Mexico

Man what a trip. The bus from Flores was scandalous. The only form of transport available it was also our only option. It included a short but expensive run through Belize($25)and eventually in the evening we got to the border at Chetumal. AGAIN not another pleasant border experience. I mean its not great crossing borders at night, not having a clue what to do and then on top of it not having ANY money nor an chance of getting any to further our evening plans. We made t to the bus terminal and luckily managed to get an evening us to Merida. No sleep was had and we arrived at 5am pretty exhausted and hungry and with no where to go after being turned down by 2 hostels. Thanks bastards. However following trend after this we eventually had some good luck and were welcomed into Hotel Trinidad. It was a blessing. So beautiful, colonial and hospitable. The other places and journey there was soon forgotten.




As far as introductions to a new country can go, Merida was no exception. It was an absolute delight. SO attractive, the people so warm and friendly and a lot to do and see. We cruised the streets, finally indulged in some epic mexican food and relaxed and enjoyed it all. Mexico was also a bit step up on central america in terms of modernisation and development which made it that more comfortable.

Utilising the awesome bus networks we headed east to Valladolid and found a lovely hostel set also in another laid back old colonial town. Beautiful. We found the first Church to be built in the Americas back in the 16th Century. It was a sight! This area of the Yucatan Peninsula is also widely known for its Cenotes. These are underground lakes and water holes that are absolutely spellbinding. Spectacular.




Next on the agenda was Tulum, an astonishing Mayan town and fort site. Ifi were alive at this time, this it where i would have lived.



With time and options running out we decided to spend our last few days in Cancun, a very developped and built up city known for its tourist industry and spring break revelry. We kept a low profle as the weather was not too hot and hung in for our flight back to LA. Overall Mexico, especially the Yucatan peninsula we travelled was a super experience and well worth the visit. It was a shame to leave Latin america as the experience was huge but we were looking forward to some Californian action!

Guatemala

We arrived in Guatemala city which was suprisingly big and without wasting any time, got a local chicken bus to Antigua, another city 1 hour away but much smaller, more beautiful and very gezellig.



Antigua is renowned for its colonial buildings, Catholic churches, Maya artesan market and many good bars and restauramts. We had a lovely time strolling the old cobbled streets, buying wonderful souveniers from the markets and sampling lots of the good food!!!

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For the New Year celebrations we headed to the central park which is often in Central America the centre of life for a city, where people relax, eat and drink and have a good chat. The square was full of people, locals as well as tourists and visiting guatemalans which made a fantastic atmosphere. Shireen found what looked exactly like Olie Bollen but was a little disappointed when it came to the taste! oh well, it was worth a try.



We found a great spot and the fireworks were fantastic, with some very large bangs. It was all very impressive and we had a lovely evening. The next day we decided to make a memorable day for the first of the year so without much preparation we booked a ticked for the trip to Volcano Pacaya, one of the most active in CA. This was definately a challenge and we got more than we bargained for. The trek began at 2pm and we were in a group of about 10. The hike up to the 2nd stage was steep and lasted 1 hour. However the 2nd stage to where you can actually view the Lava from was another 45 minutes. And even steeper, on rougher terrain! It was definately a huge undertaking and half way into the 2nd stage clouds covered the mountain and we suddenly became very wet, tired and COLD! When we finally scrambled up to the lava it was unelievable. There was a huge 2m wide stream of lava flowing and the hardened magma which you would walk on was barely covering the lava that flowed beneath it!



It was crazy to think that your standing on top of something so volatile and dangerous and that you can get so close to the lava, close enough to touch literally! It was super hot like a sauna and amazing to experience. Needless to say we took photos quickly and got the hell off those rocks as it did not seem very safe at all. The trek back got worse, now it was dark as well as freezing cold and wet and lasted 1 1/2 hours. I got a horrendous cold and we were absolutely shatterred but it was all well worth it and an insanely cool adventure. Leaving Antigua we took an overnight bus to Flores in the north of Guatemala to visit world famous Tikal. An uncovered Mayan city deep in the jungle complete with Temples, wildlife and other incredible sights. It was built over 2000 years ago by the maya who were one of the world most advanced cultures. They made canal systems even that would make the dutch proud, build roads and pathways and developed a calendar due to their interest in astronomy. It was simply breathtaking. How they managed to build such wonderful structres is beyond belief. We walked for 5 hours to all the temples and sights, climbed a few, held a tarantula, saw monkeys, crocodiles and parrots and had one of the best days travelling so far. It was truly epic.

El Salvador

Our luxury bus rolled into San Salvador and we immediately noticed a slightly more developped city than the others we have so far seen in CA. Our hotel was in a great quiet little neighbourhood and the people there were lovely, helpful and friendly. We found a local pizzeria, had a great dinner and then tucked into our beds for a gooood night sleep.



The following day we woke early and headed into the city to explore the sights and soak up the vibe where only 15 years ago the civil war ended and murders tally upto 3000 a year presently.

We had an awesome day. Every encounter with the locals we had was gentle, unhurried, and relaxed despite the language barrier and the cities reputation in the news. If anything we were totally taken by surprise. We wandered around for 3 hours through the municipal market which seemed to spread everywhere throughout the city! seriously it didnt seem to end! People paid us no mind, let us be and helped us if we needed it. This was extremely refreshing and we only have fond memories of EL Salvador because of this. We also visited a museum which displayed photos, propaganda and artifacts from the civil war. This was hugely educational, interesting and amazing. We found a great mexican restaurant and explored the super modern 'Metrocentre' shopping mall which was literally straight out of the USA. This also challenged our expectations and pre conceptions of EL S.






The following morning we woke up again at 4am for the bus to Guatemala City. It was a quick but delightful stop in San Salv and i would definately consider a return visit, particularly the coast (which I hear has waves to die for!) next time...

Nicaragua

The bus from the border took us to Rivas, a shady and very dodgy looking town half the way to Granada which was where we were hoping to get to before dark. Nonetheless, some sharp thinking and a quick change of plan saw us heading to Isla Ometepe, and the last ferry was in 5 minutes so we had to rush!



On this adventure were 5 of us. We met Toer and Wim (vanuit Amersfoort!) shoulder to shoulder on the bus and then Mark (Americano) once in the taxi! The Island is made up from 2 large volcanos that rise out of the lake! It was unbelievably cool. We found a cheap and relaxed hostel and ordered 4 beers (and one coke) and had a good time getting to know one another. The next day - old adventure boy Steven had the good idea to find the port by bike so we can see where the ferry leaves to Granada (our next destination). I didnt learn my lesson in Panama did I?



Nooooooooooooo



It was a gruelling 50km there and back and I managed it in 6 hours. Up and down hills, mud tracks, dirt roads everything. Once again. But at least not so bad as before. I found the port, got the information i wanted and rode back with a friendly local guy called Raul, absolutely starving, thirsty and with the sorest ass ever.

The next day was luxury compared to this. We rented a JEEP! A big white off road jeep, and it was great. This was how to travel the island. We travelled to all the cool spots, little beaches, and water holes and returned back with huge smiles on our faces and a wicked day was had by all.





That night though was the night we left by 'ferry' to Granada. It was meant to leave at 12.30 am which is late! but it didnt show up until 1.30am. We were very tired but had to wait (as weve been getting used to here) another 2 hours for them to load the Bananas on. Yes not only chicken buses but Banana boats are the preferred mode of transport for yours truly. And then there were no seats so we slept 4 hours on deck chairs, which we also had to pay extra for!



But ha! it was worth all that shit because Granada. Was. Spectacular.











An old colonial town with big old cathedrals, lovely paved pedestrian streets following bars and restaurants, a huge busy hectic market place and some nice friendly people. A good place to stay for Christmas. And we were not disappointed. We did a day walking tour around the city, took lots of photos and even found a beach hotel which had a fantastic pool and swimming area for only $5 a day! PERRRRRFECTO! Every night we played cards with our new dutch friends Toer and Wim, drank lots of beers and rum and really enjoyed the vibe of the city and making a plan for Christmas. We decided Toer and Wim would cook on Christmas day and Shireen and I would cook on 2nd Christmas day. Stew and Mexican is was! hahaha very christmassy it wasnt but we had a super time and it was all delicious.

We stay 1 night in the capital, Managua and tomorrow we head through Honduras to El Salvador! The road continues!

Costa lot Rica

Crossing the border from Panama was an experience. It took 3 hours just waiting in a long queue because there was only 1 guard on both sides. ok. The bus rambled onto San jose, and en route we met a lovely swedish couple who we ended up hanging out with when we found a hostel in the city. After a few 'Imperial' beers and one of the best pizzas in my life we slept and decided to head North to Monteverde, a high altitude town where Canopy adventures began.



Again en route we made friends with a great dutch couple Steven en Emilie who we shared the duration of our stay in MV with. In Monteverde we opted for the 'Extreme' canopy experience. That is zip lines that stretch across the jungle trees connecting from one to the other. It was amazing, and the adrenaline rush was actually overwhelming as you are in control (or not) and in some cases 100m above the ground only attached to a thin wire by a clip. We had an awesome day and we BOTH did the tarzan swing and the special 'Superman' ride. I was very proud of Shireen as this was not for the feint hearted.





After MV we wanted to sample the beach action on the Nicoya peninsula. To get thee though was a whole day travelling on bus, taxi, ferry, bus, taxi and this was NOT cheap. The taxis were in US$ and it ended up costing us way beyond our daily budget and all our energy. To make it more fun we had drugged out hari chrishnas as neighbours. The next day the surf was pumping so I took a board and for 4 hours straight absolutely ripped it up. That was awesome. Then we had to move on buuuut with no buses around, the only option we had was to hire a private shuttle for $90, yes $90 for a 3hr ride to Playa Tamarindo or go all the way back to Monteverde, and then on another 2 buses. No way. We paid and eventually got to Playa Grande. This was also not cheap...Our cheapest room being @35 a night. That was our daily budget - gone!



So after eventually spending a lot of energy travelling and money ($500 in one week!!!) without doing much we decided to move out into Nicaragua. The fun didnt stop oh no. Our bus had to stop 12km before the border due to a huge traffic jam of trucks and lorrys. After 2 hours of waiting they went for it and tried to overtake. It was kind of successful but could only get as far as 3km from the border. SO we had to walk, with EVERYTHING all our luggage, and with no advice where to go and what to do. And it was Chaos, Absolute mayhem. Trucks, people, vendors everywhere all on this dusty path. We were exhausted again and lost. We managed to get our exit stamps from costa rica and then had the fun of finding the Nicaragua entry desk which was full of people crossing for the Christmas rush. Some Germans showed us the way to the bus area which looked like hell, seriously. And after 1 hour of trying to get some money together and our faith, we jumped on the only bus going anwhere near our destination. And yes it was rammed, hot and full of not only people but Chickens too. Amazing.

Panama

The jouney down to Panama was fine and we arrived, got visas and were out into the open in what seemed no time. The air was warm and humid again and was actually a welcome change. We jumped into a taxi and were whisked to our hotel, only to find they had upgraded us to the master suites for free. Bonus! King size bed, jacuzzi and the works for our first 2 nights - not bad. Needless to say we chilled, and enjoyed our surroundings for the rest of the day!




We got up early the next day and went out to explore the sights. Panama city is definately one of contrasts. There are remnants of its past in the old forts and city ruins but also a new business district complete with malls and huge skyscrapers just like NYC! It is also a place with much wealth in a few areas and lots of poor in others, whilst the residents descend from either Native indigenous groups, The Caribbean and the Spanish. Its quite a blend.

We first went to Casco viejo, the oldest part of what is now the new city. It is where the President lives and was built after the Old city was destroyed and raided by none other than a Welshman by the name of Henrique Morgan in the 1500´s. It was wonderful to walk around Casco Viejo and really get a feel for the culture, people and their history. We took many photos, enojoyed the views and went to the Panama canal museum.






Then we jumped on a local bus (which are old US school buses)and rode our luck to Panama Viejo (Old Panama city) which still bears the ruins of the first city which was sacked by pirates a long time ago. It was amazing to get an insight into the history and to still see what the place was like.




Moving out of the city we stayed one night by the Canal which is impressive to say the least let alone the massive ships that cruise down it. There was also a wildlife park close by which we visited and saw Jaguars, Parrots, beautiful Macaws, turtles and crocs plus lots more. Panama is definately a very wild place with thick jungles, forests, mangroves and ocean. Its quite stunning.




A night bus was the next adventure we undertook, heading east to the mountainous region of Chiriqui and the town of Boquette. It was very cheap here so we decided to chill out and relax for a few days enjoying the cooler climate and activities around town. The best things, perhaps of our trip so far was the tour of a coffee plantation. Casa Ruiz operate an extensive tour of their farm where you see the coffee plants growing (6 years until ready for picking!), learn of the different types of arabica beans and how and when the fruits are picked. Then we went to the processing plant down the road to see the selection process and finally the roasting area where we sampled a few cups and were left totally blown away by the work and skill and patience that goes into delivering a cup of coffee. In fact The coffee grown in the area of boquette has won the world title for the last 10 years and is considered the best coffee in the world, fact. Not even neighbouring Costa Rica comes close. It was a huge privilege learning about the coffee and something very special we will take away with us.





For the last part of our journey through Panama we are in Bocas Del Toro, Isla Colon. It is an island group in the north which is renowned for the great diving, surfing, spectacular beaches and the caribbean influence.



We spent our first 2 nights on Isla Bastimentos, a very small place, no cars and just a few cafes and beaches around. Beautiful. On our last day there we went to the top of the hill for a pancake and coffee breakfast which was a real treat but the following was...well kinda different. We noticed how there was a ´path´ heading to a secluded beach by the name of ´Playa Wizard´ and were told it was only a 20 minute walk, maybe 30 if its ´muddy´....





It took 1 hour, we were covered knee deep in shit, barefoot and extremely underprepared but eventually got there. It was unreal.







We cleaned up, recovered and got a water taxi back to Isla Colon. We met up again with 2 great french canadians, had some dinner, traded stories and planned our next few days...which as usual we ended up changing. And here is when I take all the blame for the what happened next...Instead of me going surfing and Shireen going for a dive like planned, I had the great idea to rent bikes and first explore the island a little. It started well, we saw some lovely bays, a few surf spots and kept in mind that 1km of the path further up may be muddy...those famous words again. So yes as you can imagine we were isolated, 5km from home and this time STUCK in the mud which was mixed with clay so it was extra tough and sticky AND with bikes that would not move because they were filled with mud. Good one Steven. Yes I misjudged it totally in my quest to explore and it took literally everything we had inside ourselves physically and mentally to get back. The relief when we got back to town was unbelievable. That night the good old french canadian boys gave us enough beer and rum´n´cokes to forget all about it which was much needed. Epic.