Day 1 – Arriba, Arriba y Lejos

London to Cancun, Mexico – 16th June 2021

As I was saying, I may have to change my plans to fit in with the 14 day rule to get into the US and indeed this is what I am having to do. Don’t even go there with the mess that is ‘Go To Hell’ I can’t change my flight so I have to cancel, but I want to keep the return homeward journey from New York to London… but no… If I cancel or am a no show for the first flight from London to Frankfurt then all my flights will be automatically cancelled, without refund. Well I really don’t have a choice, I need to go to Mexico or another un-restricted country early to be away from the UK for 14 days or more so that I can continue with my flight into LA to collect Cliódhna. I take a look at a number of possible adventures including Bermuda and Barbados, (I have always wanted to visit Barbados so this might be my only chance)… however, I can get there but it’s a nightmare to get to Mexico from anywhere like this as all the flights go to Miami or New York to connect to a flight into Mexico… I am not even allowed to enter the States to transfer if I have not been out of the UK for 14 days and, due to work commitments, I cannot fly any earlier to allow time to do that and still visit Annemarie in Mexico. Ok, so what are the flight options to Mexico, maybe I can visit another part first. In the end I find a reasonably priced flight direct to Cancun with British Airways, one of my favourite airlines. I book my flight and a connecting flight to Mexico City so I will spend 8 days in Cancun and 6 days in Mexico City… I have lost all the money I spent on the previous flights so am never, ever going to use one of the cheap flight agencies again. I also book my return flight with British Airways, but during my searching I found a site that explained how to get cheaper flights.. basically if you book a flight to a destination that includes a transfer at a place you want to go to then it is much cheaper that just the direct flight… so…. I look at BA for a flight from New Jersey to Gibraltar, this flight will stop for transfer at London Heathrow. The cost is over a £100 cheaper than a flight just to London!! It also suits me as I may continue on to Gibraltar to pick up my Harley and ride it back home in anticipation of having Cliódhna shipped back to the UK which I will then take out to Gib or if Im not going to do that then I can just collect my luggage at Heathrow and DNA the second flight to Gib.

I have been in touch with a cargo company in Gibraltar and asked them for a quote to bring my bike from the US to Gib via Spain.. am waiting for this so will update when I have more information.

So… today I am flying to Cancun on the first leg of my north Americas tour… my taxi will come for me at 7am, so just 1 and a half hours to go; better get my skates on… adiós

UPDATE – after a very pleasant flight with BA I arrive in Cancun, 10 hours later, where it is mid afternoon.

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I’m pretty tired as only managed to nod off a few times. The weather is awful, pouring down in buckets, but very, very warm and extremely humid. Long queues through passport control and I have to complete several documents; I have already paid the Visitax online, (this is required by the state of Quintana Roo), and completed the immigration form, which comes in 2 parts, one is stamped and removed on entry and the other on exit from Mexico; I must not lose this otherwise I will have to pay a $60 fine to get a new one. I now have to fill in a Customs Declaration too but all goes smoothly and am soon out of the airport into the deluge looking for my pre-booked taxi.. looking, looking… there are some 50 or so men in various taxi company tee and polo shirts standing around waving clipboards with passenger names on.. none have mine… I must look lost as several of the men ask if they can help, not trying to push me to take a taxi with them, they are just so helpful and friendly. I explain who I have booked with and they try and direct me. Eventually I am out at the back of the throng and one chap says I need to go to pick up point 62, they will be there. I make my way with my trolley, and speak to a chap in a green tee, he says it’s not them, I need the guys in an orange tee… ok I look around but cannot spot anyone in orange, he says hold on he will text them… we then have a bit of palaver while I spell my name for him… in fact in the end I just give him my phone with the booking confirmation. He tells me he has texted and not to worry someone will come for me. Less than 10 minutes later he is back with another guy in tow… ‘This is Nelson, he is your driver’ Nelson is in a white shirt… but never mind he is my guy, hurrah!! Nelson loads up my luggage and off we go. He doesn’t speak much English and of course I am still struggling with my Spanglish so next thing is his radio starts speaking to me, it asks me how to say my name… he has linked his phone to his radio and obviously has a translation app on it as I realise he has just spoken into his phone and the translation has come back over the radio.. am very impressed. We continue in silence.. the roads are awash and up to 6 inches deep in places. Some of the roads are pretty poor, lots of very deep potholes, which Nelson makes no attempt to avoid.

Look what I spotted…

So obviously I’m back on tour.

We soon arrive at the address and he carries my bags for me into the premises… thank you so much.

I am greeted by the landlady who speaks excellent English and is extremely friendly. We chat for a while and she shows me my room etc. It is pretty basic but dirt cheap so I am very happy. She directs me to somewhere nearby so I can eat. I drop my bags and go off to find the restaurant. It is not too far and I order chicken tacos.. when they come I do not enjoy them, the chicken is very dry and tastes greasy, so the food issues continue… as usual. I also order a coke and forget to take the ice out; oh I hope I’m not going to regret that!!

Back to the room and I’m done in… straight to bed to try and combat the jet lag…. zzzzzzz