Zihuatanejo is always referred to as a small fishing village. Maybe in the time of Red and Andy but it is anything but that now. A seaside town of 125,000 people with it's twin sister city Ixtapa, pop. 30,000, it is a thriving destination town of resorts, hotels, restaurants and tourist activities. Sure, there is a thriving fishing community where you can purchase oysters covered in hot sauce and lime juice, ready to eat right on the beach, but this town has evolved and continues to grow. I wanted to explore it for myself, but for now let's just embrace Andy's mystic explanation of leaving the hell that is Shawshank for the perceived heaven that is Zihuatanejo
I have had a few extended trips planned out the last few years. One thing has lead to another and BOOM, here I sit still planning. I have not done anything since June when I went on the Alaskan Cruise with my sister and with winter approaching it was time to get out of town, even for a few weeks. I knew Mexico was going to be the destination, and Cancun/Merida was the obvious choice, but then it hit me. Pay the extra few $$ and hit the Pacific Coast and get to a place that is high on my "must visit list." Stand up and take a bow Zihuatanejo, I am coming your way.
I found a reasonable flight with WestJet with a stop over in Calgary. I did not put much thought into an booked it without taking into consideration the flight times and route. It was only after I was putting the details into my trip by booking a hotel room and deciding on how to get to the Toronto Airport for my 6AM flight that I realised my mistake. My flight took my to Calgary, which was 4.5 hours, a 2 hour layover then another 5.5 hours to Zihuatanejo. It does not seem too bad until you look at a map and notice how long this flight was. A direct flight from Toronto to Zihua is about 5 hours and with a bit of effort you could find a flight that was comparably priced. I get a big DOH! for that one.
To make up for my lazy stupidity I decided it was time to go "old school" when it was time to get to Pearson Airport in Toronto for my 6AM flight. The first option was to drive and then Park and Fly as it was the easiest, but as you all know, the easiest is always the most expensive. Honestly, I am exhausted of living in a society based on ease, comfort and convenience, then justifying paying for it. The price would have been $175 plus at least a half a tank of gas, so another $40, so $215.
Next up, a shuttle service with Niagara Air Bus. Simple and quick pickup at my house and drop off at the airport, then the reverse when I get back. You are subject to their schedule which would have put me at the airport at midnight for my 6AM flight. Total cost $211.38 which included the early booking discount of about $10.
I thought about it for a minute and put together my third option. I quick scan of the Go Transit booking site showed an express train leaving Niagara Falls at around 9 PM and arriving Union Station in Toronto at 11:30, cost was $21. From Union I could take the Union Pearson Express for $12.50 which is a modern twenty minute train/shuttle service that I have used many times. It would put me at Pearson about midnight for $33.50.
I could have put some serious effort into it and jumped on the TTC for $3 or whatever the one way fare is now taking the bay street line to the Bloor Line, then west on the Bloor line to Kipling station. There is an Airport Express bus from Kipling which I have also taken in the past when I lived in Toronto and before the Union/Pearson Shuttle Service existed, but I splurged.
To recap:
Driving and Park and Fly - $215
Airport Shuttle Service - $211.38
Go Train and Union Pearson Express - $33.50
The choice was obvious and with a few unhealthy snacks, Spotify and fully charged Bluetooth earbuds my sister dropped my off at the sketchy and poorly lit Niagara Falls Train Station for my waiting chariot to Toronto.
Sure, I still arrived at Pearson six hours before my morning flight and needed to sit overnight waiting for security to open, but I had a good book, Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life, a hot coffee and the flowing adrenalin of heading to Mexico...yes via fu**ing Calgary, but Mexico still the same.