back to Antigua, Guatemala =)

The following day, Tuesday the 1st of December 2009, the day after my long trip from Honduras back to Guatemala, I got up again quite early at 7am. I’ve taken a short walk from the house I was staying in to a small shop just two streets away. There I bought a bottle of water, when my friend Luis gave me a call and invited me for breakfast.
We went to a McDonald’s, where we then stood for a few hours just talking.
It was already midday, when Luis brought me to the biggest street, from where I cached on of the chicken-buses to Antigua, Guatemala.
One hour later I’ve been back in Antigua and checked out the guest house I was staying before. They glad fully got my room free and I right away moved in! =)
In the evening I then finally saw the girl I love again! =D
During the past days I was working a lot on the menu for my friends restaurant. I want to finish it, before I will take off soon.
We have already taken almost all the photos of the meals – if everything goes good, we will take the two last ones by today! =)
It just gives me a good feeling, that my blog is finally again up-to-date! ;)
Only counting today, I wrote about 3500 words … =P
As soon as I’m back in Austria, I’m going to publish a big wave of great photos! =)

from San Pedro Sula back to Guatemala

On the next morning, Cinthya and I had to get up early, as she had to go to work. After a quick breakfast, we left home and drove to the big bus terminal, which is located right next to her work.
Once I arrived at the bus terminal, I started my long search for buses to Guatemala. There were a lot of options in a lot of different price classes. Anyway I’ve known, that the way will be a long one … probably 8 hours or more.
I finally decided, that the cheapest and fastest way from San Pedro Sula to Guatemala would be the one over the Copan Ruinas.
As I arrived there after 8am, I had to wait until the next bus, which was going to leave at 11am. I used the time to organize lunch, walk a bit around, change some money and try to motivate people for my travel video. Only the travel video didn’t work out over there. I’ve been able to motivate a big group of young girls to be part of my video, but they were working in a shop and their chef wasn’t motivated enough.
Anyway, I took the bus and looked forward to a 4 hours bus drive. As the bus driver was one of the worse bus drivers I ever seen and the bus without much engine power, it took us an extra hour and I arrived at the Copan Ruinas around 4pm. The city was crazy and there were thousand of people on the street celebrating, as Honduras just won an important soccer match.
At the bus station I got picked up by a tourist guide, who offered me and another traveller to give us a hotel room for the night plus the ride to the border for only USD 10,- …
I’ve known, that this price is way to high and anyway been motivated enough to do a very crazy trip on my own – it has been sure to me, that I will go to Guatemala this day, doesn’t matter, what it will take me …
So on I just crossed the street and asked a restaurant owner, who stand there in front of his place on the street, celebrating the soccer match, how I can get best to the border.
The tourist guide already explained me earlier, that the only two shuttles to Guatemala already left at 2pm and the only way would be with a mini bus.
What has been weird to me was, that whoever I asked to the border in my professional Span-English told me how to get to “Frontera” …
So after I heard it about 20 times, I decided it has to be the right way and I will need to find a way to this strange city “Frontera” I never heard about before …
The restaurant owner told me, that there are mini buses leaving all 30 minutes and that one is just about to go – and pointed down the street.
I thanked him for the information and started running to the mini bus. Within one minute, my big pack bag was on the roof of the car and I was inside the mini van bus.
Right there I then took out my small Spanish dictionary and looked up, what the word “border” would be in Spanish, as I will need to tell the people in “Frontera”, where I want to go.
… guess what – it was there, that I realized “frontera” is just the Spanish translation for “border” and I’m on my right way to over there! =)
The mini bus drove quite fast on the empty street to the border and arrived there about 20 minutes later.
I’ve known that the price should only be something between 20 and 30 Lempiras. (money in Honduras … 19,- Lempiras pretty exactly 1,- USD)
The bus driver asked me for 50 Lempiras, but as that was exactly the money I had left, I just gave it away, as I’ve known I will probably never need it again. If I would have changed it, I might have become 0.50 USD cents and anyway he brought me really fast and friendly to my goal, the border. It would have not been the effort worth, to start fighting about this small price … ;)
The border over there is really small … you first go to a desk of Honduras – and following that to a desk from Guatemala.
Very interesting is, that they all signed the same paper/deal (I explained earlier) so that travellers get a tourist visa over 90 days for 4 different countries in Central America. But only Guatemala doesn’t know anything about it … – I told this guy at the desk five times, that I got my visa already in El Salvador and it is still available. Tried to explain him, what so many people explained to me … but he didn’t believe it …
I had to pay another 10 Quetzales (pretty exactly 1,- Euro) and got a stamp with another 90 days tourist visa … =P
Guatemala has nice places, but they definitely suck at their border duty … ;)
Well, it’s not like it would be their biggest problem in the country, but it seems to be one of the problems for whole Central America. One guy explained me once, that because they just let everybody who wants into their country, all the bad people who are international searched are still able to stay, live and do their business in Guatemala.
Now I just crossed this border from Honduras to Gautemala, it was late afternoon and there was only jungle left and right from me. There was just nothing … – one street, which I’ve been told is about 60 km long to the next big city.
They got a small bus there, which would have cost about Quetzales 40,- and has been relative to the short way very expensive for Guatemala. I just sat for hours in the other bus and decided I’m motivated enough to just give it a try.
I changed my shoes from flip-flops to my Nike shoes and started walking on the only route there was.
I’ve known, that it’s not very dangerous, as the mini bus will come by each half hour or hour and in case nothing is working, I can still jump on this bus …
There weren’t many cars going at that time, but it only took me about 15 minutes walking plus 5 cars, until a pick-up truck stopped for me and I jumped on the back! =)
Just when I started walking, the mini van bus started as well it’s way and tried to pick me up. Later on, I went by the mini bus, as he had to stop many times along the way for people and the pick-up truck has been way faster! =)
He took me very long – long enough to take some videos, photos and eat an apple during the ride – enjoying the sun, which was about to go down and the beautiful jungle area – I would say he gave me a lift for about 40 to 50 minutes long to a big street crossing – when he stopped there, I thanked him and he asked me, where I’m planning to go to.
I told him Guatemala City and he showed me the way I need to take, as he was going into a different direction.
I walked just a few meters to a small group of people and asked again, which way I need to take. They told me, I best take one of the small city shuttles to the bus terminal and I should make sure to be there before the last bus leaves at 6pm.
I crossed the street to be on the right street side going to the bus terminal and rechecked with the people standing there, if I was going to take the right way.
Just in this second a small city bus came by and the people talked with the bus coordinator.
Like in El Salvador, most of the mini city shuttles have two guys – one driving the bus – one crying out the window, where they are going to – loading people on and off and collecting all the money.
I’ve been smart like always and asked the people standing there, how much it will cost me. The bus coordinator was one of the few nice ones and even jumped 20 minutes later together with me off the bus, to show me the bus terminal. This ride only cost me Quetzales 3,- ;)
In the very small bus terminal I bought the bus ticket for the last bus at 6pm and as I arrived there around 5pm, I got one hour time to organize dinner and upload money on my Guatemala mobile phone.
To give you an example about the prices – the big bus from this town Chiquimula to Guatemala City was supposed to go for 5 hours and only cost Quetzales 35,- … (compared to the bus from the border over 60 km, which would have cost me Quetzales 40,- ;) … I love hitch-hiking, but it’s not only about taking – it’s also about giving, like I helped out the hitch-hikers in East Europa, when I’ve been there in the summer 2008! =)
The big bus came a bit too late, I jumped on and enjoyed eating the cheese and sandwich bread, I bought in a small super market.
After only one hour drive, we got a big problem on the street and there has been a long traffic jam, which took us about one hour of standing and only moving very slowly.
It was then, when I realized that it won’t make any sense, trying to get to Antigua trough the night. As I couldn’t reach the girl I love (her mobile phone was out of battery)= I tried to call my good friend Luis.
He’s living in Guatemala City and offered me to pick me up and give me a place to sleep.
About 4 hours later, I finally arrived between 10pm and 11pm in Guatemala City. Still I had to wait for my friend Luis about 30 minutes long. Guatemala City is really not safe in the night, but glad fully there was a small police station in the bus station I’ve arrived.
There was only one police officer, armed with a big automatic gun, but more afraid than myself! =P
I just stood there on the side-walk in frond of the door and waited for my friend. In my back I got the police officer standing in the shadow and watching me through the big wire mesh door.
He was a friendly young guy, but preferred to stay back in the shadow, as many police officers already got killed during the past years.
One time a guy walked into my direction and started asking, if I want to by his jacket. Immediately the police officer stepped out of the shadow, shouted something into his direction and the guy walked quickly away.
He then explained me, that this guy pretty sure would have grabbed my small pack bag and start running. Anyway, I was alarmed before and took a position, I could easy defend myself and told this guy as well “NO” in a very loud and brutal way.
When you travel a lot, you learn and train with the time, to decide very fast out of the given situation, body language of the certain person and his words, if you can trust this person or not!
I didn’t see myself any second during that situation in danger, as I’ve already thought ahead, what I would do if he comes closer. The closest he actually came was still 10 meters away! =P
Very interesting is, how much you can tell from body language. For example, when I’ve been around with my friends from the USA in San Salvador and we planned to go to the volcano, we asked the bus driver there, how much it would be. Non of us understood at first, what he told us, but we all had the feeling and known, that whatever he told us is for sure not the real price. Later in the bus we just looked, how much other people paid and gave him the same amount of money. As we paid, we thought back about what he told us earlier and realized he put about 0.50 USD cent extra on the price. =P
Anyway, my friend Luis finally came, picked me up and brought me to his father’s house. His father is living somewhere else, but the big empty house got one room with a nice bed. We talked a bit, he gave me the keys of the big house and then he and his wife took off. They live somewhere else in the city and I had all the big house for my own this night.
The house is very nice and located in a safe area, as they have built a few years ago a big fence with security around the whole big block of houses in this part of the city.
I took a quick shower and went very tired to bed.
… one of many true travel days … =)

… the story goes on … =)

Finally I’m back at the Internet and got time to tell you more about my crazy travelling tour through Honduras.
… I will start, where I’ve ended my story in the last post – at my umbrella … ;)
If I would have known what will happen to my umbrella in the future, I wouldn’t have cared about it …
Well, actually I haven’t cared much about my umbrella, as it anyway already been broken. I destroyed the plastic handle on the day, I left Antigua to San Salvador, when I had to sprint from the McDonald’s restaurant to the central park. As they just cleaned the floor and used a hell lot of soap (like I used to do it couple of times at the military as a joke – it has been much fun to see the military guys ice skating with their big boots through the restaurant ;) I slipped out and crashed on my left side. I didn’t hurt my self much and been back up within 0.5 seconds, but later I recognized that I smashed the plastic handle of this tiny umbrella.
Anyway we turned around the mini van bus, going from Ceiba to San Pedro Sula, and picked quickly my umbrella up from the street. I didn’t even noticed it has been my umbrella, until they gave it through the car. There I noticed and said: “ah yeah – my umbrella” and imminently got the Spanish comment on that “ajaja – the Gringo lost his umbrella!” =P
Following that comment, everybody (including myself) started to laugh and we took on our tour.
We stopped once at a gas station, where my friend Dominic, who works as doctor in Ceiba, decided to invite me for whatever I want to eat. I appreciated his offer and went like always for the best cost-benefit ratio. Which has been at this bus station, including a small fast food restaurant, the small supermarket next to it. It was when I decided to go for some cookies, when Dominic and I got to the topic of my stomach. I didn’t really had big problems through the past days, but never felt like my stomach is doing normal …
I explained him all the history, what I have eaten and how my stomach reacted through the past month. Immediately he located the problem and bought a lot of different nuts plus two fruit drinks for him and myself. I had a little bit of basic knowledge, what might be the problem in my stomach, but he explained me all the details, when we took on our travel to San Pedro Sula.
Basically the problem is all the fried food over there, especially in Honduras. Nearly each meal includes something fried – even breakfast …
Combined with the fact, that I haven’t eaten many fruits or other food for quite a while, the fried stuff created a small problem. He explained me, that the fried stuff goes slower through my stomach and starts to create a lot of gas. As the gas blows up my stomach, it feels like it’s totally filled up and got the strong feeling to empty itself. Whatever comes out is normal, but you got the feeling of going a few times more often than usually to the toilet.
I followed what he told me and concentrated on eating more fruits – immediately the problem was gone! =)
We talked all the way to San Pedro Sula and crossed a lot of topics. Actually I’ve been impressed, how much I’m already able to communicate, even I would still call my Spanish baby-level and need to learn much more, to bring out a straight and correct sentence! =P
After I arrived in San Pedro Sula, I only had to wait half an hour, until my friends Cinthya and Irene (she’s from the Switzerland and currently working as teacher in Honduras – we already met the first time I stood at Cinthya’s place) picked me up from the big bus terminal.
We first went for lunch, then returned to Cinthya’s place to play Wii & check out my photos from Utila, and later on went as group of five people for dinner to McDonald’s. As we all been still full from the lunch and I just had killed 5 bananas at Chindia’s place, we all only enjoyed very small burgers. =P
Later on, Cinthya and I kept talking till very late at night, but the night wasn’t as long, as we known that we had to get up on the next morning at 7am.
To keep this stuff in order, the story will go on in my next post (on my website above ;)

I finally could escape from the paradise! =)

In the morning of the 29th of November 2009, the weather in Utila, Honduras has been still bad, but finally good enough to escape! =)
The ferry, which is normally supposed to leave the island at 6:20am, finally been able to take off after 7pm. Like I’ve already told in my last post, the big problem is the harbour of Ceiba, Honduras.
After going with the boat for one hour over middle rough waves, we had to turn around at the first time trying to get into the harbour. The waves been big and the entry is very small. As soon as a boat get a little bit off its track, it would get pushed against the hard rocks on the right or left side of the entry.
We did a 360 degree loop and tried it another time. this time we got in, even I could see out the window, that we haven’t been too far from the rocks.
The second captain of the boat just explained me the day earlier, that they sunk a boat at those rocks two years ago. As it has been in the harbour and they have been very lucky, everybody survived the catastrophe.
After I arrived good in Ceiba, I shared a taxi with two German travellers to down town.
As it has been the day of the elections for the next president in Honduras, no buses were working at all!
The two travellers from Germany had a different travel goal than I had and got of the taxi earlier. The taxi driver then brought me back to a small bus station and took off, as soon as I’ve paid him.
Just in the moment I was walking to the door and realized, it’s closed and nobody is there in the office, a mini van pulled over and somebody asked: “San Pedro Sula?”
I asked how much it will cost and jumped into the full mini van, as the price has been only USD 0,50 more expansive than the bus I had taken to over here. =)
I sat down next to Dominic, who works as doctor in Ceiba. We started talking in Spanish and soon I found out, that this bus been a spontaneously idea from couple of people in Ceiba. They just got the idea, to drive from their home to the city and back, collect people on the way, who are waiting for the buses which are not going that day and make a little bit of extra money! =P
All the people in the bus been really funny and cool! Everybody was happy and joking around! =)
One time we lost my small umbrella, which was fixed to my big pack back and dropped from the roof of the car. I didn’t even recognize it, when somebody told the driver to turn around – they picked it quickly up from the street and made a funny joke out of it! =D
I have to also say at that point, that my umbrella wasn’t even fixed really to my pack bag – I more just put it on top, as the weather got better – actually a wonder, that I didn’t lose it in the taxi … =P
… this is the start of the story – I’m now going to get lunch and will continue the story, when I finished lunch! ;)
PS: for everybody in Europa – good night, in case my story will finish too late! ;P

bad weather and nothing is moving!

I’m still here in Utila, Honduras. As the weather was really bad, my diving instructor Bob from the Netherlands and I decided in the last moment on Thursday afternoon to not go diving. We actually been already ready to go, but everybody else cancled there plans and so it would have only been him and me.

We decided on Thursday to do the two free dives on Friday morning, which worked good in the end. It was raining, but once you are in the water, it really doesn’t matter! ;)

After we returned, I packed all my things and planned to leave with the afternoon ferry at 2pm.

Unfortuately the ferry wasn’t going …

The problem is actually not the rain or the little bit bigger waves over here. The problem is the habor of Ceiba. It’s built in a really bad way, that as soon as the wind blows from north-west, boats can’t get anymore in or out. The wind creates really big waves, which could smash the boat at on of the big rocks in the sea, next to the harbor. Whoever constructet this stuff din’t thought a lot about what he is doing.

The connection to Utila is run (as far as I know) by an American, who makes a lot of money by only allowing two boats per day. One at 6:20am and one at 4pm.

I tried to be today’s morning on the morning ferry, got up early and walked to there through the rain with my two friends from the Netherlands. Unfortuately the wind didn’t change and so both planned ferries for today are off.

Over here it’s only raining, raining, raining … – I hope the weather will change soon and I can take the morning ferry tomorrow!

During the last two days I already spent easy over 10 hours reading an interesting book, I picked up over here.

As soon as I’m back on the main land, I will try to rush to Antigua, Guatemala. This might won’t work too good tomorrow, as Honduras is going to vote there next president. All the country is crazy, but here on this tiny island everything is cool. They also got nearly no crime over here, as they would catch the bad person for sure, on this 5 km long island, before he could get away with one of the two daily ferries! =P

This was the latest weather broadcast from Utila, Honduras by SEBI=)

Please don’t even try to count English mistakes – I’m glad I found at the end an Internet connection – over a old Dell notebook with a brocken display! =P

amazing & impressive! =)

My first diving class went quite good today. We been under water for about 45 minutes and it was really impressive to see a suh beautiful sea world, like you normaly see in the TV! =)

After me first dive, when I raturned to the boat to change the air bottle, I got really sea sick. The boat was stopped close a riff and shaking on the waves quite extreme. Once everything of my stomack was out, I felt better again, changed my equipment and got ready for the second dive! =)

This time we’ve been less time under water, as we had to train couple of things on the water surface …

It was rewally nice to do the first two dives and tomorrow morning we are going for the next two! =D

More information by then! ;)