Trip of Giants - Phoenix to Guanajuato

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Kept awake worrying about things that could go wrong, both Ky and I were up before 6am. But so far we're on the plane to IAH Houston and no problems. I've found seeds now for the giant Sequoia tree, Joshua tree, and giant Saguaro cactus. I picture the Joshua trees and Saguaros in front of our arched italian front garden wall ( to be built). Not sure where the Sequoia will fit... It's going to be exotic!

The complimentary buffet breakfast is the best yet, scrambled eggs and bacon, fruit selection etc. The shuttle ride to the airport fast and painless, less than ten minutes. Shops in the Terminal 2 at the gates are really nice, with lots of indian art to look at.

The planes to both Houston and Guanajuato are little 50-seaters, 3 seats to a row. We aren't given seat numbers for the second flight so I wait at the check-in until the last boarding call to get our seats. The hostess tries hard and shuffles people around but we still end up 2-1-1 in different rows.

The customs form for Mexico causes a little problem as it is in spanish as they've run out of the english ones. I make sense of a quarter of it, very similar to NZ, Aus and USA, then a lady in front helps with the rest. I'm not sure how they'll treat the seeds so declare them and hope for the best. But final security and customs check is almost a non-event. We aren't even asked what fruits, seeds we have. So my banana bought in Williams and probably from Ecuador enters Mexico (gets eaten the next day). We exit customs into the cool, marble lined floor and not the mad rush of people I expected.

Taxi Mex$430 from a counter in the airport. Seems the airport has a monopoly. One hour later we arrive at the Villa de la Plata and begin the laborious process of understanding the spanish-only speaking lady who tries to explain events to us. Later we understand its to do with being RCI guests. We move into our room, a spacious two bed with almost full kitchen, lounges, two TVs. A bad smell precedes us but we decide to wait and see if it dissipates. The noise and lights of the neghbouring street and traffic on this corner stand as a warning to all future guests: decline room "O".

It's getting close to eight and the in-house restaurant is closed, so we ask for a close-by restaurant and are directed to "camminando cinco minuto" (walk five minutes) up the road to La Valenciana. So up the road we go, no footpath, just rough bits of stone, gravel and drains, with the traffic wizzing past on the windy road. We do find a restaurant in La Valenciana but it has also closed. Other restaurant hours tell the same story: 8pm is it. So we find a typical tiny little shop, hole-in-the-wall style, and collect tomatoes, avocados, tortillas and other bits and pieces and walk back to our room for a supper.

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