I had an awesome trip in Puerto Vallarta - and I wish I was still there. Now I’m home, not feeling so hot, and elbow deep in a to do list of things I don’t really want to do.

1. I am grateful for toilets and sewage systems that allow you to flush your toilet paper, rather than tossing it in a wastebasket.
2. Always always have a few items in your carry on in case Southwest manages to lose your bag. They were able to get me my bag the next day, but you can be damn sure that I didn’t check my bag on the way home.
3. One simple thing in life I never thought I’d miss: clearly painted lines on the road indicating how many lanes their were. Our taxi driver definitely had a handle on things, but I was pretty sure we were headed for incoming traffic a few times.
4. DO NOT - I repeat DO NOT - drink the water. Learned this on day 1.
5. Ice is a rarity in Mexico. I asked for extra ice in my mineral water and got 2 cubes. This was a difficult adjustment, seeing as how I normally fill the cup half full with ice prior to adding any liquid.
6. They really like their tequila. And lots of it.
7. Almost everyone speaks English. Granted, my sample was a bit skewed as we stuck to tourist spots, but I didn’t speak any Spanish the entire time I was there, except for the occasional hello, thank you, etc.
8. No bug repellent in the world could have possibly saved me from being eaten alive. Total mosquito bite count is currently at 13. 15.
9. Alcoholics Anonymous is alive and thriving - and sponsoring tiny stretches of highways.
10. The roads are very similar to a Mario Kart course, especially when you’re riding around in a tiny taxi.
11. Flirting and sexual innuendos come second nature to Spanish men.
12. Sand really does end up in the weirdest places.
13. Flying internationally is a pain in the ass, especially when you’re the only one in your family for customs purposes. I got grilled by the customs officer for about 15 minutes about the purpose of my trip and how long I was there. Everyone else breezed through in about 20 seconds. Do I really look suspicious?
14. Coming back to a house with absolutely no toilet paper in it after a trip to Mexico is not a fun experience.
15. My cats do not function well without me. Abbie was very angry with me, but after several treats and cuddles, she gave in. Chappelle is still running around the house like he’s on cat crack. I walked out the door to get something out of my car both of them proceeded to cry until I came back in.
16. Trying to read 118 emails on your iPhone at LAX is no easy task.
17. Humidity does two things to my hair: make it extremely curly, and make it extremely frizzy.
18. I am so going to fail Spanish this fall.

For now, you can view pictures on Flickr - I’m still waiting on the rest of them to be sent to me by our various traveling partners.

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