I’ve just done all this writing, while talking over Skype to the girl I love – so please don’t look forward to a best-quality-story -I just wanted to quickly write down the main things, which happened, so that I don’t forget them …
I’m back on the route and everything is crazy again! =D
After started my tour from Antigua on Tuesday the 3rd November 2009 at 9:45 am together with Amado, we arrived after a very long bus drive at 5pm at his place in San Salvador, El Salvador.
On the same evening, 4 travelers from the USA arrived as well there via bike. They all joint a volunteer project, for which they go by bike through Central America and South America, to write stories for students back in the USA about the world behind their border! =)
We all enjoyed, going to the market for dinner and found a place to sleep somewhere in Amados house.
On the following morning on Wednesday the 4th of November 2009, Amado helped me a lot, by going together with me to the right office to extend my tourist visa.
My first impression of the office for migration, I had a very positive and professional feeling about the work they do.
The office looks professional and the woman, taking care about my tourist visa was very friendly and even spoke English!
In the afternoon, I did a trip together with two friends from the USA to the Vulcan San Salvador.
On the way back, we stopped at the big market of El Salvador to taste some crazy fruits from Central America.
In the evening, Blair, a professional couch surfer from Canada arrived as well at Amados place.
The following, Thursday 5th of November 2009, Amado and I started in the morning again to the office …
I had to pay USD 22, 5 filled out papers, one passport photo and copies of all pages of my passport. The friendly lady took everything and it seems, like everything will be okay on the following day. She asked me, to be return to their office, on the next day at 3pm. In the mean time, my passport will be at the office, to manage everything.
At lunch Kishan, another professional couch surfer from the Bahamas arrived as well at Amados place. We al went for lunch to the shopping center mall and enjoyed Chinese food.
In the afternoon I searched for an Internet place, to finally call the sweet girl I love in Guatemala.
After phoning with my sweet girl I enjoyed once more dinner at the market.
This night, we’ve been 7 couch surfers and Amado together in his house – this was definitely the biggest couch-surfing-group of people staying together at one place, I have seen so far. Amado is very friendly and I respect his way of sharing life a lot!
The following day, Friday the 6th of November 2009, the professional office turned out to be less professional! =P
I started in the morning at 11 am to explore together with Blair the city San Salvador!
We saw the big park, a nice museum and a big statue.
In the afternoon, I first went to Internet to call my friend Javier. Then I took the bus into the direction of the center at 4pm. As the traffic was crazy, I was even worried, that I might will arrive after 5pm at the office. I thought, like everywhere else, the office for migration will close at 5pm. But when I finally arrived there at 4:50 pm, I had to find out, that the office already closed at 3:30 pm!
In my eyes quite unprofessional, as well as the fact, that an office that operates with international passports is closed over the weekend. I don’t know how it is working in Austria, but I can imagine, we might got the same problem there … – it’s just very complicated for travelers …
Anyway, I have to wait now until Monday, to gat my passport back. In the mean time I only got a small paper, telling, that they got my passport.
Going back by bus was a horror! The whole city been full of cars and it took me whole 1 1/2 hours, for a way I should go with the bus in max. 20 minutes!
I finally arrived back at Amados place and reached Javier on his mobile phone – then everything worked fast – Javier picked me half an hour later up at the park. We drove to a bis shopping center, were we met his friends. We then went for dinner and returned late at night back to his nice flat! =)
