Since we wouldn’t be going to Costa Rica on this voyage, we thought we could at least give the kids a canopy tour here in Mexico. So, we organized with a bunch of other kid boats, searched the internet for a good deal, and on Jan 3 we took advantage of a 2 for 1 special and hopped on a bus to an OXXO parking lot in Jarretaderas to be picked up by the tour company. We were with Sand Dollar, Kenta Anae, Appa, and Kyle (Lady Carolina), Jonathon and Victoria (Fluenta) came along as orphans. We picked this tour mainly because of the special, but it turns out that it is on the set of the movie Predator, and they take advantage of that in all of their marketing. Cheesy? Yes. The ziplines themselves were quite fun, but much different than what Tim and I did in Costa Rica. First of all the setting was far more touristy since in addition to all the Predator marketing there was a large restaurant that we were zipping over. Second, the method of braking yourself as you were coming down the zipline was different. In Costa Rica we wore thick gloves and we braked by using the glove behind the attachement point on the line to provide friction. Here, we rocked ourselves side to side and the friction was provided by metal on metal. The landings were pretty forceful as well. My instinct was always to slow down but the guy at the bottom would tell me to keep coming, and then I’d jerk forward as he stopped me at the bottom. The kids had a lot of fun, so I’m glad we did it, but it just didn’t live up to me memory of our experience in Costa Rica. Afterwards the kids swung on the rope swing into the water at the restaurant while we sat around and ate and drank. Good Times.
I forgot to mention the bus ride! After we were picked up at the OXXO (in a regular large bus, not an open air one like the advertisement said, but whatever) we went back and forth from Puerto Vallarta because the driver thought he forgot someone. Turns out he didn’t, so it was just wasted time, but after about an hour, or maybe more, we made our way to the base of the mountain and then proceed to drive what felt like straight uphill on a windy, partially washed out dirt road. I think the bus ride was more of an adventure than the ziplines!
After the tour we took the bus back down the mountain into downtown Puerto Vallarta to a little place to do some tequila tasting. I was a little disappointed at first because I was tired and didn’t feel like drinking tequila, but it turned out to be a bonus as we got to taste all the various tequilas, from the ones you “share” (the cheaper ones) to the ones you “keep for yourself” (the better ones). The guy who did the presentation was quite amusing and we were with a Mexican family too, so he did it in both Spanish and English. No surprise that since I enjoyed the presentation and the tequila, I had to buy something, so I brought home a bottle of coffee flavored tequila. Very nice for sipping after a good meal.
Gresham Family Exodus 