How to Have a FREE Vacation – Bariatric Edition

Hello, all you gorgeous people.  Do you hear the happiness in my keyboard strokes?  I am not normally so cheerful.  I just got back from a VACATION!  In reality, it was a “work-cation”, but I’ll take it!!

I stopped traveling in February of 2020.  I live in Canada, and I was locked down. The exit rules, entrance rules, canceled flights, and all of it just stopped us from going anywhere.  It was too complicated.  Instead, we just worked long days and spent time closer to home.

I am so glad that I boarded the plane to Cancun on November 4th.  I had some dental work that would have cost me THOUSANDS of dollars at home in Canada.  Instead, I got my teeth fixed (a new crown, a tooth pulled that will require an implant a year from now, some new retainers to protect my hubby’s teeth from excessive grinding) and I paid $600! 

In reality, the money we save on dentistry paid for our Cancun/Riviera Maya AHHHMAZING Vacation.

#winning.

My husband and I have “free” medical (Canadian system and we pay a lot for it through taxes). What we don’t have is free dental.  We are small business owners, and we don’t have separate dental insurance because for us – it doesn’t make sense.  Do you know what makes sense for us?  We go to Mexico for ALL our dental needs.  We have our favorite place in TJ, and we have our favorite place in Cancun.

We are not just “talking about” and working in Medical Tourism, we are also clients. We are very proud clients because the care is top-notch, and the prices are affordable.

I got off track there.

I need you to know that if you have dental issues, do not avoid going to the dentist.  If you are afraid of the dentist, then let me set you up with an anesthesiologist.  It will cost $300 and your teeth will get fixed without any of the anxiety involved.

Fix your teeth, please.  Your mouth is a part of your overall health. 

If it is a money issue – allow me to show you how to get your teeth fixed and have a free vacation. I am not even joking.

Now, the point of this blog was to discuss “how to take a vacation and stay on track”.  I’ve veered a bit off-topic.  Look, I ate great food. I was very active.  I was way more active than I am usually at home.  I ate the tacos, the tortas.  I drank the tequila.  I also cooked for my husband and myself.

We never go “all-inclusive”.

We always go to Airbnb, or we always find a way to have a small kitchen.  I don’t go on vacation to cook but, I like to have some sort of control when I am 16 days abroad.  I don’t want to rely on restaurants for everything. 

We have our coffee, breakfast, (sometimes we intermittent fast), our lunch at our place.  We go out for early dinners.  Sometimes we create beautiful meals for dinner in our condo.

We consider vacation a chance to eat great food, but we also make great food ourselves.

Do I eat watermelon, papaya, kiwi, pineapple at home?  Not on the regular.  When I am on vacation I DO!!  I mean, I don’t want to travel and not eat the beautiful local food!  I don’t want you to travel and not experience the awesome local food.  Eating is a PART of the travel experience. 

When I travel today, I try to find a way to stay active.  For me, that means staying someplace that has a gym, a great yoga program, some hiking trails, great golf courses, places to snorkel.  I want to be active.

Do I like to be a slug, read my kindle, and drink Pina Coladas?  YES – that too – but not every single day. I would feel like $%^& if I did that for 16 days.  My internal organs would also be super upset.

What do I want to drive home with this blog?  I want to say that you CAN be on vacation.  You CAN eat great food.  You CAN have awesome drinks.  You need to strike a bit of balance though.  You need to also enjoy that balance. 

I thoroughly enjoyed waking up at 6.20 am, working a bit, hitting an awesome yoga class, going for a jog, making some great food, working a bit more, having seafood dinner on the beach, spending time with my significant other, exploring things.

I am writing this from the airplane on the way home.  I want this for all of you also.  I want you to take a vacation, explore something new, save some money, enjoy your life.

I wish I could bottle and sell the happiness that comes from a vacation. I would be rich.

P.S. Don’t avoid the dentist.

Healthy Hugs,