Help me, he's got a phrase book...

TOIL, that is, has a Mexican phrase book and help me, he is using it to brush up on his Spanish. We are closing in on our departure date for a little honeymoon* in Mexico. Thus we have the phrase book and TOIL pacing the house (more like following me everywhere) saying (in Spanish), "¿Excuse me, have you any thread to mend my shirt?", "¿Good morning, can you tell me, is this minced meat?", "¿Excuse me, has that bus been recently serviced?" All powerfully useful phrases, that will most definitely come in handy.

You may be thinking, "In this economy, are you kidding? A trip to Mexico? How?" Here's how. In a stroke of random raffle luck, I won a travel voucher at my company picnic last summer that will cover the cost of airfare and our bungalow accommodations. "¿Where is the main water valve?". I'd write a post about how to travel on the cheap, but with airfare and accommodations paid for, I am not sure that you would take me seriously.

"¿The table is unsteady?", "¿Is one allowed to go up the bell tower?", "¿Can the children ride an elephant?" "Oh oh, you want to learn this one Thea... "¿Could I have a jar of olives please?". No TOIL, I am good with you being the expert on olive requisitions.

Suffice it to say, we are traveling on the cheap, even with the generosity of my employer. We don't need much. Just some sun, warm ocean water, a little Spanish immersion of language and culture, and new sights and experiences to fill our senses. "¿How far is the next village?". Hold it TOIL, we are NOT survival trekking in the Rainforest!

Our Naturopath hooked us up with Montezuma's Revenge preventative measures, which include drinking a little Ume Plume Concentrate in warm/hot water at each meal. "¿Can I have a hair cut, I wear it brushed forward with a fringe?"

Actually, I do have a "how to travel on the cheap" tip; it's all about attitude. We are going to travel with a sense and expectation of adventure at every turn and see what opportunity brings our way. There is all kind of possibility in the town we are headed to...horseback riding, snorkeling, boat trips, bus trips, exploring ancient ruins, street markets, mango groves, and more. We are leaving our technological paraphernalia at home. I am having little... tiny... anticipatory... withdrawal symptoms from my iPhone. But I am a survivor. "¿I have cut my foot, do you have any bandages?" Whats with all the questions TOIL?

One thing is for sure, we will be doing a whole lot of walking, relaxing and practicing the daily ritual commonly called the Siesta swinging in the hammocks hanging in the shaded balcony of our home away from home. Sounds like a great tip and trip to me. "¿Excuse me, can I pick this mango off of your tree?"

*we plan to take "honeymoons" together for the rest of our natural lives - they are typically called "mini-moons", but this being a trip to a foreign country and all gets to don the full blown "Honeymoon" title.