back from mexico

I'm back!

After a full seven days in Riviera Maya and no social media, I'm back in the city of Cleveland. Oh, how nice it was to be away a week. I left my phone at home, like I said I would, and only sent out a few last-minute tweets at 6 a.m. before we left and only logged onto Facebook once. I didn't check anything but just posted a quick update to say I'd arrived in Mexico with my friends.

We had a blast. We had perfect weather - 90 and sunny with only a little rain mixed in for no more than an hour. Our hotel was clean, the food was delicious and the it wasn't at capacity, which meant no major lines at bars for drinks.

I loved that my biggest decision was, "Which pool do you want to start off at today?" and "Should I drink a mojito, miami vice or pina colada?"

So, here's our week in pictures with funny captions by me.

We went ziplining

His face is priceless AND he's afraid of heights.



We swam in a fresh water cave.

We visited Tulum.

We swam in the ocean.

Boys proved you can do a push up and drink out of the straw at the same time.

We compared calf sizes.

The boys wrestled on a kid's toy and got yelled at by the lifeguards.

We go fishing after our girlfriend/wife asks us to go with someone reputable instead of the random guy who approaches you with a boat called "Tequila Sunrise" or "Poverty Sucks."

We drank too long in the hot tub without remembering to rehydrate ourselves with water.

We played with fish inside a pipe.

We posed for pictures on our last night - some more tan than others.



the one where everyone asks....

For most of this week, I've been having a similar conversation with my coworkers and friends and so has the BF.

Coworker: Are you excited for vacation?
Me: Wondering how I couldn't be anything BUT excited, "Of course I'm excited."
Coworker: Do you think you will get engaged?
Me: Speechless....."Uh.....no."

Friend: "I bet you are so excited for vacation this week."
Me: "Of course. How couldn't I be?"
Friend: "Do you think the BF will propose?"
Me: "Um....no"

Manicurist: "Do you have any plans this weekend?"
Me: "Yes, I'm actually leaving for Mexico this weekend. I'm taking a whole week off with my boyfriend and another couple."
Manicurist: "Well, that will be fun."
Me: "I'm really looking forward to it."
Manicurist: "How long have you been with that boyfriend of yours?"
Me: "Four years."
Manicurist: "I wonder if he will propose....."
Me: Smile and shrug because I'm not about to get into my explanation with the nice manicurist.
Manicurist: "Well, do you?"

BF: In the kitchen earlier this week, "People at work have asked me if I'm proposing to you in Mexico."
Me: "Yeah, I've been getting the same stuff."

Do you see a pattern developing?

I'm not quite sure what a week in Mexico says about getting engaged but everyone seems to have it on their minds. Everyone. Except my mom. She hasn't said anything about it.

Here's to sun, relaxation and alcoholic drinks with little umbrellas by the pool. For seven whole days.

decompression

In under two weeks, I'll be south of here in Riviera Maya with friends and the BF and I don't think you understand how excited I am.

One week of sun, 88 degree weather, sand, mojitos and friends. (Well, I'm hoping for sun because right now there is a 30 percent chance of rain every day, but that's beside the point.)

Getting chills just thinking about it!

I rarely take a whole week off from work. I like to spread out my vacation days by taking a Friday off here and there and especially during the holidays. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to a whole week without email, Facebook, FourSquare, Twitter and blogging.

Because I'll be out of normal range with my cell phone, I'm not upgrading my coverage to include the beautiful country of Mexico. I'm taking a week off from social media.

Yep, that's right, I'm taking a whole week without my Twitter and Facebook apps, my Google reader and, more importantly, my iPhone that is normally glued to my hip. Are you wondering if I can do it?

I'm so incredibly connected and I need a break. I think we all do at some point. If you are a stalker, you know where I check in on FourSquare and what I did this past weekend with all of my friends because I'm always connected.  It can become complete overload and I just need a little decompression time.

So, for one whole week, I won't be able to follow the New York Times for instant news updates or monitor whatever blogger is having a conniption online or see funny twitpics from my many friends.

I'll be living in the present with my friends and boyfriend for seven days. I am excited and I can't wait.

the go-go's said it best

Vacation is all I ever wanted. Vacation had to get away.

You can say that 5 more times.

When is the last time you took a week long vacation?

Has it been awhile?

It has for me.

The last time I was on vacation was 2005 with five friends in Acapulco where we celebrated our last year of college with a bunch of strangers. (Let's not forget they were from Jersey referred other tan and jacked Italians as guidos but they were not considered that. True story people)

Picture to prove it below.

Told ya.

Since January, the BF and I have been trying to convince all of our friends to go somewhere this fall.

We didn't care where. We just wanted a beach and beautiful weather to spend a week free from work, Twitter and my iPhone. (Wait, I think that's more what the BF requested of me but you get the point.)

So where do we book? Oh, you know, in Riviera Maya during hurricane season. Duh, wouldn't you! After searching online for a good deal and bothering the hell out of our travel agent, we settled on Dreams Puerto Aventuras. If you've been there and had a great time, I'd love to hear about it and if you've had a bad time, keep it to your pretty little self!

Of course, we purchased trip insurance in case something like a natural disaster was to come through this September 18-25. Ah, serenity now.

There's me with my big hat

What the BF will be doing

On a separate note, thank you to everyone who entered my Gap jean giveaway on my post or via Twitter. Drum roll, please.

The jeans go to Jessica Donlon - lucky number 33 says random.org. Have fun shopping - if you get the Real Straight, you will absolutely love them. I speak from experience.