Philippe aptly described Cabo San Lucas as the “Vegas of Mexico”. With its big resorts, bright lights, loud clubs, and expensive, touristy restaurants, Cabo San Lucas was not our scene. It was, however, really nice to celebrate our successful trip with fellow Ha-Ha boats. We only spent a couple of days anchored in Cabo San Lucas, but we filled them with dinghy rides to shore, long walks with Yuki, tacos, margaritas, and Ha-Ha parties. Yuki was a huge hit in Cabo San Lucas. There are many dogs at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, but they aren’t pets as much as the are semi-domesticated strays. They are generally friendly and well-fed, but often dirty and almost always without collars. To see a dog on a leash is humorous for many Mexicans, and to see a pure white dog that looks reminiscent of a large chihuahua is intriguing. On more than one occasion, strangers stopped us to make an offer or ask our price for Yuki.

One of our favorite Cabo San Lucas memories was getting to highlight our newlywed excitement at the From Here to Eternity Baja Ha-Ha Kissing Contest. An annual event, this beach party draws most of the Ha-Ha sailers, where many couples opt to participate in the kissing contest, the goal of which is to recreate the kiss from the movie From Here to Eternity… but with even more passion and over-the-top showmanship. The Ha-Ha organizer, also known as the Grand Poobah, proclaimed that the shows of younger couples had always paled in comparison to older couples. As a result, Philippe, with his ever-competitive spirit, choreographed an amazing routine. He lifted me high in the air while spinning in circles and then gently laid me in the surf and flipped us around a few times. Sadly, we didn’t win the contest, but several people said they thought we deserved the crown. In any case, I got to remember our routine fondly for the next several days while I washed sand out of my hair little by little.

The day after the Ha-Ha awards ceremony, we motored the 17nm in almost no wind to San José del Cabo. Tay and Preston flew back to San Francisco, so for the first time in many months Philippe and I were back to being the only two people on board. San José del Cabo is a smaller, sleepier city, which we found much more relaxing. We spent a full week at the Marina, which had a great (albeit slightly pricey) restaurant, walking paths lined with artwork, and very friendly security staff. From food carts to higher end restaurants, we really enjoyed the food and ambiance in town.

Our week in San José del Cabo was also my first week back “in the office”. I’m incredibly lucky to have the support of my supervisor and my company as Philippe and I take this adventure in Mexico. I have always enjoyed the luxury of a semi-flexible schedule at WaterSmart, and this is no different. I’m generally working full-time hours during the week, often starting my days between 5-6am PT and ending around 3-4pm. This allows me to overlap with the UK market for a few extra hours, while signing off a little early to enjoy some daylight hours in the evening. Philippe and Keith helped to set up a great mobile worksite, including several options for getting strong internet signals. Unfortunately, my first week of work in San José del Cabo did suffer from frustratingly slow internet speeds, but we’ve since adjusted and I’m back on track.

Los Cabos Details

Cell phone connectivity – Verizon was fine everywhere we went. Unfortunately, I learned that Verizon contracts with TelCel to use their network, and their contract stipulates that Verizon phones can only use 1/2 GB of high-speed data per day. In case I need additional data, Philippe and I made a second trip to TelCel and picked up a SIM card, which I can slip into my phone if Verizon is giving me trouble or I’ve used my daily allotment of high-speed data.

Wi-Fi – The Wi-Fi in cafés was fine, but the Wi-Fi at our dock in the marina was very weak. Even with our Wi-Fi booster, I struggled to get a signal that would have supported a video chat or particularly efficient work

Restaurants – Our favorite was La Vaca Tinta, which had a delightful waitstaff and a phenomenally cooked ribeye. They understood that Philippe and I intended to share all of our food (a custom we have whenever we dine out), and went to great effort to split everything onto two plates and ensure it was presentable.

Sights – Although clearly catering to the tourist crowd, we did really enjoy the Art Walk, which takes place every Thursday evening. Most of the art is local, and many of the galleries serve wine or tequila. After walking around the galleries, we stopped at a tamale food truck and got three really delicious tamales for under $4.