November 15, 2013 (Friday): It's been two days now that I've been sulking at my apartment trying to prepare for my long awaited vacation to Mexico, to volunteer and at the same time enhance my Spanish through immersion classes which I have arranged before. It would be quite a very hectic schedule but I think it's for my own good. For sure it will be fun and very challenging as well.
Apparently, I did not accomplish any packing yet during my two days off for I was heavily procrastinating and at the same time was recuperating my fatigue because I had worked seven days straight just for me to give time for packing but here I am doing nothing. Ah.... actually watching the series of "Once Upon A Time", an NBC hit series had suit me instead of packing. I was enchanted with the stories so I vowed to finish all the 23 episodes of season one. It had made me dreamy and believed that fairy tales indeed ends happily ever after. A good tonic indeed for my anticipating anxiety.
Maybe, my apprehensions about the impending trip had made me to just take it easy and thus procrastinate. There was no feeling of excitement, anticipation, and eagerness, unlike my previous trips. I just don't know what to pack, my mind was been clouded with the unknown. There are a lot of things to include and consider but the baggage should not weigh more than 50 pounds, as what the airline regulation says. I don't want to overweigh and then pay for the excess baggage.
Today, I woke up so tired at 0400H and started to rearrange the contents of the luggage eliminating those things that I don't need to bring and seeing to it that the weight is just enough. My mind is still boggly and undecided. It was a very tedious job. I got exhausted honestly. My flight will be in the afternoon at 1750H so I still have time to do some last minute errands and last minute instructions to my beloved landlord who will take care of my dog, Diamond, when I'm away. Surely, I will miss my baby!
As the hours keep ticking, my anticipatory anxiety keeps numbing me, delivering me doing things half done. I just can't think of what to do. You know, I am so nervous for this trip because I have to do it alone without a guide. My friend in Mexico City is currently out of the country (actually, he is in Japan right now), and I don't know what to do and expect when I am there. Hopefully, it will be okay as well as safe but still I can't stop worrying.
I think I have to challenge myself to do this. Honestly, being in a different country is strange. And I myself have a share of those mumbled and silent moments during my trips to Europe years ago. I pretty much can understand Spanish but the setback is I could not speak or express it well verbally. And with that, I am so nervous. But oh well, I hope I can manage it.
I called the taxi at 1500H, and bade goodbye to my landlord. (He looks handsome today.) The taxi arrived and the cute Russian driver smiled at me and asked me where I'm heading. I told him that I am going to LAX Airport as I am mesmerized with his icy blue eyes that melted me away with his stares. He gave me an option whether to take the side streets or the freeway so I told him that the freeway might be better because of the "fast lanes". Here in Los Angeles we called it "Diamond Lane" or "HOV" (High Occupancy Vehicle Lane).
The traffic at that time was just sporadic and we made it in less than an hour. I still have time to check in my luggage. We arrived at the airport at 1540H so I paid him enormously and thanked him for his services. I then lined myself up to check-in my luggage and guess what happened, my luggage had overweighed. Oh my God...... what should I do? Well, I have no choice but to dug up what's needed to be taken out and then hand carry it for I don't have time to go home and leave them. Luckily, it was not heavy for I only took out couple of jackets and then place them inside my black messenger bag.
Next, I lined up myself at the security line which I have no problem and gone through without any fuss. Piece of cake! I then went up and looked for my boarding gate. When I was on the departure level, I decided to look for some key chains to reserve for my impending close friends for the Spanish class (whoever I will befriend, that's why it's still impending). I also bought a club sandwich at the nearby grill because I was very very hungry. My God.... the prices of food and beverage at the airport was sky-high.
We boarded early at 1715H and left early at 1745H. There were a lot of passengers and the plane was somewhat fully occupied, although the seat beside me was vacant. The flight was smooth and not that bumpy for the weather was excellent when we left Los Angeles. I dozed off my fatigue during the three hour flight and had not noticed what's happening inside the plane. We arrived at Mexico City early at 2300H and when we were taxiing at the tarmac, I suddenly felt the numbness which even made me more worried.
I was worried what will happen next when I got out of the airport because I don't know where to get a taxi on this strange city (although I went here three times already but those trips I had assistance from my friend). After alighting from the plane, I then headed to the immigration to get stamped and there was no problem there. I got through without any questions.
I then went to retrieve my luggage at carousel 19 and 20 then looked for a money exchange and changed my dollars to the Mexican peso. I then went out of the immigration lobby after I turned in my customs declaration form and then looked for a booth that schedule for a taxi. I then asked the lady that I needed a taxi going to Zona Rosa in broken Spanish and I paid the charge or 325 pesos.
She then pointed me to exit at Gate 10 and look for the line of the taxi that was stated on my ticket which says Porto Taxi. It was a long walk going to that gate and luckily I found the line. It was already midnight that time and the night was going deeper and deeper in Mexico City and I'm still at the airport waiting for my taxi to drop me off at my hotel in Zona Rosa. It was kinda nippy at that time and good thing I am wearing a jacket enough to warm me up until the taxi will arrive.
Few minutes later a big white suburban truck came and the old man manning and regulating the line told me to hop in so I handed him back my ticket for verification and then gave my luggage to the cute driver with curly hair. My God, taxis in Mexico City were huge. It was very spacious in that suburban taxi and I enjoyed the night view of the city while we were silently driving going to Zona Rosa. It reminded me of my previous visits full of memories. I broke the ice and greeted the cute driver "Ola" and then he asked me if I can speak Spanish and I told him "Poquito". We talked about the weather and about the traffic which is not apparent during those times.
We arrived at Zona Rosa after twenty minutes. The freeway has no traffic that's why we arrived at my hotel fast. After dropping me off at the hotel, I then checked in at the reception and then paid my courtesy at the receptionist and then he handed me the key to my room after signing all the necessary papers for my three days stay here in Mexico City.
Now that I safely arrived at my hotel, all the apprehensions and anticipatory anxiety were immediately dissipated. I conquered all my fears and I did it alone. I am proud of myself and I congratulated myself for a job well done. I am very very exhausted right now but I have to blog first because I just don't want to pass my eagerness to write my experiences today and suffer forgetting them have I not insisted to finish it.
Tomorrow will be a brand new day for me and again more challenges ahead. It will be a long day tomorrow and I am planning to tour again the zocalo, the Metropolitan Church, and maybe the National Palace if I have enough time. I am also planning to go back to Xochimilco, who knows. But for now, I am going to hit the sack and get ready for a very long day tomorrow. Adios mi amigos y amigas. Muy amable y bien gracias!
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