5/1-5/4/21 Quick trip to Puerto Vallarta for Tristan's wedding. This is consistent with my 'strobe light travel' philosophy - short but memorable trips. I wasn't even planning on going until three weeks ago. With the virus, uncertainty of travel and so much going on with work on several fronts at once...

But, why not. I got my first COVID shot three weeks ago and my second one would be right in the middle of the trip, so I had to schedule it for the day after I return. A negative test is required for travel back. The hotel offers 'insurance', where for $29 if you test positive, you can stay there (in quarantine) at no additional cost until you test negative.

I've only been to Mexico once before, about two decades ago. That trip was by car to a hot spring in the desert, taking an unmarked dirt road turn off from the highway in the middle of nowhere. This one is the opposite - flying in, private shuttle to an all-inclusive beachfront resort with a private beach, and planned activities. Each has its advantages and challenges.

It's a direct flight from Portland. The shuttle ride goes through town and what strikes me is the cobblestone streets and massive speed bumps. Vehicles take a beating here. The resort - Hyatt Ziva - is nice enough. Not nearly as soulless as some of the similar setups I've seen in Hawaii. The beach is nice and it's fun to swim in a warm ocean.

A lot of friends are in attendance and I've come to think of them as extended family over the years. It's an interesting dimension to all this, randomly seeing familiar faces.

Saw the 'green flash' at the end of that sunset, for the second time in my life (Hawaii was first). Wonder if it's just an artifact of how the eyes work, or if the light is actually affected by the atmosphere that way. Doesn't really matter - if I perceive it, it's just as real as anything else I perceive :)

[Edit: looked it up, green flash is a thing]

Mark and April booked a snorkeling trip Sunday morning and invited me to tag along. The boat leaves right from the beach. It's about a 20-minute trip out to the snorkeling spot.

The fish are cool. There are some bright blue ones on the reef. I considered taking the phone underwater but decided against.

Then it's back to the hotel. The resort being all-inclusive, there is an endless supply of alcohol and food. I generally try to moderate myself. Don't really care for the wines they have available. Nor am I a fan of mixed drinks. So I settle on tequila, straight. Somewhat disappointingly I seem to just metabolize it without much effect. Perhaps just as well. Ocean swimming is best done in a somewhat sober state. We go swimming after dark - that is both serene and scary. Just feel very out of my element. Which is objectively true.

There is some wildlife on the beach - birds and couple iguanas. They are fun to watch.

Earlier in the day I take the COVID test and it's negative. Cool. I get to attend the wedding and not get locked up in a room for 2 weeks.

The wedding ceremony is on a beach some distance away. It's a half hour shuttle ride to the harbor, then almost an hour boat ride to the location. Some birds are ridge-soaring the bow the entire way.

The wedding goes smoothly. It's a cool ceremony - congratulations Tristan and Sarah!

The reception party goes well into the night and the boat ride back is in the dark. Tequila keeps flowing and I don't remember getting off the boat. I do wake up in my room the next day, so all must have gone reasonably well.

The flight back is at 6pm so I have half a day to explore the town itself. I check out, grab my backpack (traveling light is always a plus) and catch a cab ride into town. It's a neat place.

Eventually I catch a city bus to the airport - an interesting ride that takes some 40 minutes. The cobblestone streets and closely spaced traffic add a different flavor to the experience.

The flight back is through LA. The approach from the South takes us over Orange County where I lived for 7 years, and flew aerobatics out of SNA. Seeing the practice area from the airliner brought back memories. It's all so much more built out now. LA itself is an endless expanse of development. The air seems cleaner than I remember it though.

Late at night, the final approach into Portland is cool. Also have to say how impressed I continue to be with the phone camera....

Then a shuttle ride to the parking lot, a 15 minute drive home, and the day that started with a slightly hungover ocean swim in Mexico 2,500 miles away is finally done.

According to Google it would take 35 days to walk there. Apparently Google thinks humans can walk 24 hours a day for a month, because at 3mph that's what it would take. Glad we have airplanes.