We Made The Move

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

I arrived in Mexico City at 2:30 and took a taxi to Texcoco. I was already wondering if we would have a place to move to as planned. The driver took me straight to the hotel. Amazing how they can know there way around D.F. and all its surrounding suburbs.

The trailer was safe and sound just like I had left it and Juan had things ready and secure for our departure. We were being guided at night, leaving around 10 p.m. to avoid transito as well as traffic. It was still early and I couldn’t sit still. I was able to get a nap in which helped to pass the time. Still it was only 6 p.m. and we had four more hours to go.

We went for a walk in Texcoco. The mail plaza is only two blocks from the hotel and it is a beautiful place. A huge indoor market that sells everything from fresh produce, meat, seafood, electronics, clothes and more. Lots of colors and smells but not the usual stinky markets we sometimes run into.

I had been wanting a coffee for quite sometime and there was a small coffee shop next to the hotel parking lot. The minute I walked in the owner started asking me questions about where I was from. She even attempted to speak a little English, pretty well too!. Her father had a small coffee plantation in Puebla, she sells the coffee in Texcoco, ground roast, whole bean and fresh brewed. Her husband works for an American company in Ohio and she practices her English with him and their two children. She said her kids had wanted to see the rv all weekend. We invited her over for a look and exchanged emails.

Then we went for a slice of the best pizza we have had in a long time. I was getting my ego back as everyone was talking with us and treating us so well. It was good to shake that feeling I had been carrying on my shoulders all weekend.

Nine o’clock rolls around and we took a walk to the main plaza again, this time to find our taxi driver. He wasn’t answering his cell phone and I was getting anxious. We asked for 220, his taxi number, but they hadn’t seen him. We sat on a bench and watched people for awhile and then decided to head back to the hotel. As we began walking, 220 drove up. He said he was waiting for the key to the gate where we were going to stay. Ah, a sigh of relief. We headed back to the hotel, got the trailer turned around and ready to head out. The night guard unlocked and opened the gate and just then the 220 drove up. He stopped traffic, pulled his taxi out in front and we followed behind. I knew then we were in good hands. It was a twenty minute drive across town and we drove pretty slow with our emergency flashers on. Not much traffic and very patient drivers.

Juan knew the route so as we got close he said, “this is the finally street”, home safe. What a production that followed. I would say six of the houses on the street are all family members of 220. People were waiting at the gate, the kids in tow, and they walked down the street as if it were a parade, people in front and people behind. We arrived to our parking spot and just like some goofy rv park scene from a movie, everyone directing me, “a little more this way”, “no, over here, it’s not straight”, “try it again”. I was in too good of a mood to let chaos bother me and we finally got FuFi in place. The kids were fascinated, and I think the adults to, when we put the slides out. It was a real show, especially after we got the cats out of the truck. Then everyone wanted to talk and spent another half hour in conversation. Some relatives came for the event from other neighborhoods too.

Off to bed. We put on the national Mexican news, fixed a drink and had a nice piece of dark chocolate. I drifted off to sleep and was happy to be back in my bed safe and sound. This is the good side of Mexico that I love so much. Today, Tuesday, we will see how our research project will take off. If we don’t get a satisfactory response we may head off to Queretero via the “Arco Norte” , or head to warmer climes.