A hard start
We enjoyed the summer in Switzerland very much, but we are also happy that the adventure continues after 5 months of interruption. We had already booked our return flight for a long time. In our diaries a big red exclamation mark decorated the entry on September 16th. Our first flight from Milan to Madrid is scheduled for the evening. Planned start is at 19.10 o'clock...
Of course, we also booked our train from Bern to Milan early in order to benefit from an economy ticket, as well as an Airbnb for the first days in Mexico City.
Now we are sitting in my parents' car on the way to Bern. Together with Mathias' family we arranged to have lunch before our train leaves at half past three. In the Ostring I have a flash of genius and look on Google Maps for the distance from Milano Centrale to Malpensa airport, because now we fly from this airport and not from Milano Linate as we did on the outward journey.
Waaas????!!!
Under optimal traffic conditions you need more than 50 minutes by bus / taxi / bus! This time we have somehow forgotten to take into account when booking. So we would be in the best case 1h 20min before departure at the airport. We discuss and consider, but come to the conclusion that this is too risky, especially as we would arrive in Milan at the end of the day and still have to give up our backpacks at the airport. We come to the conclusion that last minute we have to book THE only connection that goes to Milan earlier to have a chance to catch the booked flight.
We have about an hour to get there. The countdown is running...
Unfortunately, it is not possible to book with the SBB app or at a ticket machine, as this is an international connection. So there's nothing else to do but buy a ticket at the ticket counters ... and wait 30 minutes until we get there!
I can see the minutes passing in my mind's eye and how time is getting shorter and shorter. Finally we hold our ticket in our hands 15 minutes before the departure of the train. The remaining time is just enough to grab two sandwiches in the Migros Take-Away and say goodbye to our parents who we met on the platform instead of for lunch.
The next trip to Mexico City went more or less smoothly. Actually almost flawless, there wouldn't have been the fact that after boarding the long-distance flight we had to wait 2 hours in the plane before it took off. Without getting any information about the situation or the reasons for it. But what can you expect when booking a flight with IBERIA?
In the giant metropolis Mexico City we spend about two days and are positively surprised:
After the visit of the Megacity we drive with a Uber to Teotihuacán to the camping where our Baloo was accommodated the last 5 months. My heart leaps for joy when I see him standing under the roof exactly as we left him. Only a little more dusty than it was then.
After a short all-round check the first start attempt follows ... He doesn't make a sound!
Mathias had somehow calculated that the starter batteries should theoretically not be completely discharged in 5 months. But since the bonnet was exposed to direct sunlight and it got hot underneath, it's not surprising that they're dead. Since we were already afraid of this case, we took precautions in Switzerland and organized a 24V jump starter, which is already being used for the first time.
After the engine is humming again, we want to drive a few kilometres to recharge the batteries. To take it first: We've only come 10km before we're standing on the edge of a highway and are about to change a tire next to thundering stinking trucks.
In front on the left there is the culprit. The change is however fast accomplished and we drive back again to the camping. Since the tires are practically through anyway, we decide to miss Baloo a little earlier than planned new finches. We find a BF Goodrich dealer in Tecamac, about 15km away from the camping, who can order our All Terrains, but does not have them in stock. Since we don't have any stress, we decide to wait for the tires, which arrived and were mounted exactly 7 days after the order.
Sometimes joy and sorrow are close together ... Unfortunately we can only be moderately happy about the new tyres. In the week in which we waited for them, unfortunately another more serious problem has emerged. One evening we were horrified to find out that the hinge of our lifting roof was almost completely torn out and is now held only by a silken thread (two micron screws). With each further opening we risk that the roof could fall down forwards, which is why we now spend the night in the tent.
At the moment we don't have a solution for this problem, but we won't get bored in the next days...