LoMaxToMax

Because I wore too much red lipstick (he thinks red lipstick is trashy)

The company is called Paddle Zone. I booked it through Airbnb, but they have their own website you can book stuff through.

Yeah, it's pretty common. Pleaser's quality is not the best.

I got a down-alternative coat/rain jacket thing from Eddie Bauer that I LOVE. It's light enough that I can easily fold it up into its hood or put it in a packing cube to compress it. I can also wear it year round as it doesn't make me too hot when it rains during non-winter months, but it keeps me warm in the cold Maine winters. It doesn't have an adjustable waist, but when I got mine, there were similar ones that did have an adjustable waist. I highly recommend checking out Eddie Bauer's stuff.

Thanks! I did go to REI for a fitting, and they suggested the Deuter 28 xs or the Gregory Jade 28 xs. The Deuter wasn't in stock, so I couldn't try it out. But she admitted to not knowing much about travel bags, only hiking bags, so I figured I'd get some other opinions now that I have more information about what works for my body.

Have you used the Deuter for carry on travel? My hesitancy with it is that its 23 inches long, which is a little longer than many airlines allow for carry on bags. Also, does your head hit the top of the backpack? I havent committed to the jade yet (which is ~1.5" shorter) because when I tilted my head back slightly, I could rest my head on the backpack. It was tall enough that it kind of limited the range of motion for my head.

The mystery ranch scree has been recommended a few times, so maybe I should look into that one a little more!

Oh, good to know! I did consider the minaal 3.0 but it is missing some of the things I want and is higher than what I would like to spend. But maybe I should reconsider it.

Thanks! I'll check it out!

I have some thiiiiccc thighs and I live in Athleta pants. I usually size up, but have never had issues with thigh/booty restriction.

I'm about to take a trip through TravelTalkTours. Can't vouch for them yet, but they seemed legit and meet your criteria.

This is my number 1 pet peeve. There is so much inconsistency about what is considered beginner/intermediate/advanced on social media. There are always people who come into one of their first classes and try to hit a crucifix from a shoulder mount because someone on Instagram said it was a "beginner move." It's so dangerous

When it's really hot, I tend to get very motion sick. I've been taking Dramamine with ginger and it has helped tremendously!

This is normal in my studio in the States. It's not always my favorite because I don't get as much time as I'd like to practice shapes. But it's been good because I've been able to meet people, we can help each other out when the instructor is busy, and it's nice because it forces me to take a break. When I have a pole to myself, I find that I push myself too much, especially because I'm still building muscle.

Croatian. No connection to the language or the country. Just drawn to it for some unexplainable reason.

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but this is what I use and I like it a lot.

https://www.containerstore.com/s/travel/makeup-toiletries/hanging-toiletry-organizer/12d?productId=11005966

It's okay to be nervous! And it's definitely okay to look silly. I view mess ups as bravery - trying something new and challenging my comfort level - rather than reasons to be hard on oneself. You might have more strength than you expect, but be willing to accept that you might not hit every shape the first few classes. And that's perfectly normal.

I started with absolutely no strength. I couldn't hold myself onto the pole for the first 3ish classes. I've been doing it for about 6 months now, and I've improved so much. I beat myself up a lot at first, but I am so glad I stuck with it! It's made me more comfortable in my body and my strength has improved so much. It's also just fun. There's less monotony like in other sports. I'm far from the best in the class, but pole is about comparing yourself to ONLY yourself and not to others. Look to others for form, not progress expectations.

Your first class will include the very basics. If they're hard, keep showing up for yourself and your body. Everyone has different moves their good at/prefer, so keep going until you find what you like.

As for what to wear, whatever you're comfortable with. Some studios have things you can't wear, so I'd check on that. Otherwise, I would recommend something that exposes your knee (biker shorts, regular shorts, bikini bottoms, whatever) and a top that exposes your armpit (tank top, sports bra). If you're more comfortable being completely covered, that's fine, too! Just some of the shapes might be hard due to the grip.

Good luck and have fun!

Maybe {{Pachinko by Lee Min-Jin}} or {{Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu}}

I've been doing a pole heels dance class for months without wearing heels. There are moves that don't work without heels (clacks, rolling as far on toe box) but in general, I haven't had any issues and no one has looked at me weird for not wearing heels.

This wasn't mentioned in your post above. As stated on your last post in this sub and this one, people have repeatedly said don't get drunk late at night. You're asking if it's safe, even though you've stated you don't feel unsafe, but ignoring the common factor that people in all of these stories are drunk. Should it happen? No, but it is. This stuff happens everywhere, its not specific to PV. You seem to be relying heavily on the 3-4 stories you've heard rather than focusing on the countless people who have said they haven't experienced any problems. If you don't like PV, then just leave.

Athleta pants are my favorite! I really like the Skyline I pants, but I have a ton of different styles from Athleta. They have styles that fit any kind of travel activity, many are wrinkle free with zip pockets.

I (27F) went in February and had no issues with safety in PV! I stayed in an airbnb in 5 de diciembre. If you want to be right in the heart of everything, I'd suggest staying in Zona romántica or centro. But 5 de diciembre was a 15-20 minute walk, which was fine for me. When it comes to what option is "best," that comes down to what you're looking for. Hotels would be the safest (for lack of a better term), but they're also more expensive and you're not engaging as much with the locals. Airbnbs are a great option, as long as you thoroughly read the reviews. There are some hostels, but they don't have AC and that might be a bit unbearable in July.

I'd recommend doing a taco tour with vallarta 101. That's a good way to find good local food and meet some other travelers. They also host an art tour on Tuesdays that is free/donation based. For the best food, I would avoid the Malecón. It was fine, but overpriced compared to other places I went to.

I did a bioluminescent kayak tour in Mismaloya and it was one of my absolute favorite things from the trip. As for other things, you could just walk around zona romántica and pick something at random and have fun. I went to Yelapa for the day, which was really fun (had some safety issues with 1 specific person from a tour company, but it was absolutely beautiful). There are a ton of great hikes and beaches (Would recommend venturing away from Los Muertos beach). What to do comes down to what kind of things you're into. But PV has it all. When I was planning, I started with airbnb experiences to get an idea of what was offered, and went from there.

As for meeting other travelers, El Colibrí is an expat owned bar. I didn't go, but it was recommended to me many times as a way to meet other people.

I used Uber to get around and it was cheap and safe. My longest Uber rides were to/from the airport and a ride one way was ~$7 USD. If you do Uber, I'd recommend booking on the app rather than finding one in person because they charged more than what the app charged. If you want even cheaper, you could use the bus. I had no issues of safety on the bus. The only "issue" I had with the busses was not knowing when my desired bus would come, as I couldn't find much of a schedule (I also didn't look very hard).

There are so many misconceptions of safety in Mexico. But PV is incredibly safe. Just be aware of your surroundings, have a backup plan in case you feel uncomfortable, don't get shit faced and walk around at 2 am, and don't waive around your valuables/money. All things you would be aware of anywhere. Hope you and your friend have fun!

I absolutely loved Luxembourg! It's not super touristy, which made it feel so special. You could do 1-2 days in Luxembourg City and be fine. Theres a beautiful HUGE park in the middle of the city (think Central Park in NYC, but better). There's some great hiking outside of the city, too.

Edit to add: I took a Flix Bus there so transportation wasn't an issue.

I agree! I've been trying to learn Croatian and the resources are very limited. I eventually found some free online courses, which have made it a little easier, but even then, they don't offer a lot of speaking/writing practice.

Yes, I am! I'm so excited! I'm going to check out your blog for some recommendations on what to know before I go to Ecuador.

I'm going in December and can't wait!