10:30 am
I woke up at 9 am this morning, 24 hours before our flight. I checked my email while my coffee was brewing and saw 'CHECK IN NOW' from AeroMexico. Ok! So, I try to check in but because our first flight is with Westjet, it said I have to check in with them. So, I try to check in with Westjet but, of course, it doesn't work. So, I call Westjet and the nice CSR lady said she can't check me in but she can assign seats and we just need to get out boarding passes when we get to the airport tomorrow. But, she adds ominously, she sees something weird on our AeroMex flight plan. I should call them. Ah, yea. So, I call them, no d'uh.
Omar from AeroMex checked my flights and all is well. He put me on hold for a while and said that I can try to check in again in 30 minutes. I am currently waiting 30 minutes with you all.
Oh, yea, as I was on AeroMex's website, I see a big banner that says that the Mexico City airport is undergoing renovations so we should plan for at least a two and a half layover. Our layover is one hour 20 minutes. We fly into and our of Terminal 2 so I assume it will be fine. Omar agrees.
Ok, I am going to try to check in again.... Nope. And my blog is still being blocked by Facebook. And I can't sync my IPod. At least my coffee machine didn't let me down.
It's almost 11 am, I guess I better go pack.
12:15 pm.
Making my second pot of coffee. Charging my travel computer and my camera. Changed the memory card so it is easier to upload photos to the blog.
I decided to not take my Fitbit watch on this trip. I am taking my old travel watch (Timex Expedition) but the battery was dead. So, I bought a new battery and figured I would change it myself. I've changed watch batteries before so I didn't give it a second thought. Last night I grabbed the watch and the battery. Hmm, watch back is screwed in with teeny-tiny screws. Found a teeny-tiny screw driver. Unscrewed three screws mostly easily. Fourth one, not easy. I eventually just wrenched the back off and bent the fourth screw.
First thing I see is a sticker which I immediately ripped off. Then I could see the battery with a metal clip holding it in. I could not figure out how to remove the clip. I figured my previous 'wrenching' strategy was probably not a good idea for this part.
To the Googles! First sites I find mostly seem to be freaking out about the sticker. DO NOT remove the sticker without taking a picture first, positioning is vital! Great.
Just so you know, there are so many kinds of Timex watches and even more battery clips. I eventually google imaged searched to find my watch/battery clip. Found it, not my watch but my clip, good enough. I got it done, had to use wire cutters to deal with the bent fourth screw which is a write-off. It all worked but I assume it isn't water proof anymore. Turns out the sticker is not that big a deal.
Also, currently washing my bedding so C&J have nice clean sheets for when they arrive tomorrow. I will just sleep on a bare mattress tonight (just kidding, they get the nice sheets, I will use the old sheets).
3:04pm.
Oh, for the love of all that is good and holy, packing etc have gone off the rails.
I am still charging things. I realized, I should charge my second battery for my camera. Where is my second battery. Search, search, search.
C arrived for the cat/house tour instructions. Little visit so I don't seem totally ungrateful for her (probably) keeping the cat alive. At this point, I realize, it is just going to be easier to go buy a new battery so I offered to drive C home because she lives near London Drugs, totally forgetting that she is finishing up a dog-sitting gig and is staying way the hell and gone. But again, she & J are doing me a huge favour, and really, don't be a jerk Joanne, so off to the edge of earth to drop off C, then to London Drugs to buy a $60 battery because I can't be sure I will find the second one and if I don't find it and don't buy another one today, it ain't getting found/bought. One hour round trip, really not that bad.
So, now. I don't even know..., I have kind of lost the train...
4:36pm
I am recovered from my spaz. I remembered that I hadn't remembered to eat. So I had some left over chicken (in my ongoing effort to empty my fridge) and a shower. Then I put my packing cubes into my backpack and it all seems to fit. Still charging stuff so the computer and camera still have to go in. I have a list somewhere, I wonder where it might be. Probably with the camera battery.
I have an idea about how to get around Facebook's ban of my blog. I posted these pictures to my FB page. Now it just for the principle of it.
I also just tried to check in with AeroMex again. I am pretty sure it has been longer than 30 minutes. Still no love. Omar, you are like the pinky ring of life: ineffective (that is a joke for one person only who will get it immediately).
I remembered where my list was. It is with all of my printouts of my tickets and reservations etc for the trip (sorry Rob, I am a Luddite through and through) . So I checked my folder with those printouts and found my tax receipts for 2019. So, I guess my printouts are at work somewhere. Time to start printing.
6pm
Bed cleared of all travel stuff that didn't make it into the bag. Dishes washed. Sheets folded. Floors vacuumed.
I assured C that the cat doesn't use the litter box but I would clean it after she was trapped during the snow storm. So, I cleaned it. 10 seconds later, as I was tying off the garbage bag, what do I hear, scratch scratch scratch. Typical cat, can't leave clean litter clean. Sorry C, apparently she is still using the litter box.
Still charging. My travel computer is the worst. It is so slow and doesn't save anything. I bought a memory card for it this week so I can download my pictures so if I lose my camera, I won't lose my photos. Plus it is hard to upload photos to the blog from the camera.
I have tickets to a comedy show downtown tonight (I know, I know, what was I thinking) so I have another hour or so and then I am probably done for the day.
6:44 pm
Both camera batteries charged so I can take pictures again. Here is my guest bed/packing zone now:
I woke up at 9 am this morning, 24 hours before our flight. I checked my email while my coffee was brewing and saw 'CHECK IN NOW' from AeroMexico. Ok! So, I try to check in but because our first flight is with Westjet, it said I have to check in with them. So, I try to check in with Westjet but, of course, it doesn't work. So, I call Westjet and the nice CSR lady said she can't check me in but she can assign seats and we just need to get out boarding passes when we get to the airport tomorrow. But, she adds ominously, she sees something weird on our AeroMex flight plan. I should call them. Ah, yea. So, I call them, no d'uh.
Omar from AeroMex checked my flights and all is well. He put me on hold for a while and said that I can try to check in again in 30 minutes. I am currently waiting 30 minutes with you all.
Oh, yea, as I was on AeroMex's website, I see a big banner that says that the Mexico City airport is undergoing renovations so we should plan for at least a two and a half layover. Our layover is one hour 20 minutes. We fly into and our of Terminal 2 so I assume it will be fine. Omar agrees.
Ok, I am going to try to check in again.... Nope. And my blog is still being blocked by Facebook. And I can't sync my IPod. At least my coffee machine didn't let me down.
It's almost 11 am, I guess I better go pack.
12:15 pm.
Making my second pot of coffee. Charging my travel computer and my camera. Changed the memory card so it is easier to upload photos to the blog.
I decided to not take my Fitbit watch on this trip. I am taking my old travel watch (Timex Expedition) but the battery was dead. So, I bought a new battery and figured I would change it myself. I've changed watch batteries before so I didn't give it a second thought. Last night I grabbed the watch and the battery. Hmm, watch back is screwed in with teeny-tiny screws. Found a teeny-tiny screw driver. Unscrewed three screws mostly easily. Fourth one, not easy. I eventually just wrenched the back off and bent the fourth screw.
First thing I see is a sticker which I immediately ripped off. Then I could see the battery with a metal clip holding it in. I could not figure out how to remove the clip. I figured my previous 'wrenching' strategy was probably not a good idea for this part.
To the Googles! First sites I find mostly seem to be freaking out about the sticker. DO NOT remove the sticker without taking a picture first, positioning is vital! Great.
Just so you know, there are so many kinds of Timex watches and even more battery clips. I eventually google imaged searched to find my watch/battery clip. Found it, not my watch but my clip, good enough. I got it done, had to use wire cutters to deal with the bent fourth screw which is a write-off. It all worked but I assume it isn't water proof anymore. Turns out the sticker is not that big a deal.
 |
| How to change a Timex battery |
3:04pm.
Oh, for the love of all that is good and holy, packing etc have gone off the rails.
I am still charging things. I realized, I should charge my second battery for my camera. Where is my second battery. Search, search, search.
C arrived for the cat/house tour instructions. Little visit so I don't seem totally ungrateful for her (probably) keeping the cat alive. At this point, I realize, it is just going to be easier to go buy a new battery so I offered to drive C home because she lives near London Drugs, totally forgetting that she is finishing up a dog-sitting gig and is staying way the hell and gone. But again, she & J are doing me a huge favour, and really, don't be a jerk Joanne, so off to the edge of earth to drop off C, then to London Drugs to buy a $60 battery because I can't be sure I will find the second one and if I don't find it and don't buy another one today, it ain't getting found/bought. One hour round trip, really not that bad.
So, now. I don't even know..., I have kind of lost the train...
4:36pm
I am recovered from my spaz. I remembered that I hadn't remembered to eat. So I had some left over chicken (in my ongoing effort to empty my fridge) and a shower. Then I put my packing cubes into my backpack and it all seems to fit. Still charging stuff so the computer and camera still have to go in. I have a list somewhere, I wonder where it might be. Probably with the camera battery.
I have an idea about how to get around Facebook's ban of my blog. I posted these pictures to my FB page. Now it just for the principle of it.
I also just tried to check in with AeroMex again. I am pretty sure it has been longer than 30 minutes. Still no love. Omar, you are like the pinky ring of life: ineffective (that is a joke for one person only who will get it immediately).
I remembered where my list was. It is with all of my printouts of my tickets and reservations etc for the trip (sorry Rob, I am a Luddite through and through) . So I checked my folder with those printouts and found my tax receipts for 2019. So, I guess my printouts are at work somewhere. Time to start printing.
6pm
Bed cleared of all travel stuff that didn't make it into the bag. Dishes washed. Sheets folded. Floors vacuumed.
I assured C that the cat doesn't use the litter box but I would clean it after she was trapped during the snow storm. So, I cleaned it. 10 seconds later, as I was tying off the garbage bag, what do I hear, scratch scratch scratch. Typical cat, can't leave clean litter clean. Sorry C, apparently she is still using the litter box.
Still charging. My travel computer is the worst. It is so slow and doesn't save anything. I bought a memory card for it this week so I can download my pictures so if I lose my camera, I won't lose my photos. Plus it is hard to upload photos to the blog from the camera.
I have tickets to a comedy show downtown tonight (I know, I know, what was I thinking) so I have another hour or so and then I am probably done for the day.
6:44 pm
Both camera batteries charged so I can take pictures again. Here is my guest bed/packing zone now:
Ok, I am going to sign off. Packing is technically done. I probably won't post again until Lima.
See you all in South America!
Safe travels xxoo
ReplyDeleteReading this stressed me out so much even though I know you're already in Peru.
ReplyDeleteTurns out I forgot a pen. But I hear from the locals from around these parts that a pen can be procured with the right connections. Oh, and I didn't print the train tickets but our hostel here has a printer (s/1 per page). So, not too bad for what seemed like a totally unorganized day.
Delete