5C's Que Pasa

Good morning October!  We awoke to the sounds of Canada Geese honking & flying overhead and the pitter patter of raindrops on the roof.  Fall has officially arrived in Kelowna.

The other day while chatting with some new arrivals to the RV park I happened to look down at Colin’s feet.

Two different shoes, 2 colours of beige, one has green on it, two different shoe laces but at least they are a left and a right shoe!

How long has he been wearing this combination?  Certainly long enough to be doing photography for the rich & famous and their 8 million dollar homes these past weeks.  We have yet to find the mates to these shoes.  Colin is not concerned and says they’ll turn up someday, somewhere!

So I ask you poco loco or just play artsy?

Tags: Funny

…good or bad is all in how you perceive it.  We have been wondering if this would actually come to be and it seems that it has begun.

The future of the Isla. Noroeste file photo.

The first phase of the $120 million dollar Isla Amaitlan Resort has begun.  Grading machines have begun clearing the first two hectares.  Now if only someone would ask them to get the road completed by November 1st.

Thanks to Maureen  Dietrich for the article in The Mazatlan Messenger.  Read the complete article with details here.

Tags: Stone Island, Tres Amigos RV Park

It all started with the wind….lots of it.  I guess we were fortunate that we were not blown about as much as the West Coast.  However we were affected.

Yup..those are the pots I brought back from Mexico in April, actually 'were' the pots I had brought back. Not only did the wind catch the palms ( my gift from Colin last May ) and break the pots, the palms looked a bit stressed.

So I called the office here and asked it they could come and rescue the palms, perhaps keep them in the club house or ??

In order to rescue my palms ( sob ), I had to give them up to this fellow. At least they will live to see another day, not so the shards of pots.

If that wasn’t bad enough……our internet went D O W N !  We can’t live without it, our business relies on it heavily.  So after a few hours of switching things on & off and on and off, etc. I finally gathered the courage to call Telus.  Three hours later……to be honest my call was taken within moments but it was the tech guy doing his thing  ( or lack there of ) that took so very very long!!!!!!!!!!  The very worst was that after 2.5 hours when I insisted on speaking to a supervisor I was told that one would call me back within 4 to 6 HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Enough said!  Actually I suggest that anyone needing to call Telus on a tech issue first go to the washroom & then eat some protein!!

My husband who had been out all morning came home to see me looking like this. He had no idea what my problem was. He was relieved to see I was sort of in control. I was so stressed and then found out he was home for only 30 minutes. I think I saw him less than 2 hours yesterday. It took me a while to calm down.

Now if that wasn’t enough grief, once the internet did start working……don’t even ask how……I would have to swear you to secrecy and even then I might still have to shoot you……I started being seriously questioned about my Medical Travel Insurance blog which I happened to mention on RV.net, the Mexican section.  I am the one known as Big C ( actually Colin chose that name, I usually sign Mamma C).  I still maintain that I am correct and if necessary will defend my information to death!

So all in all it was a horrid day, nothing that a few glasses of vino could not soothe.  However the hours of preparation for our departure that were lost are irreplaceable.  Hasta manana!

Tags: Funny, garden, repairs, Wine

Here at Holiday Park we are surrounded by cedars and they all need to be trimmed.  It seems that no one wants to cut them any longer.  Last fall we had a new company come into the park but they are too busy this year.  Most of the people have retired and it seems no one else wants the job.  We finally found an employee of the park who will do the job for extra cash but he only does it after hours or on his days off.  Translation….it takes a long time to get the hedges cut!  Good thing I hired him in early July.

So far we are 50% done 🙁

He does a great job but I’d like it done before we leave in a month.  If anyone wants to get into the hedge trimming business this is the place.  All my neighbours need theirs trimmed also!  Anyone?

Tags: garden, Holiday Park

Over the years Colin and I have travelled the globe and medical insurance has always been a part of the trip.  We have never used it.  Now as we are getting older the people who decide medical insurance policies have decided we are at risk and have to pay much higher prices.  We use to get annual medical insurance for around $300.00.  Now that Colin is 61 and I am 58, the prices have shot up for no valid reason other than the age factor.  The price for just our 5.5 month trip to Mexico has been quoted at $1078.00.  That price is based on us being in perfect health.  There is no extra cost re my surgery this past July, they just say that I will not be covered for that or anything arising as a result of or possibly related to the surgery.  Basically it means that even with the big dollars paid I will likely not be covered for much.

I began my research in this area last season and after making some inquiries this past month this is what we are going to do.

We are going to pay for travel medical insurance from the first day we cross into the USA until we reach our destination on Isla de la Piedra.  We will pay for an insurance policy from the day we plan to leave Tres Amigos RV Park till we reenter Canada.  In our case, we will pay $61.64 for travel from Oct. 26 to Nov. 6th.  For travel from March 30th to April 13th we will pay $92.60.  A combined grand total of $154.24 is a much more reasonable price to pay.  I know that this brings a number of questions to mind which I hope to answer for you here but if you have any further questions or comments just let me know.

This policy is issued by TIC Travel Insurance, available through most brokers. It includes a $5 million hospital & medical services, air ambulance, pet & vehicle return and much more.  It does however only include the days listed on your policy.  As we don’t know exactly the number of days we will be on the road I have added a few extra days in both directions.  Extra days are about $2.50 each, per person.  You can change your dates before you travel.  We are waiting till we know 100% the date we are leaving Canada before paying for our policy.  However we do have the option of changing our return dates before we travel providing we have had no claims.  For instance if our house sells 😀 and we have to return sooner 🙁  we just have to call the broker and change the dates.  I still chose to add the extra days just so we have that freedom without having to call.

While in Mexico, should we need any medical attention we will simply pay for it, as the prices are so very reasonable.  Our main concern re medical insurance is transiting the USA due to the extreme high costs for medical treatment.  Also our B.C. provincial health care will reimburse us what they would have paid here in B.C. for any emergency medical issues provided the claim is submitted within 90 days from the service provided. This is the form that needs to be filled out.  I suggest you make a copy of it and take it with you, that way you can be sure you have all the information you will need to provide.

Also if your medical incident is because of a vehicle accident, either your RV or car or truck, your Mexican vehicle insurance should have some medical coverage.  Ours has up to $5,000.00 per person ( up to 5 people in vehicle ) per incident.  A great policy.

Depending on what medical incident that occurs, if it does, one has the option of taking lots of pain medication and getting on a flight back home for treatment.

For those of you thinking of returning in April, Easter is early in 2012.  Semena Santa will be around April 6-10th.  For some that may affect your travel dates.

Tags: emergency, insurance, medical, Mexico, travel