Thanks for stopping back. I have a lot of pictures today, and an incredible video too. Day 5 in Mexico was Scuba Diving day!!!! Here we are, all geared up for our aquatic adventure!
The kids had to go through scuba instruction before they could go out diving, so that meant a couple of free hours for us. What to do?? I think we hung out at the pool and had a drink. At 10am. Yep, it’s Mexico, why not!
After book instruction, and pool skills, the kids were ready to dive. We had two open water dives together. They each lasted 40 mins and we went to a max depth of 40 feet. I think the majority was 30 feet. Even though the ocean is quite warm, we still wear full wetsuits because it’s much more comfortable at that depth for that amount of time.
The kids entered the water and were guided to the bottom by the instructor.
Alan and I are already certified divers, but we haven’t been on a dive since we’ve had kids. I have never been the most confident diver and I was a bit anxious about going again. I tell you, as soon as I got underwater, I was ready to pop right back out and spend the rest of the dive on the boat!! I get really claustrophobic at first and it freaked me out. Luckily, after about 5 mins or so I calmed down and had no problems. The kids on the other hand, did incredible! They had no issues and really enjoyed themselves.
We saw a ton of cool tropical fish – like this pufferfish!
We also saw parrotfish, lobsters, and even a sea turtle swam by to join us!!
Scuba diving was a success! I think the kids will get certified in the near future.
So here’s the bad thing that happened on our trip – remember that night run we did in the park last week? Well, that gave Alan poison ivy a few days before we left. He was OK though because he went to see the Dr. the day before we left and got a steroid shot and pills and that really cleared him up. However, the day before the trip was also when my daughter started getting little blisters all over. We were hoping it would go away, and we took some great poison ivy cream and she applied it every day. Sadly, no, it stuck around. And it crept. It went up to her neck and face and by the morning of day 6, one side of her face was swollen!! Poor kid. We couldn’t hope for a recovery any more, so she visited the Dr’s office at the resort. Another great thing about these mega resorts, a medical care office on site!
At first there was a bit of language/culture barrier because they don’t have poison ivy in Mexico. The Dr. thought I was talking about some actual poison! After she diagnosed the rash, the treatment was the same as Alan… a shot. Sydney *hates* shots. She was so anxious about getting the shot, she threw up three times after she got it 🙁 🙁 Then she went back to the room and slept for several hours. After she woke up she was feeling a little better and we went to the pool and beach. Luckily the swelling went down and the rash on her face cleared up in 30 hours. Totally gone! Crazy day.
And to finish this post on a random note, take a look a the size of grasshoppers they have in Mexico!! Holy crap! We had never seen them this large.
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Now your turn, tell me…
Q: Are you allergic to poison ivy?
Q: Have you ever been scuba diving?
Q: Do you have any bugs that big where you live??
Thankfully, no! But I suppose if it had to be anything, a grasshopper is a good, “friendly” choice!
Kind of ironic that you were posting about poison ivy today when just yesterday, after our Sunday long run, one of our group pointed out some large red lesions across her legs around her knees that looked infected. She said that she and her BF had to crawl over a fallen tree on a trail run the week before and she got poison ivy. Doctor had given her Prednisone but she didn’t think it was helping. I apparently am not allergic since I lived in Georgia for 35 years and was constantly exposed to poison ivy and poison oak as a child. Never been scuba diving but my cousin who still lives in Georgia, goes down to Florida in the summer and scuba dives in the caves. The only good thing I can say about living here in sub-zero Winter is it pretty much kills all the bugs.
Wow, you are so lucky to not get a rash from poison ivy!! It’s such a frustrating thing to have. Maybe that’s what happens – the grasshoppers just kept getting bigger and bigger each year because they didn’t die off! Yikes
Scuba diving- what an exciting activity for you and your family! I am not sure if I would like it- I feel like I may get claustrophobia like you described. I would like to try snorkeling first!
Omg poison ivy is the WORST. I am sorry that happened. Yes I get poison ivy and when I get it, it SUCKS. A couple years ago, I had a patch on my wrist that would just ooze and ooze through my gauze for like a week. Finally I went to the dr. and got meds to help clear it up. The dr. said it was good I came in because it was so deep that it would NOT have cleared up on it’s own!
Scuba diving is amazing, but for me it does require me to step out of my comfort zone! I’m surprised I didn’t catch the poison ivy because I’m so allergic to it. Yours sounded terrible! I’ve had a few really bad spots but so far I’ve missed it this year. Of course my yard shows that I haven’t touched a weed out there all year!! Ha
I am sooooo glad you talked me into getting into the Dr. the day before we left for that shot. Amazing how well that stuff works! And Sydney still blames me for giving it to her.
Just think if your swelling would have happened in Mexico – we would have had to sell our worldly possessions to pay for the Dr bills! (or not go to Playa. Gasp!!)
Incredible photos under the sea! I love the video too! Scuba looks like it was an amazing experience. Adam and I went snorkeling in Mexico once, but scuba diving looks like it was on a whole different level! WOW! 🙂
Most of the resorts offer an intro diving course like our kids took. That’s how Alan and I started on our honeymoon! I highly suggest doing it to see if you’d like it. Great experience!
I’ve never had a poison ivy reaction but I’m not sure if that’s because I’ve never encountered if or if I’m just one of those lucky few. I don’t usually have good luck so I’m sure it’s one of the first. I’m glad it cleared up for them both after the shot!
Thanks for stopping by my blog Meagan! You are indeed LUCKY to not be bothered by poison ivy. I swear it’s everywhere around my area. I was super pleased with how fast the medicine took care of my family’s rash . Phew!
HOLY MOLY! What a grasshopper! That thing was HUGE!!!!!
Love all the pictures and video of the adventures!!!! So cool!!!!!! Looks like fuN!