Day #1 - Singa's

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Getting There....!

First day is actually in Singapore. This is okay, cause i at least know my way around.... I used this familiar ground to test my pack out, and chose the 2.50 train ride (1 hour +) instead of a door-to-door taxi service....

It was okay, except for the humidity, the 35 degree weather and having to carry / stand up with my pack for 1 hour+. I have always wanted to weigh 100 kg (not) now i do. Actually, my pack is a little heavy, with combined weight of about 21kg (shouldn't really go over 20%!o(MISSING)f body weight), but it seemed okay ( i'll tell you tomorrow).

I think i have now been familiarised with the term 'budget accommodation". Talk about spartan ( i am not really used to it, the last time i went budget was about 4 years ago in borneo.... short memory). I have a shared room with 12 (yes, twelve) using a double-story/bunk approach (well i guess it is singapore, i think Mexico has a lower density "backpacker packing" approach so should be a little more spacious (but i should not speak too soon).

Flight Summary

3:30am wake up call for 6:30am departure from Singapore.
Singapore -> Hong Kong (4 hours) with 2 hour stop over
Hong Kong -> San Francisco (13 hours) with 2 hour stop over
San Francisco -> Mexico City (4 hours)

Airport Security

Talk about tight security now.... singapore had two security checks and one bag check. The HK transit had another security check and bag check this is where i found my small swiss-army knife that i thought i had forgotten. Well actually airport security found it and decided that i didn't need it any longer....(bummer). When i got to the U.S. they made you take off your shoes, they scanned everything (again) and also did a bag check! Worse, when you got to immigration they took your fingerprints and photo this is getting ridiculous!

Missing Luggage

Anyways, to make things interesting, when i got to San Francisco my back pack decided not to arrive and were 'misplaced'!? They were checked in at Hong Kong but never arrived in San Francisco.... this was rather distressing since i would have no clothes and only basic toiletries. (READ PANIC) if it was LOST then i would be seriously screwed. Rather than stop in San Fran and wait i took my next flight. The baggage people told me to report the missing luggage when i get to Mexico City (i was not feeling good at this point i can tell you).

Catching the SanFran-Mexico connection proved to be a bit of a panic run since there was only about 1.5 hours to clear customers, baggage claim and then board. Regardless it was all for nothing as when i boarded the plane it was being 'repaired' due to some mechanical problems.....after waiting only 30 minutes the captain declared the plane fit for travel, however when they closed the door, the 'problem' came back so we sat there for another 1.5 hours while they really fixed it. 2 hours late, we got underway.... arrivinging in Mexico City at 7:30pm.

Mexico City

When i arrived in Mexico airport, i checked the luggage carrousel and there was my luggage (relief!). So i cleared customs (a little different to U.S. immigration) which took about 2 minutes... security is not so tight... the arrivals area in Mexico City seems a lot like KL international airport in terms of the number of people and the chaos (but not as clean). I just moved through the crowd of people fast and found the 'regulated taxi service', got a ticket and was on my way to "Hotel Amigo".

I really did not want to arrive in Mexico at night. This city is simply a huge sprawl, with a population for nearly 20 million, but no choice. The taxi drive was uneventful but the driver had a similar style to KL taxi drivers (fast and dangerous) but that's okay cause i was used to it. The scary part was when he decided to take a few 'dark alleys' (short cuts) but it was okay.... overall not much to see as it was dark.

Got checked in around 10pm and tried to sleep but did not sleep well...... strange environment, strange bed, shared accommodation..... managed some sleep around mid-night but woke by 6:45am (ouch).

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Comments

[Tay]

Hasta la vista
Good to know that you touched down safe. Aha! All the delays in SF was God's way of giving time for backpack to regroup! hmmmm. I talked to Pamela, who lived in Mexico for a few years (now Las Vegas), she said Good Luck?!!! And... don't panic if you find the supermarket is an aviary in Mexico, wild birds fly freely in supermarket. You found your long lost swiss knife, but now it is under the custody of American Custom? Bummer indeed. Keep updating the blog, Can post some photos of authentic Mexican food? Pls, not that of Taco Bell! Besitos

[Albyone]

Damn luggage!!!
U got some guts choosing to fight for the wherabouts of your backpack in Mexico rather that SF. Bloody lucky result me thinks! Keep up the updates - nothing makes me feel better at work than reading about someone elses travels OS.... NOT!

[Tay]

Photos
Hey, Champ, one photo per week? Is that the ration? It is a nice photo, but it doesn't really whet our appetite for tequila, fajitas and enchiladas. Press on the gas a bit, would you? Besitos avec salsa et nacho