Cold showers continue...

Still no hot water. The estate agent has given all the details for the replacement to the developer, and asked that it be done ASAP, but so far I have heard nothing. We are on Mexican time so I need to be patient. While it's quite bracing in the morning, it's not unbearable.

Today my main task was to get my new mobile working. Text messages wouldn't go through and when I tried to phone someone there was a long and very rapid message in Spanish of which I could make no sense. I took it to the RE agent who told me the phone needs to be registered before it can be used, it's an anti-terrorism thing I think. Got all the details to send the message, but no go. Tried the internet and it wouldn't let me past where I had to select the state in Mexico where I was born. Finally asked at another of the local phone resellers and she told me I had to go to Customer Service at the Plaza Maya and take my passport & they would sort it. The last time I went past there the line was out the door, but it was now 6.45pm and since they closed at 8 I thought I may have a chance, so I hopped on a bus with a leadfooted driver and was there in no time. There were 7 people before me on the line, but of the 20 booths, 15 were occupied so I figured it wouldn't take long. I didn't count on the fact that of those 15, less than half were actually serving customers, or, dare I say, actually working. Most appeared to be chatting amongst themselves, staring at computers or shuffling paperwork, generally doing anything to avoid making eye contact with the people in the queue. I waited 25 minutes but the man was very helpful and even complimented me on my spanish, so I was pretty pleased with the visit overall. And now the phone works, yay! I think I got a great deal - the cute little Samsung phone cost me 359 pesos ($30), I start with 100 pesos credit, and if I recharge 100 pesos in each of the next 2 months I will get another 100 pesos each month. In the end it will cost me just over $20 for a new phone and 3 months access, and 100 pesos should give me heaps of air time & messages. I have applied for international messaging so hopefully I will be able to send & receive texts from my pals at home. I will let you know when it happens.