Brooks was here.... So was Red....

And so were J, A, and Kiddo.  

Much like Andy, we had to take a bit of a journey to get here.  It wasn’t quite crawling through a “half mile of shit smelling foulness”, but it was certainly an adventure.  We were supposed to leave on Thursday, but the flight was canceled.  We chalked it up to weather and regional airport issues.  Seems like it was a bit more with the CloudStrike/Microsoft debacle.

We spent Thursday with Jesters and fam again, but they had plans, work, and life to do.  They expected us to be gone.  I can understand that.  We pretty much spent the day kicking it around their place.  We had leftover meat for sandwiches at lunch and then grilled up some hotdogs for dinner.  It was a quiet day.  It was, in a lot of ways, our day in solitude.  Stuck and alone with our thoughts and worries.  Buggy and twitchy and ready to move.  Not that Jesters is a prison, in any regard.  Just sticking with the metaphor.

Friday we woke and nothing told us canceled or otherwise.  We got to the airport and it was busy and hectic.  A lot of flights were canceled or delayed.  Our little regional jump to the Twin Cities was good to go and off we went.

The Twin Cities was like chaos.  Lots of people, tons of delayed flights, bed rolls and mats on floors, entire terminals without computer access.  But, our flight was up and on time and all was good.  We stretched our legs and walked to our terminal and gate and then J went off to get a coffee and food for us.  Caribou Coffee!  What a treat, as it was an old date night hang out spot for J and myself.  It’s like any other chain of coffee, so it wasn’t like I was drinking a good cup of Wilson’s.  You get the idea and they did have sandwich type things.  Egg and Bacon with cheddar or Egg and Sausage with aged Provolone.  Marketing, marketing, marketing.  

She got back and we were in the boarding phase.  First class and the blah blah Points Members get to board first.  It wasn’t a rush.  Little did we know, it actually was.  We left 17 minutes before all flights were grounded as the issues were overwhelming and the FAA made the choice to ground everything and solve the problem instead of putting out fires while everything was moving.  

A day late, but we made it.  We got out and we got our flight and everything was fine.

No!

We were a bit late getting out, because of the chaos and so were were a bit late getting in.  35 minutes.  No big deal.  Until it was a big deal.

We hadn’t cleared a custom point yet, so we needed to do passport control in Mexico City.  No problem and the agent we had was wonderful and helpful.  Quick, friendly, and just a cool guy.  Got us moving and didn’t hold up or delay more than needed to do his job.  A question here, a poke there; Stamp, Stamp, Stamp and enjoy Mexico and Zihau.  Off we went.  Next up was declarations.  Again, nothing and we breezed right through save for the lines, but it was moving.  Security.  We needed to clear security again!  

We were placed in a line.  Not selected, placed.  An agent was there.  You here.  You there type stuff.  You eat when I say you eat…. (Those who know the movie know the line).  Our line was NOT moving and the guy at the front was arguing with the agents there.  Meanwhile, our flight was in approximately 22 minutes.  I had enough basic Spanish to communicate that to the agent directing people and she went to see what the hold up was.  We basically got a shrug. 

A lovely and very very kind woman overheard our plight and was in a line that was moving pretty quickly.  She offered us a cut in front of her.  J and Kiddo breezed right though.  They wanted to check my bag.  Ummmmmm… Ok.  I’ve got nothing to hide, I cleared security in GB and MSP, so there was no worries.  Well, yes there was.  

I had no idea how long things would take.  J took Kiddo and headed towards the gate.  I waited and tried to patiently hurry them.  My new friend was hanging out and helping.  She needed to finish her water that she had forgotten before she could leave the security area, so she was standing aside with me in the “extra screening” area.  The hold up was that I had a Bic lighter in my bag, that’s what got me pulled.  However, a supervisor came over and I guess he didn’t like me and my new friend, so he took a look.  Well, well, well… what do we have here.  A Kindle.  A Kindle that the officers at the screening site told me I did not need to remove from my bag, only the Computer and iPad.  So, now I needed to be screened again.  About 12 minutes to the flight.  Computer, iPad, Kindle, shoes, belt, the full screening again.

Thankfully, I was put right though and not made to wait at the back, but then I needed to reshoe and belt myself again.  Repack my bag.  Grab my rolling carry case.  6 minutes and where the hell is Gate A.  Running though the Mexico City airport and I see Gate A.  As they are calling me, 60 seconds and I need to be to the gate or it will be closed and I will need to rebook.  That’s when J sees me and points me out to the agent.  The rush use though and we basically fall onto our Zihua flight, breathless and harried, but there.

We’ve now been in Zihau for a day and a half.  Not much to say.  Well, a LOT to say, but that will come at the end.  We made it.  We got here.  We are finding a groove.  We know where a grocery store is, we’ve gotten snacks, some cervazas (beer), and things like cereal, PB&J, and the like.  We have found the beach and I gotta tell you, the Pacific is as blue as it is in my dreams.  

So far, though, the people have been gracious and helpful.  Everyone is friendly and we, for our part, are trying our Spanish and doing our best to not assume that everyone knows English.  I say that, because sadly, we know too many expats and travelers who do just that.  

Get busy livin’ or get busy dyin’…. You're god damned right.  We’re with Red on that one.  Here we are, in one of the prettiest places any of us have seen, and we’re not going to waste it.  We are going to walk it.  Enjoy it.  And live it.  Even if it’s just the few weeks we are here.  Then it’s on to Shanghai where we will live with the same mentality.  Let’s see it.  Explore it.  Walk around it.  Eat where to locals eat.  In other words, livin’.  Our way.  Your way may be different.  Livin’ for you, may be sitting in the backyard and having some tea with a book.  Going to a local festival.  Going out to a BBQ or Pizza place you like.  For us, it’s exploring the world and going to BKK, Shanghai, HCMC, Zihua.  End of the day- Get busy livin’ or get busy dyin’.  

Let’s go, Kiddo… we have a whole world to explore.  More stamps to get in your passport.  More tacos to eat.  And a whole world to see.  Hope, Kiddo, hope is a good thing.  Maybe the best of all things.  And no good thing ever dies.