Barcelo Maya Riviera: Travel Day
I have a 6am flight to Cancun from DFW. I got dropped off at 4:05am. You know it’s early when Starbucks isn’t open.
It turns out I was dropped off at the wrong end of the terminal. That was American Airlines and it was empty. I entered near check-in window 100. Way down at window 1 I find out I’m not the only person in this airport.
I am flying Sun Country today. It isn’t even on the kiosk.
I did online check-in last night and they emailed me my boarding pass but I always still have to go through the check-in line to drop off my bag. Well in Houston on United I didn’t have to go through the full line. The kiosk printed out my bag tag and an employee at the luggage carousel took my bag before I got to the front of the line.
In the security line this guy was joking with his friends about my “vaccinated” shirt not being official proof of vaccination. Not that I’ve been anywhere that I’ve even been asked. But it’s just a courtesy. Maybe it’s going out of style. This shirt was a big hit in this airport two months ago.
The next time we passed in the zig zag line I pointed out a guy in a “world’s greatest grandpa” shirt and told him he should go ask that guy for his documentation of the title.
It took less than 15 minutes to get through security.
I like to book the exit row aisle seats and I try to book with nobody in the seat next to me. As of last night when I checked in I was the only person on the row. I doubt I’ll be that lucky when we takeoff.
I always like to make sure the plane is there before I go exploring. It’s 4:43. Boarding starts in 32 minutes. I’m going looking for breakfast.
In this part of the terminal there’s an Applebee’s, Bahn Shop, and a Wall Street Journal snack/news stand. All are closed.
Pinkberry, Starbucks, Tex Mex, Chick-Fil-A, Subway, Flying Saucer and 7-11 are all closed. It looks like they are getting close to opening 7-11 and a breakfast window at Flying Saucer.
Shopping.
I wish it were 5 pm instead of 5am, Cantina Laredo.
I have passed two closed Starbucks. I think that means I’ve walked too far. McDonald’s is also closed. I waited until 5am to make sure they weren’t opening at 5. I’m heading back to the gate.
Back at the gate at 5:10am. Everything is still closed. It looks like I’m boarding without breakfast.
I like the leg room on these exit row seats. In a standard seat my knees would’ve been in the back of the seat in front of me. It was a $24 upgrade each way on Sun Country which is similar to that of Spirit.
Nobody else is in my row yet. They have USB ports down by the seats.
Nobody is in the seats directly in front of or behind me either.
A few minutes ago. A guy that looked like a bag loader came on the plane and walked to the back.
Now they just made an announcement that we have a couple late bags and they want to make sure all of the luggage makes it to Cancun.
We’re pulling out. I have this row to myself!
They tell us we have free inflight entertainment on their website but I can’t get anything to load.
It’s 6:45 and seatbelt sign is still on. Flight attendant comes on the intercom and tells us to remain seated we’re going to be flying though some weather.
She comes back on and says we’re going to be going through some bumpy conditions in 5 minutes.
The sun starts to come in my window. Most people have their windows closed. I don’t really want to move and close mine because then I can’t see out when the sun moves away.
Headphones here gets really frustrated and holds up his safety card to block the sun. He could just look right. There’s nobody in his middle seat.
It makes me wonder what the etiquette is. Am I obligated to close the shade for the benefit of others? Technically I’m in my assigned seat and the seatbelt sign is on and I can’t reach it.
How is that sun treating you? Haha
At 7am I guess the lady in the row in front of me decided she wasn’t waiting for the seatbelt sign to come down and went to use the bathroom. Another announcement comes in to stay seated.
7:10 another announcement to stay seated the flight attendant was stopped by the lady in front of me and they appear to be engaged in a heated conversation.
At 7:25 the seatbelt sign comes off for the first time. I move over to the window seat so I can see better.
Ten minutes later they start the beverage service. I order a diet coke.
I wonder if the other passengers would appreciate it if I shouted “WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE WING?”
It’s not looking like there’s going to be any snack packs on this flight. And this is the one time I would really appreciate it. I really thought I’d be able to get breakfast somewhere in the airport by 5am.
7:45 I contemplate snatching cheez-its while the lady down the row is in the bathroom and her husband is asleep.
7:55 They pass out immigration forms and tell us they must be filled out before you can get off the plane.
7:56 No they don’t have any pens.
That’s a bunch of nonsense. I didn’t have mine filled out last time because I didn’t have a pen and I wasn’t borrowing someone else’s. There was no problem with me filling mine out on the ground.
We are crossing into Mexico.
We land at 8:33am.
Ugh the same smell as soon as you turn that last corner on the ramp. if I come back post-COVID I may still wear a mask. I don’t know what it is about this part of the airport. The part you are in before a flight doesn’t smell this way.
Donde esta el bano? I try to stay out of the airplane bathrooms so that’s the first place I’m heading when I get off of the plane.
When I get to the front of the immigration line the lady asked if it was my first time in Mexico. I was like no I was in Cozumel last month and here the month before. Then on cruises I’ve been to Cozumel 11 times and Progreso five times. Then last year I went to Cabo and Puerto Vallarta and……
She cuts me off
“Have a good day sir. NEXT!”
But I wasn’t finished telling you about my cruises.
They had the dog come by and smell us.
My luggage should be on carousel 5.
I’m walking to the other side so I can get this shot without being obvious. Those blue walls in the background is where they stop you and inspect your bags. Last time I was walking alone and smiled at the lady working it. Though she may not have been able to tell with the mask. I think that’s what made it easier for her to stop me. This time I’m going to walk on the other side away from where they are and try to act like I’m with people.
You have got to be kidding me! Same chick. Same table. I was less pleasant this time.
All of my friends are still here. I thought I was going to know exactly where to go since I did this two months ago but they changed things up. Last time we exited straight ahead. Then there was a mobile Margaritaville bar on the right and my transportation company was down on the left. This time that exit is blocked off and they have us exiting to the left.
That covered area is where my transportation company was last time.
They have a Mini Market. I’m just going to wait for real food from the hotel at this point.
I found my transportation company, Lomas. She tells me it’s a shared ride and I need to come back in 20 minutes.
I head to the Welcome Bar.
No sooner do I sit down and she comes over “your ride is here hurry hurry.”
What do you know? Nobody else is going to Barcelo so I have another private ride for the shared ride price.
They do have cup holders.
There is no WiFi on this vehicle. The two Lomas vehicles I had last time both had WiFi. Fortunately I have my AT&T unlimited talk, text, and data in Mexico to fall back on.
I think the driver was surprised when he asked “is this your first time to Mexico?” And I told him I was in Cozumel last month and here the month before.
We are heading into Playa Del Carmen which is about 30 minutes away from the resort.
And we are pulling up to Barcelo.
Security is checking to make sure everything is legit.
We are passing a couple of other resort lobbies on the way to mine.
And we have arrived.
Continue to Barcelo Maya Riviera: Day 1
