November 17, 2025Monday, November 17, 2025

Just a thought… As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal. [Robin Sharma]

I won’t say that all of that worry was for nothing; it prepared us for any possibility, and maybe that’s why everything on our big travel day last Thursday from Victoria airport to Puerto Vallarta went so smoothly. Some of it was luck, but a lot was preparation. And even more had to do with patience.

Last week started out on a decidedly rocky note: the breeder through whom we got Dottie and Livi decided she wasn’t sure Dot would be home in time for her next breeding cycle, and Bev wants a second litter from Dottie next summer. So she messaged about a bunch of vaccines they would need (we had all but one which is particularly hard to get, as I found out by calling several local vets in a panic and not getting any positive responses).

Then she told us she wanted Dottie to stay back with her for the winter. SO I did the chat feature with WestJet (disconnecting by accident while flipping back to my online receipt emails) and eventually, while connected again, getting a message from Bev that, no, she thought Dot would be better with US for the winter. So after all of that: cancelling Dot’s seats down and back, we had to rebook them.

For that bit of sorcery I decided to swallow the $25 and call an actual person. By the end of the day we were wrung out like a dish rag and no closer to being packed for the trip that was coming on Thursday. But we had our girls together (if not our act) and on we went.

I’ll fast forward to Thursday and, in brief, tell you everything that could have gone wrong, but didn’t:

Taxi on time. Perfect. Except I left my big sun hat in the condo and had to run up to get it. Phew.

Got through check-in at WestJet with no hassles about dog or carrier size. Excellent.

Rob weighing the suitcases and coming in under a pound below the weight limit (the trip IS for for months) paid off. No overage fees.

Flight left on time and was without drama. Girls stayed quiet in their carriers under our the seats in front of us. New plane, so softer seats, even slept an hour with my head in my lap (yes, I was that exhausted).

Got off the plane quickly BUT as we were nearing the never-ending line for customs, I asked Rob, “Where’s my hat?” Yep, it was back in overhead on the plane. So, like a salmon fighting the current, he had to go back and get the damned thing. (It was a new hat and would’ve been crushed in the luggage.)

Dogs checked out fine in inspection and the gentleman couldn’t have been nicer. They even had fake grass and a hydrant which both dogs were relieved (pardon the pun) to use.

Customs were glacially slow with a few flights arriving simultaneously, but if we’d gotten 10 pesos for everyone who made a fuss over the girls, our trip would have been covered. They loved it.

Finally emerged through the sea of cab drivers looking for our business and connected with the owner of the home we’re renting for the winter. She gave us a drive to the house, we got the tour, and then after we’d unpacked, she returned and took us to dinner in a local restaurant. A true taste of Mexico and Rob treated himself to not one, but two local cervezas. He earned every ice cold drop.

So, here we are, a few days into our stay. We’ve walked around the neighbourhood to the little local grocery and food stores to get what we needed for a few days and tomorrow our host is taking us to Walmart for everything else to get us stocked up.

I DID forget to eat or take water on our walking excursion and had to steady myself by gripping a store shelf, then sit outside and sip water, when I thought I was going to faint. Part of it was being nervous about a completely different feeling, outside my comfort zone in every way. What an awful sensation, though! Won’t go without a water bottle again.

The little pool in the neighbourhood isn’t heated and doesn’t need to be (for my liking) and there’s plenty of shade. There’s a bit of house building going on in the neighbourhood but nothing that will bother us. We’re going with the flow and still getting our footing. My Spanish? Well that’s one for the next journal. Let’s say I need practice, but I’m getting by.

So for now, I’ll sign off, mi amiga o amigo, and every week here I’ll share new adventures. For the funnier side, be sure to listen this Thursday as Lisa and I share her travels and mine at www.gracefullyandfrankly.com. Thank you for coming along.

And one pic for the road of two of my favourite furry beings settling in.