We didn’t fly out until 5:30pm so we got up when we woke up, had breakfast and took a taxi into town to look for some ceramics and a gift for our critter sitter to bring home. We picked up the critter sitter a beaded turtle from a local artist shop that I’d been into several times. He carves out a figure in wood, then coats the entire surface in beeswax by hand. Then teensy tiny coloured beads are painstakingly pressed into the wax in elaborate and traditional patterns. they are amazing.
With the gift out of the way, we wandered up and down the streets looking for a ceramic store I’d seen earlier in the trip. Didn’t find it, but found a different one that was adequate, and purchased a couple of small hand painted plates.
That out of the way, we caught a taxi back to the mall to buy a small bag to carry the ceramics on the plane, and then walked back along the marina shops to the hotel where we enjoyed a last drink by the pool before heading to the airport. It was hot and humid and the thought of the cooler and drier (??) air of Vancouver is almost haunting. The plane ride was uneventful, other than several children racing up and down the aisle.
We thought we were so smart getting our Nexus passes. Oh yes, we would whiz past any lines and get through customs quick-like.
Not so.
We scanned our irises, took our passes, and headed through the customs, where we were directed to take an alternate door, and wait, and wait. Eventually a fellow came by and asked us to follow him. Our luggage was passed through an x-ray and we were questioned for a few minutes. Finally he said we could go. We asked if we’d done something wrong and he said no, just quality check, checking that we were adhering to the Nexus guidelines.
Canada Line to downtown, taxis to home. Thought it was all over until Kirk realized his credit card had vanished somewhere between the taxi and the front door. We thought it had been left in the cab until we saw three huge charges from three different gas stations come thorugh. Called it in, cancelled the cards, what a pain.
But we are home. Mexico was fun, but hot, and humid, and I wilt in those conditions. But I’d still go again.
