Day 206 - Settling Into Routine in Playa del Carmen

The jet lag is finally starting to fade.

We're still waking up around 5:00–5:30am every morning, but now that the sun is up at that time, it feels much more natural. Compared to the huge sleep-ins we were having in Morocco, Italy, and even back in Australia, these early starts make the days feel longer and more productive. There's something satisfying about having a few quiet hours before the rest of the world really gets moving.

The morning started as usual with coffees and relaxed conversations around the dining table before everyone began getting ready for the day ahead.

Today was gym day for the whole family.

Maddie joined us for the first time, alongside Emmett, Kia and myself. Before heading down, I wrote out a simple Tabata-style workout program for Maddie and Emmett to follow. They started with a five-minute warm-up before tackling two eight-minute rounds that included rowing, assault bike intervals, planks, air squats, jump squats, bear crawls and walking lunges. Plenty of movement and enough variety to keep them interested.

After finishing their circuits, both kids wanted to jump on the treadmill for a run and then swim some laps in the pool afterwards. It was great to see them so enthusiastic about being active.

Kia stuck to her usual Tabata routine while I got stuck into a solid weights session. Afterward, we all cooled down in the pool before heading back to the apartment.

Breakfast was a big scramble of eggs, cheese, bacon and vegetables served on toast. Simple, filling and exactly what everyone needed after an active morning.

Once breakfast was done, the kids got started on some schoolwork that had carried over from the previous day, while I put my head down and spent most of the morning working on the app I've been developing.

It was a productive session.

I've reached the point where I can begin doing more meaningful testing, and today I had the kids helping me trial some of the functionality. The results were encouraging. There are still a handful of small issues and improvements to work through, but overall things are progressing really well. It feels like I'm getting close to having something that's ready for a proper real-world test, which is exciting.

Before we knew it, the morning had disappeared and it was time for lunch.

We decided to try a local Mexican restaurant that specialises in slow-cooked beef. Their signature dish comes as either half a kilogram or a full kilogram of tender beef, served with mini tortillas, condiments and a rich consommé-style broth.

We opted for the half-kilo option.

In hindsight, it probably wasn't quite enough food, but a full kilo would have been way too much. Either way, it was absolutely delicious and everyone loved it.

The surprise highlight, however, came from the freezer.

The restaurant sold homemade ice blocks, and while the kids chose colourful fruit-flavoured versions and Kia went for chocolate, I picked a hazelnut one.

Without exaggeration, it was probably the best ice cream or ice block I've ever had.

Rich, creamy, packed with flavour and perfect for the heat. I have a feeling we'll be returning to that restaurant purely so I can get another one.

Despite not being particularly far away, we ended up catching taxis both there and back. The distance was walkable, but the combination of heat and humidity made the decision pretty easy.

Back at the apartment, the kids were straight back into the pool while Kia and I spent some time chatting through travel plans and reviewing budgets for the months ahead.

I then returned to app development for another work session while Emmett and Maddie both spent some time reading to earn their TV time.

Later in the afternoon, my parents called.

What started as a quick catch-up turned into a conversation that lasted over an hour. It was really nice to hear what had been happening back home and talk through some of our plans for the future. Being away for so long makes those calls feel even more valuable, and it was great to reconnect.

As evening rolled around, we headed downstairs for dinner while the kids finished watching a movie they had started earlier. Before long, it was time for bed.

It wasn't an action-packed day filled with major adventures, but it was exactly the kind of day we needed.

After months of moving constantly, it's nice to have a place where we can establish some routines again. Having a gym, pool and comfortable workspace all within a few minutes of our apartment makes life feel easy. The kids are responding well to the structure, schoolwork is getting done, exercise is becoming a daily habit again, and I'm making meaningful progress on projects that have been sitting in the background for months.

A few more days like this and we'll probably start feeling the urge to get out and explore more of Mexico.

For now though, we're enjoying the slower pace and settling into life in Playa del Carmen.