Lets see what can I say. We left Vancouver with American West on April 16th with a stop in San Diego. All went well, we landed in PV on time and it took us about 15-20 minutes to clear immigration, we then picked up our luggage and got a green light at customs. We then headed straight over to the taxi booth to catch a cab to take us to the Villa del Palmar. Once there, we unpacked and headed over to Gigante (sp?) with a stop at Pizza Hut. I know what you all are thinking but we were hungry and with a 4 year old whining how hungry she is you take the first place you come too. After we are finished eating we now go into Gigante and pick up a few groceries. By this time it is now around 9pm and we are both pretty tried so we call it a day and turn in for the night.
April 17th – Since we went to bed so early the night before we were up at the crack of dawn and out on the beach by 8am.and stayed there until about 4pm. We then got ready and headed out for dinner. Today, we went to The Shrimp Factory and overall it was not a bad meal. We then headed back to the Malecon and waited for the fireworks to start.
April 18th – Again another beach day until about 3pm and then we went up to the pool and stayed there until 6pm and then headed up to the room and had hot dogs for dinner. You have to remember I have a 4 year old so I need to compromise on dinner sometimes. We finally got a hold of Terra’s father and arranged to meet tomorrow late in the afternoon. We went back down to the pool and went swimming some more and then called it a night.
April 19th – Got up and had a leisurely breakfast in the room and then got ready and headed downtown on the bus. Started off by strolling the Rio Cuale and taking the stairs up to the new extension of the Malecon to have a look then went back and wandered the outside of the flea market and my daughter is just delighted because we find a purple poncho. Her day is now complete. We continue to walk and end up back at the Malecon. Terra is getting hungry again so we go into Hooters for chicken fingers and the most important item of the meal, French fries. After, we are finished we head back outside and stop and get some ice cream. After that, she is ready to go back to the hotel and go to the beach. Since it was still early afternoon, about 1pm, we take our time getting ready, it is now around 2pm and we head out to the beach. We are not out there more than 5 minutes and Terra’s father shows up and has been there waiting for us since 11am. He and Terra spend the afternoon together and I get a little break and some time to myself. It is now around 6pm and Terra’s father has to leave, we make plans to meet up here on the beach tomorrow after he gets off of work. I can’t remember what we did for dinner or for the rest of the evening.
April 20th – Up again early and out on the beach around 9am. We usually have one complete full day at the beach during a trip so we decided to make today the day since we were to meet up with her father but we were on the beach until 7pm and he never showed up so we called it a day and just hung out in the room and around 8pm he phones and apologizes and says he just got off of work (I’m still not sure if I believe him). We now make plans to meet up tomorrow and Terra’s Abuela would like to meet her as she has yet to meet her. Another relaxing yet uneventful day.
April 21st – I know this trip report is getting pretty boring always the same to the beach and the pool. Yes, we did go to the beach this morning and were at the pool for the afternoon. We went up to the room around 4pm and started to get cleaned up as we were expecting Terra’s father to phone around 5-5:30 and almost on queue he phone and we arranged to meet over by the Holiday Inn around 6:45. When we got there, they were all waiting for us, Terra’s father, Abuela, Tia, and 2 cousins. Only Terra’s father speaks English so we only visited for a while and then they all left with the exception of her father. Terra, her father and myself then took a walk up to the Krystal and she and her father went horseback riding. After that we just hung out on the beach and acted like a family for the first time in a long time.
April 22nd – We started the day off by going to Mr. Cream’s in the Marina for breakfast. The rest of the day is a blur and can’t remember what else we did.
April 23rd – Got up this morning and packed up, as we had to change rooms for our last night, then went and did laundry, as I hate having a pile of it when I get home. Hung out at the pool all day. Phoned Terra’s father to see if he was going to come over but he was not home so we went down to the beach after dinner and caught a wedding that was happening at the Holiday Inn and was playing with the beach dog. As we were waiting for the fireworks to start low and behold her father shows up but by this time Terra is very tired and just wants to go to bed but we hang out for a little while and then say our good byes and we don’t think we will be able to hook up tomorrow before we leave.
April 24th – We finished packing and just hung out in the room until it is time to check out and then headed down to the beach and said our good byes to all of our friends. Had lunch at the resort and then headed off to the airport. We left PV on time but because of head winds we were about 20 minutes late getting into San Diego. Which was not go news for me because we only had an hour layover. Once in San Diego it seemed like forever for the plane door to open and then for the luggage to get off the plane. We then had to have all our bags x-rayed again and then drop the checked baggage off and run upstairs to only have our carry-on bags x-rayed again. By this point my carry-on bags have been x-rayed 3 times. Then we run to the gate because by this point we only have about 5 minutes to spare. Well, guess what the flight was delayed because they were using the same plane we just came in on from PV. We finally board the plane and get pushed from the gate and there we sit for an hour because the plane is having computer problems and the engines won’t start. Finally, they hook up some machine to start the engines and we are off.
I know it doesn’t seem like we did anything but go to the pool and the beach but the main purpose of this trip was so that my daughter and I spend some time together because on an average during the week we only spend about 5 hours a day together.
Check out my pictures under photos of Vallarta
April 17th – Since we went to bed so early the night before we were up at the crack of dawn and out on the beach by 8am.and stayed there until about 4pm. We then got ready and headed out for dinner. Today, we went to The Shrimp Factory and overall it was not a bad meal. We then headed back to the Malecon and waited for the fireworks to start.
April 18th – Again another beach day until about 3pm and then we went up to the pool and stayed there until 6pm and then headed up to the room and had hot dogs for dinner. You have to remember I have a 4 year old so I need to compromise on dinner sometimes. We finally got a hold of Terra’s father and arranged to meet tomorrow late in the afternoon. We went back down to the pool and went swimming some more and then called it a night.
April 19th – Got up and had a leisurely breakfast in the room and then got ready and headed downtown on the bus. Started off by strolling the Rio Cuale and taking the stairs up to the new extension of the Malecon to have a look then went back and wandered the outside of the flea market and my daughter is just delighted because we find a purple poncho. Her day is now complete. We continue to walk and end up back at the Malecon. Terra is getting hungry again so we go into Hooters for chicken fingers and the most important item of the meal, French fries. After, we are finished we head back outside and stop and get some ice cream. After that, she is ready to go back to the hotel and go to the beach. Since it was still early afternoon, about 1pm, we take our time getting ready, it is now around 2pm and we head out to the beach. We are not out there more than 5 minutes and Terra’s father shows up and has been there waiting for us since 11am. He and Terra spend the afternoon together and I get a little break and some time to myself. It is now around 6pm and Terra’s father has to leave, we make plans to meet up here on the beach tomorrow after he gets off of work. I can’t remember what we did for dinner or for the rest of the evening.
April 20th – Up again early and out on the beach around 9am. We usually have one complete full day at the beach during a trip so we decided to make today the day since we were to meet up with her father but we were on the beach until 7pm and he never showed up so we called it a day and just hung out in the room and around 8pm he phones and apologizes and says he just got off of work (I’m still not sure if I believe him). We now make plans to meet up tomorrow and Terra’s Abuela would like to meet her as she has yet to meet her. Another relaxing yet uneventful day.
April 21st – I know this trip report is getting pretty boring always the same to the beach and the pool. Yes, we did go to the beach this morning and were at the pool for the afternoon. We went up to the room around 4pm and started to get cleaned up as we were expecting Terra’s father to phone around 5-5:30 and almost on queue he phone and we arranged to meet over by the Holiday Inn around 6:45. When we got there, they were all waiting for us, Terra’s father, Abuela, Tia, and 2 cousins. Only Terra’s father speaks English so we only visited for a while and then they all left with the exception of her father. Terra, her father and myself then took a walk up to the Krystal and she and her father went horseback riding. After that we just hung out on the beach and acted like a family for the first time in a long time.
April 22nd – We started the day off by going to Mr. Cream’s in the Marina for breakfast. The rest of the day is a blur and can’t remember what else we did.
April 23rd – Got up this morning and packed up, as we had to change rooms for our last night, then went and did laundry, as I hate having a pile of it when I get home. Hung out at the pool all day. Phoned Terra’s father to see if he was going to come over but he was not home so we went down to the beach after dinner and caught a wedding that was happening at the Holiday Inn and was playing with the beach dog. As we were waiting for the fireworks to start low and behold her father shows up but by this time Terra is very tired and just wants to go to bed but we hang out for a little while and then say our good byes and we don’t think we will be able to hook up tomorrow before we leave.
April 24th – We finished packing and just hung out in the room until it is time to check out and then headed down to the beach and said our good byes to all of our friends. Had lunch at the resort and then headed off to the airport. We left PV on time but because of head winds we were about 20 minutes late getting into San Diego. Which was not go news for me because we only had an hour layover. Once in San Diego it seemed like forever for the plane door to open and then for the luggage to get off the plane. We then had to have all our bags x-rayed again and then drop the checked baggage off and run upstairs to only have our carry-on bags x-rayed again. By this point my carry-on bags have been x-rayed 3 times. Then we run to the gate because by this point we only have about 5 minutes to spare. Well, guess what the flight was delayed because they were using the same plane we just came in on from PV. We finally board the plane and get pushed from the gate and there we sit for an hour because the plane is having computer problems and the engines won’t start. Finally, they hook up some machine to start the engines and we are off.
I know it doesn’t seem like we did anything but go to the pool and the beach but the main purpose of this trip was so that my daughter and I spend some time together because on an average during the week we only spend about 5 hours a day together.
Check out my pictures under photos of Vallarta