A Shitty Day in Mexico, Part I

Yesterday was Memorial Day. Alba managed to get a day off yesterday, so for the first time in almost two months we'd have a day off together. She always works during the weekend, when I have off. And her "weekend" is during the week when I have to work. Consequently, we rarely get to actually do anything together.

So, here was the plan:

I rented a night at the Hilton in San Diego (a 5-Star resort), so we could drive down on Sunday as soon as she got off work and got cleaned up. We'd spend a relaxing evening there, perhaps heading to downtown San Diego to walk along the waterfront, go shopping, or whatever (if time). Then, we'd have a lazy morning before heading down to Tijuana to maybe eat some delicious Mexican food, browse the little shops, whatever. Then come back home early Monday evening. In other words, just a nice little overnight trip before going back to work on Teusday.

That's what was SUPPOSED to happen. Here's what ACTUALLY happened:

On Saturday night, Alba called her sister "M," (name has been changed to protect the not-so-innocent) to ask her where is the best place is to eat fried fish in Tijuana. "M" goes there all the time and should know. Well...turns out "M" was planning on going to Tijuana on Monday, too! (That's a sarcastic "!") So guess what?

Yep...we pick up a third wheel.

Suddenly, it becomes "M"s little trip. I don't want "M" to stay with us in the hotel...I'd already reserved a room...it was expensive...and I had other things in mind. So we drop her off at the border, where she is to meet and stay with a friend of her's in Tijuana. We're supposed to meet up with her the next morning at 9:00 am. (Not the lazy morning I had planned.)

Nor, did we get to the hotel early evening either. I had to wait forever for Alba to get ready. Then, we had to eat dinner at "M"s house, instead of someplace nice in San Diego. Then we had to wait for "M" to get ready. Then we had to drive her an extra half an hour down to the border, then the half an hour back to the hotel. Consequently, it wasn't the "relaxing evening" I had planned, either. We didn't get to the hotel until around 10:00 pm.

So...expensive hotel. Quick, overnight stay. Let me tell you about it: I had managed to secure a room with Priceline for $125. With taxes, it came to $150. Starting to stretch my budget a little, but what the hell. I'd rather pay a few bucks more for someplace nice than $90 for a shitty hotel. (Hotel prices have skyrocketed lately!)

But...where other hotels will nickle and dime you for everything, this hotel 10 and 20 dollared me for everything! Overnight parking in their parking lot? $20. Connection to the internet? $12. Breakfast in the morning for ONE person? $22. That sick-to-my-stomach feeling, knowing it's just a place to sleep for a night and nothing else? Priceless.

Now, it's Monday morning. "M" calls and says this guy who is supposed to meet us and be our "guide" (who I don't know and had no idea we were supposed to meet) has been waiting for us since 6:30 am! So instead of being there at 9:00 am, we need to hurry it up and get going. We get to the border at 8:30.

And I happen to miss the last exit off the 5 freeway before Mexico. I'm committed...I must drive into Mexico.

To be continued...