Wheelchairs in Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita

Beach Crossers will be bringing beach wheelchairs

to Sayulita and it is not a moment too soon. Sayulita is difficult by wheelchair. We took Mom and some friends to Sayulita for the day and it was really difficult to get around. We had to go inland a block or two and back to the beach, and inland a block or two and back to the beach, etc. There was no way to get her to the chairs that were on the beach with umbrellas and the restaurant owners didn't want us using a table if we weren't ordering. You can only drink so much before you need to move on and moving on was a big challenge. The beach is beautiful and watching the surfers is a great way to spend the day. We ended up carrying Mom and her chair down to a table that some friends had reserved for the day. Unlike Puerto Vallarta, no one offered to help. Since Mom was small and her chair was light we were able to manage. Also, once the sand was more firm, she was able to walk a little with help. That isn't the case for a lot of visitors. I really love Sayulita and enjoy spending a day there once in a while, but with a wheelchair it is a struggle. Wheelchairs are certainly not part of the young active lifestyle at Sayulita, but we have friends who regardless of having legs or not, would love to spend time experiencing water sports at Sayulita. It's nice to know we will be able to help them accomplish that experience soon.  Here's a picture of our young friends surfing, or more accurately trying to surf. They actually did pretty well for their first try. There are plenty of surf coaches around and reasonably prices too. You can rent boards, teachers, beach chairs, and about anything else you need to make your day enjoyable. Sayulita is a definite must visit if you are in the Vallarta area.

Wheelchairs in Puerto Vallarta

So I've been writing about several of our experiences in Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta, but I thought I would take a little detour and write about our experiences traveling to Banderas Bay with Mom in her #wheelchair. She passed away in January, but was the primary reason we started Beach Crossers in the first place. We spent our much of our lives at the beach and it was heart breaking that Mom could not spend the last part of her life doing the same.

First of all, there is the flight from the states. We fly from a small city in Washington State where your only destination choice is Seattle. From Seattle, of course you can go to anywhere in the world, but you have to get to Seattle first. At our little airport, you have to walk (or wheel) out to the plane and climb about 6 steps to board. Mom had lost use of her hamstring, so one of her legs had limited functionality. She was able to climb a few stairs and going up was easier than coming down so she managed this without assistance. Friends who have less mobility have to get a lift into the plane and a transfer chair once on board. It's not fun, and can be exhausting but with Puerto Vallarta waiting on the other end it is worth the struggle. Once in Seattle, you wait for everyone to leave the plane and reverse the process. We usually fly Alaska Airlines and have been mostly satisfied with the assistance we've received. They usually have someone waiting at the gate to pick Mom up in an airport wheelchair. They escort us to the elevator and to our departure gate. They handle most of Mom's bags, stop by the ladies room, and even #Starbucks if you ask. Usually great service,although the one time she flew by herself she did not get the same quality of service as she got when my sister and I were along to advocate for her.

Boarding in Seattle is much easier as the jetways allow for wheelchair transfer right to the door. Now Mom also used oxygen on the plane. That has been difficult at times, but I'm going to stick with the wheelchair for now.  Getting to the restroom on the plane is difficult. Mom considered wearing a protective undergarment to avoid the problem and would go without any fluids for hours before the flight all to avoid the trip to the restroom. In the interest of her health and comfort I promised to assist her as needed. Timing is key to the success of the bathroom visit. The beverage cart cannot be between you and the bathroom or you will never get there. Mom would slowly make her way down the isle while I carried her oxygen concentrator along behind. The flight crew will let you know when it is a good time to make that trip if you ask them in advance and if your bladder allows you to go when they think it is convenient. Mom's oxygen would drop significantly during this trip and even dipped into the 60s one time. It was very frightening for me. It is hard to take adequate time for recovery when there are people waiting for you to get out of the way.

Once in PV, the experience starts to improve. There is a very helpful man waiting at the gate with a wheelchair that stays with you throughout the entire process. They pick you up, push you to immegration, continue to baggage claim, through customs, and out to your transportation. They help with every step of the process. They don't just push you along, they help you with every part of the process. They speak English fairly well and take courtesy to a level that was lost with Ward Clever sometime around 1950 in the United States.

We always rent a car, so Mom and I waited at the airport while Sheri headed to the car rental to pick up the car. This actually worked out nice and we enjoyed a Starbucks while we waited. There is an advantage to renting a car in that there are actually designated "blue" parking spots around downtown. On the other hand, the way people park right up against your bumper makes it very difficult to get the chair in and out of the trunk at times. People are very helpful though and usually someone will come along and stop traffic or help lift the chair out at an awkward angle.

Getting around downtown is still a bit of a challenge. The Malecon area is completely accessible these days and there are even ramps that go down to the beach. With the beach wheelchairs from www.beachcrossers.com (a little self promotion) you can cross the cobble stone streets and head to the beach without any problems. However, in Mom's transport chair it was definitely a challenge maneuvering downtown.Once you are away from the new Malecon area, the ramps are small, steep, sometimes at awkward angles, and sometimes there is a telephone pole in the middle of the ramp. Even in the Malecon area there are ramps that lead down to the street that align with cobble stone instead of pavement. The pavement is just a little bit to the left, which isn't a big deal if you're walking, but it's a challenge on wheels. Some of the shops are difficult to get around and many of the restaurants have a couple of steps up. If you are willing to accept help, the employees will pick you up, chair and all, and lift you into the restaurant. It's an adventure, but the people are genuine and it is nice that they get the opportunity to help.

We took Mom out on a trip to the Marietas Islands on a Vallarta Adventures excursion. The staff lifted her and her chair onto the vessel and spent the entire day pampering her. When the dancing started she was right in the middle of things.

Once at the Marietas you have the option to head to shore for some beach time. That was not an option for Mom, but they did a great job of pampering her while the more able passengers did some kayaking and snorkeling. I most appreciated that the captain traveled close to the island so Mom could get a look at the Blue footed boobys since she couldn't go on the excursion. The weather didn't allow us to get very close and whether or not she actually saw the blue feet was up for debate, but when we enlarged her pictures there they were on the rocks so she could say she saw them in person and that was worth all of the effort. 

We took a trip to Caletas in the daytime and the young men carried Mom and her chair across the stone walkways, not to the first beach, not to the second beach, but to the third beach because that is where there was a shady spot. Sheri and I went snorkeling and when we came back Mom had a coconut milk at the table. Turns out the guy that cuts the coconuts came up and gave her a lesson on how the whole process works. She also got to meet the parrots up close and personal. What she wanted to do was go up and see the orchids, which was definitely not an option. Sheri and I hiked up the orchid trail and took pictures of the two orchids we saw. I'm glad we didn't try to get Mom up there. 

One of my favorite excursions was the Lluxury Sailing. We were all pampered on that trip and although the bathroom was a challenge for Mom, the rest of the trip was mostly sitting and enjoying the time on the water. It was beautiful. 

Another challenging place was Chicos Paradise. There is no way to get a wheelchair down those steps without being carried. Mom chose to walk down and it was a slow difficult trip. She survived though and had a wonderful lunch watching the rock diving demonstration. 

I never watch. It's way to intense for me. 

Mom's favorite restaurant was Pipis where the chili rellenos are amazing. It's located about 3 blocks up from the Malecon on Calle Pipila. Again, there is a problem with a couple of steps up, but they are so very accommodating and Mom was gracious enough to accept help. Pipis is a favorite of the northern visitors. The portions are huge and the margarita's are not short on tequila. Either plan on some left overs, or share a plate with a friend. The guacamole they make at your table is seriously as fresh as you will find anywhere. They take all of the fresh ingredients and mix them together in a stone bowl as you watch. You decide how much spice to add and then they leave it with some fresh chips. Often times they have brought us a second appetizer "compliments of the house" which have all been uniquely delicious. Not a genuinely Mexican meal, but as far as Tex-mex it would be impossible to beat. However, the tequila is genuine, so don't plan on driving once you leave there if you have a drink. Most of the guests have trouble walking out of there and their conversations are a lot louder than they were when they went in. The baked ice cream is amazing. Definitely one to share with the entire table.  

So many wonderful memories. 

Time Share Presentations Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is famous for time share presentations and not in a good way. Thankfully, things have changed for the better in the last few years. The first encounter you will have with timeshare sales is at the airport. When you get off the plane you will go through immegration where they verify your passport/documents. From there, you will go to baggage claim, collect all of your bags and follow the crowds to the customs area. You load your bags onto the X-ray machines and push the button. It is a ramdom selection process. If you get a green light, you are free to go on your way and to your destination. If you get a red light, you and your party (you only push the button once per group) will take all of your bags over to the table where they will open them and search. We have gotten red twice. They did a cursory check of the bags and asked us a few question, "any meat products or produce? Where are you staying?" and such. It was pretty painless although watching all of the groups that got green lights brisk past us was more painful. Once you pass customs there will be bellmen that will help with your bags. I recommend you take advantage of the hospitality, but remember that most of these gracious people work for tips alone. Whether or not you accept assistance the next stage is where you will be bombarded by time share salespeople disguised as many things. This is called "THE GAUNTLET". There are two sets of sliding glass doors EVERYONE in this are is selling timeshares. They pretend to be car rentals, resort representatives and other things. They aren't. This area is designated for timeshares. If you prearrange a tour or are not interested, stay in the middle, don't make eye contact and keep walking until you get through the other glass doors. It's not as far as it feels and if you get through without being snatched you can feel a true sense of pride. You can get the best tours by prearranging a presentation before you get to PV. If you are interested in owning a time share there are a couple that are honest and not overly pushy. We are extremely happy with our purchase at Paradise Village. It is not the newest resort but it is continually upgraded. The maintenance fees are less than half of some other resorts because the owner has no debt. He owns the property outright. Our brother owns at Flamingos and is very happy there. It is a bit more expensive but has some interesting accelerated use options. I would stay away from the Mayan properties.  We went to a presentation there and ended up calling our attorney. What they offered was not what they delivered. They were extremely hard sell and we were there 4 hours instead of 90 minutes. I know many people who have had similar experiences and sales people who left there because they were instructed to lie to customers. We have one family member that owns there and if you decide it buy you will want to ask about the use of the property. They sell you the Grand Mayan, but only let you stay in that building every 5 years. Each building has different outside areas and you can't crossover. So, if you are interested in doing some activities , make sure you know what you want to do before you get there. Some of the better tours (and topics of another blog are #Rhythms of the Night and the #Pirate Show. Some of the not so good tours are The City Tour and The Jungle Tour. My favorite was the luxury sailing and the trip the the Marietta's. Truly spectacular.

About owning a timeshare. It is an investment in your vacations for years to come. It's a way to lock in prices for many years. We are extremely happy with Paradise Village and the exchange company #Interval International. They will ask you what's important in a time share and when I purchased I never would have said trading power but since Paradise Village trades so high sometimes we get two or three weeks somewhere else for the week we trade. Usually we just use our weeks in PV so trading wasn't something we needed, but it has been a nice benefit anyway. My suggestion is that you add up all of the costs of the purchase (including maintenance fees) and divide by the number of years. If it seems like a fair price for a vacation and you can afford it, then it is the way to go. You get a lot of benefits that aren't immediately obvious. Otherwise, don't give them a reason that you're not interested. They have any answer for everything. Just say, "I'm not interested" "I'm just not interested", then get your gifts and go.

Tequila Tasting Vallarta

Okay, so I know this is what you've been waiting for. I have always prefered tequila to beer or wine, so it was a no-brainer that tequila tasting would be on the agenda when we got to the tequila capital of the world. We ended up with a free "city tour" after listening to a time share presentation (which is the topic of my next blog). The city tour was pretty pathetic actually. We got picked up from our hotel in the South and traveled all of the way across town to the hotels in the North to pick up passengers. We stopped at a mess of resorts where we waited for the passengers to join us. The driver encouraged us to get off the bus and take a look at the resorts since we would have to wait 10-15 minutes before we departed. Weren't we surprised when two hours later we drove right by our resort and started the tour. Okay, so needless to say we were a bit frustrated by that point, but nothing that a good eduction about tequila couldn't remedy. There are a lot of places where you can do some tequila tasting including downtown on the Malecon. They will even give you some education on the tequila making process. You can also take a trip out to Tequila, Mexico if you want to say you've been there. In all fairness, I have not been out there, but now that I've spent 5 summers in Puerto Vallarta, I don't feel the need to spend a whole day driving to Tequila to get the same tour I can get just Souh of town. We have a few of our favorite artisen locations. The names change depending on which family member is running the place each year, so I'm going to give you directions to one instead. Head South to Mismaloya. Before you cross the bridge there is a road to the left. It goes up or down. Take the down side. There are some pretty big speed bumps, so be cautious. You will know you are on the right road because there is a statue of a giant crocodile on the right side. The road drops down and then heads up again. After it heads up it takes a turn to the left. Look for the distillery parking area on the left as you head up the hill. Tour buses do stop here, so although the road is probably more rustic then you see back in the states it is plenty passable. The reason I like this place is that they actually distill tequila right there on site. You get to see all parts of the process except the harvesting of the blue agave. Although most of the resorts and tourist areas have some blue and/or green agave as part of the landscaping, it actually absorbs too much salt from the sea and isn't used for distilling. All of the agave comes from inland near Tequila or Guadalajara. The artisen tequilas really are much better than then mass produced, but you will pay for that taste. Well worth it for a bottle of nice sipping tequila. Some of the artisen distillers still use ovens to bake the Agave, some use pressure cookers. There is a subtle difference in the taste. If you are a fan of silver or white tequila then this will probably make a bigger difference. I prefer aged tequila. The biggest difference to me is the type of barrel it is rested in and how long it spends in that barrel?  Sound familiar? It is the same distinction for a good wine. When you're tasting, make sure you ask what type of barrel it was aged in. This will help you determine your personal preference. Most are aged in oak from Scotland, France, or the US. My personal preference is the French White Oak. I can pick it out of a line up of tequilas. It just has a smoother taste for me. Everyone has different tastes though, so you will need to determine what you like best and don't be surprised if it is different than someone else in your party. The server will have you try silver, reposado (rested a short time) and anejo (rested a longer time). I love a good anejo, but if I can get a reposado that was rested in French white oak I am even happier. I don't know who bottles for Costco, but the Anejo is as good as anywhere else, even as a sipping tequila. Ask the server to taste the same agedness from different barrel choices, then try differrent agednesses (is that a word?). Okay, now for my favorite tequila samples in town. There is a store on the Malecon that I think has about the most knowledgable servers and doesn't even bring up time shares. Some of the stores have servers that get commissions from restaurants, time shares, taxi drivers, zip line companies, etc. and will make your tasting experience less than fun. Which it should be fun. Afterall, you are drinking for free!  Oh, did I mention that Costco samples alcohol?  If you're lucky they are sampling tequila, but the rum samples are good too. So other than their knowledge and lack of pushiness, I like this store because it is where our local friends go if they want an upscale tequila, they offer a multibottle discount, and they bubble wrap for packing. The store is on Libertad. There are two stores across from each other. The one on the North side of the street is the one I'm talking about. They have a better variety of flavored tequilas than any other store. My personal favotite is the guanabana tequila. That is what I bring home as gifts for everyone and what they request year after year. And, NO OTHER STORE SELLS IT!!! Other stores sell infusions but not this flavored tequila. They also have a cave rested tequila that is exceptional and is about the same price as the artisen tequilas. They will let you taste until you need a designated driver and answer questions tirelessly. They remember us from year to year and are never pushy. You can always drop us a note on twitter @beachcrossers, on facebook @beachcrossers or on Google+ @beachcrossers or stop by our website at beachcrossers.com and send me a personal note to terrie@beachcrossers.com. I'm happy to answer questions.