Tijuana and back again

 

  This past week was our trip to Tijuana. Chloe, Naomi, and I boarded a plane on Tuesday and flew north. Unfortunately, Chloe had a cold (not COVID) and had been run down all week before we left. Naomi and I were just anxious to be traveling again and I was also worried about our sick cat (see my last post).  Traveling with masks on was a lot worse than I thought it would be. It triggered Naomi's anxiety and she was having a panic attack on the plane.


I booked an Airbnb in a skyscraper.


I chose a place with great ratings and looked really comfortable because I knew we'd be spending a lot of time there if any of us had a reaction to the vaccine we were planning on getting on Wednesday.



  Wednesday was our big day we woke up early and took a taxi to "la linea" to wait to cross into San Diego. The line to cross was the longest I had ever seen it. It folded in on itself and bent around a highway and back again. I didn't have a small enough bottle of sunscreen for bringing through on the plane, and I forgot a hat or umbrella. We got burned in the sun in no time. It took us an hour and 20 minutes to get through that line and as we neared the front we had to fend off cutters who decided to just jump the queue. The man who had been waiting in front of us helped us out at the end and pulled us up with him. I'm forever grateful for his kindness.
  Once we exited the immigration building we found ourselves at the trolley station in San Diego. I walked over to buy tickets at the machine and an older man rushed up to us, shouting "You know you don't have to wear masks outside anymore!!"
  Honestly, I was shocked, we just came all this way to get vaccinated. This was not the moment to throw caution to the wind. I tried to tell him we were on our way to get vaccinated, but he seemed uninterested in us after he said his piece.
  We hopped on the trolley and went to the clinic. They gave Chloe and me the Johnson and Johson one-shot vaccine and Naomi got the Pfizer first dose because she is 7 weeks too young for the Johnson and Johnson. Yes, my shot hurt going in and still does (I got a massive bruise). 
  We met up with Claudia, (their Nana) for lunch. It was fantastic to see her, to be in the States and eat a bagel at Panera. It was like a moment from another life.



     After a long lunch, we made our way back to the international bridge.  Entering Mexico is nothing like leaving. No line, I just walked up to the customs official and purchased our 6-month visas, and strolled across the bridge. 
  The vaccine was hard on Chloe and I, as both of us have weakened immune systems (her because of her cold and me because of lupus.) Naomi was fine but enjoyed spending the next day with Netflix and Uber eats, while we recovered in the skyscraper looking out at Tijuana.



    Flying during a pandemic on full flights was stressful. Traveling, in general, is stressful. I'm so glad it's over. Mike and Phoebe go in August when their summer classes end.
   Yesterday we realized Tiger was having trouble again and we've started bringing him in for daily visits to the vet to get medication for this new infection. Also, I have an appointment for a biopsy tomorrow morning. There is a nodule in my thyroid that needs investigating.  My energy is coming back after the trip though, I just wish this bruise on my arm would go away.




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