Last week ... Our two heroes ... Alone, in the wilds of central Honduras ... Were faced with a life or death decision ...
Stay on beer or switch to rum and coke.
What would they do? Who would they turn to? And so the story continues ...
With so much riding on the choice they did the only sensible thing, ordered another two beers and considered their options. The next day after seeing some pretty impressive Mayan ruins, Jozza and I decided to head for Tela on the Caribbean coast. We jumped on the bus and were on our way. I sat back and watched my fellow travelers throw their unbiodegradable rubbish out of the windows as we drove. This is a favorite pastime in Latin America, they love it. As Joel noted it would make Roy and HG proud to see the kiddies getting involved at such a young age.
Things were going along smashingly until we hit San Pedro Sula, where we had to change buses. We walked to the other bus terminal and asked which bus went to Tela, one of the guys looked at us for a moment and then began yelling at us in super quick spanish. One minute he was yelling at us and pushing us on to a bus and the next he was shaking his head and dragging us away from the bus. Then some other guys came and joined in the fun. It was a good old fashioned let's fuck with the stupid Gringos session. We were confused and frightened. The two of us walked ten meters down the street and held an impromptu executive discussion, it was decided by majority that we head to La Ceiba instead, because it was easier. So we caught the bus to La Ceiba.
The next day we got up early and caught the ferry to the Bay Island of Utilia. Which is one of the coolest places on earth. They only have electricity for a couple of hours a day, three year old kids ride four-wheelers up and down the one dirt road at 60 kph, all the bars are on jetties and have no toilets so everybody just pisses off the side. But what stands out most of all is the extent of inbreding among the locals. I don't know if it is the Agent Orange from all the US Vietnam vets that live there or what, but it is amazing. Utila also has some fantastic diving, Joel went to hire some snorkeling gear and asked about hiring me a spear gun. For this he was kicked out of the shop, damn scuba hippies, all I wanted to do was slaughter some innocent fish and eat them.
After a couple of days we caught the ferry back to the mainland. We decided to give getting Tela another crack. Getting there was almost too easy. My Lonely Planet guidebook had given Tela a big wrap - something about a day trip to cool native villages and a lagoon full of monkeys. We headed out to take a look at this natural wonder. Stupid Lonely Planet, the villages were just the same as all the others and we saw no monkeys.
Note: At the border corssing into Hondurus, we lost our prized possesion. Our trusty esky that had been given to us in LA by the ozzie chicks, loaded with freshly prepared sandwhiches and THE JAR OF VEGEMITE got left on the bus in the confusion of the crossing.
Rees