My biggest kitten challenge

Splash & Spyder

Don't they look sweet? But looks can be deceiving. These 2 boys are from a litter of 4, all absolutely feral! Feral to the point where Spyder bit me when I took him out of his cage, both of them hissed and spat and Splash scratched me when I tried to catch him. Although I was supposed to give them medication, in the end I just decided to leave them to their own devices until they were ready. They did venture out from under the lounge but bolted if they saw me. After 4 days I finally got close enough to take a photo. It was on the 6th or 7th that I finally managed to catch them to give them their meds, but they still weren't happy.

From the start they were inquisitive - here they are checking out what's on top of the coffee table - before they were big enough to jump up and see.
They love to play and will chase a plastic bag or a piece of fabric for ages. They adore the cardboard tube from inside a roll of toilet paper.
Then just as suddenly, they'd be gone, back to bed. At the beginning, the eat, play, sleep cycle was more sleep than anything else. Now it's more play, but they do still have lots of naps.

 Their latest trick is suckling on their green furry bed. Both paws up and kneading the bed while they each suck on a piece of the furry side. It's very cute and obviously makes them feel good.
I can pick them up now and they don't struggle to get down, and sometimes when they are resting in their bed and I stroke them, they even purr! They have come so far from the savage creatures they were just 2 weeks ago, and I'm sure they will find good homes, hopefully together as they are very close.

Golf Para Todos

I spent a delightful Sunday with 3 mexican friends at Golf For All, which is a free event organised by the Mayakoba Golf Club which holds the PGA Mayakoba Classic every February.

Golf is not a popular activity for most mexicans, so they hope by running these to spark some interest, even for people to come and watch the event.

Me trying to Putt

Registration was first, where I was given my Frequent Golfer card. It gives me discounts at many restaurants, cheap movie tickets and a free pass to watch the Mayakoba classic. Then to the food stalls, where 3 local restaurants had prepared some samples. First we had a delicious ceviche, then some creamy spinach with toast, and salsa with corn chips. Drinks (non-alcoholic) were free, and we sat down to devour our mini-feast.

Me with Don P Lota

Then on to the activities. There was a group lesson, or individual coaching for those who knew a bit about golf, activities for children, putting, chipping and a team challenge. Well of course The Paradise Chicks had to enter - but of the required 11 challenges we only managed to achieve 8 before another team won. Oh well, winning is not everything!
At the end there was a raffle, and both Carla and her mum won prizes.

By that time we were all hungry again, so we drove to AguaChiles and had seafood tacos and more ceviche. After that we needed a coffee, so we went to the Mega Supermarket which has a small cafe, and we did some shopping too.


The Paradise Chicks - Alexa, Lynne, Carla & Carla

All in all, it was a delightful girls' day out, I spoke Spanish almost all day, discovered a new restaurant and even bought a new painting for home.

New work agreement

It's obvious that the developer's supervisor Martin isn't doing a good job at all, and I'm sick of this all hanging over my head and working to their schedule.

A neighbour passed on her handyman's details, so I contacted the developer about the remaining work on my list of defects and suggested that I get a quote for the lot and submit to to him for approval, then co-ordinate the work myself.

He agreed. I then asked him to put it in writing that he would reimburse me if I pay for the work, as most workers here expect cash and are not willing to submit an invoice  and wait for payment sometime in the future. Yes, he agreed to that too.

So I can call Jose today and go over the whole condo with him to make a list, then he will organise his men and get the work done. With a bit of luck and maybe another week, the condo will be perfect. I do have a 12-month window in which to have any defects repaired, but I'm aware that while I have the engineer working and agreeing, it's best to get it all done now, as he may not be so agreeable in 10 months' time.

HEADLINE - Australian woman sent crazy by renovations!

Ah yes, it's been a fun few weeks. I told you that the tile removal had started at a, well, not exactly cracking pace. And so it continued for 2 weeks, the worker spending at least as much time resting as working. In his defence it was heavy work smashing up the tiles and lugging them downstairs to dump them. I asked repeatedly for assistance for him, but it never eventuated, and I think he preferred to drag it out and get paid for 10 days instead of 4.

Fine for him, but I was getting very frustrated being captive at home, missing yoga classes I'd already paid for. Every time I asked for a morning off I got the puppy dog face and was told that he'd have to work somewhere else in the morning otherwise he wouldn't get the whole day's pay. I held my tongue instead of saying Not My Problem. My bedroom was the worst of all, with more than half the tiles drummy. By the Friday afternoon, he had started to relay them and it looked like the work would be finished on Monday.

I set the alarm to ensure I was ready to let him in at 8.30, but 9am came, 9.30, and around 10 the supervisor Martin arrived with another man. Apparently the 1st guy said he wasn't coming back, demanding to be paid for food, travel and accommodation, so this guy had to lay about 20 tiles, grout and cleanup. Martin showed him where to start, the door was closed and work continued. The painter was also there that day repainting all the ceilings and every time I sat down he seemed to want to work right there, so I let them both work. There did seem to be a lot of dust, but it's been an ongoing dust battle for more than 2 weeks, so I didn't think more of it. A bit after 5, the supervisor returned, went into the bedroom and told the worker to clean up, they left shortly after.

I went in to have a look, feeling relief that it was all over. I opened the door and was hit with a cloud of red dust. EVERYTHING in the room was covered in red dust! The tiler had decided to be lazy and had cut all the tiles with an electric cutter, inside the bedroom instead of going outside as he should have. This is my own bedroom where all my clothes and personal items not to mention my linen  - everything coated in a film of red dust. I looked up - the ceiling fan, the air con, even the light globes had a layer of dust.

But, incredibly it got worse when I looked down. The tiles had been laid crooked, there were large grout gaps on one side and then nothing on the other, and at least half had been relaid still hollow! At this point I went ballistic and phoned Martin to tell him I would NOT accept this work, and he'd better get someone who KNEW what he was doing to fix up this mess, and I wanted the room totally repainted and cleaned.

The next day, when I'm still coughing dust, he brings what he calls the "technico". He checks it out, they get new tiles and he and his assistant get to work. Within 6 hours they had removed all the tiles, relaid them and grouted them and cleaned up ready to go! Had Martin brought these guys at the start it would have taken 2 days to do the whole house instead of 2 1/2 weeks! Ay Ay Ay!
The painter returned the next day and repainted the bedroom, he washed the walls too and then helped me carry the bed back there. On the surface it looked good, but as soon as I started the ceiling fan another film of dust descended.
By this time I was coughing a lot and had a sore throat so I toddled off to the doctor. He listened to my lungs and was concerned, he said it was infected. He gave me antibiotics, something for the lungs, an anti-histamine and a pain killer, and told me to come back in 4 days.
I told Martin that I was sick because of all the dust, and that the work needed to be suspended for the time being until I had recovered.
In the meantime I continued cleaning - remove the light bulbs to clean the dust, wipe over all the closet shelves and floor, the top of the air con, clean the filters. I had to wash each one of my shoes, and everything in my jewellery box. I woke regularly every hour at night to cough and blow my nose.
I returned to the doctor on Friday, feeling a bit better, and that was his diagnosis too - I find you a little better. But he asked me to return again on Monday and thinks I will need more antibiotics. I had my first full night sleep without coughing last night so I think I'm finally on the mend.

Interesting retirement activity?

I have it on very good authority that there is a box (are boxes?) of willies in the Brit Mus (and/or p'raps the Ashmolean and quite probably many other museums as well). They were removed in Victorian times, for propriety's sake. Sadly, no-one had had the time to re-attach those which are not very easily identifiable (I believe most were not labelled).

Now, there's a PhD project for someone! :-))

Read more: http://forum.virtualtourist.com/discussion-573905-1-1-Miscellaneous-0-0-World-discussion.html#ixzz1XHTUi0lF

This interesting snippet came from a travel forum of which I'm a member - Virtual Tourist. Another member suggested it might make a very interesting activity for retired art academics. Can you imagine walking around the museum with your box of private parts, trying each against a statue to find the perfect fit? When you found one, whipping out your tube of superglue and then holding the part firmly to its owner while it dries? Maybe then finding that the superglue has "oozed" and your hand is now stuck firmly to a penis and/or statue?
I think this would make a MOST interesting project for someone. Just, please, don't let it be someone like Mr Bean, or who knows what parts the statues might end up with.

Any takers?

Work starts on my condo

Finally, the developer has done what he is supposed to by law, and sent a worker to repair the defects in my condo. They told me he'd be here at 10am but the doorbell went at precisely 8.25am. I was awake but still in bed and considering what the day held and had to jump up and get dressed in a hurry.

I had sent the list of problems to the developer at least 6 times, not to mention the times the RE agent had sent it. So when the workman arrived I asked did he have the list? No, senora. Have you seen the list? No, senora. Ay ay ay, I wonder why I bothered. Oh well, come in and I'll fire up the laptop and then walk you around.

It turns out that this guy is a general handyman and tile specialist. He speaks the usual lazy spanish from this part of Mexico where the words come out fast and slurred, the letter "s" is mostly dropped, and there's little intonation. Which means I understand very little of what he says. Fortunately he seems to understand my spanish very well, so that's a bonus. So I take him around the condo tapping tiles to show him which ones sound hollow. He agrees they have been badly laid, using only glue without a solid cement base, and not enough glue at that.
Eventually he decides to start in the loungeroom with a hammer and chisel. He has to remove not only the tile but the badly-done glue underneath. It's an excruciatingly slow job and a cloud of dust settles over the condo. With sign language I suggest a jackhammer would be a lot quicker, perhaps he could hire one? Come to think of it I have never seen a tool hire place here. All the tools would no doubt get stolen pretty quickly, it probably wouldn't pay to run this business.
I ask if he has someone to help him, I thought I heard him mention a boy? No, he says, they won't pay for it, he has to do it all himself. I know that construction workers get paid no more than 200 pesos a day (about $A16), so surely it makes more sense to pay him and his labourer than to drag it out with him only?
Although he starts strongly, it isn't long before he's flagging. The temp here is still somewhere around 30 and the humidity at least 60%. He finishes 6 tiles in the dining room and moves to the front bedroom. He removes 3 tiles from the balcony, and then another 3 in the bedroom, but he now seems to be spending more time sitting and resting than he does hammering. When I walked past he was holding his back - this doesn't augur well.
I do feel sorry for him, it's back-breaking work. And he has to take the broken tiles downstairs and they are not light!
He then asks if he can sleep somewhere in the building as he lives in Cancun. I tell him I don't have the keys to any other apartments.  I don't say it but I don't intend to offer hospitality to a man I don't know from a bar of soap. This is starting to sound like the other guy the RE agent sent, who kept complaining that he was hungry and wanted me to give him money for food.
I jump on the laptop and send an email to the developer. This is crazy, I tell him, at this pace it will take a month just to get the tiling done. Surely letting him bring his labourer will speed things up for both of us, it makes sense to get this over and done with. And I really have better things to do that sit around at home for weeks. I don't intend to give up a month of yoga classes I have already paid for.

So far, no response. Stay tuned. I know this is Mexico and I need to have patienza, but for a month???

The Story of Aunt Martina

Martina was well into her 80s when one day she called her local priest to come and talk with her. “My doctor told me today that I have a serious heart problem and have no more than 6 months to live” she told him.

“Perhaps we can get a second opinion?” he offered.
“No need, my body tells me that it’s time, I just need to know I can count on you to do some things when the time comes”.
“Of course, what would you have me do?” he replied.

“Before they close the lid on my coffin, I want you to place two things in my hands. In the left hand, my mother’s Bible that has travelled always with me, and in my right hand I want you to put this“, handing him a fork from an ancient cutlery set.
“Pardon, Martina” said the priest, “a fork? What a strange request. Can you tell me why you want to take this fork to your grave?”
“I was hoping you’d ask, Father” she replied. “You see there’s a story about this fork. Take a seat and I’ll tell you”.

When they were both comfortably seated, she continued. “When I was a child, we were very poor and didn’t have enough money for grand meals. But on special occasions my mother and her sisters would manage to pool their resources to make something special. On those days, when they cleared the plates from the meal, they would tell us “Keep your forks, kids”.
For us this had one marvellous meaning - there was a special dessert coming. Not just jelly or flan, but maybe Aunt Emma’s exquisite chocolate cake or Mother’s delicious apple and raspberry tart.
When someone told us to hold onto our forks, we knew that the best was to come.

And this is exactly what I want you to share with the others who will be there remembering good moments they shared with this old woman.
Some of them will ask you why I am holding a fork, and that’s when you will tell them my story, so that they all understand that I wanted to be prepared. Because I know that the best - the dessert of this wonderful banquet that was my life - is still to come.

Australia tops the list of Most Livable Cities

I was pleased and proud to see that Australia dominated the list of Most Livable Cities for August 2011.

Australia had 4 cities gain the Top 10 list. Melbourne came in at no 1, Sydney at no 7, and Perth and Adelaide equal 8th place.

Canada managed 3 cities in the list as well.

One criticism of the list is that the cost of living was NOT taken into account, and as us Aussies know, our cost of living is one of the highest in the world. Which is why I'm living in Mexico, which incidentally didn't appear in the top 10, probably not in the top 100!

I may not be there right now, and not even planning to return at this point, but it doesn't mean I'm not still very proud to be Australian. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi!

I swam with Whale Sharks!

I have to tell you, it was an amaaaazzzzzing experience. To be so close to these huge animals, swimming alongside them as they cruise along, it's like nothing I've ever done before. I thought seeing a turtle up close was great, so how much better this 5metre spotty fish.

Our organised trip the week before had been cancelled when Hurricane Irene passed close, and this Sunday it was raining heavily as we drove to Cancun at 6am, but the captain assured us the weather was fine there. There were only 3 of us, me and my friends Carla and Carla. It started to rain on our way out in the boat, and continued for about 1/2 the time we were out. Unfortunately the rain and cooler weather affected the numbers of whale sharks we saw. The captain said on a hot sunny day there were 100s, but we only saw 3, none of which spent a lot of time on the surface, preferring the warmth of the deeper water. Still, seeing one was enough to thrill me!

Yes, that's its mouth open and catching food - glad I stuck mostly to his side!
We needed to be suited up in our snorkel gear, legs hanging over the side of the boat, ready to jump when a shark was sighted. You jump in and start swimming - these guys move fast and he who hesitates won't get to see it. I was surprised when I got back to the boat how exhausted I was, and I guess a bit overwhelmed as well, this is not something you get to do often! Although there were lots of other people in the water, when you are looking down at the shark you really don't notice, it just feels like you and him!

Whalesharks are in our area from mid May to September, so for anyone looking for a fantastic experience, that's the time to book a visit.

On a less happy note, the locker where the captain told us all to leave our bags, got flooded, and now neither my camera nor my mobile phone are working. Turned out to be an expensive day, but still a great experience and one I wouldn't hesitate to repeat.

Here is a video from friend Carla took:
http://www.youtube.com/user/playadelcarmenrenta#p/a/u/2/7rkCaEzMY-0

Cacao and Tavo

My new foster kittens are called Cacao and Tavo.

Relaxing on the coffee table

Cacao the white kitten is about 3 months old, the story of her capture as a kitten is epic at Coco's. When the normal cat catchers were unable to entrap her, the fire brigade was called. After several unsuccessful attempts, one of which saw fireman grabbing her by the back legs and pulling until Laura thought her legs must surely break, and with Cacao hissing and spitting at anyone who came close, they were asked to give the catchers another 24 hours. They set up a clever trap where Cacao's mother, who had been desexed, was "bait" in one cage with another cage placed in front of it. Of course, Cacao wanted to cuddle up with her mum, and was finally caught and rejoined her sister at Coco's refuge.

Sleepytime!

She continued her bad behaviour there until her sister was adopted, when she underwent a remarkable change, becoming affectionate and calm. She also realised she was alone and she didn't like that.
Tavo (short for Gustavo) had been found not long before and was almost through his quarantine period when his room mate found a home. He retreated into his bed and became withdrawn and worried.
Laura, Coco's founder, heard Cacao crying from 2 houses away, and decided to put the 2 together. There was a lot of hissing and bullying by Cacao, but the crying stopped.

Tavo looking thoughtful

When I got to kitten-cuddling, Tavo was still hiding and Cacao still hissing, but Tavo responded well to a cuddle when I managed to lure him from his hiding place, giving me nose butts. Laura asked me to foster them both, and being placed in a cage together (so that I could take them home on the bus) produced lots of hissing, but no blood was shed.
At home, Tavo found new places to hide, but Cacao didn't miss a beat. Her silky white coat and prettily-coloured face gave her instant appeal and she knew it, winding herself shamelessly around my legs and asking to be picked up.
I had to creep up on Tavo to ba able to cuddle him at all, but once trapped he responded well. I left him alone most of the time to find his place, and gradually the two started to play without hissing.
 A week later they are the best of friends, playing constantly before falling asleep close together.


Tavo ready to pounce

Tavo is still skittish at times, he likes to show his affection by nibbles - a finger, the chain around my neck, my earring (with ear) are his favourites. I'm trying to show him that bites don't work with humans, but he's not the sharpest knife in the block! His efforts to catch me unawares in bed at night to chew on my earlobe are rewarded by being put on the floor. I'm sure he'll settle eventually, he is still quite young.
Cacao continues to be sweet and cuddly. She'd made a great pet for an older person as she neither bites nor scratches, and her fur is so soft it feels like velvet.
Together they are like a tornado, until their energy falls, and then they drop where they are to recharge.

Volunteering at Coco's Cat Rescue

Just when I was starting to relax after my 3 days volunteering with the Vidas clinic, a call came from Coco's.

* They need people to come to weekly kitten-cuddling to help socialise kittens before they can be adopted.
* Foster carers needed because the centre is moving from one house to another.
* Volunteers to help paint the new premises

So off I trundled on the bus to Coco's on Friday. I cuddled every kitten there, whether it liked it or not. Sometimes the shy ones need extra love. I came home with 2 new guests - Cacao and Tavo.

On Monday I have volunteered to paint the new home, and the 2 kittens need to go back for their vaccinations, so I will spend the day there.

Seems to be a volunteering month..... wonder what else is to come?

Volunteering at Vidas Sterilization Clinic

The VIDAS clinic started on Sat 13th, but as I wasn't back from Belize until Mon 15th, I put my name down for Tues, Wed afternoon, and Thursday. I'd never been to this clinic so had no idea what to expect.
The Vidas group send a team of vets, technicians, students and volunteers down to Playa del Carmen every year to perform free sterilizations for dogs and cats. Some of the team are sponsored but most pay their own airfare as well as having to pay someone else to handle their patients at home. I think they have been doing this for about 8 years so they have it pretty well down pat.
Admissions start at 9am and continue until around noon, although in practice they try to be as helpful as possible with people whose work schedules may not fit in. The pets are tagged, weighed, and given a general health checkover at admission. Cats are kept in cages (most admissions arrive in a shopping bag!) and dogs are tied in a waiting area. Then one by one, they are brought into the operating theatre, where a team administers a pre-med injection, inserts a breathing tube, shaves the area to be operated on and then carries them to the operating tables where the vets are lined up to start work. Sometimes with the larger dogs it might take a few people to keep the animal under control to have its injection; some of the biggest dogs were the biggest wimps. Although the most piercing howlers were the chihuahuas - a lot of voice for a tiny dog!
So, the production line continued, animals sedated and ready so that as soon as one animal was sewn up and taken to recovery, the next was placed on the table.  There were usually 7 or 8 tables for dogs and 2 or 3 for cats.
Recovering cats were put back into their cages for everyone's safety, but recovering dogs need care, so that's where many of the volunteers worked, and where I started. The vet brought the dog out and there were 3 tables of volunteers to clip nails, clean out ears, remove ticks and fleas, all the while waiting for the dog to start to come around. When it started to cough or swallow, the breathing tube was removed, but usually it still took quite a while before the dog really started to come around. In the meantime, its tongue would be lolling out, and sometimes its head moving from side to side. Our job was to keep the animal calm, ensure it doesn't bang its head, and generally reassure it. When it tried to stand, we would help it take those first few wobbly steps, then usually carry it outside for a walk and toilet break. If all was going well, the catheter in its leg is then removed, anti-parasite treatment given, and its owner called to come get it. Depending on the dog the recovery process might be half an hour to an hour.
The dogs brought in ranged from tiny spoilt chihuahuas to large pit bulls who needed muzzles before they came to. Some were well cared for with shiny coats, some were full of ticks and fleas and looked like they had never seen a bath in their lives. We cared for them all.
On Tuesday afternoon, they asked for a volunteer to help with the instruments and so off I went to the operating theatre. There were 4 tubs of water - the first with an iodine wash, the second with bleach, 3rd clean water, and the 4th the sorting trays. The vets would bring their used instruments on a (sometimes bloody) tray and it was my job to scrub each one well with a toothbrush, removing the blood and any foreign bodies, then soak them in the bleach solution for 3 minutes, rinse in clean water then sort them so that the vets can find what they want for the next surgery. There were small, medium and large clamps, some curved some straight, needle holders, blade holders, pincers, blanket clamps, and who knows what else.
Sometimes I managed to catch up and get everything sorted, but then 4 surgeries would finish at once and I'd be overrun by instruments. Obviously every now and then the iodine water would get pretty foul and have to be changed, I tried to do it when I'd caught up but it didn't always work that way. Sometimes the vets would mention a certain item was low and I'd have to dig through the bowl to prioritise cleaning those instruments.
All around me, dogs were being walked in, dealt with and carried out, and music accompanied it all. It was generally a really good feeling inside the OR, with vets laughing chatting and joking together. Sometimes something weird would happen like the vet yelling because ticks were falling off her patient and crawling over her feet!
On Tuesday I worked from 9am till about 6.30, on Wednesday from 1 till 6 and Thursday from 10 till 6.30. I was pretty tired after just the 3 days, so I can imagine how exhausted those vets must have been, who had operated all day every day for 6 days straight! All in all, 823 animals were sterilized, all at no cost to their owners. The biggest day was the Tuesday with 101 dogs and 73 cats operated on.
Thanks so much to the VIDAS volunteers who made such a difference to the lives of animals here in Playa. Most of the owners would never be able to afford private sterilization, so the animal is left to the demands of its body. Many females die young, exhausted by continuous breeding. These animals will now lead happier healthier lives, and the overpopulation problem continues to improve. You can read more on the Vidas website: http://www.vidas.org/

BELIZE DAY 5 A SLOW SLOW TRIP HOME

I was awake and ready in plenty of time for the 8am-ish departure of the boat to Chetumal. Unfortunately the same couldn’t be said for the Belize immigration officer, who arrived at the terminal at 8.50am! I happened to be standing in the right position near his booth so was one of the first to have my passport processed, and by the time he slowly made his way through the line of others, it was close to 9.30 by the time we left the dock. I chose a seat next to an opening so as to have plenty of fresh air, but it also turned out to be the sunny side so I needed my hat and could have done with some sun lotion. Very little air came in and it was a hot sticky ride. They played another silly teenage movie - I guess they have to find something that will be finished within the 90 minute trip.
With the time difference, we arrived about 12 noon and first we had to leave all our hand luggage in a line so the sniffer dog could check it. Then we had to line up at immigration, but only to get the forms. It would have made more sense to give us the form on the boat as they had going to Belize, so it would be completed and ready to go. But why do things quickly when you can make a day of it? I was one of the first in the line, and had a pen in my bag so I got back and through fairly quickly - yay, a new 180day visa - the purpose of the whole trip accomplished! Next stop was customs where you hand in your form then press a button, if it lights green you walk in, if red your luggage gets checked. Very scientific! Unfortunately I got red, but he wasn’t very interested in my small bag, so I was out of there!
I walked into the “town”, found one of my fav iced coffees (it’s good to be back where Cafe Ole lives) and then further in and found a place selling rolls full of roast chicken for 20 pesos. Armed with lunch and some water, I caught a taxi to the bus station, where there were at least 20 people in front of me in the queue. I already had a ticket but as it was for open return, needed to get a seat. (Won’t do that again it was a waste of time if you still have to line up!). 40 minutes before the 1.30 bus left, I thought I’d have plenty of time but by the time I got to the front at 1.25 there were no seats left. Next bus 2.30pm. Oh well, plenty of time to eat lunch and relax.
The bus left on time and it was a comfortable trip, arriving around 7 and by 7,15pm I was home, so glad to be there.
A busy week coming up so I was in bed by 10.30.

BELIZE DAY 4 DISAPPOINTED

I woke in the middle of the night with an awful headache, and my neck and back really tight. I tried getting up and stretching, massaging my neck and using the headache pressure point in my hand but to no avail. Every time I put my head back on the pillow it started to throb again. Finally after using the blanket to prop myself up, I fell into a fitful sleep in a half sitting position.

Not surprisingly I didn’t feel a lot better when I was woken up by people in the street yelling at 7am (not for the first time - people here seem to get up really early!). I tossed and turned dozing until 8.20, then decided a hot shower directed at my neck might do the trick. It didn’t, but I got dressed and out for a walk anyway. Tiffany told me that there was no snorkel trip this morning, but hopefully this afternoon.

I wandered down to the shop where I’d bought the perfume to get another, but found them closed. I decided a good long walk might help stretch my muscles so headed up to the north side of the island. All the notes I had taken from my guidebook of places to look out for - Mathieu’s deli, the ABC brewing co - were all closed. I picked up drinkable yoghurt from the supermarket and walked back to the Bakery for breakfast. I ordered the eggs with a toasted bagel; when I asked for them fried the waitress looked a little concerned. “Is that just turned over?” she asked. Fried eggs are obviously not the thing here! They turned out a bit overdone but OK, and came with an iced tea, all that for $B5 was a great deal - free internet an added bonus.

Home for a quick snooze to try to shake the headache. When the snorkel trip didn’t eventuate, I tried another place but they didn’t have one either this afternoon. Looks like I wasn’t meant to get out on the reef this time. The headache still nagging, I found a chemist open and she sold me some pain-relieving gel and strong panadol, both of which seemed to do the trick after an hour or so.

I spent the afternoon reading on the beach, and finally at about 5.30 realised that I’d missed lunch and needed a good dinner. After a few menu checks, I found a Lebanese restaurant called Island Secret where a huge chunk of red snapper came perfectly grilled with spices, and served with salad and rice. A nice glass of chilled white would have made it perfect, but wine seems rare here, and if found, horrendously expensive, so a glass of coke washed it down.

Some more wandering, looking in shops, as it was way too early for bedtime. There is very little to do in San Pedro apart from reef trips and shopping, and my 4 nights here turned out to be about 2 nights too many. The beaches are disappointing, the water dirty and full of weeds, there is way too much traffic for such a small place, food is expensive and frankly I don’t know what Madonna saw to make her write a song praising the place.

As Dorothy said to Toto “There’s no place like home”. And with 3 clicks of my heels (not easy in thongs) I’ll be on the boat early tomorrow morning heading back to my lovely Playa, and our gorgeous beaches. Good to travel, great to come home!

BELIZE DAY 3 - HOMESICK

I started the day with breakfast at The Bakery - delicious bagel with cream cheese, and free internet. Disappointing that of the 22 emails waiting for me from Thursday morning onwards, only one was a personal message. Well, no problems being without internet for a few days here!
After putting in a request for an afternoon snorkelling tour, I decided to walk towards the south of the island this morning. Today was very hot, and even with my hat on the sun was baking. Nothing much to see there so I wandered back to town for an iced coffee and picked up my gear for a swim. Most of the beaches have a lot of grass growing near the shore which makes it unpleasant getting in and out of the water, but I found a narrow strip relatively grassless leading out to some deeper water. The really shallow water is incredibly warm, almost bath temperature and not refreshing, so you really need to get out a bit deeper where the currents bring the cooler water in.

I enjoyed sitting under a palm tree watching the local kids playing at the water’s edge, but then it hit me that, as much of an island paradise this is, I actually missed my own tropical paradise. The beaches in Playa are way better, the water cleaner and you can wade in without fear of grass or weed. Here, by the time you wade through the slimy grass and hot water, the whole swimming experience is dulled. Oh well, at least I cooled off a bit. Returned to the hotel to find that there weren’t enough people for the afternoon snorkel tour, hopefully tomorrow. Showered off the salt and returned to the deckchairs on the beach in front of the hotel to read in the shade. A nice breeze blowing, the palm fronds waving, until it started to rain - just a tropical rainstorm, probably over soon - but when the drops continued falling on the pages of my book, I returned inside for a nanna nap.
When I awoke at 3pm, my stomach reminded me I hadn’t had lunch so I headed across the road to Celi’s deli for some fish empanadas. No, she tells me, we ran out at midday. Not my day today! Still, a chicken burrito eaten on the balcony at Ruby’s overlooking the beach, no cause for complaint. The rum cake rounded it off nicely thank you.
It was cooler about 6pm so I set off for my evening walk. There were some stalls in the main park and I picked up a dress and a pair of sandals for $B3 each. Found a store selling new release DVDs for $B5 so I got a few titles to add to my collection, hope they work at home but for $2.50 each it’s not major.

Bingo night at the local Lions Club didn’t really appeal, and I thought I’d find the Pupuseria for a snack. Pupusas are a corn tortilla with the filling of prawns, chicken or beef in the middle, then cooked on a hot grill plate.

Glancing into a side street, I saw money being exchanged between 2 men, then one bent down to retrieve something. A drug deal being done? No, with joy I saw him removing the lid of his esky to put 2 pies in a bag - it’s the Pie Man from my first night. Suddenly, that was exactly what I felt like for dinner. To make it really sinful, I bought a bottle of Coca Cola. I’m not really a soft drink fan but sometimes a Coke just hits the spot. I brought my booty home to eat on the deck as the full moon shone a silvery trail across the sea. Ah, all’s well with the world.

Belize Day 2 - We be jammin' on Caye Caulker

I was surprised how much I noticed the traffic noise when I went to bed, but in the end I slept well with the fan going strong, and woke around 8am.
First task was to go to the Post Office as it wouldn’t be open on the weekend, to post my parcel. That task completed I checked out some breakfast options and settled on The Bakery, where a flat white, a chocolate croissant which wasn’t far off foot-long, and a pineapple and coconut juice set me back less than $B10. I gave the croissant my best shot but couldn’t quite manage it all, although it certainly kept hunger pains away for many hours.
I decided to go over the Caye Caulker to swim, snorkel and check out the village. The boat left at San Pedro at 11.30am with the last return at 6.15, so I figured that would give me plenty of time to explore. It took only about 35 minutes and I headed down to the Split where I’d heard the snorkelling was good off the beach. Most of the “beaches” on both islands have a healthy grass growth near the shore so most swimming is done from piers. I found schools of very tiny fish and also some yellow and blue stripey ones in quite shallow water near some grass. I sat down on the sand to adjust my mask and got the shock of my life when I felt something move and grab my leg; I had sat on a crab about as big as my hand! I moved awfully fast and the crab scuttled off, no damage to anyone except my pride! He found himself another suitable spot and burrowed back under the sand for another unsuspecting swimmer to find!
I enjoyed relaxing under a palm tree near the water’s edge, my back against the tree to read for a while. By about 2.30 my stomach was starting to notice being empty again and I headed back towards the centre of town and then onto middle street to check out the offerings. I found Los Arcos serving $B9 Lobster Burritos, and pineapple juices with coconut rum at 2 for $B5, the food was prepared fresh and was delicious, and the drinks (called a panty ripper) were just what was needed for a hot Caribbean day. My young waitress told me about her dream to study tourism, now she travels to San Pedro on the 7am boat every day for school, returning at 5pm, because the school is bigger and better equipped.
I kept walking north on middle street until it ended, returning to front street. The sound of salsa music brought me to a beach bar where a 3-piece band were performing to a deserted room. I noticed several people swimming next door and decided to join them, the water was so hot it wasn’t really refreshing but when I got out the cool breeze on my wet skin was lovely. How delightful it is to swim with a musical accompaniment! I read for a while and watched kids play at the water’s edge. A craving for coffee had me on my feet again around 5.30, then I ambled back, checking out a few shops on the way, to the Police Station which is where the boat had docked. At 6.12 (3 minutes before the boat was due to leave) the dock was deserted; 2 other people wandered up around 6.20, but the boat didn’t appear until after 6.30 and the sky was already darkening by the time the passengers alighted and I climbed on board. The moon was almost full and I watched it shine across the sea as we returned to San Pedro. It was good to shower off the salty water, then I did a pleasant circuit around town to check out the jewellery and food stalls in the centre and some of the souvenir shops. Home by 9am where I added some vodka to the pineapple and coconut juice and nibbled on some peanuts, rinsed out swimmers ready for tomorrow. It’s really tiring doing nothing - lights out at 10.30!
I'm hoping to go out on the reef tomorrow afternoon to hug a nurse shark and touch a stingray!

Belize Day 1

The ADO bus left Playa del Carmen at 9.20 and after a quick stop at Tulum an hour down the road, arrived in Chetumal at 1.50. We passed a large shopping centre not far from the bus station, but apart from that there didn’t seem to be much happening in Chetumal on a Thursday. A taxi dropped me at the dock where I was given my boat tickets and Belize customs and immigration forms, Mexican immigration was at the embarkation point to relieve me of my almost-expired visa and we set off at 3.30. It was a very bone-jolting ride of about 90 minutes, during which they showed a video and gave us a bag (!) of water and a miniscule packet of peanuts.
Customs and immigration at the wharf took no time and off I set for Ruby’s. Well at least I thought so, having read that the boat comes in at the end of Black Coral Street I worked out I’d just turn left at the road and Ruby’s would be a short shuffle along. When it didn’t appear I took another look and realised that the boat had come in on the lagoon side not the reef side, and so I was actually on Back Street, not Front Street. San Pedro having only 3 main streets, it wasn’t hard to find my destination once I compared my location with the map.
Tiffany who looked about 10 months pregnant, was waiting to check me in. She gave me my key, told me I could pay when I check out, then showed me to my room. It’s a small room but fortunately has a large single bed not a narrow one and I have my own bathroom and a very effective fan. The paint is peeling off the walls in large rubbery strips but it’s clean and for $15 a night I wasn’t expecting the Hilton!
5 minutes to unpack, take a nice cool shower and then I headed off to check out front street, now renamed Barrier Reef Drive. I found the tourist office and picked up plenty of brochures, then came across a Pub where I heard they did great Thai food. Unfortunately when I went in to ask about it, the owner told me that the kitchen had closed for the season 2 days ago and the cook had gone off sailing. I decided I’d better at least shout myself a welcome drink, and she mixed up a delicious concoction with lime and pineapple juice, coconut rum and dark rum and some peach liqueur. I was almost on my last slurp when the Pie Man arrived, carrying an esky with hot pies and pasties. The smell when he opened the lid was incredible and I remembered that I hadn’t had anything to eat that day except the chicken wrap I’d packed for the bus trip. 4 meat pies, each about 7cm across, cost me $5 Belize ($US2.50), and my drink cost the same. A quick trip to a supermarket yielded fruit juice and some Pringles as a side dish, then I found a seat in a park in front of the sea to devour my feast! The pies had a delicious gravy reminiscent of coriander and tomato and all 4 disappeared quickly! I was reminded that you don’t need silver service or even a nice restaurant for a 5star meal!
Stomach satisfied I resumed my exploration of San Pedro. At a largish shop near the airstrip, selling everything from undies to washing machines, I found a nice cap for $B5. I was surprised to find that perfumes were very cheap, and after a helpful salesgirl had sprayed various scents on every bit of exposed arm (both mine and hers), I left with a 100ml bottle of Lancome Benghal which she reduced from $B30 to 20 because it was the tester with no box and maybe 5ml missing. I was more than pleased with that, it‘s always nice to get a new perfume; I’ve been using the same one since I left Australia so it will be a nice change.
By the time I got back to Ruby’s I had bought myself a long halter dress for $B16.25, a card for Dad’s birthday and some postcards. I spiked the banana and pineapple juice drink with some vodka and finished off the Pringles. Feeling relaxed and mellow, it’s been a good day, and my adventure has just begun!

La Isla Bonita

"Last night I dreamt of San Pedro....
Tropical the island breeze, all of nature wild and free, this is where I long to be, La Isla Bonita"

Well, if it's good enough for Madonna, then I'm sure I'll be just fine. Next Thursday I head off for a few days in Belize, staying at La Isla Bonita, Ambergris Caye (that's "key"). Their motto is Go Slow.

The reason for my trip is that my 180-day tourist visa in Mexico is about to expire. Cuba was looking a likely candidate for some weeks, so much so that I stocked up with soap and toothpaste. Weird as that sounds, it seems that most personal hygiene articles are almost impossible to buy in Cuba, so it's customary to tip (and sometimes even pay!) in bars of soap and bottles of shampoo. Leave these items for the cleaning staff in your hotel and you will be assured of top-class service for the duration of your stay.

Las Vegas and Disneyworld were also-rans, but the airfares for the time I needed to go had no specials. In the end Belize won out for proximity, cost and a simple journey. The beauty of the island and surrounding reef is a bonus!

There is now a boat leaving from Chetumal, near the Mexican-Belize border, direct to San Pedro. Previously you had to bus it to Chetumal, take a taxi to the border, cross the free trade zone, into Belize, another taxi to the bus station and down to Corozal, from where a boat leaves every morning at 7am for the Cayes, necessitating an overnight stay in Corozal. The return boat left at 3.30, making another overnight stay highly likely.

Now I catch a 9.20 ADO bus for the 4hr 20 minute $20 trip to Chetumal. ADO have first class buses with toilets, reclining seats, DVDs to entertain you and air conditioning cold enough to hang meat (note to self: remember to pack a blanket!). The boat to San Pedro leaves at 3pm, giving me time for a quick lunch in town. By 5pm, I'll be settling into my room at Ruby's (private room with fan and my own bathroom for $15 a night), before heading to town for a tropical cocktail and to check out dinner options.

For sure I'll be going out on a snorkelling trip to the reef, to Hol Chan and Shark Alley where I'll see baby sharks, stingrays and lots of colourful fish.
I may also visit the Mayan site of Lamanai on the mainland, reached by a boat trip along the mangroves inhabited by lots of birds.
But I also want to just enjoy the beach and the ambience of the island, wandering barefoot along the sandy streets and checking out the shops and the local wood carvings.

This will be my 2nd time in Belize, I visited in 2008, here's me showing off my sunburn then - will try to be more careful this time!

We stayed then in Caye Caulker, so this will be my first time in Ambergris. It's a larger island with more development, whereas Caulker had just one sandy street and a dozen hotels. There are about 450 cayes in Belize. The country itself only gained independence from the UK in 1981 although there is still a british garrison stationed there due to border claims between Belize and Guatemala. 

It is the only Central American country whose official language is English, which makes it easy for us Anglophiles. Their reef is the 2nd longest in the world after our own Great Barrier Reef, and home to an amazing diversity of marine life which I'm looking forward to seeing on my snorkel trip.
Here's to my new adventure!

Maximus Nero

My new houseguest from Coco's cat refuge is Max. He was found "baking in the sun" on a vacant lot in Playa, and brought to Coco's by a concerned neighbour.
When I first met him, he was covered in soapsuds having his first bath, and looking mortified by this unwanted attention. He shivered all the way home and bolted from his cage under the lounge where he stayed for 2 days, hissing at me. Surprisingly though, when I picked him up he didn't bite or scratch me, but he did eat like a savage (I guess he is).

On the 2nd night, he sauntered out of his hiding place, jumped into his lime green faux-fur bed and started playing with his toys, and he's been fine ever since.
I reckon Max is no more than 4 weeks old, very thin and as you can see he still have lovely blue eyes. But now he's eating well he seems to have lots of energy and an inquisitive nature and he's learning to trust me.
Max will stay with me for 2 weeks, until he has put on some weight, finished his anti-parasite treatment and his 14-day quarantine. Then he'll return to Coco's and join the other kittens to play.

We also met Truffle at the shelter - she's a ginger and white kitten who likes yoga and was stretching into a "downward dog" in the window and crying for attention. I could easily have taken her home too, but Max needs attention for now. And with that sweet little face, it's not hard to give.

Weekend at Gran Bahia Principe

There was another gathering last weekend of members of the RETA group of which I'm a member, at the Bahia resort about 1/2hr south of Playa. The resort is all-inclusive, so whatever you heart (and belly) requires, it can be yours. That includes their wonderful selection of cocktails - Tropical Sunset being my current favourite!

The 3night 4 day event was free for members, but someone was paying for it, so my plan was to get there early and get their money's worth. But check-in time wasn't until 3 and the resort was full, so I had to cool my heels with lunch and then a swim before my key was handed over. I decided a snooze was in order before the evening cocktail party, but I had hardly nodded off when a knock came at the door and a young man wanted to set up my champagne and fruit basket. I hadn't ordered anything but I wasn't about to say no to free champers! The 2 waiters took a lot of care with aligning everything just right, and it did look very pretty.

The cocktail party was only 75 minutes away, so I filled the spa bath and climbed in. After a false start where I sprayed the whole bathroom with water, I got the nozzles adjusted and laid back to relax. Ah, I have missed having a bathtub!

I met the other 16 attendees over drinks in the Lobby Bar, then we headed to Portofino restaurant for dinner. We had eaten there the last time and it was fabulous, but they must have changed chefs and the food was very average this time.

Friday was a busy day starting with a walk through the Tao construction site. It's an interesting concept, a community built around the premise of healthy mind, body and spirit, and focused on lifelong learning. There will be a community centre built with glass floors over the cenote below, so you can do your downward-facing dog looking into the cool blue underground river. There will be a community garden, cooking and language lessons, even salsa classes (the dance, not the sauce). They have employed some famous guy from a health ranch in the US to run it all.

We saw the new Golf Clubhouse and drove around the edge of some of the fairways. Your golfcart here has a GPS so when you get hungry you just push a button to order your favourite food and beverage, and a waiter will bring it to you on the course. I would imagine play might slow down considerably while you enjoy sushi and a cold beer.

Then back to the conference room where we were given info about legal and immigration matters, and told about the new airport. The Cancun airport which currently serves the Riviera Maya brings in 9 million visitors each year; in the peak season, 500 flights per day arrive here, and the income from this 80 mile stretch alone makes up 60% of Mexico's tourism revenue.

After lunch at the buffet we headed off to see Tulum village, and then to have a swim and a drink at the Om bar on Tulum beach. The beaches here are superb, fine white sand, clear water and almost deserted. We spent a few very pleasant hours swimming, chatting and relaxing here.
On Saturday we had 1 on 1 meetings with the TAO salespeople, no I didn't get out my chequebook! And then we were free to enjoy the resort's facilities until the farewell cocktail party that evening.

I hung around on Sunday, drinking pina coladas and enjoying lunch at the buffet until about 5.30 and needed nothing more than toast for dinner.
Nothing like a relaxing weekend and a variety of cocktails to make me feel that all's right with the world!
Now back to yoga and deal with the excess pounds this trip has added!

Painting the bedroom wall

It's not a pretty picture. Me in my undies (well a bikini top and knickers), perspiration running down me in tiny rivulets and dripping onto the floor if I don't manage to catch it and wipe it away with the face cloth I keep close. It's 32' with 74% humidity (actually the weather site says it's 84F feels like 92F, although I don't have a concept of fahrenheit any more I know that's damn hot). Why did I not wait for a cooler day? Well that's a bit like waiting for a sudden drop in temperature in hell. It's hot today, it was hot yesterday and it will still be hot tomorrow. Better get it done.

My gaze is between the wall, the paint roller in my hand, and the paint chip - no, it's not my imagination that the first 2 bear little resemblance to the third. The chip called "creamy dill" is a soft creamy green. The wall looks like the sort of colour we could descriptively call puppy poop - and not a healthy puppy at that! I'm horrified.....  I've only done a strip about 18 inches wide, but in this heat it's drying too fast to wash off, and I don't have any of the original paint colour to go over it. I don't even know what the original colour is called to buy some.

As I stand there wondering what to do, there is a knock at the door. Oh great, now I have to scramble to put on something so I can look at least clothed. I don't get a lot of visitors but I don't need to scare them off even more. I grab the dress I wore 2 days ago and fling it over my sweaty body, pulling at the zip as I run to the door.

It's the building administrator, she wants to know if I will be at the meeting on Saturday and I answer in the negative. Her face falls, and she tells me no-one will be there. Several of us had already requested a deferment but this was not mentioned. She gives me a form to complete with contact details, and when I mention that I am in email contact with 2 other owners, she thrusts another 2 forms under my nose. It's clear as she hands me a pen that I am expected to complete them now.

Ten minutes later, business completed, she departs and I contemplate my return to the bedroom wall fiasco. For sure it will have dried by now, so there's no changing it. Maybe I'll just stop for a coffee? I briefly wonder whether it's too early to pour myself a consolatory alcoholic drink, but decide that water is what's needed first. And chilled bottle in hand, I open the bedroom door.

The Goddess of Paint seems to have paid a visit to my bedroom while I was away, and the partly-painted wall now looks remarkably close to what I hoped for. I know that sometimes paint dries to a lighter colour, and sometimes darker, but I wasn't expecting this transformation.

I strip off and return to work with renewed enthusiasm and in less than an hour the wall is finished. Well, all except a patch above the air conditioner that I can't reach even from the highest ladder step. The walls here are 2.7m high and I'm not tall as you know, nor am I keen on climbing to the top of ladders with a paintbrush. I do what I can and decide it can wait until a suitably tall and/or helpful friend can finish it off. I have about 3 litres left of the 4lt bucket so it won't dry up quickly like small quantities do.

You can see in the picture the difference between the dry colour and the work-in-progress colour.

The first coat is mostly dry and I'm really pleased with it, in fact I may not need to do another coat. The walls being such a rough texture, there will be a few spots I'll need to touch up but overall it looks great. Within an hour I can put the furniture back and congratulate myself on another job ticked off the list. Actually the list is pretty short now - maybe I'll have that drink with lunch after all, and then a little snooze in my redecorated room. I've already had a full day - up at 8.15 for a swim in the sea, fresh orange juice at a roadside stall on the way home, shower at home, cooked pancakes for breakfast, painting, form-filling, moving furniture. Goodness I'm tired even thinking of it all! Was that a yawn????

Chill weekend

Just one more day and I'm off to the Gran Bahia Principe resort, about 45 minutes south of here towards Tulum, for a "Chill weekend" with the RETA investment group of which I'm a member.

Bahia is a 5 star, all inclusive, all the bells and whistles, where I can reside in luxury, hang by the pool sipping chilled cocktails, indulge in massages or energize with water aerobics. It has, wait for it, 13 specialty restaurants, about 20 bars, 8 places for lunch or breakfast, all apart from the all-you-can-stuff-in buffets, of course. I expect to return at least 5kg heavier. So much for any weight I may have lost being ill on the weekend, it won't count against this onslaught.

The great part is that I get to meet other RETA members and hear their stories. Last time I made a real friend who is going to visit me here next month. We are shown the new developments which is currently the TAO healthy lifestyle community, where the clubhouse will be built with glass floors above the cenote sinkholes sacred to the Mayans. You will be able to do yoga, learn languages, cooking or natural therapies, have a massage or swim. It sounds like a great ready-made community and they already have a well-known leader picked out. (Well I've never heard of him, but I believe in the US he's well known).

As well, we hear speakers telling us about life here in Mexico, legal issues, immigration, health, all useful stuff, for me particularly.

For us RETA members this weekend is absolutely free, one of the perks of membership. There are other chill weekends but I'd generally have to fly to get to them, so this is a twin bonus. Oh and did I mention the cocktails?

So my next "broadcast" may be from my divine room at the resort (free WIFI access of course) or maybe those wicked pink and orange things with the tiny umbrellas will make all communication impossible? or at least unintelligible?

Roll on, Thursday!

More fun with The Bootmen

There was a problem with the shoe I had resoled a few weeks ago, so I took it on Friday with its partner, and another pair of shoes only one of which needed a new heel leather, to my trusty shoe repairmen, the Bootmen.

I explained the problem with the first shoe, and then that I needed the 2nd pair heel to be level because if it's not, it makes my foot slide sideways and hurts.  Always smiling, the guys understood the issue, nodded their assent and told me to return on Monday morning.

As it turned out, I'd been crook over the weekend and couldn't face the walk down there in the heat on Monday, so it was Tuesday morning about 10 when I returned. "Ah, pretty lady, I was JUST about to start yours. Can you come back in maybe half an hour?" Sure, not a problem. This is Mexico, nothing happens on schedule.

It was about 2.30 the next time I came back, thinking he'd have to be finished. Well yes, the first pair was fine, he got me to try them on to make sure they were OK. That's great, I said, and the other ones?

Their eyes grew round and the 2nd man quickly found the other shoes, ripped off both the heels and set to work. Only one heel had needed repair but it was too late to argue. Off he went gluing, nailing and shaping the 2 heels. Meanwhile the first man was keeping me engaged in conversation. He explained that he spoke 3 languages because he grew up in Belize where English is the official first language, spanish widely spoken and creole spoken but not taught in schools. He told me about his father from Belize and his mother from Honduras (god rest both their souls!), and about the lovely cities, islands and Mayan ruins in his homeland.

At some time during this conversation, the other guy gave him one of my shoes and soon both of them were hand sewing the soles (I didn't even realise they were coming loose). I found out more about Ambergris Caye and the delightful city of Belmopan, and even an invitation to accompany them for a road trip to Belize when they return in September - because that's when all the best parties are! Of course, my mama always told me never to get in a car with one, let alone 2, strange men, so I think it's unlikely I will take up their offer, but maybe I'll see them there. I certainly want to visit Belize again and who better to give me tourist advice?

Finally, both shoes are finished and placed lovingly in a bag with the first pair. All those repairs, considerably more than I'd asked for, and 45 minutes' entertainment, and what did it cost me? 50 pesos $4.  My shoes felt like they'd been made for me, and I had a smile all the way home. So what if the repairs took longer than promised? In fact I wonder when/whether they would have started if I hadn't kept going back?  Maybe it's just their way of keeping people talking to them to reduce the boredom of their lives sitting in a tiny stall surrounded by 500 shoes (remnants of people who forgot to go back?).

Who cares, the Bootmen and I are now good friends and we all smiled a little more today - which after the ATM disaster, was a very nice change.

Revenge of the ATM machines

I've been using my Australian credit cards for many years to withdraw funds overseas in local currencies. I've never had a problem with the amounts being wrong, or the machines grabbing my card, till Saturday.

The ATMs at the bank that I usually go to are generally reliable, and allow me to withdraw my full daily limit - some ATMS here have silly limits and you have to do 3 transactions with 3 lots of fees to get what you need. There is also often a lineup, as others have discovered the Banorte's usefulness, so I decided to get down there fairly early about 10am.

There was no sign that the ATM wasn't functioning correctly - it asked me all the same questions it usually did, but when it asked me the final "confirm your transaction" and I pressed the button, it came up with a message saying Sorry I am Out of Order. (Information that would have been useful BEFORE I inserted my card). I pressed the back and cancel buttons but to no avail, my card had been gobbled.

Fortunately, the bank was open although it's Saturday so I went in, and joined at least 70 other people. I didn't want to line up for a teller, there was no-one at the Customer service desk, so I joined a short queue behind the desk for opening new accounts.  The customer seated at the desk was in no hurry, despite the growing line behind her. She wanted to discuss the pros and cons of each type of account, what colour her card would be, and what would be the best way to do so-and-so. The bank teller attended her patiently, also with not a care for the line, but whenever she left her desk to get copies of something, some impatient man (sorry to say it, but ALWAYS a man) would jump the queue, pounce on her and explain his problem and she would also listen patiently and try to help, again without a care for the others waiting patiently. Although there had been only 1 person ahead of me in the queue, it took me more than an hour to get to her desk, and when I did, it was only 5 minutes to fish the card from the machine and return it to me - thank heavens I had a copy of my passport with me.

I was sick on Sunday so didn't get back to the bank, but Monday morning remembered that I still needed cash so I went to another branch of the same bank. The first ATM kindly told me in advance it had no money, thank you. But the other one let me get through the whole sequence again before the same red notice came up Sorry Out of Order, and again my card was gulped. Again, a visit inside the bank, again a long wait with a woman trying to argue that there was 500 pesos more in her account than what was showing, and wouldn't take no for an answer. I was still feeling lousy from food poisoning so by the time I got to the front I was starting to sway. "Ah no senora, sorry we can't open the machine now, you'll have to come back after lunch".  There's no point either in trying to argue or losing your temper, you learn pretty quickly here that those attitudes only make things take longer.

I went home and had a rest, then at 2pm I trundled up there again. She remembered me, found the card and returned it with a smile.  I still needed money, so I tried again, and this time the machine only asked me 2 questions before swallowing my card and closing down. I was almost in tears of frustration as I returned inside the bank and the teller saw my face. "not again?" she asked me. "Oh yes, the 3rd time in 2 days," I told her. She immediately picked up the phone but after a lot of rapid spanish she sheepishly told me "I'm sorry we can only open the machines once a day, you'll have to come back tomorrow". I doubted very much that was the case, but again not worth arguing.

This morning I fronted up again, and she directed me to who I think was the Manager; I had seen him the previous day ducking in and out of locked doors, trying to avoid being accosted by the people waiting. He pulled from his desk a stack of cards at least 4cm thick, but no mine was not amongst them. He then rummaged through other drawers and finding nothing, he went over to talk to a teller. She left and disappeared into another room, returning with another stack of cards, thankfully mine was amongst these.

"The machine is broken" he told me. Oh really??? "Yes it's just been taking everyone's cards. We have someone coming to look at it this afternoon".
Are they both broken? I asked. "No, the other one will be working in an hour or so" - which I think means that YES they are both broken now but hopefully one will be working soon and the other later today.

I STILL need money, and I'm sitting at home weighing up my options. Having lost my card 3 times, does that mean the run of bad luck is now over and I can happily insert it into another ATM without fear of repeating the experience? Or is it the start of a curse? Should I wash my card in rainwater gathered at midnight, or the tears of a blue goose, or pray over it and sprinkle it with tequila? Any voodoo or hokus pokus you kindly friends can offer, send it NOW!