lifes-a-beach

We have been to Infinity Bay several times. It’s an amazing resort. Very nice pool and beach. If you snorkel, the entrance to the water is right where you need to be to go through the reef. The water there is just like the rest of West Bay Beach; clear and beautiful. The food at Infinity is very good but you can walk down the beach to another place if you want. If you don’t mind the cost, it’s a beautiful place and we always have a great time there.

I always make sure I have the contact information for the nearest U.S. Consulate in my phone when I'm in a foreign country, whether cruising or land travel. I also register us on STEP, Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. https://mytravel.state.gov/s/step

Fallsail One word.

Yes there is but I don’t remember it and I’m not home to ask my wife. I’m pretty sure she found it on their Facebook page and I don’t do Facebook. I’ll try to remember to ask after while.

Had it for the 6th time back in January. Fully vaccinated. Been on 3 cruises this year and heading out again in November. Flew to Minneapolis for a baseball trip. Nothing so far.

https://www.patriotcruiseparking.com We always park there. We were there 2 weeks ago when the hurricane was in the gulf. No worries.

There is a simple mathematical formula for OTC meds. The number of persons you are packing for X the number of daily doses X the number of days. It doesn’t do much good to get sick and only have 2 or 3 days of OTC meds on a 5 or 7 day cruise. Or not have enough for both of you sharing a cabin and getting the same bug. Everybody knows to do it for prescription meds. Pack the same for OTC.

If you’ve never used Patriot, the indoor garage is elevated quite a bit. Last week while we were out on Mariner watching Francine it was good to know my truck was there and not outside at the port or in a hotel parking lot. The shuttle is always quick and when we got back it was waiting at the spot they said. Very easy both ways. If you choose to park walking distance you can drive to the terminal, drop all your bags and passengers (except your carryon and travel documents), drive to the parking lot and walk back. I used to do that when I was younger and didn’t mind the heat/cold/rain/ whatever. No more. But to each their own.

Unless you think they’re a complete waste of money, in which case they’re not.

As I said, I’ve never had to use it. Duct tape would be effective in securing wrists, legs, feet and, of course, covering a mouth if necessary. Large zip ties might not garner attention. I’m just more confident in duct tape. As I also said, YMMV.

So back to the topic. Since we don’t fly to a port very often I wasn’t thinking of my carryon for a flight. There’s one thing I put in my carryon when flying that may surprise some. A brand new, still in the wrapper, roll of duct tape. Not one of the giant ones, just a 3/4 inch or so size. I can’t remember the exact incident, but somewhere along the way someone made the news because they went nuts on a flight and had to be restrained by passengers. As a retired law enforcement professional my training would include either handcuffs or large zip ties. Obviously either of these would be a no no at airport security. But in over two decades of flying a couple times a year and having that new roll of duct tape in my carryon I’ve never had to use it, but I’ve also never had an issue getting it through security. And if I did, it’s a $5 roll of duct tape so no big loss. YMMV

Upside down pineapples, yes. And they may be putting out a communicable disease, just not shingles. LOL

We leave Saturday and port there on Tuesday. This time we will walk outside the port away from the scumbag taxi guy who last time told us that Buccanos was closed, and catch a cab to Buccanos which, in fact, wasn't closed. Edit to say, a pool is almost a prerequisite for us too.

I regret not going to Cuba before the government screwed it up for everybody. I regret not doing Antarctica years ago when it wasn't so crowded and expensive. I regret not going out of Florida more back when airfare wasn't so crazy. It's so hard to justify an additional $800 plus a night in an overpriced hotel just to go to different ports.

Reading the Google reviews, I'm out. Vendors all over you and average food. All the good reviews look fake or solicited.

My kids and I went with Gypsea a few years ago and it was pretty good. Just don’t set your expectations as high as you might at some other places.

That’s really subjective. We are also in our 60s and started going to Paradise Beach 25 years ago when it was a line of chairs along the beach. Over the years they built an awesome attraction complete with a pool and very nice restrooms. For us, when they decided to go AI we started looking elsewhere. Mind you, the food is good and my wife enjoys a drink or two. There’s a taco truck there that’s also very good. The facility is beautiful and well kept, and if you get there early there’s not much of a crowd. But as the day goes on it gets crowded and the drunks start showing up. They turn the music up to accommodate their client base, which isn’t really us any longer. To answer your question though, it’s not particularly overcrowded. It’s a big place and sometimes it’s not very crowded at all. Five ships is a light day on Cozumel. If you’ve never been there and don’t mind the music and rowdiness, you should consider giving it a try. As they say, YMMV.

TXDOT will continue closures in the North Houston area this weekend. All closures begin at 9 PM, Today, August 23rd and will re-open at 5 AM, Monday, August 26th

That right there! We concern ourselves with this while planning a budget for something here at home. Planning a wedding? Buying a car? Home renovation? Yep. Going to another country where laws are different and largely unknown, where I don’t speak the language fluently, where I might be seen as a cash cow, I’m gonna have a plan, and it’s not going to include a bunch of unknowns. On a side note, if you’ve ever made an insurance claim here at home you know what a pain it can be, and how drawn out the process is. Now imagine that when it relates to a foreign country , with its own legal system and regulations. Nope. I’ll just hire a driver.

I'll chime in here. Imagine coming to in a hospital in Mexico with serious, even life threatening injuries. You've been in an accident, which unless you can prove otherwise was your fault. You can't leave Mexico until the bill is paid for the damage you caused, both to the rental and to another party if there is one. Then there is the bill for your medical care. Then there is the medical evacuation to get you back to a U.S. hospital Hopefully you got med-evac insurance as part of your travel policy. Assuming you are traveling with someone, they will need to stay with you. If you injured or killed someone, get ready for an extended stay, more medical bills, and having a Mexican attorney assigned to your case. Do you speak fluent Spanish? If not, imagine what that's going to be like. Did you have a couple of beers? Or maybe more? Now we're talking Mexican prison time. As an alternate, you could hire a driver for the day and be responsible for paying the bill. I know what I do in every country we visit. But you do you.

https://www.whatsinport.com/Cozumel.htm

That depends on where you are swimming out from and how good of a swimmer you are. The further south you go, the less crowded it is, but it will be several hundred yards swim out to the reef. Depending on your itinerary, it can be better to snorkel from the shore at other ports. West Bay Beach on Roatan for example. Or Cemetery Beach on Grand Cayman. Both are very easy to swim out from, close to the reef, with lots of marine life, and far superior to Costa Maya or Cozumel, at least in my experience.

We used Gypsea Divers several years ago. Very good communication before the trip. Easy to find. Good trip and lots of marine life. https://gypseadivers.com

My multi-tool was put in time out. Even though the little bitty knife blade is not even close to the size of the knives in the dining room. Stupid rule but one I will follow.

Just a suggestion, when my wife and I take a cab in Cozumel, we always ask those in the line if another couple is going where we are going. Sometimes it works and sometimes not.