Mexico Travel Diaries - Arrival

Arrival in Mexico City

The sky above Mexico reflects an azure blue, flanked by a band of golden yellow and orange across the distant horizon as the sun sets into the west.

The landscape opens up into the valley which makes up the ancient lands of Tenochtitlan, the epicenter of the Aztec Empire. I look out of the window as we glide across the sky and witness Mexico City’s lights just beginning to glimmer in the distance. As the aircraft makes its final approach, it is dark enough to experience the lights of the vast city and light enough to see the streets, houses and courtyards below, as the 747 brushes over a residential area and touches down onto the capital city’s airport runway.

I have arrived at Mexico City’s airport 15 minutes ahead of the airline’s published schedule, “…extra time compliments of British Airways” remarks a jolly voiced, very English-sounding Captain over the PA system, “…welcome to Mexico City”.

As I will be in Mexico nearly six months, I ask the immigration officer for the maximum allowance of 180 days on my tourist visa. He gives me 90 days. “You can get an extension later, there’s no problem” he says, and waves me on. “How long do people normally get?” asks an English woman who accompanied me through immigration, “There is no set time – it just depends who you get to see on the day and what mood they’re in”, I reply. I have arrived in Mexico where, from the moment you walk in, everything is flexible.

By the time I clear immigration, reclaim my rucksack and pass through customs, it’s dark outside. The city is drenched in lights and noise. Mexico City’s third rush hour of the day greets me as I walk out of the air-conditioned airport. It’s twenty-five degrees centigrade.

I spend the first full day in Mexico acclimatizing. The city’s high altitude, air pollution, and summer heat mix together in a stealth-like cocktail that quietly creeps up on people like me pampered by England’s temperate climate and sea-level air.

My adventure begins this Saturday. I wake up early, feeling much better after a few days acclimatizing to the altitude and spend the day making further travel preparations. I’m still organizing accommodation for some of the places I will visit early in the New Year. I write by email to friends and family back in England, to tell them I arrived safely and am ready to begin my journey.

The city is getting ready for Christmas. The festive lights and decorations have been turned on in the city’s center, the shops are stuffed-full with Christmas fare, and Christmas music drizzles from the wallpaper of modern supermarkets. The street traders are out in droves too, touting everything from curios and shoes to hi-fi equipment and color TVs. I will come back and spend nearly three weeks in the capital, experiencing Christmas and New Year within this enormous metropolis.

The first leg of my journey across Mexico starts at Mexico City’s western bus terminal on Saturday morning. I hear back from friends by email and they tell me that the weather in England is wet, cold, windy and heading for a freezing weekend. Which reminds me, I have to buy some T-shirts and suntan lotion tomorrow…

• Next: Leg 1 - Morelia, Patzcuaro, Guadalajara and Chapala & Ajijic