But yes, at 5:30 am, my family and I will depart on our Next Big Adventure –> Destination: Cozumel. Well, truthfully, it’s their first Big Adventure, but semantics schmantics.

Here’s an overview of the sitch: (translation: situation)

·         June 22^nd: Depart RDU at 8-something a.m. – aka way too early for a family with (almost) three teenagers

·         Stopover in Houston. Check to see if things really are bigger in Texas. I have my doubts.

·         Arrive in Cozumel – presumably safely and with all our luggage (knock on wood)

·         Spend 10 days exploring, relaxing, scuba diving, World Cup-ing, and other shenanigans

·         July 1^st: Depart Cozumel – insha’allah with all 5 family members alive and present

Got it? Sounds like a fun trip, no? Hopefully, it will be. However, the majority of you are probably thinking – where the hell is Cozumel anyway? Or maybe you’re a lot smarter and more versed in the geography of the world than I was when I heard about it a couple months ago.

But basically, Cozumel is in Mexico. If the web address for the blog didn’t give it away, then my ecstatic shout at the beginning of this post probably did. However, more specifically, Cozumel is an island located off the coast of the Yucatan Pennisula, a little bit south of Cancun.

Yes, I am aware that this isn’t the “real” Mexico. I’ll leave that region to the usual suspects à you know, the English-teaching, well-digging, food/shelter-providing, baby-rescuing, all around good-hearted and service-oriented college students.

I’m not entirely sure what we will be doing this trip. Just kinda going with the flow on this one.  I’m pretty sure we will be exploring the island, scuba-diving, snorkeling, and avoiding the masses of tourists that allegedly arrive by the cruise-ship-load. But we will see.

So when most people go to a foreign area, research is generally done so as to get a feel for the area. Some buy guide books, some read novels by local authors, some Google it, some rely on the ever dependable Wikipedia…. My source? Why my mother of course.

Don’t get me wrong, my mom is a great Googler and finder of obscure facts. But due to the selective hearing capabilities of teenage children, the only two facts I retained about Cozumel are these:

1.       The port can hold 6 cruise ships. (Ohhh Lord)

2.       You can’t use the water to brush your teeth.

So Cozumel will be as much of a surprise to me as it is to you, my dear readers.

So events leading up to departure. All in all, a lot less snafus than the ones before my Turkey trip, thankfully. (If you’re new to my blogs, check out the Turkey trip here: http://turkishdelights2010.blogspot.com/).

Hmm what did I do to prepare? Well here was my to do list:

1.       [Completed] Online Scuba Certification Course - Now all I have to do are six certification dives and I’m good to go! Mom, Dad, and John Alex are already certified but by the end of this trip, both Patrick and I will join the exalted ranks of PADI Open Water Certified scuba divers! Hooray!

2.       [Failed] Become tan.

3.       [Completed] Successfully unblocked my debit card (knock on wood). However I have apparently developed a reputation at SECU. I briefly mentioned the trouble I had in Turkey and I received an “ohhh so you’re that girl”.  Uh oh.

4.       [Failed] Complete a vigorous ab workout regime to turn my poor body, victimized by that dreaded freshman year of college, into beach babe shape. Hmmm, eating entire tubs of ice cream probably didn’t help.

5.       [Completed] My packing! Before 10 minutes to departure! In fact, I was the first one done and a full 12 hours in advance too. *patting myself on the back*

6.       [Failed] Review Spanish. Yo soy una americana - dame el helado, ahora. Ehh, good enough.

Hmm, a 50% success rate. Not too shabby. If I shot 50% in the NBA, I’d be making millions. (one day, one day…). Well, that’s all for now! It is now 4:30 am in the morning and one hour ‘til departure time.

Everyone cross your fingers (!) that, for the first time ever in my life, my flights tomorrow (er…today) will go smoothly and according to plan.

See y’all in Meh-he-co!

Ellen