48 Hours Athens - Cairo -Toronto - Dallas Fort Worth - Guadalajara

When things went sideways with our tourist VISAS for Europe, we had to come up with another plan to where to hang out for a month. It was still too cold for us to return to our RV in Canada. After a very lengthy amount of time on online chats with airlines that we had purchased tickets through, we got our flight to Canada bumped up (at an additional fee) and booked our flights to our next destination.

I want to take a moment here and complain (sorry, skim over this if you want). Airlines can change your flights at no notice and add ridiculously long layovers to your flight plan at no warning AND sometimes they even charge you for the change (that they made). However if something occurs in your life and you have to change the date of your flight (same flight just at a sooner date) they charge you! Even when the flight is not sold out, it is the same flight just a different date. They also will not let you change the end destination (even if that airline has a flight going to that country) you have to stick to your original flight plan. SO DUMB!

As a result, we got a "fun" 40 hours of travel time to go from Athens, Greece to Guadalajara, Mexico. Here are some things we noticed during our trip passing through 5 different international airports.

Athens International Airport is about a $35 CAD taxi from Athens (about 30 minutes). This airport is small and very poorly laid out. We found there is not enough seating, so if you see an empty seat and want to sit, you better move quickly. If you do not have a SIM card and are running off wifi for communicating with the outside world or checking your next flight, this wifi is slow and constantly kicks you off. A lot of the airport is under construction, so the shops are closed which made finding a snack difficult.

We flew with Egypt Air covid had to show its ugly face (again), we had gotten our Rapid Test to fly into Egypt and the way the rules had read when we checked was the test had to be 24 hours prior to your first flight NOT connecting flight. Well did they not decide to change the wording of this document, forcing us to rush through the airport to try and find the covid test center for a second covid Rapid Test within a 24 hour period.

Once we paid an additional 20 euros each to get a second test (that came back negative), the airline then agreed to check us into our flight to Toronto with a layover of 8 hours in Cairo, Egypt. We found out because we had done the first test at 5pm on the Saturday, our flight to Cairo being at 4pm on Sunday having a layover of 8 hours and leaving at 1:59 am on the Monday for Toronto our Saturday test was not valid for the flight to Toronto. We even asked at the check in if Cairo International Airport had a covid testing center (most international airports do) and they did not!

The boarding was a mess for Egypt Air and really our check in set the tone for our entire journey. Egypt Air did not call zones or organize boarding at all, it was a mess. Everyone at once on a bus to the tarmac to load, to top it off there was a lady with two young children (under 5) and they did not offer to help her with the stroller or her carry ons (Ryan and I did), very poor customer service, 1.5 hours later we were in Cairo for our layover.

Cairo International Airport if you can avoid flying into or out of this airport I highly recommend you do. This airport is dirty, the signs are confusing, they advertise free wifi but there is no free wifi and it is just all around poorly laid out. The airport is dirty, the bathrooms were gross and garbage was all over the floor and seating. The signs in the airport (Gate F is a great example) show a food court, museum and smoking area upstairs. We looked for a good 20 minutes; there is no food court or smoking area upstairs. We did find the museum that was advertised online as free and 24 hours, however there was no one around to answer questions and it was actually a $3 USD a person charge to enter and did not look very big (we could see through the glass windows and see the entire room).

Photo Credit: V.Gray

Free wifi, I have never been to an international airport that does not have free wifi. Cairo claims to have free wifi enter your home or international phone number for half an hour of free wifi. We entered our phone numbers and it did not work, there was a girl at our gate trying to log on as well who had the same problem. She took the time to call their support line and basically got told it was her phone that was the issue for not connecting. We also went to talk to the Orange Wifi booth, they would sell you data packages for wifi. So please do not count on the wifi here.

Covid in this airport is not a thing? No one was wearing a mask and if they were it was over their mouth or on their chin (not sure what on the chin will prevent). Considering the amount of international flights coming in and out of Cairo we were surprised no one was wearing their masks and that there was no security present to enforce this.

Flying from Cairo to Toronto on Egypt Air (again) absolute GONG SHOW! When they opened the doors to get to the gate we had to show our information and holy were they rude! Everyone at the gate had been waiting at the doors for a while and they opened boarding at 1230 am for a 1:59 am flight on a sold out flight. Once you showed all your information and they let you through the first area and then you got a re-screen, another security checkpoint. Electronics out, shoes off, tossing peoples water bottles, go through the metal detectors and let's finish it off with full body pat downs.

Now we made it to the gate area, there was enough seating for everyone. Now security shows up and starts yelling at everyone pointing at his mask, telling everyone to put their mask on. Not sure where he was earlier, but hey at least he showed up at the end. Boarding was a nightmare, it was called out over the PA "Now boarding flight blah blah blah to Toronto" and everyone rushed the gate. They didn't even scan our boarding passes or check our passports, there was absolutely no organization to boarding. We were walking behind a elderly lady who was struggling with her carry on and walking, there was no flight staff anywhere to assist. So Ryan being a sweetheart took her bag and we walked down the hallway with her, slowing down the pace of the people behind us.

Did I mention this was a sold out flight? Oh yeah bags everywhere, people everywhere. Of course one of us said "lets just hope we don't get seated close to any babies' ', we had watched a couple of families with screaming kids while waiting at the gate. Of course two rows back for the next 12 hours.. a screaming baby. Then our flight was also delayed an hour for loading luggage and maintenance.

After 12 long hours we finally got to Toronto Pearson International Airport deboarding was just as messy but mixing in the grogginess of time change and lack of sleep. We were really happy to see during the debarking, on the ramp into Pearson that the same elderly lady from earlier had gotten assistance and wheel chairs with personnel from Pearson. Getting through customs and security was quick and easy. In Canada you are subject to random covid testing upon arrival. We had planned to ask about volunteering for the covid test, use it for our entry into the US and maybe save some money.

We missed that boat! After we got cleared from customs to enter back into Canada, they put a green sticker on our passports. Before you go down to get your luggage at the curisel, someone standing at the stairs looks at your passport. Green sticker onward no covid test, pink you have been selected (damn it). We asked the personnel if we could volunteer at that point to take the covid test, we got told no. Oh well we had 7 hours to kill (remember that hour delay, worked in our favour).

Into Terminal 1 to find the train to take to the testing center. Pearson is a mid-sized airport and is better laid out than Athens or Cairos airports. The train from Terminal 1 runs to the Sheraton Hotel and Terminal 3 / covid testing center, this train is free of charge and runs every 3 minutes. We knew we could go get a covid test as walk-ins or by appointment, we spent a few moments logging in and making an account so we could get the test. Pearson has really good and quick free wifi. $67.50 each we got our 3 covid rapid test (PCR would have expired by the time we went to leave for the United States), half an hour later we got our negative results.

As we spent the next 7 hours in the airport, there is nothing to do in Pearson if you are waiting to check into your flight. We found a quietish area and hung out until we could check in. We flew with American Airlines from Toronto to Dallas Fort Worth. Checking into our flight was quick and easy. Then we passed through the Canada/US customs gate, we scanned our boarding passes and went to wait for customs officers.

When it was our turn, we walked up and the conversation seemed easy, light and friendly with the officer. Then he asked us "Do you mind if I ask you some additional questions?", honestly what do you say to that? Yes I do mind?! Of course we complied and followed him into a room where we were left sitting, waiting for around 5 minutes waiting for someone to come and ask us additional questions. Our flight itinerary of Athens to Guadalajara raised some red flags. So basic questions of "How long were you in Greece?" "Why were you in Greece?" "Why did you return to Canada, then book to go to Mexico?" "Where did you stay in Greece?" "Where are you going in Mexico?" and always my favourite "Why do you travel for such a long period of time?"

We got through the customs questions quickly and with a few laughs, she had a great sense of humour and carried on our way. At this point we were looking for an energy boost to get us through the last 9 hours of our travels. Thinking we would find a Tim Hortons somewhere after customs and before our gate, was a big joke. Have you ever really wanted a Tim Hortons or coffee and can see the store on the other side of a glass wall but can not get to it? It is sad, but that is exactly what we ran into. So we settled for a Starbucks (there were 3 of those on our walk to our gate) and sat down.

We had an hour and a bit before our flight, we sat down at the gate thinking we would get comfortable and ready to board. When we heard our names come over the PA system to go to the boarding gate desk, oh god what now? Over we went to the desk, handed in our boarding passes not sure what to expect. When the flight attendant smiled and said " I have upgraded your seats because of your short layover in Dallas. Instead of row 33 in economy class, you are now row 9 in business class." HECK YES! We finally got some good luck on this trip.

American Airlines is very organized and smooth when it comes to their boarding and does request people check they carry on with wheels at the gate if the flight is sold out, WHICH IS AMAZING! Our flight to Dallas was going to leave right on time, then the captain announced we would have a slight delay because they needed to get the plane deiced.

Photo Credit: V.Gray

I have never seen a plane being deiced before, they pull up two trucks with booms and spray guns come up and spray orange and green liquid on the wings and tail, then it's done. The plane was de-iced and we were on our way. Luckily we had a 2.5 hour layover in Dallas Fort Worth so we did not miss our flight we just got a shorter layover.

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport out of the 5 international airports during our trip to Mexico this was my favourite. It is so clean, easy to navigate through, the skytrain runs every 2 minutes between terminals, the wifi is quick and works great and there seems to be endless options for dining. We landed an hour and forty five minutes before our last fight, we had enough time to get a decent meal in. We went to TGI Fridays (it was right across from our gate) . They had us seats, drinks, orders taken, fed and paid in under thirty minutes AND the service was great!

Our last flight was continuing with American Airlines and they continued to be outstanding. Boarding was quick, organized and they followed the zones. When we got to our seats row 33 (again) we were in the last row beside the bathrooms with non reclining seats. The flight attendant asked us if we wanted to move to row 18 to recline seats. Yes, we do! This was our shortest flight and as soon as they shut off the lights for take off, I am pretty sure we were both out cold. We slept the entire 2.5 hour flight and missed the flight attendant handing out the declaration and custom forms for Mexico.

Guadalajara International Airport is small and well organized. There are lots of dining and shopping options before and after security as well. Even after sleeping through the passing out of the forms, it was quick and easy to find them in the airport. We grabbed forms and got in the custom line thinking we would have to wait a little bit. The lines for both customs and declarations move very quickly. Before we knew it we had passed through the gates and ventured out to lobby.

We had organized a pickup with our AirBnB owner. We found her standing with a sign with our names in the lobby. We also noticed trying to get a cab or money exchange seemed pretty easy and organized too. All we had left the airport, we now had our last hour of the trip, a car ride to Ajijic, Mexico. We had finally made it to Mexico.

Cheers!

**Please note that all opinions and views expressed in this post are my own, from my own experiences. If you would like to see more pictures follow me on Instagram vikki.gray **