Greetings from San Pedro!
I found out that 3,000 other foreigners are stuck here as well in the country. I have joined several WhatsApp and Facebook groups. Many of them are full of mixed information. Many people are panicking and spending 150-300 on taxis to the Mexican border to try to catch a flight from Tapachula airport onwards to Mexico city to their destinations. I have considered this for half a second but decided this idea is not the best. I am fear by the time I could organize a ride; the Mexican border officials can be overwhelmed and close the border. There are offers now with rides from the lake, but they are full of a bunch of silly pseudo hippy people and desperate families. I would rather pair up with someone competent with better knowledge of Spanish if I were to take this endeavor.
Also, I do not want to spend a lot of money to get to the Guatemalan/ Mexican border to find out it is closed. That is not a risk I want to take. Sure some people are making it today, but this can change within hours. I don’t want to risk it. I am not going to wait around in crowded airports with panicking and likely not so bright compatriots. Flight prices can also rise with demand. There are too many uncertainties with this. I could be taken advantage of or stuck in a worse situation. The virus situation seems like it can be a lot worse in Mexico, according to some health professionals that I know.
I am moving into a beautiful house today to wait out my time. Delta was able to move my flight to the 19th of April, which is later than I wanted it. I accepted the change to have as back up. I bought another flight that leaves on the 1st of April with Copa airlines. Guatemalan airspace opens on the 31st of March. This plan seems to be the best course of action for now. I don’t have an immediate need to return to the United States, as many of these people do. This lake is beautiful, and this town has enough resources to spend some time. I can video chat with my friends and get some work done.
Stay tuned to see how this works out!
Photo credit to my friend Vladi for capturing me on video chat!
Heidi, I am so proud of the way you are handling all of this. Stay safe and know I love you. Dot