Four of the Eight Syllables - Day One

Saturday March 13, 2010 - - took it's time getting here if you ask me....

Isla Mujeres...my ninth visit...brought a second set of Newbies…we now have three addicted Islaholics.

Let me introduce the Characters in Question:

Cathey aka Catz and for some reason this trip: Loco Negra Gato (Crazy Black Cat) don’t think it fit me but after a few tequila shots …

Newbie One: Kodi V. aka Sol Sista - - Nurse, twisted sense of mind, couldn’t get enough Sol beer and dear to my heart

Newbie Two: Nady B. aka Guacamaca - - Elementary Café Manager and a fellow co worker. EXTREME lover of Guacamole

Newbie Three: Jackie S. aka Mojito Mama - - Computer Diva - don't let the quiet ones fool you

Plans began August 2009. Should have been six of us this trip

but Fate can be a twisted be-auch.

Three places to call home

Casa el Pio/Shell House/Mayafair Design Hotel

Two separate flights

Catz & Sol March 13-21 Guacamaca & Mojito Momma March 15-21

One awesome vacation

And so begins the twisted fate of the Eight Syllables

Morning didn’t come fast enough on March 13. Our son Aelias was taking me to the airport after we met Kodi (Sol Sista), her sister Leslie & her son Chance at Cracker Barrel in Irving for pre flight excitement and a decent meal before our 11:40 flight. It wasn’t gonna be my usual non-stop flight this time - - waiting on others to get their tickets – Should have jumped that price in October for $268 non-stop, round trip - -cost Kodi & I $768 each to get to Isla by way of the North Pole or so it seemed. Nady & Jackie paid $678 for theirs. Will I wait for others to get a flight again? NEVA!!

Great meal and conversation and all too soon, we are kissing Aelias farewell & watching him burn gas as he takes off in his Mustang…he really wanted to take me all the way to the airport – no matter, he’s picking me up on the return trip – that boys loves to drive! Kodi & I hop in with Leslie & Chance who drop us at the airport at 11AM.

Back up a momento….Kodi, sweet Kodi, on November 12, 1990 she gave Bob and I the most precious gift of our lives. We adopted her child, our son Aelias. SO there’s a history there…that’s another story but he was tickled never the less to see his “two Mom’s” off on a Girls Trip during Spring Break…any other kid it would twist their mind – but Aelias ROCKS and told me I better not come back to the U.S. without a Soccer jersey for him.. he towers at 6’8” so I tend to listen (yeah right!!).

Grinning like we stole something,(that's us at the top this page) we geek at the camera, have one last smoke before we check in at DFW – Mexicana Flight 0843 to Mexico City(The North Pole)where we layover (let me stop shaking – the memory of that airport STILL gives me the willies) and continue Mexicana flight 7322 to Cancun.

Lungs filled, bladders emptied, nothing to check in, smooth all the way through the cattle gates (body & luggage screening), glad we’re not flying with that group of 60 pre-teens to Cozumel – the chaperones already looked worn out. Settle in to fill out Green Cards and the other form – do it now so we can giggle like idiots on the flight. Did I say idiots? I meant GIGANTIC idiots!!

Boarding passes ripped and down the ramp to our seats on the back of the plane–I don’t have a problem sitting in the back of planes, the back of the bus is another issue but wait - - what the hell? “Ma’am (to me) there will not be room on the plane for your carry on.” Who, what, excuse me, come again? Okay – Kodi has a rolling carry on, a giant leather purse. I have a half full squishy canvas bag, and my camera bag. To the dude with the clipboard “You’re telling me that being first on the plane I have to leave my stuff – but it’s squishy!” And I fold it and he still tells me there isn’t room. As I look around, there are four other bags that SHOULD have been checked especially that pink & black polka dot number that Frankenstein could have fit in along with a stroller and some guys guitar case. Well, hell. Kodi is about to get ballistic, I squeeze her arm, rub her back (we were dubbed Lesbians from that moment on during our travels) and yank my purse out of my carryon, kiss it goodbye and hand it over. The guy gives me a slip of paper and no clear instructions of where to gather my bag when we land. He scribbles the flight number on the ticket attached to my bag – but how does he know where we are going – we’re on a connecting flight. Oh well, Hortencia can make me a new set of clothes and I can buy a toothbrush when we get to Isla.

As is my custom, I touch the plane, say a quick prayer and step aboard. Well I’ll be giggered!! The plane has maybe 20 people on board and there’s no room for my one bag? Kodi’s cussing up a streak and I’m worried I’ll never see my black tennis shoes and CD player again. I make eye contact with one of the flight attendants who was in a pissy mood and wearing waaaay to much makeup and ask where would I pick up my bag? Feigning no Engleesh – she rolls her eyes and turns her head. Can I go to jail for punching a Stew? Okay – breathe – this is just a glitch, had to happen sometime – if this is the worst I’m a happy girl. Kodi is pointing at each empty overhead compartment and projecting PG 13 sentences.

Whoa-up!! We are to sit in the last row 26 E & F. I look at my ticket to make sure. There are two 19-ish girls sitting in our seats. Kodi has that look on her face – oh shit – you girls better move unless you want to be flying on the wings!

The Asian girl in my seat had the nerve to ask – “Do you mind trading seats with us so I can sit next to my friend (O Passive One was in her original seat)? Kodi shot her a look that melted all the ice on the plane and told her “I don’t think so, we paid for THESE seats, not those. We are sitting together, I don’t care where you sit!” You go Kodi. I got your back. For $768 a piece…read her the daily special!!

Asian Girl moved one row up by the window in front of Kodi – I wonder did she kick her chair during the entire flight? O Passive One put on her headsets and slept the entire trip – all that drama for a nap.

Flight is leaving five minutes late cuz the Carry On Mafia Dude is trying to find those whose bags he took so he could tell us to meet our bags in Mexico City at Gate 7 something. Yeah, yeah, what’s your name and address so I can look YOU up if my luggage goes missing. He smiles at me and backs away a little faster. Did I have THAT look on my face? You bet. Never got his address, but his name was Hector Martinez..oh Hector…….

Up – up and may I have a beer? Ten minutes in the air and cocktails are flowing. We each have a beer Tecate and something, then we see how the Stew is pouring Rum and Coke. She upturns the Rum bottle while chatting with a passenger and puts two splashes of Coke on top. Kodi flags her down and says, “I’ll have one of those you just made!!” By the time we landed, she was feeling ever so airy!! I didn’t like the Tecate beer – waiting for an ice cold Sol on Isla. Good looking Male Stew with Tony Curtis eyes comes around - lunch choice of Pasta or Chicken – I opt for Pasta – Chicken wasn’t meant to fly. Kodi had Chicken with potatoes that tasted like refried beans. Glad I chose Pasta – not bad, not great but not bad.

Out of the window we start to bank left, then right then almost a 180 degrees... are the guys in the tower playing Red Light Green Light with the pilots? Smog. Oh my, is that Mexico City? Twenty million people in this city and the only green area we see is the green on the lady’s dress in front of us. Coming in for a landing – right on top of those colorful concrete houses so it seems, so many concrete buildings, the lower we get I can spot Mini-Supers on every corner. The red smog looked like something from Stephen King’s memories, washing the air in a fine bloody mist, mood music, grey mountains capped with snow(Mexico has snow?) I’ll take Volcanos for $250. On time, very smooth landing, handsome pilot to say Hola and Gracias to. Hey ya’ll exit quickly, I’ve got a bag to locate !!