TravelStream™ news feed for member twinkfran on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/twinkfran en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:03:04 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1258257650/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1258257650/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1258257650/tpod.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:03:04 -0500 twinkfran's Great Adventure

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Cozumel, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

After four days of tourist hell, we move to Cozumel for some peace. We don't find it. The streets are just as much of a gauntlet, its just as tacky and just as expensive. Again we decide to try diving and after speaking to a few dive shops go with EcoDivers, they seem pleasant in the shop and pricewise are very favourable. Big mistake. If Mexico Blue Dream is the best dive shop we’ve used yet, Eco Divers is the worst. We turn up and they don’t check credentials and ask us to make our own way to the marina. I cross my fingers the decrepit boat will make it. After a brief and useless briefing our Divemaster (if he really is that qualified) ties his wetsuit arms around his waist (he’s far too tubby to be able to wear it properly) and off we go. Considering it’s a fairly deep dive (between 20-30metres although it varies as we are led on a very seasaw profile) they stay down for a long time. When my computer showed me getting close to no deco, I let the DM know and ascended a little to safety. Myk follows within a minute and our DM and his associate (a DMT) leave us to fend for ourselves and guess the route while they decend even deeper for another 15 minutes. I guess they never realized the dangers since I noticed when we were finally reunited that neither of them had a computer. They didn’t bother with a deco stop and I believe only bothered with a safety stop as Myk and I both did one. Next dive was shallow (around 12-15 metres) and while our DM didn’t bother with a safety stop, we kept under the surface for well over the three minutes since they decided not t bother with their SMB despite surfacing in a horrendously busy boat channel?? I would hate to think of nervous or inexperienced divers using this company as safety is about the last thing on their minds. The dive sites were good and we saw a lot of reef life, although the main factor for us choosing Eco Divers had been we’d get to choose which wasn’t the case.

We also decided to try surfing while we were on the Island. This was much more successful than the diving. I had been in contact with Laura at www.cozumelsurfing.com about setting up a lesson with Nacho. He picks us up in his SUV which sports huge bull horns and blasts a cow mooooooo when he beeps his horn. Again he is clearly crazy but a great guy and a fantastic surf teacher. Within minutes he has me standing up and actually riding a wave and Myk does fantastically despite sporting such a bad hangover he vomits into the sea at one point. Its quite pricey for a days lesson (we pay $120 each) but this includes board hire, water and several hours of Nacho’s patience and time.

The nightlife on Cozumel is limited, many of the visitors are just there for a day but we have one touristy night out drinking too many oversized margaritas at Jimmy Bufffet’s Margaritaville and then a yard of something frozen at Senor Frogs. Cozumel is not somewhere we could spend a long time but if you hire a car (or a dune buggy!) the beaches on the other side of the island away from the main town are lovely, sandy and very quiet.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1258256772/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1258256772/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1258256772/tpod.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:51:25 -0500 twinkfran's Great Adventure

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Playa del Carmen, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

So we leave Belize and head on a bus to Mexico, we take the express right to Cancun, stay a night or two and head down to Playa del Carmen. Our hotel is nice, cheap and basic but clean and comfortable. It has a pool which we don't use and free wifi and a huge book exchange that we do.

Playa del Carmen isn’t my favourite place, its touristy, loud, and Starbucks and Johnny Rockets are intermingled with pushy, intrusive shop owners selling their local wares. Walking the main pedestrianised road is like running a gauntlet. Everyone is 'your Amigo’ and I’m soon irritated. The beach is packed, every inch of sand is taken up with holiday makers.

There’s nothing else for it, we decide to go diving. Hopefully the sea will bring some peace. We decide to dive with a French Dive company, Mexico Blue Dreams, as after trying all the shops these stand out as our favourite, not the cheapest but definitely our preferred. In fairness, all of the dive shops are a thousand times less indifferent than Belize. MBD are incredibly organised, they check our credentials, we fill in stacks of paperwork, there is a full dive briefing…..I have nothing bad to say about them. Our guide, Marie, is clearly crazy in the best possible sort of way but we feel safe in her hands and she has the most eagle eyes ever for spotting cool stuff. We do two sea dives, both have very strong currents, in fact it’s the first day in four that the boats have been allowed to go out due to sea conditions. Despite the currrent, and the bad visability, we see many eels, two lionfish, huge lobster and a damn big crab I woudn’t like to surprise.

The next day, still with MBD, we decide to try the Cenotes. This time we are taken by Etienne, a tech cave diver, who briefs us on the hours drive. He explains the different rules to cave diving than sea diving, adjusts our weight for the fresh water and then we are off. Like with the lake there is little in the way of fish but that’s not what we came for. It’s the amazing rock formations, the glistening caverns and the natural tunnels that are of interest. We are at the Dos Oyez area and take two lines, the Barbie Line and the Bat Cave. In the latter we surface in a huge cavern, full of bats that can only be reached by underwater tunnels or a small hole in the roof. Its an amazing experience and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone passing through the area. There are thousands of miles of Cenotes along the coast, we barely explore a kilometre.
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Caye Caulker, Belize Cayes, Belize

After a long bus ride and a successful border crossing (we were 1o days over our visa so expecting a hefty fine but seem to have got away scott free) we arrive in Belize city and immediately jump on a ferry to Caye Caulkner. We decide to stay at the Ignacio cabins which are sheds on stilts a good ten minute walk from anywhere and 20 minutes from anywhere good but kind of calm and quiet.

We spend our first days exploring the island (again it doesn't take long) and sunbathing/snorkeling while watching wet T shirt competitions (Caye Caulkner is super cheesy) much to Myk’s delight. Although the British Queen is on the money its very very Americanized.


Its well worth doing a snorkel trip while here, we book with Raggamuffin but there are loads of companies who do this. Forr abut $60 we get a day trip to three dive sites on a sail boat, including water and lunch and rum punch on the way home. It is super cheesy, but we see mantanees, nurse sharks, stingrays and varrious other reef life.


We make the decision to dive the Blue Hole and start to check out the dive shops. Eventually we decide to go with Frenchies as they were slightly less indifferent and useless than the rest of the shops we tried. At first we are unimpressed, no one bothered to check our credentials (it’s a very deep dive) and the staff seem uninterested in answering questions, giving out any information.

On the day though they seem better organized and we are taken to the area in a super fast speed boat (we have sore bottoms for weeks after being thrown out of our seats on the choppy waves) and the divemaster actually gives a fairly thorough briefing. There are 12 of us to three staff so we are well enough looked after. The first dive is the big one…THE BLUE HOLE. We expect nothing as we have been told it’s not a great dive considering its fame. We jump in the water and immediately see Grey Tipped Reef Sharks circling us so its an amazing dive for that alone (and thankfully as far as I saw, the dive shop didn’t chum the water as some apparently do). Its actually way better than we thought and well worth doing (although at $180 for the three dives its not cheap). We swim thhrough the amazing stalagtites and stalegmites which formed before the area was underwater. As its pretty deep (I log 40 metres) we only get a few minutes at the bottom and then very very slowly ascend making the necesssary safety stops on the reef - the dive shop is super cautious in this respect. The other two dives are also good, not the best we've done but nice shallower reef dives and we see lots of reef fish, rays and two octopus. Bizarrely, due to some boats feeding the fish, one of our members is bit by a Sergent Major off all things?

Bar diving and snorkelling we find little to do on the Island, our golf crad expploration takes all of one hour. Still its nice and relaxing but beear in mind, the beaches aren't great and snorkelling from shore iss dull.

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1258037993/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1258037993/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1258037993/tpod.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:46:56 -0500 twinkfran's Great Adventure

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Flores, Guatemala

As our next port of call was to be Belize and time was not on our side (we'd overstayed our visa welcome and were running out of days to see more countries) so we had the horrid choice of either going north through Guatemala to Flores to visit the Tikal ruins or heading to the coast via a boat ride through the Rio Dulce and catching a ferry to Belize. I mean horrid in that both sounded fantastic.....

But as soon as Myk heard the Tikal ruins had been used in the Starwars films the decision was made and we set off for Flores. Stupidly I had the bright idea of getting an overnight coach so we arrived in Flores at 5am after no sleep and traumatised after watching 8 hours of sadistic coach drivers overtaking on hairpin bends all night.

Our room was a treehouse. It had two sort of full walls, and two waist high walls with curtains which didn't stop wildlife (thankfully just a curious cat) jumping through and landing on our bed. Still it was cheap (70Q) and comfortable (the room not that cat). The food at the hostel is amazing, and all vegetarian, an added bonus. I'd recommend it as a great place to stay or at least eat at!

After spending a day catching up on sleep and exploring the island of Flores (which takes all of ten minutes) we booked a trip to the ruins leaving at 5am the next day.

Reason for the early hour is that its just too hot in the day time so we had a two hour bus ride and then an early tour so that our guide was finished by late morning. The Mayan ruins are magnificent. Unlike the neat, tidy, well restored ruins of Copan, these are in a jungle setting so as well as the historical interest,, we see monkeys, tarantulas but alas no pumas. Again its well worth hiring a guide as the ruins are vast and spreadout, most of the trips on offer will include the transport, guide and entry fee.

Bar the ruins there is little of interest in the area, Flores is small and touristy. If time allows a boat trip on lake and a visit to the strange island of Radio Petan is interesting. There the curator showed us his family's collection of Mayan artefact's and old radio equipment (his father had started the first Flores radio station) which are kept together in a shed. He also played the entirety of Pomp and Circumstance to us on an old gramophone which was ever so slightly unusual.




]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1256270052/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1256270052/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1256270052/tpod.html Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:59:30 -0400 twinkfran's Great Adventure

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Lake Atitlan, Western Highlands, Guatemala

We take a bus from our hostel to San Pedro de Laguna, it's a three hour trip and the views of the lake as we come down the windy road is awesome (yes that is the best word to describe it). We are hassled by hotel touts when the bus stops but as we had seen one of the guide books recommended hotels on the way in we decide to give that try. Its worth it, the Mansion del Lago is only $18 a night and the room is clean with hot water and a lake view.

We were unimpressed with San Pedro, the views of the lake are amazing, the people are friendly enough but its too geared towards tourists and somehow along the way lost its authenticism. Its full of expat hippies offering all sorts of weird and wonderful services from massages to rebirthing through rebreathing (which just sounds painful). We are tempted by the yoga classes but instead opt for lazy mornings, kayaking and horseriding. Every time we walk down the street or sit to eat we are plagued by the Mayan woman selling their wares, some of them get fairly intrusive despite our firm "No Grazious"

To eat we liked the Alegra Pub at first, on the crossroads near the Panajachel dock as they do decent veggie food and proper (Yorkshire) tea. Their Sunday roast is horrid though (think overcooked veggies, watery gravy and a Yorkshire pud as thick and stodgy as a stale cake). Shanti Shanti is nice for dinner, we order soup and curry and its all homemade while we wait. Zooola is also pretty interesting, it’s a secret garden with mats and cushions to sit on around low tables. The food was amazing (Israel themed and very veggie friendly) but Myk blames them for bout of food poisoning so we don’t return Lola’s at the dock is pretty good for local food.

After a few days we move to Iguna Perida, Santa Cruz, on the other side of the lake to chill and relax after the relative hustle of San Pedro. The hostel is amazing, lots of little cabins in a jungle setting. We opt for a rustic cabana but after seeing the wildlife inside (huge jungle spiders) we move to a more expensive newly built double room. Its almost deserted, bar staff, we are the only people there on the first night. Dinner is a set 3 course affair always with a veggie option and at only $5 is well worth it. Its homecooked and delicious.

Our main reason for coming here was to try the diving. ATI divers, the lakes only dive shop is based at the hostel and we opt for two fun dives each. This is two firsts for me…diving at altitude and diving in fresh water! We have to wear 7mm full wetsuits (yes we amused ourselves by punching each other to check the padding) and it took 18lbs of weight to get us down. It was an amazing experience though. We went to Agua Calliente and despite the relative cold of 24 degrees water temp, sunk our hands into the bizarrely hot mud. Then we went to Rambo 2 which is a pretty amazing wall dive.I don’t think lake diving is for me, I hate the cold and having to wear a wetsuit but its was a great one-off experience.

Its also worth a visit to Panajachel, the biggest lakeside town. We went on market day so it was busy and the streets were lined with stalls. As it was also the local fiesta there was possibly the dodgiest fairground ever (think rides ran from an old car engine). Best (well only) way to get around is by the public water taxis which cost between $2 and $3 depending on distance and leave often (once they are full).
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1255056750/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1255056750/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1255056750/tpod.html Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:59:10 -0400 twinkfran's Great Adventure

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El Zonte, El Salvador

We decide to sign up for a three day surfing tour with www.globalsurfguatamala.com based in Antigua. We leave in a mini bus early Monday morning in a small mini van and arrive in El Zonte, El Salvador by 2pm just in time for low tide and our first surf lesson. We're staying in Hostel El Zonte which has very basic accommodation (breezeblock walls, two beds) but the shared bathrooms are clean, there is a pool (albeit a chemically overdosed pool) and a beach restaurant that serves nice but limited food (for us veggies anyway).

The first lesson is how to carry a surf board on the 20 minute hike to the beginners beach (the one near the hostel having pretty big waves we’d immediately drown in). I fail instantly as we have to cross a knee deep rocky river and its all too much for my balance alone scrambling over slippy rocks never mind carrying the 8’2" soft board I’ve been given.

Still we get there in one piece and start with a warm up session and then a beach lesson in how to jump up onto the board and then its straight into the water. There are three instructors and five students so it works out nicely that just as one of us manages to paddle the board out deep enough they are ready to hold it still for us to climb on and then shout instructions to PADDLE PADDLE JUMP UP JUMP up as the waves break. I manage to get close a few times, and Myk stands the first time but goes downhill after that. Everyone forgot to bring water (DOH) so it’s a hard lesson as we are all tired from the journey and dehydrated but everyone loves it. We’re all so tired that after dinner we retire early not that we sleep….there is a huge thunderstorm throughout the night.

The second day we have an 8am session in the high tide and I manage to stand a few times, Myk even surfs back to the beach. We then chill in the pool, catch some rays, snooze in the hammocks for a few hours and then head back out for an afternoon lesson. Sadly I take a surfboard to the jaw about an hour in so have to retire early and dose myself up on Ibruprofen so I can surf the next day. Again our evening is: cool off by the pool, shower, eat dinner, early to bed to be woken by another thunderstorm.

One of our party has taken ill with a stomach bug so the next day we are down to three, we have an instructor each! Myk is doing well, standing most times and even staying up (well he has surfed before), I am managing to get to my feet or at least my knees but its shortlived. After our morning lesson we return to the hostel to pack up, eat lunch and then its back to Antigua in the mini van.

For transport, accommodation and six hours of surf lessons we’ve all paid about $190. Food is extra but its pretty cheap, our bill being $80 for two dinners, two breakfasts, two lunches and all the drinks (mostly bottled water) we’ve consumed.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1255056623/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1255056623/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1255056623/tpod.html Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:53:58 -0400 twinkfran's Great Adventure

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Antigua Guatemala, Western Highlands, Guatemala

Antigua is a beautiful city, all churches and cobbled streets. Its almost like walking in an old town of Italy or Eastern Europe at times. We take a midday shuttle from Copan and arrive in the rain early evening, We have booked a hotel recommended by our travel guide (Footprint Mexico and Central America) called International Mochilero and it's the first place we’ve stayed yet we’ve hated. Both of us are happy to rough it but the room isn’t clean, is damp and the shared bathroom facilities are dubious. We use our sleeping bag liners for the first time rather than touch the sheets. Its only $13 a night but we decided to leave the next day and after trawling round several hotels we find one that has no rooms free but can let us have a lovely room in a nearby family house for $30. Its twice what we paid before but ten times nicer with an ensuite bathroom (hot water!!!) and a bed big enough for a family of ten.

We spend our days exploring the city – I have picked up a stinking cold so can only manage a few hours before a sit down and a cup of hot chocolate is required. We visit La Recoleccion, one ruined church (from the earthquake) where we pay $3 each to clamber across the ruins and climb up rubble (British health and safety would never allow this). We eat and drink in the central square. We visit the Museo Casa del Tejido (a textile museum) which gives us the history of Mayan costumes and shows us how to weave (and then the tour guide tells us he has recently found God and we should go to church next time we are home to pay homage to Jesus?!).

To eat I would advise a visit to Café Condesa in the central square which is overpriced due to its location but the breakfasts are amazing, Myk has the fluffiest omelette I’ve ever seen and I have Mexican Eggs to die for. To drink we also liked Café Nose (a lovely quirky dive with live music and illegal mezcal) and Rainbow Café (a happy hippy affair also with live music). Both these also do good food.

After returning from our trip to El Salvador we relocate to the Black Cat Inn. Its clean and friendly although pretty noisy, our room is a shed off a communal area with a flimsy patio door so we are woken up by kids smoking spliffs and giggling at 1.30am (is that bad show or are we just getting old and grumpy?). The breakfasts are free and fantastic and we also eat dinner one night which is nice. It has dodgy Wifi (you know the sort that if you balance on a chair holding your laptop in your teeth and your arms as antennas you nearly get a signal) but on a plus side the shared bathrooms are pretty clean and plentiful and it has a great backpacker atmosphere. I imagine its great for single travelers to meet people.

We decided to climb the Volcano Pacaya on our last day now my cold has gone. Its an $8 trip plus a fee to enter the park and we are taken there in a mini bus from the hostel (about 11 of us) and a guide is arranged to take us up. We are inundated with kids trying to sell us walking sticks and ponchos (bits of plastic with a hole cut out for the head). Volcan Pacaya is a live volcano and has been erupting continuously since 1960 and is 2552 metres high.

Its drizzling rain so we put on our waterproofs and start the 1.5 hour uphill hike. Its pretty heavy going at first and I have to admit I did struggle in the first half hour with the steep hill. But I refused the offer of the man trying to get me to hire his poor horse to carry my arse up and keep plodding on. After about 30 minutes it levels out and we can see Guatamala City below us. Just when its getting easier we reach the bottom of the scree and so begin the one step up, slide two back part of the trip. We can’t get right to the crater, its dangerous and very cloudy anyway. But we do get to the lava and the guides encourage us to prod it with a stick to make fire (again British Health and Safety would never allow this…its great fun). Some people have had the forethought to bring marshmallows or sausages to toast.

We decide to climb a bit further up the scratchy cooled down bits of lava to a running stream of lava. Everyone is scratched and cut and we laugh at the screams (except when it’s us screaming) as bits of lava come loose and people have to run out of the way if the burning rocks hurling down the hill at them (this is really not a safe activity but I’d definitely recommend it anyway). We hike back in the dark which is probably a good thing as I reckon I fall less when I can’t see how steep and rocky it really is and then get driven back to our hostel.

NB – if anyone reading this is heading that way, wear good shoes/boots (flip flops would be stupid), take a torch, loads of water and a snack for the top (preferably something you can heat up on the lava). Waterproofs may be wise and we were grateful for the stick Myk bought (loaned really as they took it back) for 50 cents from the kids at the bottom.

Next day we leave Antigua for the calm of Lake Aitilan.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1254411885/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1254411885/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1254411885/tpod.html Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:48:28 -0400 twinkfran's Great Adventure

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Copan, Honduras

We take the bus from Le Ceiba to Copan, changing at San Pedro Sula. Honduras transport is surprisingly efficient, we check our luggage at Le Ceiba and its transferred for us in one piece. The coaches are punctually, air-conditioned, comfortable, cheap ($25 each) and we get a film to watch in English.

We are staying at Café Via Via in Copan which is fairly expensive for a hostel at $16 a night but cheap for Copan, one of the more expensive and touristy places in Honduras. It's a fantastic place though, our room is small but clean and comfortable, no hot water we have a private bathroom and the ceiling fan makes the room lovely and cool so we’re happy. The hostel also has a great bar playing chilled music, a fantastic menu (its veggie heaven) and organizes film nights (we watch Year One on the huge projection screen) and other events.

The first full day there we head off to the Copan’s main attraction, the Mayan Ruins – we walked the mile or so but its just 20 Lempiras ($1) a person in a tuk tuk.. It’s a huge archeological site of the temples and palaces with many of the ruins restored and lots of buried mounds still to be unearthed. We decide to take a guide and Tony (Antonio Rivers), a very knowledgeable local with fantastic English spends two hours showing us round. He explains the different buildings and history behind each and shows us how to read the hieroglyphics. As he has worked as a guide or a translator to the archeologists most of his life his knowledge of the Mayan cultures, traditions and rituals is vast. We spend pretty much the whole day in the Park. I would recommend taking a guide (about $25 a group) as the ruins are huge and also paying the extra $10 to see the tunnels. These aren’t Mayan, they were dug by the archeologists to see some of the buildings and stucco work not yet uncovered.

The next day we head back to the Archeological Park to see the museum as we ran out of time the day before, this is an extra $7 each on top but worth seeing. Many of the more fragile statues in the outside park are actually replicas and the originals are here inside. In the afternoon we walk the 2km up the road to the Les Sepultures which is the ruins of the village. The entrance fee is included with the Park ticket but we pay another guide to show us round. Its interesting to see how the buildings of the middle class are made with square blocks brought from mountain quarries and the poor made their houses from uneven rubble from the rivers. There was a large lagoon of clean mountain water so Les Sepultures was a great place to live and housed about 250 people. The scribe was one of the most important people with the shaman also having a large property. It is also worth a visit to the museum in Copan town. It’s only $3 entry and has displays of the smaller items, the tools, the jewelry, the bowls and plates.

The ex-President has returned to Honduras, apparently smuggled in the trunk of a Brazilian diplomat car into the Brazilian Embassy. So once again the country is plagued by riots and curfews. Copan isn’t so affected, but we are kept in Honduras longer than planned as the borders are closed.

We spend our extra time by booking a horseback tour. I get a small, bad tempered and very willful pony who insists on being first (yes including before the guide) and going the wrong way. Myk’s slightly larger pony is the opposite and refuses to go any faster than a dawdle. We go up into the mountains and visit one of the few remaining Mayan villages. Its fun but our bums hurt the next day!

The next day we hear the borders are opened so manage to get on a shuttle bus to Antigua, it’s a six hour journey but for $13 each is a bargain!

As well as Via Via for sleeping and eating, Café Pimente does good veggie sandwiches and La Casa de Todo does good food and has free Wifi and a cheap book exchange facility. Twisted Tanya is a great restaurant, usual menu is a little pricey but has some cheap backpacker specials and Wine Bar Vino is nice for drinks.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1254411374/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1254411374/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/twinkfran/1/1254411374/tpod.html Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:42:04 -0400 twinkfran's Great Adventure

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La Ceiba, Atlántida, Honduras

After a short boat ride we're picked up from the dock by Audrey, a friend from Roatan who has kindly offered to put us up for a few nights. She, and her husband Jerome, have a great house in Le Sauce and we have a bedroom that is cool at night and there is a hot shower (these are now my top luxury wish list items, I’m excited at the thought of a room with a ceiling fan!).

Our first night is relatively quiet, we go for a few early drinks at La Pacha and are the only people there. Its an amazing building on the sea front the lack of tourists make it empty. I’m not sure it’s the real Pacha but if not it’s a damn good copy. We head back to the house for home made thai curry. Yummy!

The next day we get a lift to the jungle river lodge and spend our morning jumping off high rocks into rapids and then taking the raft back down the rapids to the lodge. Its great fun but I’m a wuss and get scared on the biggest ledge and one of the guides has to kick me off to get me to jump. The rapids are tame as the river is low but its still a laugh. We then try another canopy zipline which is better than the one in Roatan and between ziplines get a guided tour of the jungle and which plants people can eat, drink or get high from . Myk is persuaded to eat termites but I politely decline (yuck). After a lovely lunch of soup, rice and fruit we are driven back to the city. In the evening we go to our host’s bar, Expatriates, which is a great little upstairs bar with a thatched roof and nice food (with huge portions – even Myk the human food hoover can’t clear his plate).

The following day Audrey takes us to do errands. We go to the post office to send postcards and have to glue our stamps onto the cards, its like being at school. A few rum and cokes at our host’s house, dinner at Expats again and its off to La Pacha for karaoke. Audrey and I do an angelic version of Like a Virgin, nearly bringing tears to the eyes of the audience J.

We are ever so slightly hungover the next day when we have to make the 10am bus to Copan and say goodbye to our hosts.
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Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

So we've been here for over two months now and after several requests I’m finally updating my blog. We’ve been working pretty hard for the last 2 months, I did my advanced scuba course and we both completed our first aid training and rescue diver course before starting out divemaster traineeship.

We’ve moved from our cute little cabin on stilts to a small one bed apartment. Its got its faults, when the power goes out (more about that later) the water inc toilet stops, the bed slopes so badly one of us (usually Myk) ends up crushing me, the toilet leaks and we get there via an alley of barking dogs. Still its cosy and home and most importantly cheap. And there’s aircon in the bedroom and hot water when it works which is comparatively luxurious.

The course is hard, although we dive every day we have to pass exams in physics, physiology, equipment and skills, be able to demonstrate a number of skills (fin pivets, mask flooding and my favourite skill of buddy breathing), we have to assist on courses, haul tanks, stamina tests, map a dive site and the best part….log 60 dives. Oh the hardship!

We’re doing the DM with Reefgliders, its mostly a nice place. As with any smaller business, there’s the odd character who needs a good slapping (but honest readers, I have restrained myself) but the diving is great, and for any fun divers reading who wish to visit the island to dive, I’d recommend then for their small boats, small groups and friendly service. We see turtles most days, I’ve seen two eagle rays and Myk spotted a nurse shark, plus my favourite jaw fish are in most sand patches. We’ve also seen a few lionfish, the curse of the Caribbean, as they are not indigenous to the area and have been accidentally released into these seas. They have no natural predators in the area and can gobble down 30 fish a day. And we managed to spot dolphins in the wild and have a swim with them.

Roatan is beautiful, its got great diving a warm climate and friendly inhabitants. Its got a decent nightlife, not heaving but lots of bars and restaurants and a good mix of people. There’s some late opening bars with dancing, karoke nights and lots of nice chilled bars to hang out in. Its not affected so much by the troubles in the mainland and bar the odd curfew during our early months we’ve hardly noticed the military coup. Its very quiet though in terms of tourists and many businesses are struggling. Roatan isn’t without its problems, the worst being sandflies and the electricity which goes off at least once a week, often for a whole day. Apparently, the entire island is powered by a diesel engine. I don’t know if that’s true but whatever it is powered by needs updating!

Apart from the diving we’ve hired scooters to go round the island visiting the very unexciting Coxon Hole and shopping in French Harbour. I managed to come off the scooter skinning my ankle and calve pretty badly which required a trip to A&E and a week or so off diving to let the grazes and cuts heal. I’m still left with a scar too remind me of Roatan. Before the accident we explored dirt roads and plantations and roads that seemed to go across the beach. We tried a canopy tour and ziplinned our way through the trees aand spend out=r free time snorkeling. Even for non divers there are vast coral reefs to be explored just a short swim from the beach.

We’ve finally finished our Divemasters and are officially certified (well bar paperwork being processed by PADI). So we’re off to Utila for a week to dive for fun.

Ten things I shall miss about Roatan in no particular order.

1. Lighthouse Sunday Brunch (free flowing champagne & great food for $14.99)

2. Ginches in the Wet Spot

3. Pole dancing at Nova

4. Audreyisms "Myk will you draw my Wiilly", “My dog has minge”

5. Veggie wraps and pizza from Shark Cave

6. Karoke at the Vietnamese restaurant

7. The friendly locals

8. Watching the sunset at the Blue Marlin or Sundowners

9. Frozen cocktails and getting thrown in the pool at Oasis

10. Amazing reefs, abundance of fish & coral = amazing diving
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