up on the roof
Still have some Puerto Vallarta pics to share which is a good thing! Between being busy at work and figuring out how I’m going to handle my workload, and being uninspired by the April landscapes this year, I haven’t picked up a camera in awhile. The prospect of May flowers, though, will change that soon!
If you’re interested in traveling and experiencing different places, I really encourage you to think differently about your accommodations and look beyond hotels and resorts. Renting a house was not without frustrations – there were a few pool issues to be sorted out which meant contacting the owner in Texas and then dealing with the property manager who lived across the street and was extremely busy running a fishing boat charter company, and a language barrier with the pool guy. Also, because the house was for sale, there were a few showings, but we knew that a possibility before renting, and received a discount for the inconvenience. Some people have asked if there were any worries about renting a place online because what if the place doesn’t look like the pictures and you’ve spent all that money and it ends up being in a bad neighbourhood? You do need to do some research. I looked on AirBnB and Home Away. Read the reviews, then try to read between the lines of those reviews. I only look at places that have more than 5 reviews, preferably more (because it’s pretty easy to get three of your friends to give you a good review!). If there’s an address look it up on Google Maps street view. Establish a rapport with the owner either by phone or email – do they respond to your inquiries quickly and answer your questions? This all sounds like it takes some effort, but I enjoy it! Keep in mind, this was for a two week stay, and a good portion of the travel budget was going towards accommodations. I wouldn’t put this much effort into a three day stay, for example. Ultimately, the house in Puerto Vallarta was chosen for its million dollar views and my bucket list rooftop, private pool! All the research paid off! All the pics were taken from the rooftop.
The sunsets!
The neighbourhood…5 de Diciembre
And the iguana who liked to sun himself on the ledge of the house’s second level.
prairie girl wonders 