eeeeeeeeeee, I'm so excited I could crush a grape!

Obviously, the whole planet now knows that my mother is on her way to Cancun, and then on her way to see me. I'm so excited!!!

The logistics of all this seemed so simple when I clicked "buy now" on the website in the UK last week. Phoned mum "hey, I got you a round trip ticket to Cancun for next week". "Whoopee" said mum, and went off to Sainsbury's to buy sugar free Polos for Sharon, Liquorice Allsorts for Paul, and some Branston Pickle for me.

And all was good.

Then I realised she landed in Cancun on a Saturday and that I could not go pick her up.

No problem, she knows the way, she can catch the bus to Playa!

No more buses past 8pm and she lands at 9pm. Bugger.

I find a private airport shuttle service through PlayaInfo (Heather Anderson wherever you are - THANK YOU!!!!) for 62 US which will pick mum up with a little sign, and take her to her hotel in Playa del Carmen for the night. Great! I click "buy now" and the website kindly informs me that it'll be an extra 20 dollars as she is arriving past 8pm - no probs.

I get Pedro to book a room at the Costa del Mar. Find out Pedro didn't do it coz I forgot to call him back. Try to phone the Colibri hotel (I think Jose the guy there is great), can't get through on the number I have, so I start to rant and rave, end up phoning Pedro and demanding he book and pay for mum's room. Which he does. Bless.

And all was good again. I sent mum an email as long as my leg giving her all directions etc.

I phone Henry Menzies in Corozal and he will pick mum up at Chetumal bus station, cross both borders and drop her at the airstrip, where I reserved her flight to San Pedro.

And all was good again.

Then I get a phone call this morning from England. It's mum. Her flight is delayed 2 hours. No probs I tell her.

I call PlayaInfo, no answer, I send emails to both the taxi and the hotel, no answer. Run around house in pyjamas in panic (and yes it was that cold last night). Calm down.

Eventually get through to shuttle service who inform me that no problem, they have airline tracking device and know exactly when mum will land and they will be there for her no matter what time she arrives. I'm now very pleased with my 82 dollars rather well spent.

I ask Heather at PlayaInfo if she could call Jose at the Colibri hotel, to let him know mum will be checking in around 1am and to please leave a key with someone.

About an hour later I get an email from the hotel, informing me that their reception is open 24 hours a day, and seeing the amount of emails they have received from me, and phone calls from others (Heather and Pedro, several times...) that I must love my mum very much!

Amazed at this airline tracking thingy, I googled it, and found Cancun Airport tracking system! According to them, my mum is a) on time and b) set to land at 11.42 pm. How can she be on time if she lands 2.5 hours after she was due to??????? HAHHAHAHAHA. Anyway, I can't wait for tomorrow!

For those of you out there interested in prices and stuff, here is mum's journey:

Flight from London to Cancun round trip - super special offer 406 US

Private VIP transfer from Cancun to her hotel in Playa del Carmen 82 US
Cabana at the Colibri Hotel 60 US
Taxi to the bus station 2 US
Bus ticket from Playa del Carmen to Chetumal, approx 20 US
VIP transfer through Henry Menzies from Chetumal bus station to Corozal airstrip 30 US
Flight from Corozal to San Pedro 36 US

My face when she arrives, priceless.....