Hello everyone! We are so, so excited to see you soon on the warm and sandy beaches of Playa del Carmen. Just wanted to check in and give you some final details and a tentative schedule of events. We will try to send a final version of the schedule of events by Wednesday. Some housekeeping:

- We’d love to hear from you when you are arrive and departing

- We arrive on Thursday, May 27 and depart on Thursday, June 3. To contact us: You can dial our room or leave a message for us at The Royal Playa del Carmen (we don’t know the room # yet)

- J would like to organize a diving or snorkel trip on Saturday the 29th, please let us know if you are interested (say snorkel or scuba)

- We are working on a day trip to the Mayan ruins at Tulum (an hour south) on Sunday the 30th. Please also let us know if you are interested in that. The cost may be $30-$70 depending on what kind of tour we end up getting. Of course we are pushing for the inexpensive option!

- Weather forecast: high 80’s, some showers expected

- This article about tipping is worth a read. I have heard this from several people that have been there before: www.allinclusivetraveltips.com/2008/01/tipping-at-all-inclusive-resorts.html

- You probably know not to drink the water, unless it is bottled or boiled, outside of the hotel. Also recommended not to eat raw fruit or veggies unless you wash them yourself with bottled or boiled water. :(

What to bring:

- Here is a starter list. Yellow = essential item. The rest can be bought there in a pinch. http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BwV0BQzCGENpYzAwZjljNmUtMWUwOC00NTVkLWI5ZWMtMmUzNDQyNjEzNTU1&hl=en (the link is safe, I made it myself)

- American cash in low denominations (lots of $1’s for tipping, $5’s and $20’s for purchases). Keep it safe in a money belt, and I believe the hotel has in room safes once you arrive.

o “Every place accepts dollars, or you can exchange them for pesos at the hotel, airport or any exchange house or bank during your stay”

o “You can pay for most things in dollars, but you can get better deals in pesos”

Don’t worry about:
- Hairdryers (hotel will have)
- Snorkel gear (hotel has and/or you can rent), unless you are an unusual size or really serious about the sport


Tentative Wedding Weekend Schedule of Events
- All events are optional

Saturday, May 29, 2010
- Optional Scuba or Snorkel trip – early morning
- Dinner at the Gran Porto Real, ____ 7pm
- Out on the town: walk to the Blue Parrot for fire-show, dancing and drinks (www.blueparrot.com/fireshow/)

Sunday, May 30, 2010
- Breakfast at The Royal Playa del Carmen, __ TBD_ 10am
- Trip to Tulum and Cenote: bus departs from __ TBD__ at 11:30am
- Dinner the Gran Porto Real, __ TBD___ 8pm


Monday, May 31, 2010
- Relax on the beach

- Wedding, on the beach in front of The Royal Playa del Carmen, 4pm. Check in at the front desk. Please wear light colored clothing

- Reception immediately following, on the Gazebo Terrace overlooking the beach at The Royal Playa del Carmen

Tuesday, June 1, 2010
- Breakfast at the Gran Porto Real, __ TBD____ 10am
- ?
- Dinner at The Royal Playa del Carmen, ___TBD___ 7pm


Love to you all, and we’ll try to send a last email soon. Lisa

Where to Stay - updates

Hi everyone. We are enjoying getting a few reply cards in the mail each day - keep 'em coming!

Things are getting quite hectic all of the sudden, and the bridezilla in me is coming out! Several updates for you:

1) It appears that all the rooms at The Royal Playa del Carmen are sold out the week of our wedding, except for the very top tiered rooms. Deep breaths now.... If you are considering coming to our wedding, we'd strongly encourage you to book a room at the Gran Porto Real (right next door) ASAP, as those may run out quickly too. Generally the most expensive option will be going through the hotel directly but RIGHT NOW they are listing a special - no telling how long it will last. Also consider a trusted online travel site (cheap caribbean, locogringo, expedia) or a travel agent - you should not have to pay full price. If you book at another hotel, please check www.tripadvisor.com for reviews so you know what you are gettng. If you are booking a condo or private house - make sure to invite us over! ;)

--> Gran Porto Real specials right now: $124 (Fri/Sat) - $113 (Sun/Mon/Tues/Wed) per person for a basic all-inclusive (food/drinks) room based on double occupancy or $192 (Fri/Sat) - $181 (Sun/Mon/Tues/Wed) per person for a single occupancy room. Book online (http://www.realresorts.com/Reservations/Gran_Porto_Real/default.asp) or call 800.760.0944. IF YOU NEED SOMEONE TO SHARE A ROOM WITH, LET ME KNOW ASAP! 3 and 4 person rooms/suites are also available.

--> another useful bit of information: if you book into Real PdC or Gran Porto, you can call in advance or when you check-in and ask if there have been any openings at the higher level hotels and get a deal that way. No guarantees that there will be openings but I have been told that many people tend to cancel at the last minute, or blocks of rooms that don't get filled come available 30 days prior to check in.

2) It is not as easy as we thought to cross back and forth from the different hotels in the Real Resort chain. Current understanding (breathing, breathing): Guests staying at a higher priced Real Resort hotel can access the others for free, but guests at lower priced hotels cannot access the higher priced ones without purchasing a day pass - except for the wedding and reception, which will be covered by our bill. The "levels" of hotel are: The Royal (highest), Gran Porto Real, and the Real Playa del Carmen. It is cheaper for Real Resort guests to buy a day pass to a higher level resort than a non Real Resort guest. This is not quite what we had imagined, and sorry for the confusion. Beaches are public and free, so no worries about that. We will likely have several small get togethers over the long weekend and try to make them in diverse places so we can all see each other. Itinerary to follow.

3) Alaska Airlines is cancelling service to Cancun, so if you were thinking of using them, start researching prices with other airlines. www.bing.com/travel is a great resource for flights.

4) Ceremony - we are having a traditional Mayan ceremony. The shaman performing it requests that everyone wear light colored clothing to the ceremony to attract positive energy and "help the energy flow". White, ivory, tan, light colors are all good.

Thank everyone. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Airport to Playa del Carmen

Options for getting from the airport to your hotel in Playa del Carmen.

1. Your hotel's shuttle (contact your hotel or booking agency)


2. Private taxi (should be about $65)


3. A colectivo van that will take up to 10 people. They don't leave at any specific time, but you will have to wait until it's full enough to justify the trip. You may have to make stops at other resorts and hotels along the way, which can easily double the time it will take you to get to Playa del Carmen. To take one of these authorized taxis, go to any of the TTC kiosks located around the terminal and buy a ticket, or just step out of the arrival hall and you will get many offers. The price usually works out to about $18 per person.


4. Mexican bus company Riviera operates a direct bus service between Cancun airport and Playa del Carmen. Tickets are about $9 each way. It leaves from outside the main arrival hall at the airport. Just before you exit the terminal, there is a Riviera counter where you buy the ticket. In Playa del Carmen the bus works out of the main bus terminal on 5th Avenue and Juarez.
   Bus Schedule:
   http://www.travelyucatan.com/cancun_airport_to_playa_del_carmen_bus_schedule.php
   
   Once you arrive to the bus terminal in Playa, there are plenty of taxis to take you to your final destination. If your hotel is walking distance, but you don't want to lug your bags in the heat, grab a guy with a triciclo, a tricycle. He can get you and your luggage to where you want to go.

The Cancun airport has some information you might find useful: www.cancun-airport.com/index.htm

Lastly, if you want to try to share a shuttle with other guests of our wedding, let us know when you arrive and where you are staying. I'll try to develop some sort of a spreadsheet to connect people if you are coming in at similar days/times.

Children, Family, & other FAQs

A few notes about who you may be coming to our wedding with:

Children: Children ARE able to attend the wedding and reception (only), despite it being at an adult only resort (The Royal Playa del Carmen). You cannot buy day passes for the kids if you want to hang out by the pool, etc. However, the Gran Porto Real next door is a family friendly resort, and if you are staying there we can join you at the pool, etc. We definitely want to see you and your kids during the trip!

Family: Please feel free to make our wedding an excuse for a family vacation. While we don't have the budget for everyone to actually attend the wedding, we love the idea of you having a great family (or friends) get-away, with our wedding as just one piece of your trip.

Registry: We are registered at:

• Sur la Table (http://giftreg.surlatable.com/slt/grws)
• Bed, Bath, & Beyond (www.bedbathandbeyond.com/regHome.asp?order_num=3&)
• Amazon (www.amazon.com/gp/wedding/homepage)

As previously mentioned: you really don't need to get us a gift! If you do get us a gift, please DO NOT BRING IT to the wedding. It will be a liability for us both with travelling, customs, etc. Thanks for thinking of us though.