I didn't need any air conditioning after that glorious rain. The air was fresh and breezy.

Today I unpacked and straightened out my room. Adan made me a coffee and I logged on to check my messages. I was ready to go by 10AM and had breakfast at Karpathos. My friend Soccorro ("Coco") made me a special meal of scrambled eggs and fresh fruit. I am trying to eat lighter and get more exercise. Today has been a good day so far in that regard. I took the bus up to Mega and bought some provisions. That store is just so great ... clean, big, air conditioned. The quality of the produce is wonderful and I love shopping there. I got off lightly today; only spending 350MXP and took a cab back. It's always a treat to practice my "muy malo" Spanish on an unsuspecting cab driver! ;)

I have stuff stored all over Vallarta so I called my friends Jeff and Kathy to come over and pick up a few things. Of course, I got waylaid on the way there at Sunset Properties. I just had to stop in and say "hola" to my good friend, Tom Carota. If you are looking for a long term rental or even to buy a place in Vallarta, I would certainly recommend him to you. The website is www.vallartasunset.com. Of course, that took some time and by the time I got to Jeff's place, it was MUCH later than I had originally thought but then, that is the Mexican way. :) Realized I didn't have the keys to the locks on my suitcases so I could only rifle through the boxes. Picked up a few things (including my laundry from July!) and headed home again after being invited back for dinner tonight.

By this time, it was getting really hot and still quite sunny. I got home, made some lunch and headed down to the pool and to use the computer. Before too long, three American tourists walked in from Seattle asking for a room so I got my first chance to earn my keep at Casa Andrea by translating information for them from Paty, Andrea's employee. Of course, once they saw the room, they were delighted and now they have made arrangements to stay for 2-4 nights. I helped them with their bags and then joined them in the pool. I think they are on their way out now in search of a margarita. Shouldn't be too difficult of a task since there are any number of good bars and restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. I'm just finishing up here and will head upstairs for my siesta before walking back to Kathy and Jeff's for dinner. So far, it has been an absolutely wonderful, relaxing day in Vallarta.

Day One

The last two days in Toronto were a flurry of packing, moving stuff back to my Dad's basement, saying goodbye and trying to fit everything left behind into my suitcase. For the first time, I actually unzipped it to use the extra few inches allowed by my expandable Samsonsite. The cost was brutal! At $7 extra per kilo, I was 30 kilos overweight. You do the math ... thank the Goddess my airfare was cheap! Why do I need so much stuff? I thought I was downsizing ... *sigh* ... time to go through it once more to cull out the old clothes and give them to the Refugio.

So as a result of my late arrival at the airport (2 hours before boarding), I got stuck in row 25 in a plane with 30 rows. Fortunately for me, the wife of the gentleman sitting beside me was sitting in row 1 and asked to switch with me. How lucky am I? I think I was the third person to deplane. As is my practice, I started chatting with the woman sitting across the aisle from me. Maureen is travelling alone and promised to call me so that we can get together sometime in the next two weeks while she is here. Of course, she wants to do what I'm doing so I have a feeling my brain is about to be "picked" -- hope it isn't too painful! LOL

My friends Jeff and Kathy took the bus out to the airport to meet me. The flight was 40 minutes early getting in and I got the "green light" again. Woo hoo! Twenty minutes later, I was walking through the gates of Casa Andrea ... too easy! There are four dogs living here with Adan, Andrea's major domo. He is staying with them in Andrea's apartment and I am staying in Unit #3. We are the only two staying here right now. It is just before the busy season so I don't expect it to be quiet for long! The weather is hot but not as hot as I expected. There was a nice cool breeze this morning and it was cloudy. The sun came out this afternoon. It is now 5:34PM; I've been here for 6.5 hours and I've already had two showers and three dips in the pool. Wonder what I will do when it gets really hot? LOL

Jeff, Kathy and I headed to the Burros Bar for lunch. Two beers, chicken nachos and a couple of salads later, I started unwinding. We actually saw dolphins jumping in the Bay which was a treat for all of us. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at Que?Pasa tonight. I took the bus up to the Scotiabank and withdrew some pesos. I got a message about the service charge. I read it to say $7.50 + $3.00 MXP but I'm sure it will come out in $US. I will let you know. Guess I will have to start working soon so as to minimize my trips to the banking machine. FYI, the exchange rate for $CDN was 8.65 at the Bank. I stopped at Rizo's on the way home and bought some drinks, limes and bananas. I have a 3/4 size fridge, purified water and a kitchenette here. It is very cozy and I am already feeling at home. In many ways, it feels like I never left.

Assume = Ass + U + Me!

I had an old boyfriend who used to say that all the time so now I never assume anything about anything -- especially in relationships. I always ask first. "Are you gay?" "Are you sure your Mom won't mind if I stay overnight?" LOL You know, that kind of thing ... (he always used to say that too!). It always amazes me how people think they know you because they read what you've written in a blog or on a Bulletin Board or in an email. We all wear masks and sometimes what you see in writing is in no way representative of someone's actual personality. I've met gregarious people online who turn out to be very shy in person. I've met some liberal typists who are very conservate in the flesh. The only way I can know someone is to look into their eyes.

A lot of people have been asking me how long I'm going to be in PV this time and I really don't know. I have a two week return ticket so I could be coming home again on October 3rd! I probably won't but the option is there. I have a job that will carry me through until Easter and beyond but it means 6.5 months without a vacation! People think because I live in Vallarta, it's like being on vacation. It's not. I work 5-6 days/nights a week. I have to do laundry. I have to buy groceries. I have to line up to pay my phone or cable bill and sometimes, that takes all day to accomplish. Most days, it is NOT like being on vacation but, as a close friend pointed out to me the other day, I can walk to the beach on my lunch hour! :)

My options are so limitless it is sometimes frightening. Living out of (let me count them piled on the floor beside me) eight boxes and a couple of suitcases does give me a certain amount of freedom but it also scares me. I feel adrift and even a little lost without "stuff" to anchor me to a certain address in a certain city. My Mom can't understand why I keep "doing this" to myself. "This" being the transition from one country to another. I have been dreading it for weeks and now it is less than 48 hours away. I know I will settle down once I get there, once I see my friends, smell the air, walk up to the ocean and hear its welcoming waves. But getting there is always a big ordeal. If I had to make a wish, I would snap my fingers and have everything in place ... luggage, acclimation, relationships ... the days are dragging by and yet, it seems like the hours are flying by. How is that possible?

I don't know what the future holds for me. "Home is where the heart is" and right now, my heart is tightly wrapped up by the strong ties I have with my friends here in Canada. My dear, sweet, wonderful friends who allow me to share my life with them. I could never have even attempted this journey without them. I thought saying goodbye would be easier this time but it isn't. I cry when I leave here and I cry when I leave Vallarta. You would think all this crying would make me weigh less because of the water loss but it doesn't! Haha! The mechanics of the move have been surprisingly effortless. It is no coincidence that things are falling into place in Vallarta so easily. It is where I'm meant to be, for now, but maybe not forever. My options are always open.

How I Made The Move

So many people have asked me why I decided to move to Vallarta and how I managed to do it. The "mechanics" of such a huge undertaking were quite daunting at first but as you will see, everything worked out fine in the end. I thought the story might be worth including in my blog for those of you who are dreaming of doing such a thing. So here is the "Reader's Digest" version.

I first went to Acapulco, Mexico with my ex-boyfriend in 1995, 1996 and 1998. After we broke up, we made a pact not to return there without each other but I knew I loved Mexico! I had friends who used to go to PV every year, twice a year, and they always raved about it. In November 2000, a girlfriend and I decided to go. I liked PV better than Acapulco and went back April and November 2001, April, August and October 2002 and January, February, April and October, 2003.

Over the course of all those trips, I made a lot of friends in PV, both locals and tourists. After the first anniversary of 9/11, I had sort of an "epiphany" and I decided I wanted to do something different with my life so I made the decision to go. I started saving money. I took on a part-time job in addition to my regular full-time job (I've been a litigation assistant for 20 years). I rented out my condo to a friend and moved into smaller, cheaper rental accommodations. A year later (on October 4, 2003), I took my tenth trip to PV and stayed.

I met an American couple who were buying a condo in PV at the same time I was moving down. Not being ready to move down themselves, they agreed to rent it to me. After I arrived, I found a job at VIVA through a friend who was already working there and I got my FM3. I stayed until the end of April 2004, at which time I moved back to Toronto and got a job working at the same law firm for the summer. I also moved back into my former rental accommodations here. Now I'm heading back to Vallarta this Sunday. My job is waiting for me, I've got new accommodations lined up and I will be staying until mid-April 2005.

It took a year to plan. I budgeted $1000US per month for six months so I saved $6000US before going, just in case I couldn't find a job. Because I ended up working, I actually came home with money still in the bank! And after working all summer here, my bank account is quite pudgy again. It took a bit of planning, a bit of networking, a bit of luck and a lot of discipline but it was worth it. I have the best of both worlds! If you are thinking about doing it, I will be more than happy to help in any way I can. Just send me an email ...

Less Than A Week To Go!

You know how when you're planning for a vacation and you start thinking to yourself, "Next week at this time, I'll be ... "? I did that on Saturday night (actually Sunday morning) at 3:42AM as I lay in bed at a the Madison Manor Hotel, trying to sleep. The owner and my friend, Isabel Manore, had given me a gift certificate to spend one night at her Toronto hotel so I took advantage this past weekend, thinking it would be a nice way to spend my last full weekend in Toronto. The room was a delight ... Isabel's decorating skills are well known to me from all the time I've hung out at Casa Isabel in PV, so the Madison in Toronto was really no surprise, but sleep alluded me. All I kept thinking was, "At 3:42AM next Sunday, I will be on my way to the airport." By the way, the website for Casa Isabel and the Madison Manor Hotel is http://www.madisonavenuepub.com/.

Yesterday begins a week of dividing my life between Toronto and Vallarta. Separating everything -- clothing, linens, personal items, even friends -- into two separate piles. Those to "take with" and those to leave behind. :( I know from past experience that it can be very trying and extremely emotional. I am not looking forward to it. The transition from one country to another is never easy and I know the next couple of weeks will be difficult. Some people might think that because I am moving to "paradise", I should have no worries. Well I worry a lot and it is not as easy as it seems. But I will get through and hopefully the stress and strain of living in this big, bad city for the last four and half months will slip away quickly.

I will be out for dinner every single night this week which normally would make me giddier than a Goddess at a shoe sale (I am VERY domestically-challenged) but restaurant food can be fattening!!! OK, I know I can try to make smart food choices but the main culprits are the wine and desserts that my friends INSIST I enjoy. However I plan to spoil myself, especially on Wednesday night when my two best friends here in Toronto, Heidi and Rose, are taking me out to celebrate my birthday. Martinis and cavier at Pravka Vodka Bar and then dinner at Biagio, one of our local upscale Italian restaurants. Of course all this over-indulging means I will be returning to Vallarta five pounds heavier than when I left so I am making a public pronouncement that I will be working hard to whip this body back into shape once I get to PV! And I hope you, dear reader, will help and encourage me in my endeavour.

Starting to Pack

I figured I should probably get a start on my packing although there really isn't all that much to do. I'm getting ready for the "garage" sale tomorrow morning. Can you really call it that when the sale is being set up outside and nowhere near a garage? LOL Anyway, if you're in the neighbourhood, come by for a look see. The website for my neighbourhood in Toronto is www.thedistillerydistrict.com. I get tired of explaining that (1) yes I own a condo (2) no I don't live in it (3) my girlfriend rents it from me full-time (4) I rent a room (master bedroom suite) from one of my neighbours and therefore (5) live in the same building!

Anyway, back to packing and the sale. I have a lot of nice costume jewellery that I never wear anymore so I will try to sell that. I guess I should know a think or two about selling that kind of stuff by now eh? :) So I'll be setting up around 8AM and standing around until noon-ish. I went through my room last night and I have six boxes to pack plus one suitcase. This is all stuff going back into my Dad's basement including some cool weather clothes. He wanted to know what I am going to "do" with the "stuff" at his place. I wondered why he was asking ... is he moving, dying, WHAT? He just laughed and said it was OK to leave it there. What a guy! xo

So now comes the hard part ... saying goodbye to everyone and making the transition to another country. Everyone keeps asking me if I am excited and the answer is, surprisingly, no. I have a lot to do in the next 9 days and I dread saying goodbye to people, especially my parents and my girlfriends. Then there is the flight, schlepping my suitcases all over hell and back. Once settled at Casa Andrea, I will feel better. Once I see Jeff and John and Lynnda and everyone else in PV, I will feel better. But I know from past experience that the first couple of weeks are always an adjustment ... the weather, the food, the pace ... who would have thought that SLOWING DOWN could be stressful? It's different when you're on vacation. I know I'll be fine once I step off the plane.

The Flight is Booked!

Well I finally broke down and booked my flight. The price will probably drop again but I still feel fortunate to have only paid $550CDN vs. the $800CDN I paid last year. It is a two week flight but I won't be using the return leg until next spring. Unless I do something crazy and return to Canada after only two weeks in Mexico. I can't see that happening ... I am much too conscientious to back out of my obligations down there.

The living situation is working out well. I'm at Casa Andrea rent free for the first month and a bit. Colleen and I spoke last night and we are committed to taking her old two bedroom apartment on Callejon Almendo. It's a sweet deal for $600US a month with phone, cable, laundry and internet also available. And the location is great too ... except that I will have to walk by Que?Pasa every night on my way home from work. Oh darn! LOL

I am actually finding it difficult to leave Canada this time and wondering if that has more to do with how I'm feeling about living here or living there. I know I don't want to do winter ever again but now I'm thinking that life in BC wouldn't be bad, or even California. Now that my life is contained in a few suitcases and a dozen boxes, it is amazing how liberated I feel! But also unanchored too ... it is just such strange juxtaposition of feelings.

I've decided I'm going to try to keep this Blog going while I'm down south so as to give family and friends some insight into my life as a gypsy. I will try not to get too personal as I don't want everyone knowing "my business" but I will try to maintain my honesty and integrity while posting. Let's just hope it doesn't come back to bite me in the ass! Hahaha!