Starting to get rainy...

Today Leanna and I got a really late start to our day, due to the fact that we were too tired to get out of bed!  Knowing that I was wasting a beautiful sunny day away, I finally forced myself to roll out of bed around 10:15am and get into the shower.  By the time we were ready to start our day, it was about 11:30am, so we had missed breakfast, and lunch didn't start until 12:30.  Everyone was down at the beach though so we decided to walk around the resort a bit first and then go and meet them, but I didn't want to swim yet since I had just had a shower and didn't want to get dirty again right away and then need another shower.  I wanted to see more of the resort though (the 'beach' side of our 2 part resort - we're on the 'reef' side - but they are practically one and the same since it's all in the same general area).

3 of a kind

Brittany and Rochelle

We passed by a guy near the pool on the 'beach' side selling the water sports at the hotel and I asked him about the snorkelling (which I wanted to do), but then decided that I might actually want to try scuba diving! (despite my fear of dark, murky waters and dark, shadowy sea creatures brushing up against, which is all kind of negated here due to the crystal clear water and tropical, pretty fish)  He said that the snorkelling trip that they offer is $20 per person, and the scuba trip (which includes a lesson first and then excursion further down the beach to where the fish are) is $70, but it gets a lot cheaper (half price and less) with 4 people or more.  (Later on I asked around if anyone wanted to go scuba diving with me and about 5 of us want to do it so we'll see!)  He'll give you a free 15 minute lesson in the pool as well to see if you want to do the whole scuba lesson + diving, so I'll probably do that just to make sure.

Brittany getting a manicure

I wanted to look into getting a pedicure (which I badly needed), so Leanna and I ventured past the pool and further down to where I saw the "beauty parlour" on the map, which brought us to the edge of the resort and a row of stores.  There were some cars parked there as well, and Leanna's eyes opened wide as she said to me "Are we... "Beyond"??  I think we're "Beyond"!"  But no, we were not in the land of "Beyond" (although we were almost there!).  We went to the pedicure place and I found out that it was only $21US (a good price) and I made an appointment for a half hour later.  Then we went to the beach where everyone was, and I sat there for a bit until it was time to go.  Although it was still very, very warm, it was not a sunny day today by any means.  The sky was overcast, so the sun wasn't beating down.  There were still lots of people on the beach sunbathing though, and in the water.  We were at the larger beach today (yesterday we went to the small beach which is a lot more private and not busy with people).

Julie, my dad, Tony and Jonathan

I went for my pedicure awhile after and the woman who did it did a really good job, I thought, so I gave her a good tip.  After that I went back to the beach, and then we had lunch, and then Leanna and Brittany decided they wanted to get manicures, and Lynette and I wanted the $23 one hour massages they also have here, so we went back to the area.  Lynette and I booked our massage for tomorrow morning while the two girls were able to get their manicures right away.  After that we went down to the smaller beach for awhile.  The weather was starting to get worse and it even rained (lightly sprinkled) for a bit.  The water was getting a little rougher and it was getting a bit cold (windy).  Then we went back up to our rooms and Leanna and I rested a bit.  We weren't going for dinner until 9pm (reservations had been made for the Italian restaurant then).  During that time, it got dark and then it started to pour! (I am so glad I thought to bring an umbrella!)  I guess this was the "30% chance of showers" we were supposed to have today, but it lasted for quite awhile - all throughout dinner until the end.  The restaurant overlooked the beach and we had a good view of the boisterous large waves hurtling in onto the shore.  I REALLY hope it doesn't stay like this for the rest of the week, since today was the first day of what it supposed to be until the end of our stay "showers" every day!  It is quite a storm still out there now as I write this at 12:36am.

Me on the blustery day

More rough waves at the beach

My dad at dinner

Rough waves

The band at dinner...