Saturday, October 29, 2005

SIX DAYS IN CANCUN

DAY THREE - Saturday Oct. 22 -  WE SURVIVED

You began to be able to hear the rain. That was a good sign! The day lightened and we opened our door. It was still raining, but the worst was over. We had made it! The little school house that could! The structure was solid concrete, built to withstand hurricanes! The Category 4 did not budge it one iota.

Everyone was fine. The smokers began to smoke furiously. We were reunited with Dan and Cindy, who were in the school room next door!!

For some inexplicable reason, I pulled out my cell phone and dialed my Mother. The call went through! It was a miracle! She was overjoyed to hear my voice and gave us the first solid CNN information from the states! Wilma was to hover over Cancun another 12 to 24 hours.

Impossible! It was Saturday morning! Wilma had been here since Thursday night!! She had to go!!

We began to take advantage of the semi-calm, thinking this must be the eye of the storm. The men left the school area and ventured out into the neighborhood. They first went to the small stores that were in the area to bring back such luxuries as toilet paper, candles, water, and of course junk food!

The locals began to come into the compound and help us. The bathrooms were horrible, and they cleaned them as best as they could. They gave us five gallon containers. We dipped them into the pools of water surrounding the school houses to flush the toilets. They took several of the men back into Cancun to the part closer to the Hotel district and the area we had evacuated the day before.

The taxi driver cooked for us. He boiled eggs and scrambled at least a dozen. The most delicious food I have ever tasted. He was able to round up a half bottle of wine for us. Very dry! We stood around eating the eggs and standing in little groups chatting and laughing. One would think they had stumbled on a cocktail party.

He refused to take money. When we returned the Tupperware container, we slipped him a Hershey candy bar and $20.

We passed the time putting together a 300 piece jig saw puzzle, playing Hangman on the chalk board and talking to each other.

The day turned into night, and the storm returned.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry you had to go through it. I tell you though, you do know how to tell a story!

Anonymous said...

You will have one memorable vacation!
go on~

Anonymous said...

WOW!!!  I did an entry linking to your journal, so others will read about your amazing vacation.

Anonymous said...

What an incredible experience! Thank God you were a veteran traveler. Sorry your vacation ended up being so stressful though. Glad you made it through. :)

Anonymous said...

wow I come home and get to read three entries. This part sounds aesome and tremndous and how the little things we take for granted. Man

Anonymous said...

Well, I have been reading about your Cancun experience, every entry.  My goodness.  I am glad you are here to talk about it.  And thanks for sharing your story.
Sonya

Anonymous said...

thank the lord you are safe.  How are you now?

Anonymous said...

Weird when there is not really anybody "in charge" to tell you what to do...whats going on... isn't it?


Anonymous said...

Trippy.  The eye of the storm.  I never would've thought of that.  Wow.  All of it.  Just...wow.

Anonymous said...

both eyewalls? damn, Mary, you and Joe really know how to do it up.

Anonymous said...

wow, how kind of the locals