Budget Hotel #1 Continued

We just wanted to stay someplace within walking distance of the airport so we could get outta here first thing in the morning and continue on our course to our ultimate-intermediate destination.

Yes, ultimate-intermediate. The Ultimate-Ultimate destination is Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, where we will spend a week at Ricardo's cabin. We have a few intermediate destinations, both coming and going. Our current intermediate destination is San Cristobal de las Casas. But we have to stop a couple of times to refuel and whatnot before we get to our ultimate-intermediate destination. Tampico is thus a necessary evil (is that too harsh?). Anyway, I think I've got that all sorted out for you.

So, anyway, we are just here by necessity. Just need a clean-ish place to lay our heads before moving on. I already shared with you the doorknob debacle.

But that was preceded by having our choice of rooms: the 20 feet from the 4-lane highway room jutting off the front of the hotel like a buck tooth pointed out onto the road OR the stinky room that seemed to be polluted with some vaguely familiar but finally unrecognizable minor stench.

We opted for the stinky room. And it turned out just fine, really, because after we showered, we ourselves were stinky. Yes, we and the room become infused with a sulphureous smell once the shower created a mist about the place. At least it was an odor we could recognize and make peace with.

Note: we nearly paid more for our breakfast this morning than we paid for this hotel room. Our priorities seem to be in the right place.

Charts?! We don't need no stinkin' charts!

Well, yes, actually we do. We use charts to navigate. It's how we know where we are.

But, yesterday on approach to Tampico I pulled out the chart to get a look at the runway layout and SWOOOSH it was sucked right out of the cockpit and went flying away from us to become yet another piece of litter in the lovely Gulf of Mexico.

I'm sorry, Planet Earth.

Tiroteo in Tampico

Don't get excited. We didn't see one.

But we do have a story to tell.

Ricardo was busy explaining to me how Americans are overly timorous in foreign countries and how Houston and L.A. are every bit as dangerous as over here in Mexico, when our cab driver volunteered that he had been witness to a gunfight between the Zetas and the Federales this afternoon at 3p.

He then (without us requesting the tour or even knowing he was about to take us) proceeded to drive us by the situs of the firefight, where we were treated to a view of hordes of spooky, masked, armed-to-the-teeth Federales in battle gear and armored cars waiting with the body of the fallen Zeta. He said that the police were waiting there to confront any Zeta who might seek to recover the body of their fallen comrade.

Greeeeat!!

Well, the fearless Ricardo still was not convinced of any clear and present danger, but he was a good sport about my trepidation and we ate a quick dinner and got back to the hotel.

I know I said we weren't going to be in the Mexican states that the State Department warned about, but Tampico is in fact on the very Southern tip of the prohibited Coahuila State.

We leave first thing.

Koliber Zero Alpha Delta, you are leaving US airspace

What an amazing flying day! When we finally took off from Harlinger the wind had settled considerably and we had a seamless and floaty takeoff. The cloud cover above us was enough to shield us from yesterday’s brutal sun. We didn’t even have to ride with the “windows down” (that is, with the cockpit cracked open).

Such sweet words from the tower in Harlinger, “Koliber Zero Alpha Delta, you are leaving US airspace.” We danced a little cockpit jig as we sailed across the border into Mexico. Ricardo memorialized it on video. Although I know it is possible, I’m not sophisticated enough to figure out how to load video onto the blog.

We flew a peaceful and easy three hours over rich marshland to the coast and then South along the coast to Tampico. It was a beautiful and deserted coastline for the most part. The coast is clear gained new meaning for me today. Gorgeous, gorgeous day.

Arriving in Tampico, the tower was somewhat lax in their traffic control. Ricardo executed the most beautiful landing ever. We were cleared to taxi, but traffic control failed to mention the jet coming in for a landing when we were taxiing. It worked out, though. Whew! Then we had to taxi right up to the front door and get greeted by the machine-gun toting military guys and get searched and so forth. Pay some “fees,” fill out some forms, surrender our fruit, and then get on our way.

Best laid plans...

Okay, well... We putzed around and we are just leaving Harlingen. We will only make it to Tampico tonight...

Headed to the Border

Our plan today is to fly to Tampico, land and refuel and eat (but not ceviche), then fly to Veracruz, land and refuel and sleep.

It's very windy in Harlinger this morning. I don't like to fly in the wind. I secretly wish the Harlinger airport was smaller so we couldn't take off. See, they have 3 runways - which gives us a lot of options. If we had crosswinds and just one runway, we couldn't even take off (Been there, done that. We were blown off the runway at Weiser in Houston in 2008 by a huge gust). But Harlinger has just the runway for us: runway 17 Left points us right into the 20mph winds. So ... we will head to the airport and take off here in a few minutes. Again, I'm scared.

My petsitter sent a photo of my dogs cozied up on the couch this morning (thanks, Brian!!). I sort of envy the little guys at times like this. I am hoping and waiting for my terror to abate... I am sure I will feel much better once we are on the beach in Puerto Escondido.