We've Got A Winner!

In addition to the pristine beaches, warm sun and sweet breezes of the Caribbean, we also had to take a good hard look at other features that are important to our transition:

•   High-speed internet
•   Easy access to an international airport
•   Modern transportation infrastructure
•   Low to moderate cost of living
•   Access to quality health care
•   Relaxed environment
•   Vibrant expat community

With these attributes in mind, we began a new search which led to a resource called: International Living.  This website provided a wealth of knowledge for every country you could imagine.  However, what caught our attention was a little quiz you take which helps you determine the PERFECT place to live overseas!

Within minutes we were filling out the quiz and clicking away.  Warm weather, check. Low cost of living, check. High-speed internet, check.  And on and on keying in different information.  The results surprised us...MEXICO!

We were surprised because we had not considered Mexico.  Plus, we wanted to live in the Caribbean.  We were thinking about island living but failed to realize that the eastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula was on the Caribbean Sea.  What a relief!  It's not exactly the way we had envisioned it, but what the heck...it's still the Caribbean.

With our list of features above, and our new location, we begin our search of Mexico. We looked at every map we could find.  The internet has more maps than you could ever want and Google maps was perfect.  It even has a Google street view function where you use the PEGMAN (a little yellow person) to view images along streets.

Between the maps and the pegman, we were workin' it.  We researched the big places...Cozumel and Cancun.  We researched the smaller places...Tulum, Costa Maya, Akumal and Puerto Morelos.  We considered Cozumel and Cancun but found them to be too big, commercialized and crowded.  And the smaller towns  did not really have all the features from our above list.  Keep in mind that this is our list, based on our definitions.  No arguments please.

As we continued to research, one city in particular caught our attention: Playa Del Carmen.  It's got everything on our list and more!  Without boring you with all the details, Wandering Earl sums it up beautifully on his blog post entitled - Playa del Carmen: Such A Good Place To Live.

Now that we have made our selection, the real work begins!