We arrive in Mexico City after 2 hours on the bus, this is so fast that we have to check with the driver that we are actually here. Inside the huge terminal we find an official (safe) taxi cubicle (because trying to use any other transport in this huge city appears too daunting, scary and unsafe). Even taxis can be scary in this city our LP guide tells us. We pay 98p to be taken to the Centro Historico and go to the taxi rank to wait our turn, but our taxi driver refuses to take us there - No! Mucho personas! (too many people). Instantly he is the enemy and everyone else rushes to our aid. Someone speaks a little english and talks to us, another taxi says he will take us, but in the end they all decide we should go by metro it's much cheaper and is just across the road. They refund our dinero and we go into the metro and pay 4p for us both.
The first obstacle is the turnstile, can we go through it? Kent is still on his sticks, an officer on guard is instantly helpful, 'just go slowly, that's it, push, Yes!' no problem :) He tells us we are to go 10 stations to Pno Suarex and change there in the direcion of Cuatro Caminos. Sounds fine to us, we clamber into an almost empty train (this is the first stop) and wedge ourselves at the end of the carriage next to a nice man who assures us he will tell us when to get off. Station 1,2,3 - wow hardly any people, we should have sat in a seat, this is a breeze. Station 4,5,6 - more people, ok everyone comfortable?. Station 7,8,9 - are you sure we can fit one more?
At Pino Suarez we manage to follow a stream of men off the train and walk through the station to board the next train to go just one stop. We battle to stay near the door withour crushing anyone with our 50lb backpacks. At the zocalo stop Carol is nearer the door and pushes out, Kent has to battle from farther back and manages to get to the door, Carol grabs his hand and pulls and 'pop' he's out on the platform. We feel like cheering and taking a bow. Everyone on the train is smiling - we made it! We conquered the metro in one on the largest cities in the world. GO KIWIS!!!
