Life on the Mexican Caribbean Coast: TV and Internet

Saturday, March 5, 2011

TV and Internet

My 46” TV is still hiding under a Guatemalan wall hanging in the corner of the lounge room, but I’m hoping that soon it can escape from its box.

The girl from Cablemas came on Wednesday night and took copies of my passport and proof of residence (electricity bill). I was expecting that all the paperwork would be done as well, but no she has to go away and check the address, maybe to make sure the service is available? and will be back tomorrow at 10am to complete it. She couldn’t give me a date when it might be done, but I’m hoping it’s days rather than weeks, she will confirm that tomorrow.

For now I’m just checking my emails at a local café once a day, it’s only 10 pesos an hour, and saving larger things until I have my own setup.

I’ll keep you posted, although when I have 40+ channels to watch I might be stuck in front of the box for a while!

PS I waited at home until 12.30 Thursday, then headed back to Walmart thinking I had misunderstood her and was meant to meet her at the booth there. Oh no, she said, because the building is new a new contract is needed, but it will be ready tomorrow (!) and I’ll come around then. Oh well, manana!

Walmart had a sale of DVDs for only 30 pesos so to make the trip worthwhile I bought 7 for a total of 190 pesos, a bit over $15. That should keep me entertained when there’s nothing on TV. Just because I’ll have 40+ channels, doesn’t necessarily mean there will be anything worth watching every night with a combination of Mexican soapies and American “reality TV”. My new TV unit gets delivered on Monday so I will connect up the TV and DVD then and at least I’ll be able to watch DVDs. I’m not holding my breath that the cable will be connected quickly, but hopefully Cablemas will prove me wrong. Stay tuned…

Friday: Ana arrived about 11.30 and brought the contract, which I had to sign in about 17 different places. She says that the installation (which is free at the moment due to a promo) will be done in between 5-8 days, but maybe sooner. The first charge on my new Mexican debit card will be 17^th March, for 360 pesos, exactly $30 a month which seems to me pretty reasonable for both TV & internet. It’s not the fastest internet they have but I’m going to try it and if it’s not sufficient for my needs I can upgrade at any time. My internet use is mainly research & emails, I’m not downloading music or playing games so it should be fine. Once that’s sorted I will be able to get Skype going for those of you who have it.

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Blog Intro

Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Lynne, 50 something years young, retired in 2010 from my job at Griffith Uni’s Student Guild, and now ex-resident of Australia's Gold Coast after more than 15 happy years. Disgruntled Melburnian returning to the South? Not even close. Moving across the country to be with my new love? I wish! I embarked, by myself and perhaps irrationally, on a new life on Mexico’s Caribbean Coast, where in 2010 I purchased, on a whim, a new 2BR condo. I had spent until then, a total of about 3 weeks in the town which was about to become my home. Impulsive? That’s my middle name. Crazy? That remains to be seen. Stay tuned… When I travelled to Mexico on holiday in September, I had no plans to buy a house, there or anywhere else for that matter. But I found a great yoga school, and the rest, as they say, is history. Maybe the yoga relaxed me too much! I felt so at home that when I looked in the real estate agent’s window and found property that was not only affordable but downright cheap, I had no hesitation in saying “yes” to a new life. The cost of living is low, the weather is hot all year round, the people are friendly and who knows what wonderful (or challenging?) experiences await me? Playa del Carmen is about an hour south of Cancun on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, but light years away from the glitz and craziness of that Spring break destination. 15 years ago it was a sleepy fishing village. Today 5th Avenue has paving rather than sand, and is populated by hotels, restaurants, cafes and boutique shops, yet it has managed to retain its small-town charm. It’s like the Gold Coast was 50 years ago, or so. Relaxed, laid-back, friendly. If you walk too fast along 5th Ave, one of the locals is sure to ask you “What’s the hurry? You’re on holidays!” “Manana” is not just a word to them. “So what are you going to do all day?” is the usual question I get from my amazed friends. “As little as possible” doesn’t seem to satisfy them. “I’m going to live a simpler life” I tell them. I’ll start with yoga under the palapa roof every morning, enjoying not only the physical exertion, but the sharing of spiritual energy with new friends. After yoga I might join friends for coffee, or head to the beach for a morning swim in the incredibly turquoise warm Caribbean sea. I’ll walk slowly home along 5th Avenue, peeking into the shops and admiring sarongs. I might have a massage on the beach, where less than $A20 will buy me an hour of full-body bliss with the sea breeze cooling my skin, and the sound of the waves just metres from my jasmine-oiled feet will be the real thing, not piped music. I’ll eat fresh, seasonal local fruit which hasn’t lost its flavour. A 2-course meal with fruit juice at a small café will cost me about $A3, or Thai chicken noodles at my favourite noodle bar around $6, again including a drink. In the evening I’ll enjoy the ambience of 5th Ave after dark. The shops will be open very late, the hawkers good-naturedly trying to entice me into their boutiques and souvenir shops. There will be strolling Mariachi bands serenading couples eating at the many restaurants. There might be an art exhibition along the street, or street performers. Down on the beach the bars and nightclubs will be gearing up with live Salsa music or playing Santana’s hits, and the fire show performers will be practising twirling their sticks. At the end of the day, having breathed fresh clean air, I will sleep deeply and soundly. But before I do I will thank whatever benevolent spirit led me to start my new life here. I hope you will enjoy sharing this new life with me through my blog.

Life on the Mexican Caribbean Coast

Enjoying Mexico

Saturday, March 5, 2011

TV and Internet

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