December 31

Blog: 12/31/07

The last two weeks have been a blur. Remodeling a bathroom, doing Christmas, and getting ready to turn the house over to two strangers while we spend two months away, has been like wrestling a greased octopus! I am so pleased to not have to drive a car for two months. Our endless trips to Fred Meyer, Lowe’s and Home Depot, not to mention the interspersed journeys to Rejuvenation and Globe Lighting have given me a sample of a cab driver’s life. No thank you!

On the last day of the year, on four hours sleep, we arose at 1:30 a.m. for final preparations. I must admit that when Polley told me what time she needed to get up, I was a bit skeptical. She can be a bit over dramatic! However, we needed every minute of the three hours, and even at that, left a few things undone and a number of items, we have now discovered, left behind.

Our cab arrived as ordered at 4:45 a.m. I highly recommend Radio Cab. They have always been very prompt. This time, given the last minute rush, we might have wished they had been delayed a bit. Even so we were to the airport by 5:05 and checked in by 5:20. We are doing two months with only 3 bags. Polley did very well. It will be interesting to see how much of what we brought, actually gets used. As we had to change flights, from a cncellation of our later flight, the Alaska had not seated Polley and I together. We were in rows right behind each other. I ask if it might be possible to sit together. After two months in such close proximity to each other, we might want to sit apart on the return flight, but for now we would appreciate seats together. They not only accommodated us, but gave us exit row seats, so we had plenty of leg room for the whole trip! Actually the flight was not very crowded. It is New Year’s Eve day and people, no doubt, were already at their destination. It was not, however, a non-stop flight. We had a bout an hour stop in San Francisco. Didn’t change planes, but did have to de-plane. Left for Puerto Vallarta at 9:30 a.m. and arrived in PV right on time, 3:05 in the afternoon.

Immigration and Customs went smoothly. In Mexico, you play Customs roulette. You get your bags and as you exit, you push a button: Red and you unpack everything; green and you go on your way! Went won the jackpot and went straight on through. We were whisked into a cab and went tearing through traffic. You kid was driving, but he was very good, weaving in and out of busy traffic. The airport is about 20-25 minutes from El Centro Commercial. Our apartment, despite directions, is a little difficult to locate. We had a dim memory from our visit of a year ago, but given our age, it had faded substantially. Our cab driver, after a couple of inquiries, did find the place and low and behold, our landlord Frederico was standing waiting for us! I had e-mailed him about our flight change, but had never heard a word, but there he was. We carried bags down hill and then back up and by 5:15 p.m. we were in our new home for the next two months.

As you can see by the photos, it is primitive – we prefer to call it basic or simple – but we will make it work. In no time at all, we had moved a few things, unpacked our suitcases and found places for everything. We will doubtless add a few personal touches in the weeks to come, but I think we can make it work. I am sorry about the placement of the pictures, but these first few times through the blog page, I am experimenting. Hopefully things will improve with time.

We did venture out for a while on New Year's Eve.. Even though it was only 6:00 p.m. or so, the town was definitely heating up for New Year’s Eve. People were everywhere and certainly seemed in the mood to party. We wandered about. We intended to visit the little Greek restaurante that we had so enjoyed a year ago, but, alas, it is now a Pizzaria! Having really had nothing to eat since the Portland airport, we did find a place in the Zona Romantica called Andale and had a quite good Mexican plate of a variety of things, along with a couple of Margaritas. Wasn’t bad and out bill was only $14.00!

It was now about 9 p.m., but we were fading even faster than our memory! We headed back up the hill to our new home. The walk alone should burn up calories from any meal! I have yet to count the steps, but it is steep, cobblestones with a great many steps and a few very vocal dogs! In bed by 9:30 p.m. and slept like a rock except for the celebration at midnight. Fireworks like you wouldn’t believe! I say fireworks, it could have been a reenactment of the Alamo for all I know. Loud all night long!