I started packing the kids the Monday before we left so I didn't have to rush last minute. I had "fun" packs for each of them including their iPads which we bought before we left so they would have their own and not have to use ours. As much as I dislike relying on an iPad for their entertainment they really are lifesavers sometimes. That sounds so ridiculous even as I read it back...what in the world did we do before iPads to entertain our kids?? Cash and Emma both had their own luggage which worked out great. We only carried on and packed as light as we could! Ben and I only carried our backpacks (plus my purse) but I think some were shocked that was all we had...especially when we were asked what we were checking as we got our boarding passes. When we said nothing we got sort of a strange look and then an almost pat on the back for packing so "smart". Reason for packing that way A. I don't want my luggage lost in Mexico somewhere and B. its just better to have everything at our fingertips.
Friday morning we were up and ready to hit the road by 5:30am as we were flying out of Austin. So in case of traffic we wanted to make sure we were out the door early. We made it to Austin in an hour, stopped for breakfast and made it to the airport 2 hours prior to our flight. I packed all of our snacks for the plane ahead of time so need to buy there as we normally do so the kids were all set. Emma sat by me and Cash was suppose to but ended up sitting by Ben. This posed an issue for the poor stranger sitting next to me having to listen to myself or Emma yell in front him across the aisle. Eventually Ben sat by me while I held Emma. She didn't get the concept initially that this wasn't musical chairs. All in all going she was great and only had one instance of crying that lasted about 2 minutes.
We arrived in Cancun at 12:30pm, found our transfer service (USA Transfers) and then our driver who took us to the resort. The drive was about 40 minutes so not too bad. As we turned off the highway onto the street leading us to the hotel it was like entering a little town which I had read on one of the reviews. Not great scenery but that's Cancun/Playa. Then we came to the resort....not overly impressed.....but holding out hope.
Paradisus is a Melia property, all inclusive, and supposedly great for kids. They offered a Family Concierge section of the resort but they had none available. I read different reviews on this. Some said it was worth it and some not. We had a one bedroom suite with double beds/pull out sofa. It was nice to have a separate bedroom from the kids as it allowed for more space and extra privacy as I knew E would have a hard time going to sleep some place new.
As we were checking in one of the resort concierge brought us drinks. Ben and I got some fruity cocktail (with alcohol) which of course Ben didn't drink. I didn't drink it because it wasn't good. The kids got juice (apple and orange). I thought that was a cute touch. After checking in a concierge took us around the property to show us some of the different areas we may have interest in including the restaurants.
Before we went to our room we sat down to make dinner reservations which I tried to do before arriving but no one emailed me back and you couldn't call as it was international only. That said it was very difficult to get a reservation. To say the least we were not happy about this. The Italian restaurant, Olio, was one I really wanted to eat at and we couldn't get in there at all initially. We made reservations for three of the four available restaurants which were Asian Fusion, Mexican and Mediterranean. More on this later.
We got settled in our room, got in our bathing suits and because we were so hungry we wanted to go eat before going to the pool. The buffet wasn't open but that and the Sunrise Grill by the pool were the only restaurants that you didn't need a reservation for. We ate at the grill which consisted of hamburgers, hotdogs, nachos, etc. Just ok....
After eating we headed to the pool so the kids could swim. We found a cabana which at this point had been laid on previously that morning so they just looked worn down/messy/dirty. Yes, this is when the complaining Terri reared her head....I guess after staying at a place like the Rosewood Mayakoba my expectations were just very high so anything below them becomes unacceptable/annoying. I needed to reevaluate and remember this was an all inclusive resort. The pool for the kids was so cloudy I dreaded my kids getting in!!!! The other pools didn't look like this so I could only assume it was from all the peeing in the water??
We did walk to the beach just to see what we were dealing with and oh my! The seaweed was unreal! We had never seen anything like it! On top of the awful site of it the smell was even worst! Ben and I both couldn't get it out of our nose!! You couldn't see blue water, as you normally would, for at least 2 miles off shore. Very sad! Even though we knew it was going to be like that I think we thought the resort would be doing a little more to clean it up. After seeing that it was so bad we quickly realized there would be no way for them to clean it up. It was still disappointing that the kids couldn't enjoy the beach.
That evening we got dressed and headed to the Asian restaurant we had reservations for. We sat down, looked at the menu and decided it wasn't a place we wanted to eat. Ben and I love good food but not fancy food. So we went to the buffet which was just that....a buffet. Not impressive but not bad either. They had something for each of us and that is what mattered. It was also quick which was another good thing for sometimes anxious and sleepy children. Shortly after we got our food Emma was so tired she fell face first into her plate. I held her while finishing my food and then took her to the room. Well I tried to take her to the room. I got lost, no surprise, and some 20 minutes later made my way to our room. I was sweating, my back hurt and after all that Emma woke up after trying to lay her in the crib we had brought to the room. I was so frustrated.....tired. I had to lay in bed with her until I think 9/10pm before she actually went to sleep. I moved her to the crib and luckily she slept all night.
While I was putting E down Ben took Cash to the bounce houses the resort had set up and also to see a show, The Lion King. While it was a little cheesy Cash had a good time. Its times like these that we see our children's age disparity. Cash is still raring to go at 8pm and with the long day we had Emma was down for the count at 6pm.
The next morning Ben got up early to go workout, which I could have strangled him for, as I knew the kids would wake up as he left and they did. They were happy though and ready for the day. I ordered coffee, got us settled a little more and we headed to eat breakfast when Ben got back. After breakfast Ben looked in to an off property excursion to see if there was something we could do as a family or even just Ben and Cash by themselves. We decided on going to Xel Ha which was a water park. It reminded me of their version of Sea World but better...it was the Caribbean! We did happen to stop by the other two restaurants we made reservations at and after a quick peek at their menus decided they weren't for us. So the buffet was it!
We spent the day at the pool where they had a pool party for the kids. Cash loved that! We ate there again...or at least Emma and I did. I think Cash grabbed food (ice cream) here and there and the food was taking so long Ben got irritated and lost his appetite. I barely had one considering what I was eating. I did have E take a nap that afternoon so she would be ok for dinner. I got a call while in the room from the concierge letting me know that a reservation for Olio (the Italian restaurant) became available. I accepted as I really didn't want to eat at the buffet again.
That evening we headed to dinner at Olio (Italian) and were pleasantly surprised as the food was SO good!! Everything was good....from the appetizer to the dessert! The one thing we couldn't understand is why the restaurant had no reservations available for days! There were literally only 4 tables occupied which included our table. Our waiter shared that so many don't show up which made sense but didn't really explain the overall unavailability. None the less we really enjoyed our meal! I am sure the other restaurants would be just as good if that food appealed to us.
Sunday morning we had to be up and ready to go as the shuttle to take us to Xel Ha was picking us up by 7:30am. We got dressed and grabbed a very quick bite at the buffet before leaving. We were not due to come back until 6pm that evening but I didn't think we would make it that long. We arrived at the park and after getting some direction we headed into the park. We passed the dolphin area where we saw the dolphins swimming around. They were so beautiful! To swim with the dolphins was extra and definitely something to do as E gets a little older so she will remember it.
When we got to the entrance you had the option of purchasing additional activities like swimming with the dolphins etc and they had one option for purchasing a usb. All throughout the park they have cameras. You get a wrist band before entering and when you come to a camera you scan your wrist band and take a picture. I thought this was a good idea so we didn't have to carry our camera around and risk getting it wet. It also allowed us to take family pictures...ones we normally would have never been able to capture otherwise. The park held on to the usb and at the end of the excursion you pick it up with all the pictures that were taken during the day. The first picture we took was with a Tucan. Cash loved this as they put the bird on his arm. Then the guy tried to put the bird on Emma's arm.....well after setting the bird on her she immediately threw her arm up yelling "I don't want it!" and the bird flew off. We were cracking up laughing!! To say the least we started off the day with some good laughs!
We then headed to put our backpack in a locker. We got Emma in her suit, sunscreen on and off we went! We took the "train" over to the beginning of the river where we got tubes. Emma and I were in one and Ben and Cash in another. The river was so cold but so clear! We literally pushed our way down the river by pushing off on the tree limbs above us. Truth be told they looked like snakes and I have no idea how there are not snakes lingering in those trees. I think we were all ready for one to drop down into our tube! The water was salty which I should have expected as it was ocean water. Just so different than what we are used to here. We go tubing here and its water from the lake...and not so clear!
We came to a spot where you could get out of your tubes and either walk and/or go cliff jumping/diving. Both Ben and Cash decided to jump off the cliff. They got up there and the fear set in for Cash who was about to go, then not go, was about to go, and then not go. After a couple times of that...he went! He loved it and went two or three more times after that. We got Emma out of the tube and she stood in front of Ben and proceeded to poop. She then told us she had poop....and...well....we had no other swim diaper with us as we put the backpack in the locker, we were on the river and had no idea at that moment what we were going to do. I took her in a corner, pulled her suit down, took the swim diaper off while trying to capture as much of the poop as I could, turned that diaper as many ways as I could to wipe her, pulled her suit back up and then carefully rinsed her off in the water.
Off we went to the next stop. Of course Ben told me we should have gotten out at the first stop and walked. He was right as she cried the entire way to the next stop. I got quite the ab workout trying to paddle our way to the next stop as quickly as possible. I think she was tired of sitting in the tube with the sun beating down on us. At this stop they had zip lining which Ben and Cash hurried over to do while E and I went to the meet them at the other side. Cash was having a ball.
We walked over to retrieve our shoes, get a swim diaper for E and grab some lunch. Again it was buffet style and just not very desirable. They did have vegetables though which I was craving and thought E would be too. They goodness a hot dog is a hot dog is a hot dog to Cash!
After lunch we walked around to the "floating" bridge. Right before you cross though they have a Snuba Diving activity. Its extra but you get to put on this head "bubbles" which allow you to breathe under water and you can walk on the bottom of the ocean while looking/touching stingray and see all kinds of beautiful fish! Cash immediately wanted to do this and of course talked about nothing else after that. We walked (in a drunk like fashion) across the floating bridge. It was hilarious watching others walk across it as well as walking across it ourselves. I laughed the entire way across and the entire way back. I was holding Emma and was probably the last person that should have been holding her as I was swaying back and forth while attempting to walk.
Once we made it across there were a couple of cool spots to take pictures and really get a good view of the ocean. It was nice for the kids to get to see what the Caribbean really looks like without all the seaweed. It was so beautiful! Turquoise in color and as clear as can be!
We walked back across and headed to the kids area where they had some neat play ground equipment and one of many areas you could just walk into the lagoon and swim in the ocean. I wanted to be as close to the turquoise color as possible so we walked down a bit to do so. I am deathly scared of the ocean but we all got in. Cash wanted to snorkel and we just swam around. The water was cold but felt so good! I did for a few moments wonder what would stop a shark from swimming in that lagoon and attacking me. I stayed in though and just enjoyed this beautiful moment with my family.
Cash and Ben went ahead and went back over to the Snuba Diving activity while Emma and I stayed behind. Cash was so excited to do the snuba diving! They got some great shots!!
Emma and I rested for a minute and then got dressed as we were ready to head back to the resort. By the time we were ready to go it was already 3pm. Ben and Cash headed back....Cash smiling ear to ear. He loved the snuba diving! He couldn't stop talking about it. I am so glad that he and Ben got to do that together! After they got dressed we headed to the front, got our usb and grabbed a taxi. We got to see this guy as we left...they were all over the park.
Emma fell asleep on the way back. We went back to the room, rested, got ready for dinner as I was hoping to get in at Olio again but no luck so the buffet it was. We ate and then went for a swim before the pool closed. It was an early night for us and the end of a great vacation!
The next morning we headed to grab breakfast and then back to the room to pack us up. We met our shuttle at 9:30am and headed to the airport. We had no issues getting through security, had plenty of time to eat lunch and relax a bit before our flight.
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| Emma loves her bubba and her bubba loves her!! I see a bond between them that is unbreakable. As much as they drive each other nuts they love each other more! |
Emma did great on the way home as well! I had very low expectations for her first plane ride and she exceeded them!! This time Cash sat by E and I which worked out much better! We landed in Austin about 3:15pm, got in the car and headed to meet my parents for dinner at Antler's. After dinner got home about 7pm. It was so nice to be home! We had a great time and I think it was an experience Cash won't ever forget. I know it won't be his last time going but for his first he would tell you it was pretty "awesome!". Emma however won't remember it but that's what pictures are for!
