Today is Sunday and I'm in the air traveling from Houston to Salt Lake City. The trip home, even though it is standby, has gone well. We woke up around 7 AM, showered, adjusted our suitcase packing and then went off to breakfast to meet our group at 8:30 AM. It was fun to eat together and just discuss how good it was to be together down in Mexico. After eating and giving everyone hugs, Denise and I were off to retrieve our bags and head to the lobby to check out. We had planned to leave around 9:45 to catch a taxi to take us to the bus terminal where we would buy bus tickets to get us to the airport in Cancun. We were targeting the 10:30 AM bus. I tried to buy tickets last night online. But I seem to have problems using VISA online when traveling international. The cost per person is 162 pesos (~$9) when buying at the bus terminal. But online, I could have bought them for 96 pesos (~$6). Oh well. To take a shuttle, it would have cost us $60 for both of us. By taking a taxi and a bus, it cost us ~$25 for both. Nice savings. My kids laugh at me when I do stuff like this. :-). But it is fun to try to do what the locals would do. I asked the Taxi driver when the people go to church here in Mexico. He said in the afternoon. I had previously asked him about his family and asked what his children were doing while he was working right then. He said...sleeping. It was almost 10 AM. I then asked the church question. It has been fun speaking Spanish again. I know I sound horrible...but who cares.
We were able to get on the 10:10 bus to the airport. The trip made two stops...one in another location in Playa Del Carmen and another at Puerto Morales. Both stops were extremely quick. But there is a bus running about every 20 minutes. It was a nice big bus and even had Ironman (in Spanish) playing on TV's. It was fun. We arrived at the airport not knowing which terminal to get off at. Terminal 1 was obviously not the one. But everyone got off at Terminal 2. We wondered...so we got off too. However, I began to ask and the guy unloading our bags thought that terminal 3 was the one we needed. So we threw our bags back on and jumped back on the bus. That was a good choice as terminal 3 was the correct stop.
Our flight to Houston left at 2:50 PM. It was on time and not full. We easily got on. There were no surprises getting through the security checks there. We arrived around 4 PM at Houston and headed through customs. Awhile ago, Denise and I spent a few dollars extra to get Global Entry authorization. Boy does that make a big difference getting through customs. We flew through! Our next flight was not until 6 PM so we found some food (BBQ) and Denise and I shared a plate. I'm still sweating. I don't know why BBQ does that to me.
The SLC flight was on time. But they were asking for people to come off the flight. So it did not look good. The United App showed two seats open...so we felt like we had hope. They were asking people to possibly come off due to weight restrictions. But slowly they added all the revenue paying customers back on. At that point I went to the gate agent and asked if any standby's would get on. He said 'no' due to weight restrictions. So they closed the door and I thought it was over. I even asked him to roll us over to the 9 PM flight. But, I stood there watching the plane not go. And they were not closing the plane's door. Then over the microphone, I heard the pilot say they still had two seats. The gate agent looked up for us and I said...yes...we are still here! Let's go! And off we went scrambling down the jetway. I'm glad they did not weigh us as we had eaten a ton of food this past week! I'm surprised the plane got off the ground! You honestly never know, when flying standby, if you are going to get a seat or not. More than not...you usually do. Anyway...this is good. Denise's parents won't have to stay up late to get us. But one of us will go back to the airport at 11:30 PM to get Ashley and Brent. And then...our trip will be officially over. Travis, Mackenzie, Dustin and Kerri are all coming home on Tuesday.
One last note...while sitting at the airport, Travis texted and said that they had made it to Cancun where they are staying a few nights. They hooked a ride with Michael, his uncle. Michael made it a fun trip by being pulled over by the policia Mexicana. He had to negotiate his ticket down to $40. He said he was not speeding and that tons of cars were flying by him. I do believe the Mexican authorities there target rental cars and non-Mexican looking people. It's a shame that they do that. I'm sure it will be a good memory for Travis and Mackenzie!
A few random pictures will be posted here once I"m home...
We did a TON of this while down there! (Selfie Photos)
While on the airport, I learned how to create pictures from my GoPro video that was taken. This is a shot of Travis and Mackenzie. I thought I was back in Israel with that cloth on Travis' head!
This is how my wife travels.... :-)
It was a beautiful sky and ocean. I hate to leave it....
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