Hola Breeps:
So if this is what ‘over the hill’ looks like, sign me up for an annual subscription…
As Eileen mentioned last week we both have birthdays in October in mine happened to be a big one. Eileen and Michael threw me one heck of a surprise party with loads of Brits in LA members at Berlin Currywurst (3827 W Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles CA, 90026). With all the messages, photos and even video congratulating me on my milestone, I felt like is just won an academy award. (that can wait – for now) I was well and truly gobsmacked and I literally ran out of the restaurant. I’ve never been so overwhelmed it my life it was so touching. It all made sense now that Michael had made me change my shirt before going out… I looked like I was about to paint the fence. Many beers and cheers were had and Eileen made me a playlist with all the number ones for every year of my birthday….
And the birthday fun never stopped – I was very spoilt, as my very thoughtful and generous partner, Michael took a few (14) of my friends including my sister and her fiancée (who had traveled all the way from Spain) to Sayulita, Mexico for a long weekend. This lovely spot is about an hour outside of Puerto Vallarta. Michael rented two adjoining villas with luscious ocean views. We had beach days, nights of mariachi and karaoke, private dinners and yacht trips. Add massage treatments and a personal chef and this was the trip of a lifetime. But luxury doesn’t come without a price and I’m not just talking about wallet damage… We lost a few guests to falls, sea-sickness, food poisoning, a theft and a Scorpion attack Mexico is not for the faint of heart! With that in mind here are eight things to know before venturing south of the border:
1. The direct flight is a roughly 2 1/2 hours flight on either Alaska or Delta.
2. You will need a passport (you’ll be surprised how many people forget that Mexico is a different country- just because there is no water between them!)
3. Don’t drink the tap water (Montezuma’s revenge will put a damper on your whole vacation)
4. Make sure you take a lot of cash as the ATMs are sparse and often empty. Also a lot of the restaurants are cash only. Regarding cash, make sure to not put all your money in one place, a guest of ours had their safe broken into and $1500 was stolen.
5. Bug spray. The weather is somewhat tropical and humid. So expect lots of Mosquitos. Take your repellant and after bite and shake the sheets before bedtime. Scorpions could be waiting.
6. Check the weather: It’s rainy season from July to September and the town can suffer from blackouts – and so can the people. (Blame the heavy pour of the famous flaming margaritas) take a flashlight and an umbrella or waterproof poncho just in case.
7. Splurge the extra $20 for travel insurance – well worth it for piece of mind. One of our good friends took a tumble down a flight of stairs and grazed her face pretty badly. Luckily with extra insurance we could get her to the hospital and have X-rays taken. Fortunately nothing was broken.
8. Sunstroke – the sun can be deceptive, so make sure you factor up. Red noses aren’t in fashion till Christmas.
So with all those tips you are probably wondering why bother? Well; good friends, good music, good food; good times and the making of lasting memories. Despite some of the mishaps we all had a fantastic time and are thinking of making it an annual trip.
This week we’re off to see the Pet Shop Boys at the Shrine and Sunday at 7pm we have the premiere of Return to the Hiding Place as part of the Bel Air Film Festival and we are hosting an after-party with a Sunday roast at The Pikey on Sunset Boulevard around 7pm.
Coming up later in the month is our very popular Pub Quiz and our creeply Halloween bash, Dead British Two. Tickets on sale at our website: www.britsin.la
I’m sure you’ll join me in wishing our lovely Eileen a very happy birthday for this week.
Cheers!
Craig
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