Mexico 2022 - An International Flight, Immigration and Customs, or, A Descent Into Hell

 Apparently the runways at O'Hare were overbooked, which would explain why we were sitting on board a plane for almost an hour before getting off the ground and airborne. Imagine a bumper to bumper traffic jam, only with planes. As the video screen choices were uninspiring and since all required headphones, which I didn't have, I amused my self as best I could writing, playing crossword games on my phone, being disconnected from the internet they were the only ones that worked and taking short, intermittent naps. At one point the screen said we were 45 minutes from our destination, a few minutes later it said 50 minutes from our destination. Was time moving backwards? 

We landed. As usual the people nearer the front of the plane gathered their carry ons and stood in the aisle to disembark. They stood in the aisle and stood in the aisle, it soon became apparent to us all, both those standing and those of us still in our seats, that nothing was happening.  Over the loudspeaker the flight crew announced that they were opening the back exit of the plane as well. A rushing river of passengers began to leave through the rear., There in lay a small problem for me. I was seated near the rear of the plane. Upon first getting on I discovered that all the overhead bins above my seat were already closed. I stowed my bag a few rows ahead of me figuring as we disembarked through the front of the plane upon landing I would easily be able to retrieve it. Now I was like a salmon swimming upstream against a horde of humanity. Because I was one of the last to disembark I was in the last shuttle to leave the tarmac. Because I was in the last shuttle to leave the tarmac I was almost the last person in the long immigration line. 

Then came customs. As it would happen, since fate at this point did not seem to favor me, mine was one of the last bags unloaded. To make matters worse, the airline had thoughtfully run a zipline through my suitcase zipper to keep it from opening in flight. Since we can no longer travel with scissors, or for that matter any sharp objects, I had no way to get it off. Fortunately the front desk at the hotel had scissors and I was able to dispense with it there. Eventually I got through customs and got a cab. 

At that point things began to improve. A beautiful sunset graced the western sky as I taxied into the city. A scent of charcoal mixed with something sweet I couldn't identify wafted through the open window.

I arrived at my hotel and got into my room about 8, almost 12 hours after leaving home, only to find Verizon had screwed up our international calling plan and I couldn't call home. After an international struggle the next day the problem was fixed but at that point, that night, I was beyond annoyed. 

I ate at the restaurant at the hotel that evening, chicken tacos with an outstanding guacamole on the side. I also ordered a Jack Daniels on the rocks, I felt I deserved it. Had I not been so exhausted I would have made it a double.