Day 3 - August 30th

Breakfast
Same place, different day. We enjoy the buffet choices. Good variety and we can go at our own pace.

Tour Day
Weather didn't look too good. It was thundering and drizzled some before we left.

We had a golf cart drive us to the highway where we took the collectivo with the loco driver to Playa Del Carmen. While we were waiting for the Tulum collectivo to fill up, Mandy had a melt down because she did not like taking public transportation with the locals. She said that she would have been okay with a limo. I didn't know what to do with a crying person in a collectivo (and neither did the Mexicans).

Hidden Worlds
Hidden Worlds is near Tulum. This is where we were going to do the Sky Cycle. It also included Rapelling & Ziplining. The ride to the area was long and bumpy. We were with a couple from London who were very funny. They called each other "darling" all the time.

We had to wait in the restaurant about 20 minutes because it poured. Next was Ziplining. They almost had me convinced until I went to the top and saw how high it was and heard Mandy scream. I chickened out and so did they guy from London. We said we were just there to sky cycle.

Rapelling into a cenote was next. Everyone did it except me. That in no way looked fun. I couldn't believe that Mandy was afraid on the collectivo, but would go down a freakin' rope into a cave full of bat pee & poop. Sounds like so much fun.

We just wanted to sky cycle. Finally, we got the opportunity. I said I would go last so I wouldn't hold up the show, but that was a mistake. The couple from London kept stopping for no apparent reason. It was different. After going to the Zoo, we were paranoid about snakes ('cuz we also saw a giant Boa Constrictor at Hidden Worlds). We kept a watchful eye.

When we made it to the cave, the couple from London stayed to snorkel in the bat pee & poop while we decided to cycle back. I now went first and was getting showered in blue insulation-like material from the line. I asked Mandy if she had the same. It was cool 'cuz we got to go through the caves on the way back, but our butts touched the bat pee & poop. There was one part that was so difficult, I didn't think I could make it. I had to keep telling myself that I could. At the end, Mandy said the same thing, so I felt relieved. However, she was not covered in blue like I was!

I can't believe that Mandy was so freaked out. I think she's only adventurous with Brian. It was her idea to go there. Mary Jo does nothing like that. What a day she had!

We took a collectivo back to Playa, but I promised Mandy that we would take a taxi from Playa to the resort. We wanted to do a little shopping, but the weather did not cooperate. I think Gustav played a role in that. It downpoured so hard, that we could not stay outside and the streets were flooded. Mandy was not happy, but we ducked into Rolandi's and I got pizza 'cuz my head hurt from not eating all day. Mandy was afraid to eat outside the resort. She is a typical American tourist. I called her "Karen Pellettieri." My friend Omar showed up for work and recognized me right away. It was nice seeing him again.

Transformation
Mandy was totally better once we arrived back at the resort. She said she's one of those people who would just stay at the resort.

Debit Card
My debit card did not work twice, so I'm a little concerned that someone got a hold of my number. There is no 24 hour number and there is nothing I can do until I return because of the weekend and holiday. That is going to stink!

Dinner
We went to the steak house by the ocean for dinner. That was a good meal. Mandy tried some melted Provolone cheese and pita for an appetizer, which she really liked. That's the good thing about All-Inclusives.

Vegas Show?
The theme of the evening show was Las Vegas, but they had one showgirl scene and then it turned into a mish-mosh of I don't know what. We were looking at each other with confused expressions. We know that these people have never been to Las Vegas. They had 50's, Tango, and Mexican dancing....none of which are Las Vegas style. We decided to leave.

We stayed up till 2:00 a.m. talking.