Life of Laura: I have returned!

Playa Norte – probably the best beach I've ever been to, and it was right in front of our condo complex.

Well, I've spent about two days back in the real world after Mexico, and I didn't love it. Beach > work. Always and forever. But a girl's gotta make a living, so I have (reluctantly) returned to Colorado. It was about 15 degrees the night we arrived home, but it has since warmed to the upper 50s. Still not quite as nice as the beach, though.

Isla Mujeres was absolutely amazing. We had one rainy afternoon/evening, but otherwise the weather was gorgeous – clear skies and sunshine every day. The island itself was great – it's only about 20 minutes from Cancun by ferry, but it has a much more small-town feel. There are still plenty of restaurants and shops, but it has less of a party vibe, which I preferred (after all, I am old now).

We stayed in a condo at Nautibeach; they have a rental pool but I ended up finding a deal through Orbitz. It was nice to have a kitchen and more space than a hotel room. We rented a golf cart one day (a common mode of transportation) and made a trip to the grocery store, so we prepared our own breakfasts and lunches and only ventured downtown (easily within walking distance) for dinner. The condo itself was bright and beach-themed, and the staff at the complex was great. They have a nice pool, but I never used it, as we were steps from the beach.

Overall, it was so nice to just relax, unplug, and take it easy for a week. It was the perfect way to celebrate my 30th. And it was great to spend some time with my mom and sister; we all seem to only get busier as the years go by, and it was really special to have that time together. Since I was unplugged, I wasn't terribly focused on documenting the trip photographically, but here are some of the pictures I did manage to take.

The sculpture garden on the south end of the island (Punta Sur). Apparently, this is where the sunrise first hits Mexico – I didn't test this personally, as I was busy sleeping until 10 a.m. every day, but that's what the plaque said.

Lin and Mom walking around the reef at Punta Sur.

Iguana. There were a bunch of these guys sunning themselves at the sculpture park.

Sweaty me enjoying an ice-cold coconut. The change in climate was a bit of a shock.

Lin feeding her leftovers to the stray cats (and dog) of the island. I think they're fairly well-fed, as they had zero interest in her grilled-vegetable sandwich.

What I looked like for most of the week. Parked on the beach in my giant sun hat. The only thing missing is my book – I had to put it down to take a selfie.

Pups playing on the beach. They chased each other in and out of the water, which was pretty adorable.

A south-of-the-border take on Bronco orange and blue.

The monkey tree on Hidalgo (kind of a pedestrian mall of sorts, home to lots of shops and restaurants).

Paying homage to my blog ad (currently running at Living in Yellow), but the beach was too sandy for Chucks. Those are sand-flea bites on my legs/feet – AKA the worst bites I've ever had. Word to the wise: Do not eat dinner on the beach. Sitting in the sand in the dark resulted in all of the bug bites. I've only just stopped itching 24/7.