Rounding out the Rhyme & Reason Design month of travel was my vacation to Luquillo Beach, Puerto Rico. My compadres and I spent a week in a rented condo on the edge of a gold sand beach dotted with locals sipping Medalla Light. From a personal standing point, the vacation was everything we could have asked for and more. Day trips included hikes through the rainforest and horseback rides to remote waterfalls and our nights were filled with authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, casinos and of course, more Medalla Light. From a business perspective though, we hit a few bumps in the road. Not being the only small business owner on the trip, my fellow vacationers will appreciate this too I’m sure. Below is my list of helpful things to know for anyone planning on working from the road while on vacation in Puerto Rico:

1. There is no sense of urgency in Puerto Rico. If a cab says they’ll be there at 5:00, that means sometime between 5:30 and 6:00.

2. When renting a condo, it is important to ask the owner if they will personally be providing the Wi-Fi connection. Apparently stating “We have wireless internet connection available” really only means if you stand on the balcony and twist your laptop back and forth you might be able to pick up a bar or two.

3. Don’t rent a condo on the 18th floor. When the elevator breaks, you never know when or if it will be fixed. See #1.

4. When buying ice cream from a man on the beach, the price is $2 if you speak Spanish. It’s $3 if you don’t.

5. Objects on the beach are farther than they appear. Do not attempt to walk to the next grouping of buildings down the beach. Because that “next grouping of buildings” is really the next town over. Five miles away. And five miles back.

If you can manage to work around these things, Puerto Rico is an incredible vacation — with or without a small business back at home.