Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Mexico - reflection

Our last days in Puerto Vallarta were a mix of fun and, well, boredom. One day we took a bus to Guayabitos, a little town about an hour and a half north of PV. My friend Betsy moved there after her retirement last year, and she and her husband are building a house and a B&B. Guayabitos is a bridge away from La Penita, a lively little Mexican town. Betsy and her husband Greg have the healthy look of people who love the sun and spend a lot of time in it. The four of us walked a mile or so down the beach to a wonderful little restaurant where Art and I shared a plate of 16 coconut shrimp. My goodness!

In Mexico, if you've lived there for a year, you can apply for health coverage. Betsy says it costs about $300 a year. Add that benefit to a considerably lower cost of living than here and it's easy to understand why many people choose to retire south of the border.

Other than the bus ride with its attendant language and logistic challenges, our remaining time in Mexico was spent at our resort, lying in the sun reading or sitting in our room reading. I allowed myself to go without sunscreen for brief periods and now have some color, which will undoubtedly have faded by next week.

We returned home to dark and rain. Three days later, it's still dark and rain and I am thinking about where to go next January. I like the weather in Mexico, but I prefer a place with more to do. Exploring our options will be a good activity for next week, when I'm caught up.


10 comments:

Jo said...

Oh, you lucky duck...! I would LOVE to be bored in Puerto Vallarta. *heh* It does sound as if you had a wonderful time.

If you want lots to do, Paris is always fabulous. And LOTS to do. :-)

Linda Reeder said...

That's why we are not resort people. We like to go and do and see when we travel. We can sit ar home.

DJan said...

I think the sun would be nice, but I also love to go somewhere to have places to explore and things to do that I wouldn't normally do. I wonder where you will head next January...

#1Nana said...

Try another location in Mexico...there are a lot historical sites and eco sites that offer great hiking within driving distance of good beaches. I'm thinking about Isla de Mujares. The snorkling is supposed to be great.

Maybe my spouse will be retired next year and we can go someplace for a month or so.

On the other hand, Hawaii is so easy.

Teresa Evangeline said...

I've been tempted a time or two by the idea of living the expat life south of the border. Costa Rica is supposed to be nice...

Arkansas Patti said...

Like Teresa Evangeline said, I have heard a lot about Costa Rica where retirement income increases 7 fold. Both are tempting.

Jen said...

Linda,

This sounds like a fabulous place to be bored in!! I like the idea of lower living cost, cheaper health care AND sunshine on the beach.

Sign me up!!!

~Jen

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

I'm pretty sure this is a case of "the grass is always greener" but I would be more than happy to spend a week, bored, in the sun. Anywhere. Mexico sounds fine but really, anywhere would do at this point. Grey New England winter (with another blizzard expected late week) is really taking a toll this year...

Deb Shucka said...

How cool to come back from vacation and begin planning the next one. That's the life!

Sally Wessely said...

I can understand what you are saying, but just know that there are those of us who would love to be bored with you.

On the other hand, I have felt trapped and gotten a bit of "island fever" in places like Puerto Vallarta before. I felt trapped when I was in Hawaii. I wanted off the island. I like to visit places with more to do.