The Journey - Friday, December 17

MZBZ (Belize City, Belize) => MMCZ (Cozumel, Mexico) => MMVR (Veracruz, Mexico) - Leg Completed - 5.0 hours

Written on the flight Saturday, 100 nM southeast of Tampico, Mexico:

I feel like I have a few comments to make before writing yesterday's trip report. My comments are prompted by some mixed feelings I've been experiencing since leaving Belize yesterday. First of all, I'm finding reporting on the northbound portion of 'The Journey' to be fairly difficult. I think it stems from several different factors. One of those is certainly the finality of the trip being within sight. Another is the fact that as much as I've enjoyed this experience, I think I'm done with dealing with all of the headache and paperwork that every stop south of the US border seems to bring. Like I said, the experience is priceless, but after as many stops as we did, it simply starts to get annoying. It certainly doesn't help that (and I've probably stated this before) EVERY airport is different in some annoying little way, and it's just getting old. However, I am trying to remind myself as often as possible of the "No Problema" moments. Which brings me to yesterday's flights. . .

The Friday, December 17 Trip Report

As much as I enjoyed everything we experienced in Belize, it almost leaves me with nothing to write about it. Everything was so smooth throughout the time we spent there because of the incredible services of George, our driver, the marina staff, and of course, Rudy at the airport. Nonetheless, I will give some detail of what our departure consisted of.

Arriving at the airport around 8:30 am, we were promptly met by Rudy, who had all of our paperwork filled out and us already cleared out of customs and immigration. All we simply had to do was finish our flight plan and pay our fees. I guess the fee paying was the moment of truth, since as I stated in the Wednesday report, we did not know how much his fantastic service would cost. Well, Rudy handed us a bill for landing and parking that was $30US, about normal for every airport we went to. Then, came his bill, $75US. The food in Puerto Vallarta may have been the best food we have ever eaten, but this was now the best $75 ever spent! We happily paid our fees, said goodbye to George and were walked through security by Rudy. He then told us that the fuel truck would be out to fill the airplane in a moment and that he would meet us at the airplane with our approved flight plan. We walked to the ramp and started to get the airplane ready where moments later the fuel truck was there to top off the fuel tanks. Rudy then returned with the flight plan, and with a handshake and many thank you's being said, we were again on our way.

The flight to Cozumel was a quick one of just a bit over an hour. That quick flight, however, provided us with some of the best ocean views on the trip, and the arrival into Cozumel was a dream. I tried to snap as many photos as possible and as many videos, as well. After Jerry's perfect landing was complete (best one of the trip) we taxied into the ramp and shut down.

At the airplane we were met by an army of people including airport officials, customs and the actual Mexican Army. Slightly worried, but not nervous, Jerry and I both began answering their multitude of questions, all of course, being the same set from each different group of people. After satisfying the posse, we headed into the building where we cleared immigration and customs as easily as ever, and I began thinking that this arrival may be one of the easier ones. I don't know how many times I have to think this on my trip without learning but once again, I should've known better.

We walked to the commandant's office to secure our Mexican flight authorization and flight plan only to find out that the flight planning offices were in another building. No problem, though, because the commandant still required paperwork for our Mexican entrance permit and while he was securing that, we could take care of the flight planning. It is here that the problems began in all their Mexican glory. Upon handing our Mexican multi-entrance permit (a permit that we are accustomed to having) and our Mexican insurance policy, we once again received that wonderful confused look. Now, this is a procedure that we are very used to going through and have never had any problems with. After a minute, he addressed his concern to us. "Do you have your receipt for your multi-entrance permit?" In ALL of our Mexico flying, not simply on this trip, I have NEVER been asked for our receipt for this permit. Usually, I have to assume in this case because one never knows in Mexico, we don't need the receipt because the permit is stamped and signed PAID by the issuing airport, in our case Guaymas. "Um. . .No," I said with equal confusion. I went on, a little annoyed, but trying to hold back, "The permit is stamped paid, it was purchased much earlier in the year, and we have never been asked for it by any other airport in Mexico before." Well, that didn't matter. After having to repeat myself on these facts several times, we were sent on our way to work out the flight plan information while his office tried to contact Guaymas to send a copy of the receipt. "Fine," I thought.

The experience with the commandant was the beginning of my realization that Cozumel may very well be the strictest airport regarding paperwork in Mexico. They may also be the only ones doing everything correctly, but one may never know! Filling out the flight plan paperwork presented its own challenges because of the strictness we had never experienced before. After I made a mistake on the closing of our flight plan and crossed it out, I was informed that I would have to start over because I couldn't scribble something out. "Alright." We worked our way through that set of rules and paid our parking fees. Then it was on to customs and immigration again to approve our paperwork and then, back to the commandant's office to try our luck again.

We arrived at the second floor office where a receptionist informed us that Guaymas was apparently emailing the receipt. After a few minutes, she printed out a completely unreadable page that must have been our receipt because she was satisfied with it. After handing all required paperwork to the commandant, we saw the thing we always look for while doing the Mexico airport circuits, the stamp coming out of the drawer. It's always when we see that stamp come out from the various different offices that we know everything will be ok. After the commandant pressed his ok onto the 10 different copies of paper, it was back to immigration and customs with the receptionist, so that she could get more stamps. I swear, I'm going to start a business supplying inkpads to Mexico airports, I'd be a millionaire in a week. Once that process was complete, we walked back to the general aviation office where we handed in all of our, now abundantly stamped, paperwork and were given a "listo." Beside the stamps, it's the "listo" that's the best! Walking out to the airplane after another long stop, Jerry and I discussed again the only consistent requirement throughout all Mexican airports, to be on the ground for at least an hour and a half doing paperwork.

The departure from Cozumel with views of Cancun to the north and Playa del Carmen to the south were fantastic, and again, we snapped many photos. Those views were going to have to last us the remainder of the over three hour flight as the remainder didn't provide us with much else to enjoy. Luckily, I had the computer to keep me occupied, however, as Jerry stated after landing in Veracruz, "That leg just felt long." I agreed.

The landing in Veracruz provided good views of the busy port town, but the arrival seemed anticlimactic. Maybe I wasn't looking forward to yet another runaround. Upon landing we were met immediately by the fuel truck, which we thought was great. While we topped off the tanks, we were met by a member of the Mexican Army, once again, who asked the normal questions. After a few minutes, he was on his way, satisfied. We paid the fueler and headed to the base of the tower, where we found a sign, an actual sign, showing where all of the appropriate offices were located. I wanted to think that maybe Veracruz was going to be easier, but I had learned my lesson. We walked inside, closed our flight plan and were sent on our way. It was fantastic, but I still left skeptical of our international departure planned for today.

We hopped a taxi to the hotel and quickly settled in. There I had what I thought was going to be a fabulous internet connection. I was able to load all content to the site, but when I got to uploading the full copies of the pictures to be displayed past the thumbnails, I was unable. As I posted in the comments section, it always has to be something. I guess the internet headaches with this website that I've experienced are also starting the wear on my patience. Anyway, a couple of Dos Equis, some dinner and another early night was the rest of the evening for us and as Jerry stated before parting ways, "Coors Light again tomorrow." That's Jerry for, "Back in the US."

-Marc