Traveler’s Diarrhea

My 25th birthday snuck up on me like a toddler with sticky hands reaching for your white pants. I dreaded turning 25 years old.

Old.

That’s what I thought of.

If I could travel back in time, I’d kick myself in the rear and say, “Enjoy it because when you turn 32, you’re the one picking up your 20 year old brother at the bar and his friends will treat you like you’re his Mom. A hot Mom.”

Kidding.

Maybe.

Shawn worked really hard that year by volunteering for overtime. We needed the extra cash because I didn’t work much that year.

Back injuries ruin everything.

On the day of my birthday, Shawn gave me a card that read, “Everything is taken care of. Break out your bathing suit.”

I didn’t get it.

I’m smart like that.

Shawn laughed at me and said that he saved all that money to pay for a trip to Mexico for my birthday.

He even arranged for a baby sitter for our dog.

He’s a keeper.

A few weeks later, we boarded a plane and on our way to blissful sunshine.

It was October.

Hurricane season.

We had such a blast for the first 2 days. We drank, ate, got sun burnt, swam, and drank more.  I wanted to kiss whoever invented the swim up bar because when you’re drunk everything sounds like a fabulous idea.

On the third day, we went on a tour. The day was overcast and at times, rainy. The tour guide kept joking about a “Wilma” and we didn’t get it even though everyone else cackled when her name was mentioned.

We are smart like that.

When we pulled into our hotel parking lot, we saw the hotel staff removing lawn chairs and boarding up windows. A couple that we had met the day before said that we had to hunker down because “Wilma” was coming.

“Wilma”.

Hurricane Wilma.

We were promptly reassigned to a room on the second floor.

There were 6 couples in there.

Six.

One toilet.

The hotel staff supplied us with a plentiful supply of tuna and ham sandwiches.

And of course, instead of packing water, Shawn emptied our fridge of every bottle of alcohol and put it in our “survival bag”.

Because water isn’t important when you’re facing a natural disaster.

Tuna + Ham + Booze.

One toilet.

We spent three days in that small room with a bunch of angry stomachs while Hurricane Wilma ripped her way through. She destroyed everything, including the airport. Because of that we were forced to spend another four days (I believe. See, my 32 year old mind is getting the best of me) in Mexico…

…and we had to pay for it because we didn’t have traveler’s insurance.

Even though that trip turned into a disaster, it taught us that we should never travel without insurance.

We always talk about going there again because it really is a beautiful place when there isn’t a hurricane brewing in your stomach.

If and when we do, we will be armed with our TD Rewards Travel credit card.

We are glad that TD Canada Trust is a credit card that we can depend on when traveling.

You can never be too safe.

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