This past July we started the planning. My nephew has been wanting to get back down for some diving since our
Jan trip, and I'm always up for a trip and some SCUBA time. We create a FB group to help formulate the trip, Darla and Steve immediately lock in and I'm scrambling to setup reservations. We immediately notice something is weird about the dates/costs. The days before our trip, the cost is 3-4x normal for flights. All my flags go up so I make sure 'everyone' knows something is up and they need to lock in .. soon! Well, lets just say .... not everyone did. By the time people figure out who wants to go, who will go, who's rooming with whom... shit gets weird. Flights are unavailable. Rooms are unavailable. Turns out there is an Iron Man Triathlon on the Island the same time; whoops. When the smoke cleared, there are only 6 of us rolling in. And less than a week out, the Foster's have to canx due to a family situation they need to be around for. Damned.
Well, with a few days to go, I'm FINALLY getting excited. My emotions have been all over the map with frustrations that others bailed early. The Foster's having to canx was a twist I didn't see coming (Darla was the FIRST to lock in!). But, Lucy and I are being joined by Michael and Leonard Hansen so we've got the 'minimum' 3 for the dive boat. Lucy is ready with book in hand for some pool side quiet time. Soon, Thursday is upon us and we're headed to our fav' local Mexican restaurant (El Fenix) for some killer margaritas and our pre trip hoorah!
Friday .... DFW ... we're soon connecting up with Michael for some Bloody
Marys. Then onto the plane where we lucked out in sitting near each other. Before you know it, we're landing in Cozumel , outside and grabbing Gringo priced margaritas. Concocted up with Don Julio, life is good and we're lubed and looking for a cab! Ten minutes later, we're rolling to Secrets Aura... we've arrived!
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| View from our room |
Gotta' tell you I never tire of this place. We're recognized by 1/2 dozen folks that we see once or twice a year here, and it always feels like home. Problem is, the more I go, the pickier I get. I expect top notch service, usually get it, but when I don't .. well.. I get a lil' pissy. And the more beer/tequila in my system, the meaner I am; it's a side I don't like but it comes out when folks don't meet my expectations.. and .. happened a few times this trip. Oh well! Good news is, we've got one of THE best rooms on the property, beach front, corner view and we're 100% happy with this portion. Once we're settled in, off to find the Hansen Brothers for some drinks and grub! We soon find each other and headed up top to the Sky Bar where the evening is beautiful, sushi/sashimi is abundant, bar is cranking out drinks and ... we're enjoying the view. Vaca' is officially underway!
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| View from Sky Bar |
This whole trip will be a blur of pool time mixed with morning dives, and a few getaways downtown to some of our fav' areas. On this first day, we hit the pool early, lots of cold drinks, then jump into a cab and head into town. Lucy drags us to her fav (Pancho's Backyard) for some killer margaritas and this time, Leonard and I are going in for the Langosta! Yum! Music in the background, rain begins pouring, and the atmosphere is rocking. Timing is everything and the rain quits just as we head out towards San
Miguel. We discovered Woody's last January so it's our next stop. Takes everything we got to jump back into a cab and head to the resort; we were kicking it up downtown and didn't want to leave! But, once back we stumble across some 'new friends' and soon have him talked into joining us on the dive boat in the next morning. Whoops... we're diving the next day so that means I've got to pull it back a lil bit this evening. The next 3 days are our dive days so I've got to keep it in check during the evenings to ensure some 'good' dives each day, and I'm successful. The next 3 days are a blur of jumping on the boat with "Dive with Julio" each morning, then back to the pool for some cold ones, BS with all the folks Lucy has been partying with each day, kick it up each evening.. and .. repeat! This shit will wear you out!
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| Langosta! |
Before you know it, Wednesday is upon us, we're done diving and we make the decision to head back downtown. Leonard has a case of the 'flu' .. (Tequila Flu?) so it's the 3 amigos headed out. Rain starts pouring has we get there, so we dive into a lil joint and .. score! I can't even remember the
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| 'nuff said |
name of the place but Margaritas were flowing, the folks serving were awesome and prices were right. Soon, the rain quits and we're headed back to our fav's and found some new places. One of them was Dick's Dive. We were looking for Wendy's but found this place instead. Soon, several young US military guys roll in and start asking about prices, menu, etc. I've got a lil buzz going and
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| Woodys downtown |
chime in " Man up and buy some fucking shots!" .. This gets me a look and comments... I soon realize who I'm dealing with, they now know I'm retired USAF.. and .. I'm buying shots for all. Party On! The next few hours is a blur and we're having a frigging blast. They are soon headed back to their cruise ship, and we back to the resort.
Well..... last day is upon us. This past January, Paul and Jessica , and crew.. headed downtown before their flights with luggage in hand. We decided to do the same so headed out downtown packed and rolling, since our flights didn't leave until around 5pm. Soon, we're back at Dicks' Dive then .. finally over to Wendy's. And in standard fashion, kicking it up and soon wishing we had another day or two to hang out and continue this on.. and on. But, Texas is 2.5 hours away via plane and our asses are soon at the airport.
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| Wendys |
These trips are always too quick. Good news is... there's always another on the horizon. We're already planning my B'day Trip next year down there... Michael is already booked. But.. I need one ore two more between now and then.... SCUBA time is calling our names. But.... when? April 2020?
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| Dive with Julio - Between Dives |
Few pics from 3 days of Diving
Well, with a few days to go, I'm FINALLY getting excited. My emotions have been all over the map with frustrations that others bailed early. The Foster's having to canx was a twist I didn't see coming (Darla was the FIRST to lock in!). But, Lucy and I are being joined by Michael and Leonard Hansen so we've got the 'minimum' 3 for the dive boat. Lucy is ready with book in hand for some pool side quiet time. Soon, Thursday is upon us and we're headed to our fav' local Mexican restaurant (El Fenix) for some killer margaritas and our pre trip hoorah!
Friday .... DFW ... we're soon connecting up with Michael for some Bloody 
This whole trip will be a blur of pool time mixed with morning dives, and a few getaways downtown to some of our fav' areas. On this first day, we hit the pool early, lots of cold drinks, then jump into a cab and head into town. Lucy drags us to her fav (Pancho's Backyard) for some killer margaritas and this time, Leonard and I are going in for the Langosta! Yum! Music in the background, rain begins pouring, and the atmosphere is rocking. Timing is everything and the rain quits just as we head out towards San 
Miguel. We discovered Woody's last January so it's our next stop. Takes everything we got to jump back into a cab and head to the resort; we were kicking it up downtown and didn't want to leave! But, once back we stumble across some 'new friends' and soon have him talked into joining us on the dive boat in the next morning. Whoops... we're diving the next day so that means I've got to pull it back a lil bit this evening. The next 3 days are our dive days so I've got to keep it in check during the evenings to ensure some 'good' dives each day, and I'm successful. The next 3 days are a blur of jumping on the boat with "Dive with Julio" each morning, then back to the pool for some cold ones, BS with all the folks Lucy has been partying with each day, kick it up each evening.. and .. repeat! This shit will wear you out!
Well..... last day is upon us. This past January, Paul and Jessica , and crew.. headed downtown before their flights with luggage in hand. We decided to do the same so headed out downtown packed and rolling, since our flights didn't leave until around 5pm. Soon, we're back at Dicks' Dive then .. finally over to Wendy's. And in standard fashion, kicking it up and soon wishing we had another day or two to hang out and continue this on.. and on. But, Texas is 2.5 hours away via plane and our asses are soon at the airport.
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