Zihua Sat AM 7.8.06

Well, it’s Saturday morning and im awake early. I’m enjoying coffee in my room here at Casa Mia. Before I venture out today I’ll heat up a muffin in the microwave. (bought at starbucks – DFW as I didn’t realize they would feed me on Mexicana Airlines.)

Mexican Airlines lunch

Unfortunately a nice customs agent took my banana. (no fruit or vegetables allowed! No farm animals, guns or shells, or over $10,000 in cash) the Banana was Chacita from Guatemala. (it had a sticker on it)

DID I TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT A ZOO MEXICO CITY AIRPORT IS? Now, it ‘could’ be because I don’t speak Spanish? Or because the monitors don’t post all the flights? It could be because you have to deplane then clear Immigration before boarding your next flight. (even though you are dangerously late and about to miss your flight.) they don’t separate the International flights from Local / domestic in the airport. Nor do they quarantine you and keep you isolated till you clear customs. You just walk off the plane into the middle of a zoo. You ‘could’ just walk onto your next flight and skip the whole darn line. Im sure it would haunt you later…

So anyway I get off / deplane at gate 22, walk down toward baggage claim, following the signs to Immigration. All the instructions are in Spanish so im not sure what im ‘supposed’ to do. (I should have asked the friendly stewardess who was playing Sudoku games on the plane) I don’t know what gate im looking for or where to clear Immigration. (my ticket doesn’t have the gate info) finally at about gate 34, I run into some young people wearing bright blue shirts emblazoned with “Information”… (duhhh) MY QUESTION: what’s my gate? Where am I ‘supposed’ to go? ANSWER: “go to Immigration across from gate 19. you have to check in there before you go to your flight.” By the time I get to Immigration – they are 5 minutes from boarding my flight. But, I still don’t know what gate it leaves from. 20 minutes in line, smile, promise I’ll leave the country when it’s time. MY QUESTION to Immigration: what’s my gate? Where am I ‘supposed’ to go? ANSWER: (they look on their computer) “go to gate 14.” Much relieved I trudge on. At gate 14, I present myself to the agent and hand them my ticket. Smile and promise to leave if they’ll let me. (The agent looks at me like I have two heads.) ANSWER: there is an Information desk beside gate 14 with the location of my gate. (smile fades) Fortunately this agent looks it up on his computer and says; “your plane leaves gate 20.” So by now it’s time for the flight to leave. (oh, did I mention going through all these gates ive had to go through another security checkpoint? So I turn around and head back past Immigration again.) the guards check my ticket again and let me back through toward gate 20. At gate 20 there’s a huge line. It’s not going to Zihuatanejo. Without my patented smile I march up past everyone to the front of the line and demand to know where my flight is now… they smile for me – “it’s gate 20, around the corner.” (there is more than one gate 20) as I trudge up to the other gate 20 a lady comes toward me, “Mr. Williams?” we are boarding now. (we are the only two in the lobby) I’ve made the flight. SMILE.

8pm, near dusk LAST NIGHT I walked the direction I thought the beach was. Used care to insure I could find my way home later. Paid attention to buildings and streets. Zigged and zagged on my way in search of a restaurant. When I got tired I stopped at a little spot that looked OK. Enjoyed some great Red Snapper fajitas. ($11us) asked the waiter to point out where I was on the map. One block from the beach. Missed one zag somewhere? So, after dinner – full and happy (smile returned) I walked the length of the local beach.


Took some photos and then attempted a “short cut back.” (duhhh again) it’s 10pm and black dark by now. Having carefully studied my map at the restaurant I ‘think’ I can find my way back. So I start the zag then zig moves attempting the return. Nothing looks familiar. Not to worry – im taking a short cut so it will look different… one block after I decide I have to turn back and retrace my steps to a place i 'know', I find it.

That’s it. That’s all ive done. Now im awake and going to go out and search the city.

I have decided I must move hotels. It’s too tough to find this spot after dark. It’s too far from here to the beach. I’ll go on a hotel hunt today. Smile glued on. Everyone i've met has been very nice. most have spoken some english. Mom - i'm OK.

Xo skip