Today I posted a quick note on the Puerto Vallarta Forum at Trip Advisor.com. It was just a hello, a brief self-introduction. I announced that we are about to become serial expats and that we’re considering the Mexican Pacific coast for next winter.

(An aside: We are considering the Mexican Pacific coast, for the winter of 2013-2014 if not longer. Spain in the spring, who-knows-where in the summer, and Mexico in the winter.)

What a response! Within four hours I heard from eleven people, all of whom either live in PV (most have lived there for years) or spend three to six months there a year. All were friendly, literate, and genuinely supportive. An avalanche of links followed, leading me to blogs written by travelers like us, condos for rent, and a goldmine of ex-pat tips.

The Internet is a miracle in our lifetime, and among all of its magic, it opened more doors and hearts to me in half a day than I thought possible in a lifetime. We have an exploratory trip to Puerto Villarta scheduled in late October. There will be soft, sandy beaches, eighty-degree water, and a bevy of well-wishers waiting for us there. The anticipation is exquisite.