Mexico Way 6

My final morning here, I'm being picked up to go to the airport in a couple of hours.  I'm the last wedding guest here, the penultimate 8 people left yesterday.  I've packed and am now down in the lounge by the pool.  It's been a really good visit - the wedding, of course, provided many amazing highlights and the trips I took afterwards have been excellent too.  

Chichén Itzá is, of course, incredible.  I wasn't quite prepared for how vast the pyramid is.  If you're thinking of going there, do take on board that the heat is oppressive and the sun is very strong.  Not somewhere to go if you've got any breathing or heart problems.  The city of Tulum is easier, as it's by the ocean, so there's always a sea breeze.  I'll try to write more about the excursions when I'm home and can more easily upload photos.  

I haven't sorted out the other blog yet, I guess I shouldn't have expected to be bothered while I'm on holiday.  Once I've done it, I'll update it with what I've written here - but I'll also talk to Ronan about possibly exporting everything from the past few years to this site, as it's been on my mind for a while, long before the problems.  As it's a paid-for site, everything will be lost completely if the annual fee isn't paid for any reason and it seems a pity.  But that's for another time.

Although everything is very good at this hotel, I'm confirmed in my view that a sunbathing poolside holiday isn't for me in usual circumstances, after a few days.  There's a lot to be said for an all-inclusive holiday if you have children with you and need to know your budget, of course, but I'm very glad I booked the excursions once I was here by myself.  I've had enough of swimming pools and bathing in general and I've even eased off on the alcohol - a waiter coming to offer another drink every half hour is very nice, but I don't need it.  

I also wonder what happens to the leftover food?  The staff are amazing, very good quality food of all varieties - of course, in the restaurants it's cooked to order, but there are a couple of well-packed buffets too and there must be a lot left.  

I was pleased to see an agouti yesterday evening, on my way to dinner.  It was quite small, but I don't know how large they grow.  I'm envious of Charlotte, who saw a humming bird one day, I must walk round where there are trees in flower to see if I can spot one too.  When out and about, I've seen a few dogs but only one cat, which is surprising.  Maybe they sleep in the day and come out at night.  

Miriam and Zach set up a WhatsApp group for all the guests and it's agreed that it'll be kept - a lot if friendships were made and honestly, the warmth and fun of all this will stay with me forever.  Everyone was so lovely!  I've acquired an extra family myself - I'm not related to Miriam at all though, as I've said, our family friendships have gone down the generations for around 120 years.  But having now befriended the Scottish branch, we've arranged to meet over the summer - quite possibly both at home and in Scotland, if I can manage to get up there - and I feel like an extra granny to Kit and her brothers.  Also, Katie is quite interested in the tortoises, but was going to leave it until she got home before broaching the subject with her partner and son.  So we'll see.  I'll send her more information and some pictures.  It won't be until the summer, anyway.  

My flight leaves mid-afternoon and I'm due at Gatwick around 8.30 tomorrow morning, British time (which is 6 hours ahead of Mexico, thanks to Summer Time kicking in last Sunday).  Then I have to drive home, picking up some china for the auction on the way.  See you on the other side, darlings.

Mexico Way 5

 I'd brought four possible outfits for the wedding celebration - I usually make a point of not overpacking, but I just didn't have much time to think about it in advance.  I had looked for a new dress, but there was absolutely nothing suitable in the shops.  Dresses that might look right for a beach wedding in a hot country just aren't about for a short person like me, it seems - not in Norwich, anyway.  Anything not closely fitted is huge and long.  So the skirt I wore for the night before the wedding was one I bought in Yagnub last year, with a M&S teeshirt that I ordered online but was, by good luck, the exact shade of pink I wanted.  I'd bought another pink one that went pretty well, but this was just right.  For the wedding day, I wore the dress I bought for the first Indian wedding I went to, in 2000.  It gets hauled out a couple of times a year and the only reason it's not "vintage" is because I'm the original owner.  As it is, it's just "old."  But I'll probably wear it for the rest of my life.

As I said, the wedding was magical, very much in the Mim and Zach style, but the details were left to each person who took part, so there were many lovely surprises for them.  Afterwards, cocktails and a buffet dinner next to the beach and then dancing.  All the children stayed up for most of it, some for all - they were having such a great time and were very happy.  

The next day, we wound down - unfortunately, Miriam was bashed in the head when in the pool by an errant volleyball and had to lie down for the rest of the day, though she was up and about in the evening.  I didn't see her and, clearly, will have to visit Canada.  Farewells to as many people as possible and I posted a thanks and bon voyage on the group WhatsApp, as I was leaving for Chichén Itzá early next morning.  

It happened that Katie (another bridesmaid, from England), Matt and young Henry were on the same trip, so we had lunch together, which was nice.  I don't mind being on my own, but it's good to have company.  James and Christine have also stayed on and we're seeing each other for lunch.  They're Mim's Scottish cousins and their daughters and grandchildren had come along too.  One of the daughters is an artist, she  had painted and then had made the table runners for the wedding dinner.  Her website is here.

It just so happens that, years ago when Weeza had just moved to her present home, she wanted new bedlinen and asked me for a duvet set - it was one of Fiona's, though Weeza had no idea that she was anything to do with Charlotte's family.  I told Fiona the story, she was very pleased.  She and her husband have possibly the most adorable children in the world (apart from my family, obvs).  The two boys had a whale of a time at the wedding party and the youngest, Kit, is the most charming little girl who chatted to me as if we were old friends and ran up for a hug at her bedtime.  I'm in love.  I've exchanged details with J&C and we hope to visit each other (they're in North Scotland, so it's some way to travel).

I'm meeting them for lunch, so I must take my laptop back to my room and trot off to find them.  I'll leave my sunhat - I suppose I should call it a sombrero which I'm in Mexico - in the room too, as it's too windy to wear it safely.  We're right by the Caribbean but I don't complain about the wind - so very hot and humid inland, it's exhausting, though the actual temperature is much the same.  I don't really mind hot and humid, but fresh air is better.