Lesson Learned

We're just home from a family holiday to the Mexican Caribbean. The area has been re-branded recently as the "Mayan Riviera." We were gone two weeks, and I'd say this holiday ranks very high on the list of brilliant vacations. It was lovely to have Ivy with us. It was a perfect holiday. Well, nearly perfect. Here's my journal entry from January 3rd.

January 3, 2017

Tuesday. Another humid day. Buffet breakfast then taxi to the town of Playa del Carmen. This is the town in which I stayed in hospital on our honeymoon in 2010. Remember, Ms Journal? I upset my ATV and suffered a fractured collar bone. It was unpleasant. Worse though for Colleen.

But today was uneventful. Well, nearly. We explored the iconic 5th Ave, then we enjoyed a fish taco lunch. The weather was hot. Really sticky. We walked along the beach and then swam to cool off. I waded out to Ivy and soon found myself in deep water. Twice, I tried swimming toward the beach to find a spot where I could touch the bottom. But each time I stopped, there was only the endless depth of ocean under my frantically kicking feet. I began to feel breathless. My muscles quickly tired due to lack of oxygen and I began to panic. I was very frightened for my safety. VERY frightened. I learned a lesson today about swimming in deep water. Don’t do it. Ever. It’s too risky. My lungs showed their disability today quite clearly. I was really scared, Ms J. And I’m not afraid to admit it.