You’ve joined us for zip-lining, beach barring, fine dining and so much more and today we celebrate that living…Caribbean Living. We suddenly lost a sibling, an editor, a friend, Lorry Heverly. My friend always told me that as Publisher of a magazine, any magazine, it really should be a different dynamic between me and my staff. She had known me as a fledgling PR girl, an agency owner and seen me through to becoming a publisher…cheering me on, every step of the way. That’s the thing about Lorry, she’s got your back and she’s got it with a smile in her voice. We’ve had many a conversation that really should not have ended up in giggles and laughter. Tough subject (yes, even in this glamorous job of luxury travel, we some times have tough subjects to discuss) that would have cracked a natural family bond, never fazed our relationship. Lorry always turned a negative into a positive and then made me feel like I was the one who had done that. Uplifting…that is what Lorry was. I will be posting many of her back articles to share her sense of life, her sense of love and her love of travel. She will be missed, always loved and not easily forgotten.

All my love Lorry!

Peta

We’ll be broadcasting LIVE from all of our celebrity photo shoots, from some of the most exquisite resorts and destinations in the Caribbean, and we will get you up close and LIVE at all of our events. In two weeks, we’ll take you to the MTV Movie Awards. Follow us on Ustream and you can chat live with our host Lorie Metz and all of our celebrity friends who drop by the SLS hotel in Beverly Hills. Get a close up look at the making of the fabulous magazine and all of the people who make it happen…see you on Ustream!

Caribbean Living introduces you to the concept of…beyond the beach. Come soak in the essence of the islands with our celebrities in every issue!

www.caribbeanlivingmagazine.com

Paul and I wake up at about 7 a.m. –

It is cold, windy and early.

But as I look outside, I see what looks like a sliver of blue sky.

I’m mostly excited but a little bummed–we are,  suppose to

leave  and fly back to L.A. this afternoon …

and now the weather’s clearing up?!  

Bad timing…

We head outside and meet Peta and Andrew

for our last photoshoot of the trip.

Standing outside,  I’m trying to figure

out which direction the weather is

going – is it blowing more clouds in

or is it blowing them away making

room for the sun??

It was hard to tell at this point…

Peta was heading out to visit the site

of  the designated charity for the

Riviera Maya.

{Caribbean Living Magazine chooses a

charity in every location they visit

and donates a percentage of the profits

to that charity .  Awesome!!!!}

Paul and I asked if we could tag along, so we

jump in the van and head out to the

site of  Un Hogar Con Amor – which will

be a small community providing homes for

under-aged, at-risk children.

Although the project is not yet complete and

only a few of the houses have been built – we

were able to see  and hear what a wonderful

charity this is and the amazing potential is has.

What this group of people are doing is truly inspirational!

Once we returned to the Paraiso we had to

pack up and check out – we decided to meet for

some final margaritas before heading to the airport.

It’s about noon and the weather is improving –

(And I’m thinking we should totally stay!!

Skip the flight – and stay!!)

Paul’s looking at me, knowing –

that I’m thinking we should stay?!?

(He’s seen this look before…)

In the end, the wind finally forced out clouds

and we had a sun-shiny day – at last!

Peta, Andrew, Paul and I have a wonderful time relaxing

in the sun and enjoying the final moments of our trip together.

During this time Paul and I (mostly I.. ) decided to

reschedule flight and stay for three extra nights.

We just couldn’t leave the Riviera Maya yet –

no way !! Not now that the sun had come out!!!

Day Five:

We were able to sleep in a little bit

today before we packed up and checked

out of the fabulous Hacienda Tres Rios.

It has been a memorable stay and Paul and I

are already looking forward to coming

back someday – really soon!!

We do have one more night in the Riviera Maya

and we are spending it at the Paraiso De la Bonita.

The Paraiso is a smaller boutique hotel located on

right on the water.

It’s a beautifully designed hotel –

with a very Balinese feel to it.

Unfortunately, the weather had

gone from bad – to worse!!

It was really cold, raining and blowing out!!

We had lunch at Kaax, restaurant ( pronounced

“Caash,” which is a Mayan word meaing Jungle.)

I guess this is why there were murals of wild jungle

animals on every wall ?!

Then we spent the afternoon shooting photos on the property.

It was a seriously freezing outside — so we decided to relax

and warm up in our rooms for the rest of the day.

The rooms are incredibly designed, the bathroom is especially

unique –he tub is made of stone and sunk into the ground.

Very cool.

We all met for a delicious meal in La Canoa, the

Hotels premium AAA Four Diamond restaurant –

our last night in Mexico.

We ate until we couldn’t move and called it a night…

I think that the week of action packed days had worn us

out – plus we had to get up early for our last photoshoot

of the trip.

Day Four:

I woke up bright and early –

I ran out to the balcony hoping to find

a sun-shiny day. But again more rain.

This discovery didn’t stop us however,

we packed our wet –weather gear, enjoyed

a quick breakfast and met Itzel in the lobby.

Today we are heading to Xel-ha, an outdoor-open

sea aquarium – similar to Sea World, but larger

and is set in a naturally beautifully environment.

The property is huge! You can walk through

orchids, hang out on hammock island, swim

in cenotes, snorkel, take an inner tube down

a river –you can even swim with dolphins!

And we did!

In the 5 years Paul and I have been together –this

might have been the coolest thing we have done!

(Years ago we hung out with a huge pod of dolphins

while surfing in Australia. They were swimming under

our boards and surfing waves. Very cool! )

But this experience was unbelievable!

We were able to touch them, hug them –

their trainer even had them give us each a smooch

on the cheek. This was simply the best part of the

trip so far!!

We were so pumped up after we left the dolphins –

we just had to have a margarita and recap this

fabulous experience.

Yes … you can drink at theme parks in Mexico –

awesome!!

Honestly, we didn’t really want to leave –

Paul and I wanted to jump back in the

water with our new dolphin friends, but

Itzel had planned to take to Playa Del Carmen.

We did some shopping on 5^th avenue –

it was colorful and alive, the streets

were lined with outdoor bars, cafes and

shops — it had a very European vibe.

Itzel led us into a jewelry store and in

the back was a Mescal bar. Peta and are

were in heaven – we can buy jewelry and

drink mescal at the same time? Perfect!

Once the sun set, we made our way back to the

Hacienda Tres Rios – it is our final night.

We had our last delicious meal and our last

flaming Spanish coffee (prepared again by

Enriquie and Jessica) and gambled the night

away.

It was casino night at the hotel and we were all

over it! Peta and I did really well, Paul on the

other hand lost all of his loot straight away –

so we supported him for awhile, until he lost

what we gave him too.

None of us came out big winners, but it was a

great way to spend our last night at the Hacienda.

Day three:

Another great sleep…

We had to get up really early this morning,

our bus was leaving at 8 a.m.

I take a look out side –

it’s still raining, and it doesn’t look like these

rain clouds are going any where?!?

Itzel, who works with for the Riviera Maya,

meets us at the hotel.

We drive to Playa Del Carmen,

which is only about 15 minutes away.

We make a quick stop at the “All-Tour-native” Tours office and

pick up Emillo, our guide for the day.

Emillo is a very informative and interesting character…

he had a book filled with photos and descriptions of

Mexican jungle creatures we might come across while

on our journey, such as, snakes, tarantulas, monkeys –

some creatures none of us had even heard of…

This is going to be a serious adventure!!

We drive about 1.5 hours to a Mayan community,

Tres Reyes (three kings.)

This is a rustic, traditional Mayan community —

which I found interesting because it was so close to

the city center – but yet so untouched.

By the time we get out of the van, it is pouring rain –

and the first activity is rapelling down the side a cliff

in the jungle.

I’m freaking out — it’s raining, it’s slippery and now

we have to rapell down into the jungle –the jungle

that potentially has some of those creatures

listed in Emillo’s handbook !?

Oh my god…

We all get fitted with harnesses and helmets.

Peta and I make Paul go first –

there is no way either of us were heading

down into the jungle pit first!

Paul gets his harness secured into a post –

a wooden post, that is going to keep him from

falling on his ass on the floor of the jungle.

Emillo is there to help and guide him down.

Paul heads down, trying to act all “Mr.Cool”

(as if he’s not scared too.)

Well …  he might not have been, but I was !!!

As soon as he started rapelling down,

the wooden post started to creek.

Ahhhh…

the creeking, the slippery surface, the jungle —

the creatures!!!

Now, it’s my turn.

There’s no turning back …

Paul seemed to land safely, so I just let her rip!

Once I turned around, starting backing down the

cliff and got going — it was great fun!!

We all made it down, no problems – so

we were off to the zip-lining take-off pad.

I go first this time. And decide to loosen up –

“Bomb’s away!” (This is a total rush!!!)

As I hit the end of the run all of the Mexican-boys

working the zip-line were laughing at me!

Andrew (our photographer) informs me that my entire

face is covered with what looks like mud!!

In fact is was rust splatter ?! Yuck.

Because of the rain and braking the zip-line cable,

my face was covered in a mask of rust!!

(I can’t wait to see those photos!!)

Paul’s next, then Peta…

oh Peta, sweet Peta.

Well, Peta decided to brake a little bit too early!?

She ended up stopped in the middle of the zip-line –

hanging above the Mexican jungle!!

Wow!!

It looked scary!

Seriously — how is she going to get over ??

The same Mexican-boys that laughed at my rust-mask,

decided to get her in they would throw a rope at her –

lasso-style (what, now we are at a Mexican-rodeo?)

I think Peta said “hell-nooo, I’m not catching that,”

and asked for an alternate escape plan.

She finally made it back after pulling herself with

Her hand-brake, a few inches at a time.

(I’m excited to see those photos too!!)

Wow. It’s already been an eventful day –

and this was just the beginning!!

From the zip-line we took a jungle river ride in a kayak.

Now, the rain is really coming down!!!

It certainly made the kayaking seem more adventurous

And while we were out there we spottedheaps of water lilies –

my favorite!!

We tied up our kayaks and trekked through the jungle –

Emillo warned us that the Mayan-jungle snakes come

Out in the rain… “So watch out!”

At the end of the jungle-trek

we were greeted by a Shaman.

He was such a little cutie!

He blessed us all during a traditional

Mayan ceremony and then we squeezed

our way into this underground cave,

called “Chi-much” which means frogs-mouth.

It certainly was a tight squeeze –

we actually had to back our way in.

Within this underground cave was a beautiful cenote (sinkhole).

Paul and I took a dip — we were already wet, so we went for it!

We emerged from the “frog’s mouth” feeling fabulous!!

The adventurous day, the Shaman blessing and the dip in this magical water made us feel so good, and hungry too!!!

The timing was perfect –lunch.

And lunch here was a traditional Mayan feast prepared

by some of the lovely ladies that live in Tres Reyes.

The taquitos were to die for!!

With our stuffed bellies and soaking wet clothes, we

head back to our hotel. We had one hour at the hotel

to change, grab a margarita and meet back in the lobby,

and make our way to a dinner theater show called ”Xcaret.”

We arrived at this huge, amazing, open-air theater –

we sat down, placed our orders and the show began.

The two hour performance included a collection of Mexico’s

traditional dance, rituals, song and “fireball hockey”

(at least that is what it looked like.)

It was an amazing evening!!

We were so tired after this full day of excellent adventures—

we didn’t even have it in us to visit Enrique for our flaming

spanish coffee?! We’ll have to see him tomorrow night.