Day 24 Havana to Mexico City

Woke and down for a leisurely breakfast. The taxi arrived early much to our surprise. It was horribly hot and the air was filled with car fumes.

After a somewhat “interesting” trip where both Heather and I were wondering if it was our turn to be kidnapped, we arrived at the airport, so early you couldn’t check in. We stopped to ask the lady at the information booth a few questions – if there was an airport tax and if there were any shops on the other side. No tax and yes to shops luckily. She asked us to fill in a form about our experiences in Cuba.

Lunch at the air port

Finally we went to stand in the queue, and stand and stand waiting for them to open that section. One hour later it was time for them to open the line to get checked in. Two counters for the whole plane. The people in front took 10 minutes, including repacking a slow cooker. Heather and I were processed really quickly. Through immigration and security very quickly. Heather had to get “wanded” because of her jean studs. I was ok! But it is watches and most other stuff off. However shoes stay on- possibly just as well in this heat.

On the other side there were some shops for the last minute present/ using up the last cuks. We bought Pringles, cola and water. Heather had no cuks left. I had 3 cuks. Not bad. Not one shop selling anything that vaguely resembled healthy food, definitely no GF, and of course no fruit. 

We sat in the exit aisle for 15 minutes before they moved us!

Of course our plane was not loaded on time, but eventually we got on and were most excited to find we had the safety row again. After we had settled in for a long wait on the tarmac, the steward came along fifteen minutes later and asked Heather to move. Would have been great for a faster exit- BUT all our hand luggage was stored above our old seat and of course the locker above had “?’s” luggage. 

We had waited for almost an hour on the plane before take-off.  Lunch was the usual croissant and custard.  I lip read and imagined the dialogue in the Kingsmen movie. The sound was once again appalling, but the plane had fabulous leg room. During the flight on one of my trips I secured my bags and stored them under the seat in front. We needed our handbags to fill in the immigration forms. It was lovely being able to watch the plane follow the coast on both Cuba and Mexico and over the fields. Some patches of clouds and a great view of the coral reef off Cuba.

The coral reef

We landed in Mexico City one hour late. What a difference. Lovely fresh building –still no toilet paper in the toilets- and much cooler. However the queue was enormous and the pace of processing unbelievably slow. We shuffled along at snail’s pace for one hour and 45 minutes until we reached the immigration counter. But still there was more….. Customs… Where I got my entire bags “checked” (I wouldn’t have minded so much if she actually checked anything instead of making such a cursory look) while Heather stood by barely containing her mirth.

Finally out of the torture chamber to a lovely new section of the airport , a little bit anxious that we were so late but not to worry there was our waiting hostess Alexandra - complete with a sign

The streets of Mexico City were relatively quiet in most places or it may have been the route the driver took. WE were a little disconcerted to see so many police cars and at one stage a barrier lined with police in full riot gear???? Alexandra told us it was a revolution. We are hoping she meant a demonstration?

Dropped off at our hotel to be met by courteous staff and free wifi cards. It might not have had the same magnificent architecture as our hotels in Cuba, but we both noticed that the lift did not smell of cigars. Our room was a delight. Clean and fresh- no smell, comfy beds, three pillows each, lovely sheets, an extra tap for filtered water, two toilet rolls with pretty decorations on them and a box of tissues- something you do not find in Cuba.

It was 8 pm, so we quickly dumped our things and went down to the dining room for a well-deserved dinner. Again we noticed the difference. Only one waiter who almost ran to complete tasks. We were served quickly and were delighted to see a big sign “no smoking” .Yippee. It had been a long day of standing!