Dec 30, arrived in Mexico

We were only a couple of hours from our destination. The plane cruised through the air at 30,000 feet, my heart was beating to match the pace of the jets that roared into the afternoon sun.

It was strange being in a place with so many people. We tried to wear our N95 masks – but they were so uncomfortable to be obnoxious. And no one else was wearing them – so said my fifteen-year-old. She was right. Most people on the plane and in the airport were wearing cloth masks. Social distance was impossible. I knew when we decided to push through with the trip we were taking a chance. But what is life without some risk?

Indeed why live if you need to stay stale and safe… 

I understand some people need to stay safe, and I understand why. There were many times during the day I felt anxious and stressed by the situation. But as I sit here looking at the view of Downtown Cabo, I’m glad I did push through and take the risk.

I sat on the plane waiting for summer when the flight attendant came by and offered us refreshments. I joked with her that gone are the days of the free drinks on the plane. That I remembered a time when drinks were included… I told her she must have been a kid when that was happening.

She smiled under her mask and chuckled. Flattery was one way to get a free drink she said. The next thing I knew she was asking me what I drank with my ginger ale- rum was my immediate reply.

“Don’t tell anyone,” she whispered as she handed me a little bottle of rum. My day brightened up.

This was going to be a good trip.

Until the car rental centre.

But I knew it going in. I knew they would up the price and try to screw us around. I was right.

Somehow they lost my booking for my car. The prices were almost double what we expected. But they had us. Did we want to walk away and take the bus or find a cab to get to Cabo? No, we wanted the car, we wanted freedom.

Freedom comes at a price.

Nine hundred US for ten days was our price for freedom. It started out as four hundred but they claimed the reservation I made did not exist. They also told me the price of the insurance was 45 per day instead of 33. How badly did we want the freedom to have a car and how much did we need one? 

Two hours later and with my frustration level at a boil we drove away with a supposed upgrade and nine hundred dollars poorer. 

But we have the freedom to go where we want when we want. Some things in life are free like a drink on an airplane, some – not so much.