High in the mountains at the Nicaragua and Honduras border
The border coming out of Nicaragua went very easy. It must be noted that the route I took coming and going was CA 2, which is at El Espino on the Nicaraguan side, not the main route of the Pan American Highway, CA 1 which runs thru Managua. Managua, like San Salvador, Mexico City and Guatemala City are all big cities I purposely made sure I missed as to save time, avoid the nightmare traffic, or avoid getting lost or maybe even robbed. Perhaps on another trip I will make them when my Spanish is better and I have more time. Anyway I got to the border early, like before 8 am., and there was absolutely no traffic there and just one handler who approached me. There was also a few kids that wanted to help. I more or less took their directions and the handler told me he would help, I told him I would not pay him, and he said fine, but he still walked me to every window.
It ended up being $3 to punch my Passport out and $3 to cancel my vehicle permit. It all took about 20 minutes and I was on my way. I gave him $2, and one of the kids $1 for basically doing nothing, while another kid was insistent on shining my shoes for $2 (I was wearing tennis shoes, but that wasn't important to him). I laughed and said no, well just give me $2 anyway he said. Right, a sense of humor has to come in sooner or later.... So to check out of Nicaragua, a total of $9, and 20 minutes. Things seemed to be looking up.
At the Honduran side it was a little more expensive. Honduras is known to be the most expensive of all the countries for just the vehicle permit. I have heard $40, and paid that, but again who really knows. I have also heard nothing, but I don't think so. There was no one here either. At this border anyway, at this time of day it was great. There was a lady in the office (for the first time of any of my crossings) who was quite polite and it seemed like it was going to be easy, and it was. No lines, what questions she had the handler answered (of course she didn't speak English), even though I had copies of my passport, title and drivers license already done, she needed another one of something, the handler rushed off to do this also and was back. The whole process with the two borders was about an hour, no waiting and the total came to about $45, the handlers coming to about $12 of that. Things seemed to be improving. Again the two big lessons here if possible. Agree on a fee before the handler takes over, and then follow him to every window to make sure your actually getting charged for what he says you are. And then of course choose quiet out of the way borders in the morning when ever possible!
I stopped to take this picture of this bike with a hat on it. To me it summed up a part of Central America perfectly. The owner came out and was more then pleased to let me take his picture. Its interesting I have met more people by taking pictures and by having them come up to me. I was worried some might get offended or label me as just another one of those "picture taking gringo's", but in reality just the opposite has been true.
I did not get much sleep the night before with the "threat of scorpions", a rooster who seemed to be guessing all night long when the sun might come up (so thus he cockle doodle dood all night), not to mention an an assortment of other odd noises that I didn't even want to know what they were. So getting thru the border and on my way quickly without too many extra expenses felt good. That coupled with the fact that I exchanged all my Cordoba's for dollars and got a fair price. The handler spoke English, had a calculator and I with my pen and paper made it easy to agree that 19.5 was the going exchange rate, and that's what I got.
There will be different moments that really stand out on this trip. When I first got to El Salvador after a week crossing Mexico and Guatemala. Driving from sun up to sun down over some of the worst roads in some of the hottest weather and in the most terrible traffic. To finally get to a country that took dollars, and to see the Pacific break on to El Salvador's tropical shore and see tourists for the first time, or at least people who might speak English. Knowing I had just been thru a rough stretch, but I was making it.
Or having Thanksgiving at Intensa with people who really seemed to get along and also care about others. I felt touched in a spiritual way there. And now having gone thru so much, I kind of understand why people are drawn to Latin America, even for all its hardships. Like when a traveler gets back after a six month trip thru Latin America, or a 2 year trip around the world, and regardless of the obstacles, the heat, ridiculous border crossings, the constant threat of being ripped off, or run over if your driving, or the bad roads, or, you get the idea, the person is ready to go do it all again. Its hard to explain unless you've literally risked life and limb to do so in the first place. There is a certain calling to foreign and distant lands that no amount of hardship in the travel itself can ever fully silence. The novelty of it, the life so different then what you were raised in, the exoticness, the need to learn how to travel and not just survive, but enjoy the trip itself. For isn't that what life is all about anyway. Not just surviving, but living a life well lived, as someone once said. I know of nothing that teaches such intangibles in such a way as foreign travel does, and maybe Latin American specifically. Though I know Africa has its own call, as I'm sure China, India, Mongolia, and so many other places all do, I don't know what it is, but I think I may have caught it, or maybe just understand it a little better. Wander lust, restlessness, whatever, I just can see the attraction of learning Spanish better, and then getting more and more out of each subsequent trip I might take in Latin America. Yes I'm very much a novice when it comes to this, but maybe in ways you could do it for years and always be, that's what makes it great, and why it never really gets old.
Every once in awhile a bird will get up from its nesting area and for no apparent reason just up and fly away to a new place. No one knows why, it just does. ......Taken from a quote on Horizons Unlimited web site.
One of my favorite volcano's of the trip, San Miguel dominates the landscape in eastern El Salvador
So all these thoughts are kind of settling in on this morning up in the mountain pass between Honduras and Nicaragua. This is one of those memorable times in the trip. The air is cool this high up in the mountains. The traffic light and the sky is clear. Its just a beautiful morning as I wind my way down thru the twisting turns and the magnificent views. And again I think, its these moments that make everything else worth it, and I understand. I may not come back right away, but I will come back, I hear the call of foreign travel, and certainly of Latin America, its beat both tangible, and intangible, a pull once felt, can never fully be resisted, because maybe it can never fully be understood....
So my morning of rapture and profound thoughts over, its time to get back to the reality's of Central America. Honduras, as I come down from the mountains the heat becomes oven like. The roads filled with the usual traffic stops by police, traffic line ups, and poorly marked roads. If I had not been this way before I surely would have got lost, and even then I did for a minute. Asking for directions to El Salvador when there's probably at least 3 different borders crossings doesn't help much. So I had to go by what I remembered, even with out signs. And In the end I was right, I did remember this part of the trip.
From Nicaragua to El Salvador across Honduras is only about 110 miles. Nicaragua was about 240 miles across, and the Costa Rica border to San Jose about 200 miles (I'm saying this for my own reference so I won't forget, and also maybe it will help others making the same trip). El Salvador is maybe 150 to 200 miles across depending how many times you get lost (there are spots in El Salvador that you will probably get lost in no matter what you try to do). Guatemala maybe 180 miles across, and then Mexico (the route I took) is maybe 1100 miles across. This is sort of a breakdown of my trip coming and going. And it is the shortest routes that I could find, much of it in Central America was the Pan American Highway. All these countries have many different ways to cross them and the next time I come I will hopefully not be on as tight of schedule time wise as I was this time. This for me was the shortest way distance wise. If one has the time, I would recommend finding other ways across. Less busy roads and border crossings could make for a very different trip in a lot of ways. Plus a lot of site seeing attractions aren't anywhere near the Pan American. Like the Pyramids in Belize, or Guatemala (I believe). Nicaragua has remote areas of Caribbean Coast that are suppose to be beautiful as well. Basically all the countries have two coasts,with a tremendous amount of history, volcano's , wildlife, culture, you name it. There is so much to see, and the Pan American Highway only cuts thru a small section of each country.
A close up of San Miguel, I would like to come back and hike it someday, a night on the mountain top looking at all the surrounding towns and lights would be an experience in itself.
So at 110 miles across it did not take me long to cross Honduras and reach the El Salvador border. The border that was so expensive when I was coming into Honduras from the other way I thought had to better coming this way, after all I was leaving, not coming. Even so I arrived at the border just before lunch and like before the heat was oppressive, if anything it seems like its gotten hotter since the last time I was in these two countries. I stopped right in the middle of chaos and was immediately surrounded by the handlers. Three of them who knew me from our time before. They seemed surprised when I wasn't happy to see them and told them they had cost me over $300 the last time. The one told me it was because it was covering 3 countries. Again you have no idea if what their saying is true or not, just assume its a lie and usually you'll be right. He said that for $20 this time they'll take care of everything, and I just said no. I had no idea how I was going to deal with all this chaos, people everywhere, windows everywhere, shops everywhere and a person is suppose to be able to figure out where to go? I did follow one guy over to one place that was closed for lunch. There was another guy standing there that spoke a little English and pointed me in a direction of migration. Not knowing where that was and that it wasn't labeled didn't help much. But he did say don't give your papers to anyone, and don't pay them. That's all I needed to hear, I told the handler to get lost, I got back on my bike and just got in line not knowing where I was going or how I was going to handle this. One of the other handlers that had helped me before was now undercutting his buddies and said he would do it for $5. I probably would have taken his help but he didn't stick around long. I was in a long line of vehicles not even sure I was going in the right direction. Some one else came up and said they could help me and to pull over out of line. He showed me where immigration was (it was clearly unmarked of course) and I succumbed to his help, and we didn't talk about a fee of course. So we first had to go make copies (for some reason we had to do this three times, after every signature stamp or whatever we would have to go make copies of the change to the document, the only border I had to do this at, again, you don't know what to believe) then he took my license and $10 and ran across the street, (I should have went with him at this point) came back and we went back to immigration, for a change or stamp or something then back to the copier, then back to immigration and then we're clear to proceed to the El Salvador side which is a good five miles away. He jumps in a cab (a 3 wheeled motorcycle) and has me follow him. If I knew what I was doing I would have just taken off with out him. So I follow him to the other border, he makes copies again for no reason that I can see, this is like the 3rd or 4th time now, gives me a bunch that apparently I don't need anymore, and then is ready to get paid. I offer him $5, he wants $20, I tell him I don't have $20, how about $10. He takes it but is not happy. I don't really care for some reason. If it costs me $10 to get thru that mess back at the border and checked out of Honduras then it is worth it. When my Spanish becomes fluent, or it starts snowing down here to drop the heat I'll consider doing it all myself at these hot border crossings. And again its the Pan American Highway ones that seem to be the worst. There are at times lines of trucks a mile long or more waiting at these borders. I don't know how they ever get thru, or even what their doing waiting. I like everyone else that wants to get thru, I just drives past them all. Again if you didn't know this you'd be there at the end of the line waiting all week...
The Pacific Coast of El Salvador
Ok the good thing with El Salvador is they do not charge you anything to get into the country, nada (how's that for throwing my Spanish around). But the bad news is I'm on my own again and not sure where to go or what to do. I'm pointed at some main building and I go to that. No one speaks English and I'm getting a little frustrated because I don't even know if I'm at the right building. They do point me to an office that says Aduanas (customs officer), so I know I'm close but its locked. The guard points to a bench and I sit down and wait. The heat is getting to me. I constantly wear a sweat shirt to guard against the sun and also because I carry a money pouch around my shoulder and it needs to be hid. I pay the price though in this heat. I know a lot of the serious riders that go around the world have full Darien Suits that are part Gortex and also have protective padding for falls etc. At $800 their the best protection you can buy, but I'm told their just as hot. So either way you pay the price. But if your not going to wear that kind of protection then light breathable clothing will work, maybe even loose fitting well made water resistant hiking clothing. and then good light rain gear on top of that when necessary (as long as its fully waterproof). Either way you go, jeans and a sweat shirt aren't the best way to go. Of course I saw a Harley rider Thursday wearing a leather vest, jeans and tennis shoes. He looked like he was heading home to California. Most of the time at home I wear shorts and a tank top when I can get away with it. But if something happens I know I will pay a price. Like when my bike went down in sand this summer and my bare leg had laid against the hot tail pipe, I'm still not completely over that. In the end any experienced rider will tell you, despite the discomfort, and the hundreds of times you wear protective clothing and don't need it, the one time you do and you have it on is worth having to wear all those times you didn't need it.
So without too much of a wait the Aduanas official comes over and between his little English and my little Spanish he is able to stamp my Passport and fill out a vehicle permit for me within a short time. No charge and I'm on my way. So all four border crossings this day cost me a total of $70, with $25 to $30 of that being handlers fees. Coming the other way leaving El Salvador, going into Honduras, leaving Honduras and entering Nicaragua cost me about $350 to $370. A difference of $280 to $300 or so. When questioned about this the handler that I saw again at the Honduran border and had charged me all that when I came into Honduras the first time kept saying that yes, but it was for all the countries, I heard something similar at the Guatemalan border when they charged me $310, "for all the countries".
These divers a long the coast would fill their netted tubes with their catches, but I was unsure what they were diving for.
Before I got my paperwork done to go into El Salvador I tried to cross the border without it. I didn't know where to go to get it done and the guard pointed me to the Aduanas building. As I was turning around I saw that handler there with his buddies waiting for someone to come into Honduras. I don't know if he saw me or not. After I got my paperwork done, and cleared the guard to go into El Salvador I passed him one more time on the side of the road looking up waiting for the next person to come down the road and see how much money they could take him for. I didn't like the idea of laying into him and his buddies like I did. I could have just said no thank you, not this time. But like all the handlers I felt they almost always got what they could, and I was partly to blame for my own naiveness and my willingness to play along if it would just get me thru the heat and the chaos and get me on my way. So whatever, do what you have to do, just get me thru was my attitude as well as part of the problem.
The whole ugliness of it everyday having to, or choosing to make a living that way under those circumstances. Chasing people down, fighting with competitive handlers in the heat, paying officials bribes, and then doing it all the next day and have someone come up like me and basically call you a thief (well he came up to me and asked me why I didn't want him again). I thought of this as I was driving past him on the side of the road. The spiritual damage we do to ourselves by engaging in the insanity of life and the trying to get ahead mentality no matter the cost. The cost for him spiritually is heavy indeed, and for me too by just engaging in it all. Just one more reason to learn Spanish, or choose a different mode of travel, I'm not sure sometimes.
Until we find some spiritual strength and self awareness (a certain amount of self reliance) within ourselves we will find difficulty in using relationships in a liberating way, instead of in binding ways.... Satchakrananda, a spiritual guide.
Surfs up, like Satchakrananda might say, "jump in, embrace the chaos that originates from you, and learn" (or something like that!)
Anyway I was on my way apparently having saved a lot of money. One of my worst borders was over, and I could enjoy the relative ease of travel in El Salvador, knowing my destination and not having to worry about the exchange rate since we were back to dollars. In fact in basically two days I had done about half of all my border crossings I would need to do on my way back. Guatemala was coming up, but first I was heading for the Pacific Coast of El Salvador to find that Surfers Hotel I had spotted on my way thru. My two days on the beach that I had waited so long for was coming up.
As I drove across El Salvador getting lost immediately and going out of my way, I found myself back on the Pan American where I probably saw 20 or 30 Harley's heading south, usually in packs of 2 or 3. More traveling bikes then I had seen on my whole trip down here. I waved to most of them but few of them waved back. Probably stressed out by the heat and the new experience of Central America riding, I don't know. I don't know if they seemed out of place or not, but when two really loud ones came by, like the unnecessarily loud ones you hear in the states, you wonder what the people here think of them. It just seems sort of out of place to bring your loud bikes and your leather to Central America. Like the Hell's Angels doing a tour down here. After so much solitary riding, and seeing the occasional world wide traveler usually on a dual sport, to now see packs of Harley's was a little disappointing, like I hope they have respect for the culture their riding into, and I hope this isn't habit forming! I would hate to see this become just another great ride for someone, and nothing else. But in many ways that's what tourism can be about, a way for people to exploit each other, but that's a different story.
I remember when I was on Martha's Vineyard and I was thinking about camping because I was on a motorcycle, they would not allow me in the only campground on the island! They said bikers were to loud and disruptive. Apparently a group came over from the mainland, loud Harley's no doubt, and now no bikes are allowed in the campground. Even though mine isn't loud and I have camped in many campgrounds with it without complaints Anyway I do have a problem with noise.... but that's also another story.
I ended up getting lost my allotted times (which is two) for El Salvador, in fact I was coming from the opposite direction (obviously) and ended up lost in exactly the same way, on the same road as I had 4 weeks ago. In fact I wasn't lost because I knew exactly where I was, miles from where I was suppose to be. Its amazing you can get lost at the exact same spot, leading to the same place, coming from two different directions! In ways the story of my trip, and maybe my life!
Well tomorrow its its the long awaited Surfers Hotel and a swim in the Pacific.
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