On Thursday the 12 of November 2009, Blair and I had to hurry up in the morning, as we were going to meet our new couch host Marsha. She is teaching Chines here and welcomed us with a lot of nice sweet candies from her home in Taiwan.
Blair then met a friend in downtown and went with the bus to somewhere else, where our friend showed him an interesting place, he might can stay longer to write for his book.
Marsha and I decided to first do a short shopping tour and later check out downtown. On our trip to the middle of the city Tegucigalpa we stopped by at a very cool DVD-bar. A place with a really interesting business idea. It’s usually a bar, but they started to offer all there movies they collected over the years for rent.
At the market in Tegucigalpa (which is so far the cleanest I’ve seen in Central America) I tried a big-something called “Baleada”, basically a big tortilla filled with beans, eggs and cream.
After returning back to Marsha’s flat, we exchanged some music videos and went for dinner at a small local chicken place. For only Euro 1,5 (around USD 2,2) you get 1/4 of a whole grill chicken with 3 tortillas! =)
Actually the food in Honduras is not the cheapest of Central America, but from time to time you find one of this really good deals! … and that grill chicken was definitely one of the best I ever had – I’m pretty sure, you can’t cook it much better than they did! =)
Later on, Blair returned home and brought another two friends with him.
We all partied here at home, until the neighbors knocked on the door and asked us gentle to turn the music down.
The first part of the party I spent on the computer, talking to the girl I love over Skype. My sweet love decided that she doesn’t want to join our party per voice-over-IP and so I’ve been only online for about one hour, until I finished drinking my second glass, until the first glass broke on the floor (gladfully not my one ;) and the party actually got really crazy! =b
After two broken glasses, many crazy pictures and a lot of empty bottles, I can say that this home party has been a big success! ;P
We went to bed very late and I remember, that I got up at last two times during the night – first time to use the bathroom another time and second time to put on more clothes, as it got very cold during the night! x-P
It has been one of many very nice night here in Honduras, Central Amerika! =)

Yesterday, Wednesday the 11th of November 2009, Blair and I went in the morning to downtown Tegucigalpa, to explore the city!
It took us about 30 minutes to walk to the center, where we first met people organizing a demonstration. Ｗe bought some bananas in a tiny fruit store and enjoyed the sun in the park. The demonstration slowly got bigger and bigger, while we visited the art museum, close to the central park. When we finished our museum tour, the whole place been full of people, but gladfully it has been a peaceful demonstration.
Still they got police and military there, just in case something would get out of control. The demonstration people had a car with big speakers standing in the middle of the place, giving the speech of one leader. I didn’t really understood his Spanish, but what Blair translated me sounded kind of strange! He told the people for example to not go and eat at McDonald’s, as it will make them become fat.
We continued our tour and just kept walking trough the city.
I’ve been fascinated by the big CocaCola advertisement on one of the mountains. It looks like the Hollywood slogan in Los Angeles, USA! =)
After walking for half an hour in “CocaCola” we saw a big Jesus statue on the top of another mountain and decided, that’s where we want to go.
We started chatting with a girl on the street, which tried to sell remote controls for your TV. She been very friendly and even went together with us back to downtown by bus, to show us the right bus connection.
This bus took us in snake-lined-streets up the mountain and gave us an incredible few above the city!
The city Tegucigalpa got around 1.6 million habitant, while the most houses over here are not very tall.
Blair and I finally reached the entry of the national park and walked relaxed to the Jesus statue, to once more enjoy the amazing panorama view! =)
We actually planned to visite the zoo first, but missed the entrance.
On our way back we came by a family, having a family grill event on the top of the mountain. Blair whose Spanish is pretty perfect just started talking with them and they offered us to share lunch with them. Each of us got one spit of grilled meat, frijoles (beans), cheese and one Tortilla. Plus a glass of rum mixed with CocaCola! =)
Blair spoke with them a lot about the political situation in Honduras. They are thinking the same way, the demonstrations we met in the city earlier do and most people we’ve spoke here with. They all like and support the old president and think that the political push against the old president wasn’t democratic at all. As well this family told us, that the situation got worse for them, there living costs increased and in case they would have weapons, they would go on the street to support the old president. (as if anybody over here would do that … everybody pretty sure got a weapon over here from the past wars, but nobody wants to use them!) As far as I know, the old president got into Honduras, hidden in a truck and sits right now in the Brazilian embassy. The new president sits in the president palest and both can’t get out there places, as they would run into people who don’t want to see them.
We already got informed, that the police here now tries to charge everybody for everything, they can charge you, as they need more money. The city got much more unsafe and we try to not be out too late at night, but in case someone would rob us, we will just give him our prepared wallets – only including 2 or 3 USD …
Anyway I feel here actually safer than in Guatemala. It might sound crazy at first, but Honduras is definitely richer. Or at least it was so far, as now almost all international connections have been canceled – nobody else (including the USA and Venezuela) wants to support the new president! Still people over here believe, that the US army helped at the push at least on some point or level. As far as I heard, the republic party in USA would support the new president, while the democrats don’t, as it’s in there eyes not democratic to push a president.
If I understood everything right, the old president basically got sent away, because he tried hard to change the constitution of the country to be president for ever … – also not a very fair or nice move from him …
Anyway, this country is still keeping running and so far everything looks good. We will see, how the situation will change after the votes in about 2 weeks. But I will by then already be (hopefully) back in Guatemala!
After talking with this very nice family we met, we continued walking and finally arrived at the zoo.
The zoo actually would have been already closed, but we been allowed to enter. I guess they just wanted our money! =P
We saw a few very nice animals, including a lot of snakes, until we arrived at the leopard. The zoo was something totally different from the ones you would see in Europa or North America!
Only a very thin wire mash fence and another one meter hight one did split our world from the leopards one.
Basically you could have put your hand trough it … – scary! ;)
Just when we stood there and looked at the leopard, who has been very un-photogenic as he always looked away from my camera, a monkey came to us. The monkey been outside his cage and came along on the small fence. We first thought, the monkey will be peaceful, but immediately he started to attack Blair. He jumped into Blair’s direction, who immediately backed up. Still he insured Blair’s left arm a bit with his sharp finger nails.
Following this monkey at least another 6 free monkeys, Blair and I decided to be fast like the wind and started running! For me it would have been hard to defence myself, as I got my small but heavy packbag on my back and my big camera in the front around my neck. Blair used his small packbag to defence himself against the monkeys. After we were running up the hill, the monkeys stopped there and only looked at us, showing there big teeth and crying very loud!
We walked the last couple of steps to the exit of the zoo and saw a zoo guide sitting there. When we told him about the free monkeys and that they attack tourists, he reacted very relaxed and told us something like “oh – that happens always …”
Personally I could imagine, that they let them go free at 3pm, to get the tourists out the park.
It was very scary to see all those monkeys running very loud behind us – hunting us through the park! … on the other hand something, which doesn’t happens each day and definitely one crazy story more to tell! =P
We took the small bus back down the mountain and started our way from downtown back to the home of our couch hosts.
We had some problems to find the way, as there was basically one small hill between our couch and the downtown. In the morning we surrounded the hill on the right side and when we started our way back, all the people we asked told us the opposite direction. Anyway we arrived after a long walk back at the couch.
On the way to there, we’ve been vouchers at a car accident. A taxi just hid a motor bike. Gladfully both were going in walking-speed and so nobody got really insured. Anyway we decided to sit down over there for couple of minutes and watch the situation, what will happen after that accident.
Immediately 4 guys jumped out the taxi. The three girls, which were sitting in the back just got out too and took another taxi, while the boys got together with the young taxi driver. Also the motor bike driver been very young. They both called the police, but before the police actually arrived, they already started to fight. Both of them then got knocked into their face, while the situation was very unfair – 4 guys against only 1 …
Two young police officers arrived then on their motor bike and first of all marked the position of the car and the motor bike on the street. Then they moved both vehicles off the street and started talking to those guys. It looked professional, but we guess, that the story probably ended corrupted.
I guess, that the young police officers then just called older ones which will come there and take money from both parties. Who pays more, will win the fight. We could see it going into this direction, as the taxi driver already took all his money out his pocket and started counting … – but not in the way like “this is what I will give the guy on the bike for his damage …” ;)
Anyway we then decided to move on, as the sun was already going down.
In the evening, we enjoyed a very good Chinese dinner with our couch hosts, just before I’ve been able to talk with the girl I love over Skype for about 1 1/4 hours! =)
It was already one o’clock in the morning, when I finally went to bed on the couch. They got a sweet cat, which joined me sleeping – but I friendly taught  her how to fly off the couch, after she started playing in the middle of the night with my hand … =P
Well, this day definitely was a big adventure and many things happened – that’s how this post actually got now up to over 1600 words! =P

Today, on Tuesday the 11th of November 2009, I got up early to get myself ready for leaving El Salvador. Javier been so nice and gave me a life at 8:30 am to the Tica bus station. On the way to there, we done a short stop at his office, where I got impressed about his company! =)
Just as I arrived at the Tica bus station, I realized that I will need to go to a different one. As the bus was leaving at midday 12 o’clock, I had enough time to find my way to over there with the local city bus.
I arrived around 9:30am at the right bus station and spent my waiting-time with a short shopping trip to get some lunch and stop at an Internet place.
My friend Blair from Canada had big problems finding the bus station and finally arrived at 12 o’clock, when I already been in the bus and thought that I will have to go alone.
After a very very very long bus drive in a comfortable Mercedes bus, we arrived in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, when it already has got dark outside.
Blair and I shared a taxi and met our couch hosts at a very big hotel.
From there we all went to lunch to a very good Chines restaurant and now just crashed back at our friends flat.
Even I was only sitting all the day long in the bus, I feel quite tired right now and will soon go to bed! ;)

My friend Blair from Canada and I could manage everything and right now it looks like we will go tomorrow morning with the bus to Honduras! =)

I’ve just been today (Monday the 9th of November) in the morning at the government office and got my passport back. My tourist visa got extended until the 15th of December 2009. As I already bought my flight for the 8th of December, it looks like everything will work out perfect! =)
I’m currently couch surfing at my friend’s Javier flat in one of the safest (or THE safest) part of the city San Salvador!
I’ve already had some very nice and interesting conservation with Javier! He started about 1 1/2 years ago his own company, which basically imports and exports in whole Central America materials to build houses.
At the moment my friend Blair from Canada, which I met couple of days ago at Amado’s place, and myself are working to manage our way to Honduras. Blair already travelled a lot around the world and I’m sure, travelling together will be much fun, ! =)
If everything goes right, we will leave tomorrow at 11am with the bus into the direction of Honduras! =D
During the past days it rained a lot over here. I was already close to call it UK-rain, but if I remember back … the UK is still one step extremer! =b
As I read in the news, already 124 death people have been counted in El Salvador by this time. Still they are missing a lot of people and many thousand people lost their homes.
All this only reaches me at the moment over the news. I the city I’ve only seen at some point tiny lakes on couple of street crossings.
Basically the problem is, that El Salvador has a lot of mountains and people build there houses there. When such much rain comes, like it happened during the past days, the earth get flushed down the mountains and takes everything around with it. Combined with the fact, that many houses over here are not very solid constructed. Many times it’s just 4 walls build out of wood or a thin steelplate.
Gladfully it now stopped to rain and hopefully will stay like this!
I will try to keep you up-to-date, which turns out to be now much more complicated, as I’m travelling without any mobile Internet-tool …
Until my way to Finland, I always been able to publish news over my iPhone.

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! =)

Well, much happened here since the past days and finally I’m online again! ;)
Let’s bring all the news of the past days up in date order ;P

First very positive news: I will come together with the girl I love in beginning of December to Austria!
We actually were looking for flight during the past 6 weeks. During the past 2 weeks we tried to buy one … but we both prefered a different travel agency, with different prices. Each time we have been close to buy the tickets, something turned out to be not that good and we ended up in arguments.
We have been very close to buy the tickets at my travel agency on Monday evening, but then the price went up a little bit and all our plans went over board again =P
At the end it has been a marathon run on Tuesday morning, as we finally played perfect teamwork and decided to buy the flights at her travel agency, just about 30 minutes before I went travelling again!
We will fly with Lufthansa (operated half the way over Mexicana) and stop in Mexico City, Mexico and Frankfurt, Germany.
At the end we got an amazing good price, which was even cheaper than British Airways, even Lufthansa does provide in my point of few (based on long travel experience) much more quality!
We will arrive in Vienna, Austria on Wednesday the 9th of December 2009 at 5:20pm! =D
Or flights are already leaving on Tuesday the 8th of December and we will need to stop in Mexico City over night.
I’ve already arranged, that we will stay at my very good friend Ahmed for this night! I’m looking forward a lot, to see my very good friend again and also enjoy another Hollywood Burger! =D

Second news: I’m back on the road and went in company with my friend Amado from El Salvador, about 30 minutes after buying the flight tickets by bus to San Salvador in El Salvador! =)
Amado been over the last weekend in Guatemala and also went back to his house – I’ve joint him! =)
The bus ride was long but nice and we arrived well up at our destination!

Third news: My 90-days-tourist-visa is running for whole Central Amerika. (Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras)
So when I crossed the border to El Salvador, I didn’t get like planned another 90 days. Today is my last day and we already been to the right office. The fee to stay illegal longer would be USD 140,- but as I got to the office in time, I can ask for more time for only USD 22,-.
I’m glad we could manage this so far and will be at the office again by tomorrow, to finalize everything.
The office was VERY professional and friendly. A big THANK YOU at this point to my couch host Amado, who helps me a lot with all this! =)

That’s it so far – more news and hopefully an updated Google map should be online by tomorrow! ;)

My well planned project number 6 (see the post “news from over here“) worked great!
The idea was, to organize a nice birthday party for the girl I love! =)
As it was a top-secret, what I’m going to organize, I couldn’t publish it earlier over her! ;)
Her sister and I done great teamwork together and decided, to all meet up for lunch at my friend’s Luis restaurant.
When my love came into the restaurant, she was blown away from the surprise of seeing her sister and the two daughters of her sister! =)
I got two presents for her – first was a DVD writer/player USB external, which fits good to her new Netbook … – and second was a nice picture I’ve taken, which is actually a longer story …
Across of the street of my friend’s Luis restaurant in Antigua, Guatemala is a big house, which got an inner courtyard. In this inner courtyard stands a big tree, which is bigger than the house and gets light up at night with some spots. Each time we have dinner at my friends restaurant, we watch the tree from the window. Once we sat there in the night, she told me: I need to have a picture of this beautiful tree …
Just about a week ago, when I’ve done photos at my friends restaurant in the evening and waited for her, to enjoy dinner together, I’ve taken couple of pictures of this tree.
… and just in this moment a sweet cat came by on the roof of the house and sat there for 10 minutes to take some amazing photos.
Later on I worked out the best photo, printed it on photo paper and organized a very nice frame for it.
Actually only organizing the frame was a really challenge … same like printing the photo in real good colours … =b
A present, coming with a lot of love, from the middle of my heart! =)
Next I’ve organized her favourite cake from her favourite cafe restaurant and decorated this one with candles. But as you know me, I didn’t just chosen normal candles – I thought those, which you can blow out, but they will turn back on are MUUUCH more fun !!! ;P
… and they turned out to work really great – after blowing the candles out for around 35 times, the restaurant was filled up with as much smoke, as when it would stand totally in flames! ;b
In the middle of the cake I’ve placed two big candles, which are numbers and showing “17″ – just to make another joke ;P
We all enjoyed a very good lunch and the very good birthday cake! =)
It was a small, but very very very funny and happy birthday party!
At the end I’ve been amazed by all the organizations I’ve done and that everything worked such great! =)

As I was just talking about it with a friend from Canada, I got the idea to google “free hugs” and found the official website right away …
I’ve realized this idea my own at the beginning of my world tour in New York City, USA. (thanks to Kristin at this point ;)
Check out the official YouTube clip of this great idea:

… the CocaCola refrigerator box did NOT blow up !!! =D
(hehe – prints a good picture on my hight technical education ;)
Here are some photos of this crazy action! =P

Still have to check out, if the photos are now finally good enough, to use them for the menu … ;)
PS: in case you read this post over Facebook, you can check out a better quality of those pictures over http://www.sebisoft.eu ;)