Hurricanes...

If any of you are paying ANY attention to what I say on here, or anywhere else for that matter, you will be aware that I have a hurricane rapidly approaching the place I am staying. In order to set aside any fears you might or might not have, I thought I´d drop a quick note to say don´t panic - I managed to get a flight out of here. On Sunday morning, I will escape to Atlanta - original flight was on Monday (absolutely TYPICAL, of all the days of the year I choose, I choose the one with a hurricane scheduled). Despite originally being told the change was impossible, I have friends in High Places who managed to organise it for me. So a big round of applause going out to those people.

No, I didnt anticipate being maimed/killed/hurt by said hurricane, but I was fully aware that flights out of Cancun for the days immediately after the storm were going to be a nightmare and wouldnt have ended up with any time in Atlanta with friend there. Plus would have been stuck in Cancun, shudder, for last few days which would have finished me off even if the hurricane didnt.

I HAVE A COLLEGE!

Finally, I feel a part of Oxford University. Linacre College - complete with fantastic boatclub (men's and women's crews in 1st division) and beautiful accommodation in buildings old enough to suit even my requirements (yet complete with the modern facility of car parking). Brief post just to say I am busy bouncing about here - don't expect many of you to understand the significance of this for me, but trust me: it is very exciting news.

Off to Eat Cake and Celebrate.

On Golden Sand

Decidedly little to report but thought would hop online to say that. Baggage did arrive, by the by, albeit forty-eight hours later than myself. Have since spent days generally collapsed on a beach getting burned in a variety of places and to various degrees of painfulness. Isla Mujeres can hardly be defined as the ´Real´ Mexico but the heat and sunshine are real enough to keep me here for another few days at least principally because I just can´t be bothered to gather the energy to move. Today, I forced myself to venture forth and go snorkelling - nowhere near as impressive as Cuba and Jamaica experiences of a few years ago but then perhaps I was spoiled there. One should generally find parrot fish, barracudas and purple waving fronds of coral pretty damn awesome, at a guess.
Ah, the jaded traveller...
Torrential rain forecast for two days´ time, perhaps as well as skin is in need of a break from being slowly cooked under the palms. Although that does mean will be incarcerated in a hostel with a group of people principally consisting of girly girls (shudder) and guys who wander around with their shirts off, chests puffed out (what little element of ´chest´ they are in possession of), and endless exceedingly dull conversations to tune into.
But hey, it is better than England. Mustn´t grumble.

On a beach without a bikini...

... Mexican equivalent to being up the river without a paddle. For some obscure reason, my bag is in Miami. The TACA employees in Cancun are as mystified as I am as to why it ever reached there since I came to Mexico via Costa Rica.
Brief analysis of last 24hrs:
Arrive to Mexico City airport 2230 exhausted, stand for two hours to get through immigration (although better than the poor Brazilians who are herded into a seperate pen, have their passports taken, and then they are all interrogated individually) and make it through to baggage hall and distinct lack of my bag. After form filling in and a spot of ranting (and embarrassing teary moments) ended up in the main hub of the airport that is essentially a construction sight right now. Apparently for my own good - but frankly, since I will never fly there again, I cant see quite how. Embarrassing 1am call to friend in America who did his best to deal with a bawling Jane on the end of the phone. Ten mile trek around the airport - almost literally - eventually found me giving up and going to ludicrously expensive hotel. Managed to bargain a USD400 hotel room down to USD110 so that was remotely satisfying, I suppose. Shame only had five hours in it.
Early rise to get flight to Cancun and have conversation with Taca who assured me my bag still existed in their minds, if not mine. Arrival in Cancun airport and massively uncooperative staff who three hours later managed to get through to officials in M.City airport to establish that bag was in Costa Rica and hadnt been put on the flight today either. Contact with Costa Rica airport determined that bag was in Miami. No explanation whatsoever. Bag is travelling more than I am...
Apparently, it will be delivered to the hostel at some point tomorrow. Apparently. Trust Taca about as far as I can throw one of their stupid aeroplanes. Forced to buy bikini but only managed to find remotely acceptable bottom half so currently wearing that, sports bra, and new sarong type like thingie. Stupid thing obviously has no pockets so completely impractical. Oh, was forced to buy these items since - for example - is currently 9pm and about 35 degrees and dont want to think what the humidity level must be. Was obviously travelling in all heaviest clothes that are somewhat unsuitable for this clime.
So there you have it. My week of relaxing has been completely disrupted and my God Taca are going to pay for it. What with the compensation claim from them and Alitalia, will have my holiday paid for. Awesome.