Wow. A full days travel has happened, and we are now in Playa del Carmen. We had a smooth crossing of the border, despite the 5 people who misdirected us on where to pay the entry fee. We had smooth flights, and smooth landings. Had to give up the apples and carrots and banana that were in our bag as we entered customs here.
After a bus ride from the Cancun airport, we decided to walk to our apartment, as it was only about 7 blocks away. After having been on the plane all day it felt delicious and adventurous to walk the streets filled with people dining and partying. We found the place, and that is when things stopped being so smooth. We were supposed to meet some people we have never met here, as they were to be expecting us. They weren't around, and my Spanish was not good enough to figure out what was going on while talking to the young guy who stood at the gate. Finally he found someone who spoke English and we figured it out enough, and he let us in. The place is kind of a compound, with half finished bits of buildings and a pool. We climbed 3 flights of stairs to the "penthouse". At the top, it looks out onto the ocean.
It is dark, so it is hard to know what is around us. But I do feel the ocean breeze and can smell the warm air, and it is nice. We walk into the room, and find it to be the opposite of the dark night. Bright and stark, with bare lightbulbs and white walls. It is one long room, with 2 beds in it, and one lonely chair. The beds are new, and covered with plastic still, there is a light duvet, and no pillows. I go to pee, as it has been hours since we were not traveling, and there is no toilet paper. The "kitchen" that we were told was here consists of a sink and some shelves. No stove, fridge, or anything to eat off of. The water doesn't work. And we are baffled by where we are.
The young guy says nothing and disappears. After staring at each other with bewildered looks for a while, he finally comes back. He brings in 2 towels, 2 rolls of toilet paper, and 2 dirty pillow with no pillow cases. Better, I suppose. Though the fact that the place has no internet as promised (so we can continue to work) and can't be properly locked to secure our computers and things leaves us with lots of feelings. I am disappointed and tired, and Sterling is sick with a cold and angry. Then when the guy wants to charge us $10 for a key to a place we have already paid for, that is kind of the tipping point.
After rolling through the experience of disappointment, anger, confusion, and a sense of powerlessness, we decide to go to town to eat and have a beer. We realize that we don't know how to get back into the locked gate of the compound. We feel stuck on top of it all!! But alas, our English speaking friend comes to the rescue, and shows us the special door to come back through. The meal is ok, and a bit pricey. All in all the day reveals itself to be outside of our expectations, and it is up to us to change our attitudes lest we get stuck in our own emotions.
So here we are back at the apartment, deciding to feel better. We will take the plastic off the beds and make it work for the evening, waiting to see what tomorrow reveals. The breeze is blowing through the room, and the ocean makes her sounds. I am beyond tired and ready to try to sleep in this strange land of flickering lights and challenges to expectations.
