I had two days worth of writing on Microsoft word and when I tried to post it on the blog last night lost it all!!!!

So now it is 9am Tuesday morning and I am in a small bakery with Internet connection and will try and remember the two days of happenings.

Sunday afternoon I drove Malc to the airport in Cancun for his long flight home and it was such a good visit and I had a wonderful time with him, he is a great guy and I admire and look up to him. Hard to believe coming from exactly the same background that we could finish up so opposite in virtually everything. I received an e-mail from him and I know he is safe in the arms of his beloved and his family are happy he survived the two weeks with the crazy Uncle!!!! I promised him I would not gloat about being the Scrabble Champion; so nowhere in this blog will you read that I AM THE SCRABBLE CHAMPION!

On the trip into the airport Malc and were talking about how we had not met any mean, rude or dis-honest people in the two weeks and I even told him the same for me for the whole trip. Well wouldn’t you know it after dropping him off I went to a pemex gas station and got stiffed, well almost.

The advice given at gas stations is to be careful as they sometimes try to tell you that you only gave them a smaller amount of money than what you did. Or they don’t re-set the pump and you pay for the person before you and their gas or they don’t fill the tank. I know of these tricks and think I have a system to eliminate the tactics, if they do exist. I know now how much gas Ramona drinks and can tell from the gauge how much to put in and it always 700 pesos or 800 pesos and I always have the exact money. They cannot begin to pump until I unlock the compartment and I make sure they re-set the pump. So far I have had no problems.

This gas station I was the only customer and two young men about 20 years old served me. One took my money right away and stuck it with the rest of his wad of money so there was no way to prove how much I had given him. I haven’t figured it out they don’t have a cash register, when you pay the attendant he just puts it in a big stash he carries in his pocket. I made sure he understood I wanted 700 pesos, I gave him a 500 and a 200 bill. The other guy did zero the pump but he did not set the pump to 700 where it would shut of automatically. By this time I realized I was going to be in trouble. They both spoke fairly good English and as I was stood by the pump the other guy was at the front of Ramona asking if I wanted the windows washed. I looked away and immediately the guy pumping turned the pump off and zeroed it, then quickly set it to 700. I knew he had not put 700 pesos of gas in only 500. I got into the cab turned the ignition on and knew right away my suspicions were right by the gauge. Now what to do????

I called them both over to my window and told them in a very quiet and non-threatening voice that I had been in their country since November and loved it, with out any problems until today. I told them that I knew they had ripped me off by not giving me enough gas and that they owed me 200 pesos, about 20 dollars. I did not want to get into it with them but I wanted them to know that I knew what they had done. I told them that I hope they enjoy spending my money and they should be proud of themselves, as their parents would be. They looked at each other and the one who took my money pulled out his wad of cash and gave me a 200 pesos note. I smiled and drove away. I was pretty proud that I stood up for myself and the way it turned out and hopefully it will make them think again before they try that with another tourist.

I then drove to the parking lot of a huge mall outside of Playa del Carmen where I shopped and replenished the fridge and freezer and hoped to stay the night. I asked a Police officer if it was OK and I think he said it was and I had a great night’s sleep.

I love the picture of Ramona in the parking lot with the Woolworth store in the background. Too many years ago as a kid of 15 my first Saturday job was working at Woolworth’s. I shall never forget my first day arriving at work as green as they come and being assigned to the glasses and dishes department. I am pretty confident that I broke more glasses than sales that day!!..On my arrival next Saturday I was taken aside by my lady boss and told that I was being re-assigned, guess where?? The broken biscuit counter. This will only mean something to my English readers but back then in Woolworth’s they had a huge section that sold loose assorted biscuits and of course in the course of the day’s work some of these got broken. At the end of the section was a small spot where they sold the broken biscuits at a reduced price, that was my new domain, too funny!

Monday morning woke up still a little low and sad but got on with my day. I drove about 50kms to a small village called Akumal, noted for it’s fine beaches and snorkelling. On the way into town I dropped my laundry off at the local Lavenderia to pick it up at 6pm. Then found a place to park about 3 minutes from town, at the side of a local soccer pitch, it looked good and safe.

Found a great lagoon, which was sheltered and spent the morning snorkelling through a maze of brightly coloured fish, plant life and coral, I really enjoyed that. I then spent the afternoon being a beach bum. The ocean here is so warm to swim and the colours change daily.

I then decided it was time for a hair cut so with directions I found myself at the front room of Lupita, the hairdresser, much cuter than your hairdresser Malc!!!!! I told her it was time for the curls to go but to keep the length at the back, that is what I thought I told her. As she was busy clipping and smiling and talking to me in Spanish I could see my curls of 50 years disappearing one by one until they were all gone. You know what I wasn’t even bothered, it looked pretty good. This is the shortest my hair as been since my first day of Police Training at a RAF camp in north Yorkshire. I was the only recruit to have three haircuts in one day!!

After supper re-arranged the inside of Ramona and got all ready for my next journey. Went into town got my laundry, posted the photos on the blog and came back. About 10pm last night the police vehicle pulled onto the area where I was parked and I asked permission and was given it, so another great day and night’s sleep.

Which brings you right up to date. I now have a journey of two days drive to the east coast and a remarkable town called Campeche, where I plan to stay over Easter, don’t want to be on the roads as Easter is a huge celebration for the Mexican people.

I will post when I can and again thank you for all the e-mails and kind comments about the blog, take care and Pura Vida