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Trip Reviews, Ratings and Comments - Trip Review - Club Oasis Akumal, 5/14-24/01, Part 1
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Day 0, 5/13/01
Our adventure this year began on my husband’s birthday. After a flurry of last-minute activity on Sunday, including taking the dog (and her blanket) over to the neighbors, we left the house at 9:26 a.m. to head for Dallas. As we wound our way through the hills of eastern Oklahoma, it was a bright, sunny day—hopefully a good omen.
Around Lake Eufala and McAlester, we noticed many broken and dead trees, sad remnants of the New Year’s ice storm that had left many without power for weeks. We again thanked the powers that be for our fortune during that time.
At 11:35 a.m. we hit Atoka and stopped off at Bledsoe’s Diner for lunch. Off again at 12:05 p.m., we stopped at Calera about 35 minutes later for gas. We found a station selling unleaded for $1.57 a gallon and filled up. Considering some of the prices we had seen, this was a good deal!
As we cruised down 75 in Texas, we were amused by new signs that had been put up clarifying the difference between Farm Road 121 (at Van Alstyne) and State Highway 121 (at McKinney). Right before FM 121, a sign said “DFW traffic do not exit.” I guess the farmers got really tired of seeing all those people driving around lost. (This, I might note, included me on one trip down to work!)
Although we did take SH 121, DFW was not our destination this time, as we were staying with our good friend Bodil Wiggins in Arlington. This is because, for the first time in years, we were not flying a charter out of DFW with Adventure Tours, but taking American Airlines on a Go-Go package. Previously, we stayed at the Hyatt in DFW and left the vehicle there while on vacation. Since we didn’t have that package this time, they wouldn’t allow that, so we had made other arrangements.
We arrived at Bo’s house around 3:30. We were greeted by her and son John who was staying until his summer job. The Mountaineer was safely parked in her garage and suitcases unloaded. Bo fixed a lovely dinner with pot roast, after which we watched Miss Congeniality, which she had rented for our amusement. We went to bed around 11 p.m. and slept well.
Day 1, 5/14/01
Bo woke us up around 5 and fixed scrambled eggs and sausage (which we had taken down from the half-hog we got last year) for breakfast. John was still asleep, and Bo left for work, entrusting me with the code for the garage door opener as we were using the garage to enter and exit.
The Super Shuttle to the airport was scheduled to pick us up between 6:45 and 7. At 7:10 I called them, and the gal who answered the phone said it would be another 5 minutes. I said “muchas gracias,” already in Spanish mode, which seemed to please her. Sure enough, the Shuttle arrived at 7:15. We loaded up and headed for DFW in Monday morning traffic—what a mess! A trip that would normally take 30 minutes took an hour. That and the fact that the driver kept looking at his display, fiddling with stuff on his shade, and coming to screeching, last-second halts managed to set our nerves firmly on edge!
However, we made it safely to the terminal at DFW, unloaded our stuff and lugged it to the counter. Check-in was efficient and even included being given our tourist cards. We filled out the cards and waited, rather impatiently, for boarding to begin. Boarding started about 9:15, and we eagerly plopped ourselves into our seats on an American Airlines 727. Steve, as usual, took the window seat. (But I like the window, honey. Yeah, but you go to the bathroom too often. Once, just once! Oh, well...)
Well, I must say the advertising American has done on their roomier coach seats is true. Our knees were not jammed into the seat in front of us, our tray tables didn’t hit us in the chest, and I could retrieve my things from under the seat in front of me without becoming a contortionist! The snack served included a banana, a blueberry muffin, and strawberry/banana yogurt, all quite tasty. We stuck with tomato juice to drink since alcoholic drinks were a whopping $4 each.
Pushback was at 9:40 a.m., on time, with actual liftoff at 10:03. We were scheduled to arrive in Cancun at 12:30, but touched down at 12:17 p.m. An excellent flight and a very pleasant experience compared to our recent charter flights. On our way in, we saw Isla Mujeres and the wonderful, strange colors of the lagoon and the sea on either side of the hotel zone.
Now, last year, Steve had talked with a lady who had said Monday was the best time to fly since the resort was emptied out and the airport was not so crowded. When we landed, there were at least five other planes at the gates. Oh, no! (Note: We couldn’t get a decent return time for the second Monday, which is why we only stayed 10 nights instead of 2 weeks this time.)
The first thing we noticed upon entering immigration was that the whole airport has been remodeled. Wow! No smoking in immigration (fret, fret). A big sign at the bottom of the escalator has big red arrows pointing to the right for people without passports and to the left for those with. I will say our line would have moved a whole lot faster if there hadn’t been at least 10 people in front of us with anything but passports! (And Americans are supposed to be literate?)
Anyway, we finally cleared immigration, collected our two checked bags and wheeled to the exit. Our hands became full from people passing out brochures, maps, and coupons right and left, but there were no timeshare sharks to be seen. A young lad with a dolly asked us what destination, Go-Go?, and we acquiesced to his carting our stuff out of the building. (All of 20 yards and a $2 tip, but what the heck.)
We stuffed into the Go-Go van, with God knows how much luggage crammed in the back and set off after another couple joined the party. My second shock came. No Corona on board! We learned later that the rules may have changed for some of the transportation. Why? The drivers aren’t drinking, are they?
After two stops, one at Moon Palace, which is absolutely huge, and one at Barcelo Maya, which is gorgeous, I must say, we arrived at Club Oasis Akumal about 2:15 p.m. Check-in was nicely done by Cecilia, a charming young lady. I had sent two e-mails in Spanish (kindly translated by a friend) and one in English before our trip to request a condo room. As we checked in, I saw our envelope and we had the same room as last year, 103A1! I was so excited, I started babbling Spanish about “lo mismo quel año pasado” and “muchas gracias” and all that stuff. A lad took our stuff to the room (another $2) and we were home!
Okay, we threw some stuff in drawers and kind of hid the important stuff (we didn’t opt for the safety deposit box at the desk) and went off to find that elusive Corona. Well, as we approached the Turtle Bar, who do I see but my Mayan teacher from last year, Juan Jose! He had his head down, and I said, “Juan Jose, bix abel?” (which is how are you in Mayan). He looked up in surprise and then a big smile lit his whole face up! We greeted each other warmly, and he poured our big mugs (note, take big insulated mugs, much better than those silly plastic cups) full of Corona and all was right with the world.
As we sat and took in the wonderful air, the gorgeous turquoise ocean, and the ever-present Corona, we chatted with a very nice German couple, Gunter and Renatta. They are both judges, and Gunter works in the very same courtroom in which the Nuremburg trials were held. Unfortunately, we never got a chance to hear some of his stories about that courtroom, but Renatta promised to e-mail me when their new computer is up and running.
Now, we were supposed to meet up with Spencer and Candi Sanders from Texas, who had arrived on the 10th (part of the Los Gringos Oasis Akumal gang), and Lionel and Shirley Prejean from Louisiana, with whom I had exchanged numerous e-mails and even talked with on the phone. Suddenly, someone asks, “Dominique?” I turn, and here is this short, banty-legged Cajun saying, “I’m Lionel.” Wow! We get up, shake hands and hug all the way round, and find out that a couple at the other end of the bar are Spencer and Candi! Well, hail, hail, the gang’s all here!
About 4:30 p.m., Steve and I go to get “oriented” by Lies Hilde Haverkamp, the customer service gal from Holland, about whom Tom Tatlow (who was there in March) had told me. I managed to ask her, in Dutch, where she was from in Holland, which I think pleased her. With regard to orientation, most of the stuff is the same as last year, except the Crab Bar is now a pay bar for the Italians (we can get anything but alcohol there, no problem).
Eventually, we went to dinner at the Arrecifes Restaurant, at which Candi or Shirley (forget which) finds some jewel of a chocolate dessert and gets me some. It was heavenly. I can’t remember what else I ate, but that dessert sticks in my mind!
Then we all sauntered off to the Akumal Bar for the nightly entertainment, and it’s our friends from last year, Gabriella and Johnny Ross! I finally get Gaby’s correct e-mail (you forgot the 22 part, hon), and we have a very nice time listening to them perform. Of course, I had to get up and do YMCA in front of everybody (don’t mind me, folks, just another drunk tourist!). Lionel gave us our kazoos for the upcoming Los Gringos Oasis Akumal Kazoo Band performance to be held at Lol Ha on Wednesday. (This is fun, wait for it!)
After a long day, Steve and I get “um pay sis utial tik bim” (one for the road) from Marcelino, our bartender, and return to the room. As we sit on the balcony, we notice our “Kukulkan” palm from last year is missing. Shucks. Oh, well, there are others nearby that exhibit the same serpentine behavior in the breeze. Drinks done, we go to bed. It has been a wonderful return...
(Note: Accompanying pics can be found at http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=980325)
Submitted by: D. Stevens -- dragon5@fullnet.net
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