Renting a Car in Cancun / Riviera Maya

After enjoying our car rental experience in Cabo, we opted to go thru National Rental Car again and rent a car in Cancun.

We got the cheapest car possible (still spending $230 for four nights) and decided against the GPS. We definitely didn't need the GPS and were glad we saved that $30 USD! It was extremely easy to follow the signs and get from Cancun to Riviera Maya.

But, getting the cheapest car was comical as it was SUPER small and had zero upgrades! I set the alarm off a few times when unlocking the doors (no power locks and no windows). With our stroller, car seat and bags, we completely filled the trunk and backseat. I kept looking for the clock that doesn't exist!

For awhile, we weren't sure if reverse on the car worked. It was in a different spot than my husband was used to and apparently you have to push down on the gearshift - which he also wasn't used to! So, after strategically parking on a hill (where we could roll down) and parking where we wouldn't need reverse, my husband and Dad finally figured out how to get the car in reverse!

In the end, we would DEFINITELY rent a car in Riviera Maya / Cancun again, as it was so nice to be able to leave the resort (to go to Xpu Ha Beach, the beach at the Mayan Ruins, and to go get bottled water, milk and energy drinks). It was also super nice not to have to take a shuttle bus to and from the resort, making stops at the various other resorts along the way.

Some people just like to have the option of freedom, ie. leaving the resort on a whim, and that seems to be us!

Xpu Ha Beach in Playa del Carmen

This past Wednesday we flew to Cancun via Interjet, From Cancun, we rented a car and drove down highway 307 to Riviera Maya.

On the way, we stopped at Xpu Ha Beach in Playa del Carmen. We were a bit unprepared for the beach, having come straight from the airport.

But, Xpu Ha was great. There's a restaurant and shop, where you can rent beach towels. The towels were $60 pesos or $5 USD, plus another $60 pesos deposit per towel, which you get back upon towel return. We gave the worker $400 pesos. She said she didn't have change, but would get change and give it back to us...upon towel return. Needless to say, I think she says that regularly...and short changes people, as she did not "remember" when we returned our towels...nor did she give Mike the correct change after he brought it up. But, Mike said the change he received was "close enough", so we let it go.

But, while we had our towels, we took full advantage of them at the beach! There are plenty of lounge chairs and tables on the beach. If you eat at the restaurant, there is no charge for using the lounge chairs. So, that worked out fine. The food was alright - what you would expect from a beach restaurant. Tacos, quesadillas, burgers, etc.

The sand was GREAT, as was the water. There were some boats around, picking up and dropping off scuba divers. But, that didn't interfere with our swimming.

In Cabo, Annabelle was TERRIFIED of the ocean. She clung to me whenever she got within 15 feet of the water. At Xpu Ha, she quickly warmed up to the water and ended up having a great time splashing, swimming and giggling in the waves! She also enjoyed throwing sand on the beach!

In total, we spent about 90 minutes at Xpu Ha. We could have stayed longer, but it was just meant to be a quick spot on the way to Riviera Maya.

We would definitely go back again...but would bring our own towels...or exact change!

DHL to Mexico - Package Received

Late last week, Annabelle's birthday present arrived! After agreeing to let DHL "mark" (paint) the toys, they emailed back saying an outfit was made in China and it would have to be "mutilated" (cut).

After receiving a blog comment from someone that lives in Polanco and has been thru the same process, I followed his advice and also asked DHL about the taxes I would have to pay, if I went through Cofepris and got the proper documentation. DHL said it would be $900 pesos (about $80 USD) for the toys, plus more for the outfit. $900 pesos is more than my mother and father in law paid for the toys!

Finally, I agreed to the marking and mutilation and the package was delivered two days later.

The toys looked much better than expected. They were marked with a yellow spray paint that you can see thru. The toys just needed to be aired out for a day, as they still smelled like paint.

Here are a few photos of some items...

Thomas the Trains

Track with yellow paint here and there

Yellow paint on the puzzles

Two+ inch cut in the back of Annie's new dress

Walmart in Mexico

Thus far, I have been to three Walmart's in Mexico.

By a mile, the nicest Walmart has been in Cabo San Lucas. It was the cleanest and best stocked. And, it felt like we were back in the U.S... which is a pretty rare feeling!

The second nicest Walmart was the one I went to yesterday. I have no idea where in Mexico City it is located. I asked my playgroup friend/neighbor which colony we were in. She then asked her driver, who said a name that I had never heard before, and subsequently forgot.

However, it was pretty nice. A super Walmart with groceries...a large selection of produce and meat! They had a nice toy section, where I found some birthday gifts for Annabelle. They also had a large personal care selection...lots of shampoos, conditioners, razors, etc. You may be thinking "why is that a big deal?" Trust me, in Mexico, it is!! A large selection of anything is extremely rare.

For Annabelle's school, I need to get a 14 liter tupperware container. At Walmart, I came close, finding 12 L and 19 L containers. I bought one of each and need to email the director of Annabelle's school to find out which she would prefer I bring in.

At Soriana and Superama, the local grocery stores, I did not come anywhere close to a 14 L container.

So, if I can find out where I was yesterday, and figure out how to get back, I'll be taking Mike and Annabelle with me to Walmart again soon!

It may be time to invest in a GPS...

Cabo Pulmo Marine Park

While in Los Cabos, we decided to drive about two hours to Cabo Pulmo Marine Park. It is a national park in Mexico that is completely undeveloped. It is one of three living reefs in North America.

The best part about Cabo Pulmo is that it is a gorgeous beach with no one around! There were a few other people sharing the beach with us last Saturday afternoon. But, the beach is so large that everyone had plenty of space to snorkel, walk, play and lounge without getting near anyone else.

In the U.S., this beach would have been PACKED. In Mexico, it is completely deserted.

Part of the reason it may be deserted is that the road to get to Cabo Pulmo is unpaved. The last 5-10 kilometers were VERY bumpy and rough. Most of the other cars we saw on the road and parked at Cabo Pulmo were SUV's. Our little Nissan Tida (probably the equivalent to a Toyota Corolla) was not meant to drive on this road! But, we made it!

Parking and admission to Cabo Pulmo was free! There was one restaurant, with bathrooms! There were a few guys renting out snorkel equipment and boat rides. Aside from that, the beach was peddler free! No one trying to sell you trinkets and other unwanted items!

We were gone a little over six hours, staying at the beach about two hours - which was Annabelle's max. She was not happy with the beach and waves to begin with, having gotten salt water and sand in her mouth the day before. So, she stayed attached to my hip (or leg) the entire time. Despite the bumpy road, she fell asleep not five minutes into the drive back to Cabo San Lucas! A successful trip to the beach!

If you ever go to Cabo, rent a car and drive to Cabo Pulmo! Make sure to take Highway 1 to get there though! Don't let your GPS try and take you down East Cape Road - it's another unpaved, sand road that takes a LOT longer to navigate than Highway 1!

Read in 11 Countries!!

Readership continues to grow!! I am so excited every time I log into my blog and see more hits...especially when additional countries are added!

My blog has been viewed in eleven countries thus far!

The majority of views (by a landslide) are from the U.S. Gracias mis amigos de facebook!

Second are views from inside Mexico!

I hope my blog continues to attract more readers all over the world!

In the meantime, if you are checking in from overseas, please leave a comment on the blog! Are you an expat? Expat wife? Potential expat? I would love to know how and why people are stumbling across my blog!!

Sam's Club vs. Costco

In Mexico City, we have both Sam's Club and Costco.

Sam's Club is close to our "department" (apartment). So, we got a membership there.

However, everyone at playgroup goes to Costco. They say it is nicer than Sam's Club. Truthfully, the Sam's in Polanco is a bit run down looking...a little older. The Sam's in Santa Fe (about 35 minutes away) is nice though!

The women at playgroup are often talking about what they've just found and purchased at Costco. And, they are recommending their new finds to everyone.

One woman belongs to both. She says both memberships are necessary, which I find fascinating.

I am going to keep my Sam's membership, as it is just too convenient. But, I may trek to Costco (about a 15-20 minute walk) one day with someone from playgroup...just to see if Costco is that much nicer here in Mexico.

But even if it is...a 30 second walk back from Sam's certainly beats a 20 minute walk from Costco, with Annabelle and a stroller full of items!