Hitting the Road!

 Thursday, July 25, 2024

Here we go!  I've left (too many) instructions for my beloved neighbor and pet sitter, Megan, fed and medicated the critters, and picked up Jan at her house down the street.  We've met Betsy at her house and her accommodating husband, Roddy, has driven us to the airport.  We've cleared security and are safely settled at our gate.  The Atlanta contingent has been checking in by text as has Barbara and it appears that we are all on track to meet up at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport for our final flight to Oaxaca.  Juan will meet us and the real adventure will begin!!   (It appears that if you want to see a post the way it was intended to be seen, you have to click the "see more" button.)

Love our TIA flamingo, Phoebe!  She marks the official start of every trip!

Well, here we are at Dallas-Fort Worth having finished my Biscoff and water, and Barbara's smiling face greets us (and her body, too).  Our next gate is right next door!  We're delayed but our connecting flight is delayed, too, so there's time to do a little munching and laughing!  With all the texts flying back and forth we think that our other three trippers will be meeting us in Oaxaca, despite the best laid plans.  But it's all good!!

Clever way to show that a stall is occupied!

Good to know!

We have lots of time to finish off the snacks we brought with us and order some guac to go. Most of tht gets finished, too, before we board.  Although they made a big deal out of making sure our passports were signed, I don't think anyone looked at them!  And our boarding passes were superfluous, too, because they took our pictures and knew our seat assignments and lots of other stuff about us, I'm sure!

Thanks, Barbara!  So flattering!

We get settled on the plane after another delay, but we're on our way again, heading to Oaxaca! Neither of these flights had a screen, so I'm glad I brought my Kindle!  They do have electric outlets, though, so I can charge it back up after using it for a while.  It was a retirement present from my Sunlake buddies, so you know how old it is!!

Tomato juice makes a nice change and it even has a bit of protein!

We deplane using a rolling set of stairs and a gentleman gives us a customs form, saying one is enough for the group.  Then it's on to passport control, which is just another photo, and baggage claim.  All of our bags arrive and we head for customs where we are asked is we are all a family, since we've (I've) just filled out one form.  Of course we are!  One daughter and three sisters! 

You know you're in Mexico!

And through the doors to see the welcome sight of Juan smiling and waving!  And there's Ginger and Karen.  Now we just need to find Lynette...and she calls Ginger to say she's outside!  All assembled!  Ginger's had gotten us a taxi/van and we mount up for the trip to the hotel.

Ginger gets us all checked in.

Here's the elevator for the luggage!  Glad I didn't have to schlep it upstairs!

Our room overlooks this lovely atrium.

Our luggage goes up in the elevator (check out the photo!) and we climb the stairs.  Our room is on the second floor (which means third floor) and is spacious with two big beds.  We've got our card for breakfast and our keys and after a bit of unpacking re reassemble in the lobby for a short walk to dinner.  The man at the desk has recommended a place where all the locals go and that's just what we want!

We are the only gringos there!  And we have the local cerveza, Victoria, and a typical Oaxacan dish called asucuana.  And some of us buy a fragrant flower called Tlayuda which is a kind of lily, to perfume our rooms.

Tummies full and eyes sagging (it's well after midnight at home) we drag back to the hotel with plans to meet for breakfast at eight, then a walking tour of some of the historical sights.