The journey began at the ungodly hour of 4:00 AM, when our next-door neighbor backed his SUV into our driveway and helped us load the luggage. Steve and Jodie have proven, yet again, that they’re the best neighbors in the world — the kind you’d nominate for sainthood if sainthood included airport runs.
At Spokane Airport, everything went surprisingly smooth. Bags checked, security cleared… well, almost. I forgot to mention my titanium knees to the TSA agent, which earned me a short but friendly lecture about declaring metal before stepping through the detector. Lesson learned: titanium may be strong, but it’s not stealthy.
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| Melaque, it's good to be back. |
This was our first time in years flying Spokane → Los Angeles → Manzanillo. The flight into L.A. landed early, but then we sat waiting for a gate to open. Normally, no big deal — except we had a tight connection. Alaska Airlines announced that six passengers had short transfer times, and we were two of them. Cue the tension. When the plane door finally opened, the six of us sprinted like contestants on The Amazing Race. Luckily, all the gates were close together, so we hustled over and made it in time.
The final flight was uneventful (always the best kind), and before long Linda had us in a taxi headed to Sunny Side Luxury Villas. Two smiling employees greeted us at the door, and just like that, stage one of the adventure was complete.
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| Laguna del Tule |
First order of business: unpack a little, get the apartment layout figured out, and then head to Gaby’s for street tacos. Nothing says “we’ve arrived in Mexico” quite like tacos on the corner. After a quick shower back at the casa, we melted into bed.
Linda was up early the next morning, already walking and shopping like a local. I, on the other hand, slept in — travel always knocks me off rhythm, and it takes me a couple of days to find my groove again.
Day two was all about settling in. We made lists of groceries and kitchen items to make life easier, then walked to Las Palmas to reunite with our volleyball crew. It was a warm reunion, and we were welcomed back into the group like no time had passed.
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One of the two pools at Sunny Side, from our balcony.
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Our friend Beth is back in Melaque, staying at the same casa where Linda and I stayed two years ago. This time she’s joined by her sister Deb and Deb’s husband Darrel. We met up with them for drinks at the pool at Laguna de Tulla, which sounded like a perfect plan until an obnoxious group of gringos decided to blast old rock and roll so loud that conversation was impossible. Rather than risk needing hearing aids before dinner, we relocated to a quieter spot where we could actually talk and enjoy each other’s company.
The next day was all about sports. We spent hours together watching our teams fight for a chance to move on in the championship. There’s something special about sharing those tense moments with friends — the highs, the lows, and the collective groans when a play doesn’t go our way. It wasn’t just about the games; it was about being together, picking up right where we left off, and making new memories in a familiar place.
Since then, our days have been filled with exploring bodegas, gathering provisions, eating more street tacos (yes, there’s a theme here), and watching NFL playoff games. And of course — Go SEAHAWKS!
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| Can't figure out why I'm still hungry after lunch, |
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| My morning coffee buddy. We meet each AM. |
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| Our luxurious front room. |
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| El baño. |
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| The bedroom. |
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| Our deluxe kitchen. |
DB/AI
