The Adventures of Bexico, Bubba y Max: domingo, el 5 de enero de 2014

He doesn't look like he was awake a few times during the noche, and then for good before 6am...does he?

Buenos noches from DF, Distrito Federal, Mexico City.

Ready for the story? Sit back and grab a cold one. So....last night as I was watching the end of a good football game, I checked my email and saw an email from Expedia.

That cannot be good news. They told me that United had made a drastic change in our flight from DF to San Fran, and to call them. So I did and was on ignore for 30 minutos.

Meanwhile, I looked up our flight status, and it showed our flight was cancelled. Argh. No issue, I will just find another flight from DF to San Fran and then we could catch the connecting flight onto Vancouver.

Red alert...there were NO flights to San Fran on lunes. Hmmm. That means we would not be able to catch our connecting flight...and now we need to figure how to get to Vancouver via a new set of flights.

Red alert...there were NO flights into Vancouver on lunes. None.

Meanwhile, 30 minutos passed away on Expedia, and they do not tell you how long the wait will be, or allow you to leave a call back number.

So I hung up and called United. After 10 minutos with a machine prompting me for information, it promptly told me they could not help me, their agents were all busy, call back later...and then the machine hung up on me.

I called Expedia back and after another 30 minutos, I gave up on them.

I tried all different types of routes and airlines for Tuesday, and none of them were cheap. Knowing that Expedia would be doing the exact same thing as me, looking for another way to get us from DF to Vancouver, I made the choice to book something before they were all sold out.

Expedia.ca did not offer a free 24 cancellation, just in case United some how came though, but Expedia.com did...score. I booked 3 one way tickets for Tuesday, from DF to Dallas and then onto Vancouver. The cost?

Having booked our original tickets months ago, we spent $1900 CDN on return tickets. Three one way tickets cost us $3000 US. What the F? But we have to do what we have to do, and we move on.

I called American Airlines because the flights they had us on, did not allow me to book our seats, and with Max on board, he needs 4 manos!!

They did not answer their phone, but they did allow me to leave a call back number...score!! And as I finally put my head onto a pillow at 1230am, I had visions of a wacky road trip floating through my head.

And at 4am, I wake up to see Bex headed to the baño, and I hear the phone ring. Yup, American Airlines is calling me back at 4am!!

They told me they had us all seated together from DFW to Vancouver, but on the first leg, we were separated...but in business class. Score!! She said they will get us together "at the gate"...passing the buck?

And while I was up and it was only 415am, why not call Expedia? After 10 minutos...success!!

You are going to have to wait for the rest of the story and the fotos...I am headed back to the hotel room to get the lil'man to fall asleep. Wish me luck!!

Hasta pronto!!

He does not get enough sleep when he falls asleep at 915pm, but wow is it every easy to get him into lights out.

A little of the dreaded rocking and plopped onto the bed. It is pitch black in the room as Max sleeps, and Bex is moving desk lamps into the baño so she can have a romantic tina time for herself..her first real bath in 18 months!!

Back to the airline story? Expedia was great, very apologetic, even though it was not their fault. They did what I thought they would and they too could not find us a lunes flight. They saw I had already booked via AA, so know it became about what to do with the United flights we would miss.

The gal on the phone had the secret Untied number, and she got right through. Options? Cancel the complete trip and get a full credit...and then try to rebook the return part, or miss the flights to Vancouver, take the flights home and after we get back, call United and get a refund for the Mex to YVR flights. Nice customer service.

And after spending $3000 on new one way tickets, how much can we expect as a refund for the one way portion we will miss via Untied? Can you say $700? Sham wow, mis amigos, sham wow.

I sent United an email and told them they need to come up with a better system then just cancelling a flight and then not having their customers be able to reach them, or to even leave them a call back number.

Salt on the wound? I get a reply email...thank you for your comments, we try to read these within 30 days. Thirty days? I recall a restaurante policy that we used to have...a guest calls to lodge a complaint or ask a question, they were called back within 24 hours.

United has got to step up it's game...they are NO Westjet!!

So, with all the phone calls done, and a new trip schedule, Poppa called it a night (?) and hit the sack, leaving the familia a note to get me up by 830am. Did I get the wake up? Oh yes...before 830am I heard the Max Van alarm (his lungs) go off!!

I took over and Bex got some more shut eye. They had already been on a carry, not a prowl, because for whatever reason, Max did not want to walk with Bex, but wanted to be carried by her. Oh Max!

But off we went for another hour and were home in time for some tranquilo time before leche y siesta.

Max grabbed some zzzz's, as did his Poppa, and after wake up, I got busy on some packing and cleaning, while Bex took care of Max's comida as well as keeping him happy until we left at 215pm.

Tony was early and off we went. All perishables made their way out of the fridge, the items that could be unplugged were, the a/c was turned off at the breaker and all I forgot was my wristwatch...score!!

Why turn off the a/c? We once had a power outage and when the electricity returned, all the a/c units turned on by themselves!! I would not want to see the electric bill if that happened while we were away!!

Off to the gym and with the new road almost completed, it was a 15 minute drive. They have completed some airport improvements, but check-in is now waaaay down the way...it was a huff to get there.

And once checked in...we saw there was a 30 minuto delay on the flight. We prowled around outside for an hour or so, and then decided to go through security into Sala A, one of two lounges they have.

Another flight was late as well, so the departure lounge was packed...with two fans and no a/c...can you say hot?

And how did we feel once we saw the 30 minuto delay turn into almost 2 hours...argh. But seeing Max get so excited about the trip and then once the plane landed and zoomed by...Max was in heaven and it was exciting to see him so excited!!

Good flight and Max was great for the first 50 of the 60 minutos and then wanted out of his seat, off with the cinturon and time for dinner!!

He was even super well behaved during the 20 minutos we were pulled up at the gate, but with the doors remaining shut. Argh...get us outta there!! Ramp issues were resolved and off to get our maletas, luggage.

Bex had Max in the sling...muy facil, so she took one item and was off to the hotel to get us started. I waited another 10 minutos for the last bag and then caught up with them...gracias to the porter and adios to $70 pesos.

Unloaded and then off to a packed food court for some crappy McD's...I have NOT missed that part of my old life!! But yes, I do have a soft spot in my heart (heart disease?) and belly (gordo?) for the Big Max...oops...Mac.

Off to the hotel, tina time, bed time and you are all caught up.

Oh...did I mention that we had no hot water when we arrived at the hotel. It seems to be fixed now, but this place might be jinxed!! Last time we had to change rooms because the tina would not hold it's water!!

Onto the fotos.

Early morning con madre? Fiesta time!!