Not Gone, Just Nothing Happy to Post

Ok, you guys know I'm one of those bloggers who would rather blog or read the occasional negative post than to feel like my blog friends have just disappeared.  Well, this is one of those posts.  Last week was terrible.  I was a terrible mother - hormonal to keep it brief - my poor kids.  So Chad had a 3 day weekend this weekend, so we jetted off to Acapulco.  Though it's not so glamorous as it sounds.  In fact, quite the opposite.  It was the worst vacation we've ever had, and not because anything went horribly wrong.  Just because we're in Mexico.  We did have one good day though.  I'll post more on that when I get pictures from a friend (my camera went for another swim and is officially done!)  So here is my list of tips on traveling with children in Mexico:

1.  AVOID IT!

2.  Avoid fast food.  Bring as much of your own food as possible or buy only pre-packaged food, and bring plenty of meds to counter-act the inevitable illnesses that come with Mexican restaurant food, among them should be ginger, perppermint, or dramamine, a pepto bismal kind of med, sudaffed, eye drops, and a strong headache med for after the dusty, bumpy between-town bus ride.  

3.  When you hear a crying baby, DON'T LOOK.  Nudity will be forthcoming - the natural pacifier.  (While I am finding lots of REALLY great, helpful wonderful strangers, the culture as a whole seems base and without any sense of refinement, dignity, or modesty.  This coming from a girl that's VERY pro-nursing!)

4.  Bring plenty of hand sanitizer even if you're not the slightest bit germ-o-phobic.

5.  Avoid the Mexico City subway at all costs, especially during rush hour.  Or if you must, blockade yourself with luggage and bring a stick or sturdy elbows to beat your way off the train.  I was shocked at the mob-mentality, cut-throat, NO consideration or dignity involved in the whole experience, and I've traveled European subways with sweaty armpits in my face!  There are people who's job it is here to use sticks to shove people onto the train and out of the way of the door closing.  There WILL be other trains people!  Oh, and sometimes they separate men and women so women don't get groped the whole time.  Again, many of the individuals were wonderfully helpful though.

6.  Bring plenty of change for the bathrooms and baby wipes for just in case you didn't grab enough toilet paper before entering the restroom.  The sanitizer comes in handy here as there likely will not be either water or soap for much needed hand washings.  We also had to flush at one restroom using a bucket in the corner of the room. 

7.  Wear shoes on the subway, not sandals, steal toed boots might've been nice.

8.  Avoid looking too closely at any couple.  PDA's are way more common here, but only last night did I see anything offensive.  Oh, and don't make a habit of letting your eyes wander across the TV and newspaper stands.  Not that nudity is rampid, just there's little here in the way of modesty, dignity, or self-respect.

9.  Have the trip well-planned so you don't spend a whole extra day just looking for a suitable hotel to shower and dump your luggage.

10.  Buy and drink lots of water.  Keep plenty on hand at all times and take plenty of food on the bus just in case you get stuck in traffic for more than one meal time.

I have a greater appreciation for our water heater, soft beds (both rarities here) and the city in which we live, Guanajuato, and WILL NOT travel that far again.  It took about 12 hours (most of that on a bus) to get there, and much longer to get home.  And we came home sick and with NO WATER and of course no water storage because it's not our home!  I've thought about taking the kids back to GA.  Despite my determination to remain optimistic and hopeful that things will improve, and count my blessings, I only seem to get more beat down (sometimes literally) and discouraged.  A few things are keeping me here though:  Chad's parents are coming for Christmas, Chad's awesome amount of time off especially during the holidays, the fact that I still haven't gotten to experience The Church here, trepidation at the idea of traveling alone with the kids, the idea of being away from Chad for two months, and the 3 or 400$ change of date fee on the airplane tickets - AGAIN.  The good things are: we have wonderful kids who also really tried to make the best of the situation and are now sleeping in VERY late.  We got to go to the beach in November and enjoy Pina Coladas in a hammock as the sun set.  We got to tan and go swimming in November.  Traveling abroad, even if you have a good experience definitely makes you more patriotic! Oh, does anyone have a recommendation for a compact camera that can take a few swims and beatings and still take a great picture, oh and that's got fast boot up and recovery times?  Tall order, but I'm on the market.