On New Year's Day, we did all our last minute shopping, wandering, each of us saying our own private kinds of farewell to Mexico. Ben and Amy spotted a New Year's Day bus parade, which the rest of us missed. We wandered with a little melancholy. We went out for one last dinner.
On our last day, January 2, 2009, we left Oaxaca. When we woke up that morning, the Martins were already gone. We loaded up with our loot (which ended up not being all that much), caught a taxi to the airport, and headed for home.
Or, that was our intention. But our flight from Oaxaca was late, which meant we missed our flight in Mexico City. After much anguish about what to do and no help from Northwest Airlines, we found out from a helpful good Samaritan that Mexicana airlines would take the blame. After lots of waiting and a few hours in their office straightening everything out, they paid for us to stay at their airport hotel. They also paid for three meals.
This was all, actually, quite nice. The kids got to relax in a posh room. Ben and I got to have a drink at the hotel bar and spend some time alone. They even knew how to make real martinis! We took fun pictures in the arty lobby and enjoyed the last of the warm air. A quick call to my parents (courtesy of the airlines) confirmed that our pet sitter could stay another night, so we had no worries, and still a day to spare before school starts. Nice.
We headed out the next morning, got coffee at the airport, and plundered the duty-free shop for tequila, vodka, and cigarettes (maybe these will be Ben's last cigarettes!). We are heading home to our frugality month with the Martins--every January, we have a contest to see who can spend the least. It starts as soon as we get home. So, at least we'll have the means to have a drink when we are roughing it without our usual too-expensive food!
Finally, we arrived back home--or, to O'Hare in Chicago. We sailed through customs and finally stepped outside into the fresh cold air of the United States. The world looked gray. We all knew we were just one day from school and work. And yet, when we did finally arrive home after our drive from Chicago, the dogs were so happy to see us, and the birds, too. The house was warm and familiar, and everyone was very, very happy to be home.
But I'd go back tomorrow.
