The day started with great anticipation and excitement, mostly because I was going home and starting my weekend. I was also excited to meet up with my friend, Daniela, whom I had met my last trip to TJ.
Daniela came and picked me up from the hotel and we went to her favorite Starbucks (only 3 in TJ) to hang for a bit. It was fun to catch up and then she took me on a little drive to see the “downtown” also known as Centro/Ave Revolucion. The streets and shops look really run down and dirty during the day but this is the area that is known for it’s night life. There are bars and seedy establishments that light up that part of town. It where a lot of tourists come to drink and party.
After the little tour, I got dropped off at the hotel and waited till it was time to go get my passport at the US Consulate and then make my trek across the border. Here’s where every best laid plan comes apart and the drama that follows me each time I come to TJ/San Diego comes alive. Typically, walking across the border usually means you get into the US quicker than by driving; however it was not the case today.
After standing in the line under the scorching sun for about an hour, I got to the fence leading into the United States. Once I cross that gate, my next stop is supposed to be the permit office before clearing customs. My last trip, it took me maybe 10 minutes at the permit office. This was not the case today. There was a line and led me back through the fence I came in and back into Mexico again. I couldn’t believe it!
I couldn’t believe the lack of systems in place to handle the permit line for one. If I had know an hour earlier there was a 2nd line for the permit office, I would not have had to spend the next 2 hours in the sun waiting. As I stood there watching the clock tick, thinking about my ability to catch my 6:30 pm flight out of San Diego slip away, I wondered why there wasn’t a better and more efficient way to move this much human traffic. No one really seemed to care.
Finally getting into the permit office, we found that there was one actual officer serving these hundreds of people. Unbelievable and unacceptable! I understand protecting the borders, but with lines like I had to endure, I even tried to figure what it would take to “by pass” the fence and all these red tape. If people choose to endure the sun and lines for hours, let them through for crying out loud!
After paying to return into the US, I joined another line to speak to another customs officer. Of course I had to pick the slowest line. Once again unbelievable and unacceptable! Upon getting closer to the check point, our line got shut down by the slowest officer of all the lines. This was not cool. Now we were required to merge into the line next to us and all of a sudden, we were getting through like a breeze.
Seriously, I wish there is an 800 number to call and voice my opinions. What I went through today is ridiculous – if airports can move that many people through and constant paces, so can the borders.
By the time I made it through, I had to book it to my rental car and then head to the rental agency before catching a shuttle to the airport. Just as we were about to leave the lot of the airport, I realized my work phone was once again missing; I had left it in the car. I quickly grabbed my suitcase and jumped out of the shuttle and ran to my car before it was taken away. This phone went through a lot this trip.
Got to the airport and I had already missed the flight which was also the last flight home. There was now no one manning the airline counter so no way I could change my reservation. I quickly ran to the other airline counters that were still serving people and all the flights to Seattle had left. So I am not sitting here in the corner of the food court which will be my resting spot for the night as well.
I also found out a little tit bit that was fascinating about the San Diego airport located in Point Loma. There is a noise ordinance in the city which dictates that no planes can fly out after 10 pm; hence even though SD is a large city, their last domestic flights out are around 7 pm. So politics won over functionality in this case. The residents of Point Loma determine the flight schedules because they like to sleep at night even though they have chosen to live by the airport.
Sounds like we have a more severe problem than protecting our borders. When politics and inefficiencies in government affect to the detriment of common tax paying folks, there is something wrong. Unfortunately I can’t vote at this point even though I am taxed quite heavily, at least I hope I am free to voice my opinion.
Well, hopefully this is it for my adventures. I leave at 6:30 am for Seattle and since I’ll be sleeping here at the airport, I should be on time.
Until next time…cheers
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