Hola amigos!

Today has been a long day, considering it started  yesterday! 

I arrived at TC's house where a cab was due to pick us up at 3:00pm in order to get us to Heathrow for 4:20 - plenty of time. By 3:03 the cab had not arrived and TC started to panic - the pacing started and the voice became high pitched - remember she was going to remain chilled during this trip!? I tried to calm her down but to no avail, by 3:05 there was nothing I could do, as far as she was concerned we weren't going to make it in time for our flight at 7:20!!! She grabbed her mobile and dialed in a frenzy then rapidly explained to the person on the other end: "... The cab hasn't arrived, we're going to be late, I called to check early this morning, where is it, we have to get to heathrow! Oh sorry, sorry. Thanks, Andrew, take care". She hung up looking sheepish, I gave her a questioning look and she told me that she had accidentally dialled Andrew, The hairdresser! 

Needless to say the cab arrived and we got to the airport with plenty of time to spare and seventeen hours later we arrived in Mexico City, just in time for breakfast.

Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world with a population of over 20 million people! And it seemed like every single one of them was walking along the streets today - think Nottinghill carnival and times that by ten! Couple that with an altitude of over 2400m above sea level and a high rate of pollution and you can imagine how delightful it was for two (young) ladies with severe jet lag from little old London Town, to attempt a peaceful stroll. 

I have to say at 5'5 and three quarters I feel like a giant here! As I make my way along the crowded streets all I see is a sea of heads in front of me, even my petite travel companion says she finds it weird not to have to keep looking up at people when she talks to them. 

Unlike our previous trip together, we have managed to stay out of trouble on our first day, I am pleased to say that so far there have been no incidents with the police, apart from being told off by a couple of them for wearing sunglasses as we entered some of the protected sites! 

We managed to get to The Zocalo - the huge central square, (third largest in the world) which had some kind of fake tobogganing event going on in the middle - obviously? We stepped inside the Palacio Nacional and saw some of the stunning Diego Rivera murals and we checked out a few Cathedrals. 

I am pleased to report that up til now we have not been held up at gun point or kidnapped by bandits, (according to one of my clients I should beware of all men with moustaches - I think she just meant out here?)

And apart from a slight bit of concern over the authenticity of a fruit smoothie, my travel companion has managed to stay calm with regard to food poisoning issues - not bad so far!

But exhaustion has got the better of us and so at 6:30pm I am turning in for the night, with no energy to write any more for now.  Tomorrow we meet the rest of our group and then the tour officially begins ...