TravelStream™ news feed for member yorkiedes on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/yorkiedes en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 08 Jan 2007 13:34:27 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1168280040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1168280040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1168280040/tpod.html Mon, 08 Jan 2007 13:34:27 -0500 From Mexico City to a few other countries, depending on time and money. I love it when a plan comes together!

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Southampton, United Kingdom

Back home and trying to upload some more of my photos although my memory card has decided to not allow me to access it, so only a few to add.

One of my favourites, the Audi advert, this was taken in San Cristobal having seen the advert in the paper. Classic!

Street view taken in Antigua and church that was pretty much destroyed in an earthquake.

Finally I tried to think of some top tips for travelling and this is all I could come up with:

AVOID AMERICA AT ALL COSTS, IMMIGRATION ARE A REAL PAIN IN THE BACKSIDE, EVEN WHEN IN TRANSIT, YOU ARE A TERRORIST UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE.

Don't wear a belt whilst flying you only have to take it off at Customs.

Always cary some emergency dollars you never know when you'll next see a cash machine that accepts your bank card.


So its back to the grindsone to pay for my next trip, surfing in South Africa and diving in Mozambique anyone?
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1167669240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1167669240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1167669240/tpod.html Fri, 05 Jan 2007 19:56:21 -0500 From Mexico City to a few other countries, depending on time and money. I love it when a plan comes together!

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Bay Islands, Honduras

Dear all

Happy New Year, its been a while since I lasted updated you, mainly because I've spent my time heading over to the Bay Islands in Honduras. Didn't think this would be where I spend NY but as it turns out I have. The difficult part is getting back to Mexico City for my flight, so I ended up booking a return flight from here.

So the travelling through Guatemala and Honduras was quite uneventful although we did see a car crash on the way (Very minor). The countryside has been amazing, with both countries being lushly green and Honduras being exceptionally mountainous.

Overall Guatemala dissappointed me but Honduras has been great, spent NY Eve diving during the day and saw both a Turtle and Dolphin which was cool. As for the actual evening, well picture a setting sun on a jetty with bongos, beers and friends, followed by a massive T-bone steak for $6.50, a party up in a tree house followed by more partying in another bar on the waterfront. Unfortunately I peaked at around 3.00am so missed the sunrise but today is another beautiful day and I intend spending it soaking up the sun and generally recovering before heading home to Blighty at the weekend.

The one thing I haven't achieved which I set out to do on this trip was Tikal the Mayan ruins in Guatemala which obviously means I need to come back in the future to do so. Oh and apparently they are shutting the Inca Trail for good next year too so I need to fit that in sometime!

Once again Happy New Year and apologies for not being in touch too much recently but the internet is pants on the islands.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1168041900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1168041900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1168041900/tpod.html Fri, 05 Jan 2007 19:39:03 -0500 From Mexico City to a few other countries, depending on time and money. I love it when a plan comes together!

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D.F., Mexico

Made it back to Mexico City in one piece and in time for my flight tomorrow, met some great people and had an amzing time, as ever I would never have predicted my Christmas or New Year, so time to plan for next year now!

I thought I might end this entry with some sort of Top 10 travel tips but I can´t think straight at the minute with all the traveling, today I was up at 04:30 and tomorrow morning I´m up at 04:00 to ensure I get to the airport in time and head home.

One final challenge I´ve set myself, I touch down at JFK at 14:00 and my flight leaves at 19:00 so if I can get through customs in time I might head downtown, watch this space.

Still need to upload some photos and will do that when I get home, no doubt I´ll be catching up with people in the coming weeks. So in the meantime hasta luego mi amigoes!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1168041720/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1168041720/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1168041720/tpod.html Fri, 05 Jan 2007 19:04:12 -0500 From Mexico City to a few other countries, depending on time and money. I love it when a plan comes together!

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San Salvador, El Salvador

Stopped in transit, was surprised at how nice the airport was, a real international one, even if its small!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1167075240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1167075240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1167075240/tpod.html Mon, 25 Dec 2006 14:35:20 -0500 From Mexico City to a few other countries, depending on time and money. I love it when a plan comes together!

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Antigua, Guatemala

Dear all

Wishing you a Merry Christmas, Im off to climb a volcano!

Hasta luego
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1166832660/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1166832660/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1166832660/tpod.html Sat, 23 Dec 2006 16:59:06 -0500 From Mexico City to a few other countries, depending on time and money. I love it when a plan comes together!

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Panajachel, Guatemala

Yesterday morning at 6am I left my homestay family to travel across the border to Guatemala. Trying to say goodbye to a family that speak no English is not easy especially when my Spanish hasn´t advanced enough to hold a conversation. My conversations with the family were often interupted by my use of the dictionary, which kid of puts a dampener on things, however I had progressed from please and thank you by the end of the week. Whilst I don´t think the Spanish has improved that much it has given me more confidence to give it a go, which can only be a good thing.

Now in Panajachel and it took most of the day yesterday to get here, the border crossing was simple enough and I´ve discovered that Guatemala is quite scenic although some towns look a right dump, its sad. In general the place is a lot greener than I expected and I´ve uploaded a video clip of lake Atitilan, the last time I saw such an amazing lake would have been in Canada (turned out to be a river too!).

Pana (as the gringo´s call it) is on Lake Atitilan and you can take a boat to any one of about 12 villages around the lake shore, which I might do tomorrow before heading to Antigua for Chrsitmas.

Also uploaded a photo of the boats that leave the shore in Pana, not sure you´ll be able to tell but they are/have loaded a fridge freezer on board!

This afternoon met a mad American who runs a little Coffee Shop who is clearly besotted with coffee, as with anyone that drinks too much coffee he runs around like he´s on speed. Anyway he gave me an impromptu background to coffee and coffee buying, which was really interesting, he even showed me his coffee lab - surely thats going too far.

So safe and sound in Guatemala, have a private room but shared bathroom for 35 Quetzals, about $5, and my lunch cost me about $3, pretty expensive hey.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1166483580/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1166483580/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1166483580/tpod.html Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:38:14 -0500 From Mexico City to a few other countries, depending on time and money. I love it when a plan comes together!

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San Cristobal, Mexico

Its been a few days and I´ve had 3 days of lessons now at Instituto Jovel my Spanish School and I have to say its going in one ear and out the other and not a lot appears to be sticking at the mo and I´ve only got two more days before I hit the road again.

Apart from studying not been upto much since my last update, however Saturday night was spent tasting the local tequilla and a few beers, to put it in context a decent bottle of beer in a bar costs 19 peso, which is roughly a pound. Whilst you´d expect me to be in my element I´ve got drunk yet , save that for Chrsitmas and N Y Eve no doubt.

Yesterday I spent the day on the road doing a tour, we visited Montebello lakes and Chifron waterfall , this photo was taken at one of the lakes and what I would call a raft is a kayak in Mexico, nothing if not industrious. On this trip met a lad who decided to take the guides lead and eat a raw chilli, needless to say he paid the price and had to eat salt to ease the pain, what a sight had me in stitches.

A bit about my homestay, my adopted family have been very welcoming, my only worry is I offend them in someway by saying/doing something wrong. My room is basic and the meals too, but they taste fantasic, for breakfast this morning I had bread, refried beans, cheese and fried bananas. Not what you might call a typical breakfast but it works for me.
Plan of action is to complete my weeks study on Wednesday and then head of to Guatemala on Thursday.

Hasta luego
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1166051280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1166051280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1166051280/tpod.html Thu, 14 Dec 2006 18:37:22 -0500 From Mexico City to a few other countries, depending on time and money. I love it when a plan comes together!

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San Cristobal, Mexico

Arrived in San Cristobal at 8.00am having done the overnight bus - 13 hours, note to self don´t leve valium (don´t worry Mother its completely legal) and earplugs in backpack next time. Why is it bad America movies are even cheesier in foreign languages?

We stopped about 5 hours into the journey to stretch te legs etc. and as I got off the bus I noticed that the driver appeared to be geting dressed, he´d got a little den in the luggage hold where he sleeps, not sure if this was a new driver who had been to sleep or the existing one just changing, but it was bizarre and got me to thinking how can you drive for 13 hours non-stop. Trust me the way he was driving and in the conditions he was driving it wasn´t worth it.

Took some photos of doorways today too, they always seem to open up onto courtyards that look so peaceful.

I re-familiarised myself with San Cristobal this morning which included vistiting the local craft market. Am I a bad person to haggle for a mask and then sell it on ebay for a profit? Decided it was too much hassle but I might buy one anyway for home. On the edge of the market a small crowd had gathered around some chap, Jake the Snake I´ll call him, he had a 3-4 ft long snake in his hand and was using it as a sales pitch. Not sure what he was saying but I took the obligatory tourist photo and buggered off sharpish before he tried to charge me for it/set the snake on me.

Finally, signed up for spanish school today, as of tomorrow I´ll be spending a week with a local family and learning the lingo. I even had to do a test - think I failed it all apart from my name, perhaps I´ll redo it at the end of the week and pass. Perhaps!

Will upload photos when I get a chance.



]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1165930740/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1165930740/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1165930740/tpod.html Tue, 12 Dec 2006 08:59:16 -0500 From Mexico City to a few other countries, depending on time and money. I love it when a plan comes together!

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D. F., Mexico

Well the intention was to be in San Cristobal this morning however I´m sat here in D. F. still. Spent most of yesterday morning trying to get a ticket sorted, firstly they had no tickets left for last night, my card wouldn´t work, then I had to pay cash, so I travel tonight instead.

Having sorted the ticket I decided to catch a few rays and relax reading my book at Paza Mayor whihc is just off the zocolo and a great place to people watch, in fact Mexico is just great for people watching full stop, adds something when you don´t understand a word they´re saying.

Around Plaza Mayor there are lots and I mean lots of street sellers, its like a market. However its completely illegal and they have spotters looking out for the police, you know when they´ve seen one as it all goes quiet and they start packing up their wares and disappear, never seen a Mexican go so fast unless they are driving a taxi and they just seem to have a death wish!

Definately a case of you have to be there I think but what amused me the most is the ones that just cover their stuff and pretend its not there, or hide it in the bushes. Anyway yesterday the police came along and spent over 1/2 hour probably longer with some street sellers, clearly arguing about what they were up to, I did wonder if they were trying to get bribe but who am I to say.

Next stop San Cristobal I hope.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1165844820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1165844820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/yorkiedes/central_america/1165844820/tpod.html Mon, 11 Dec 2006 19:59:06 -0500 From Mexico City to a few other countries, depending on time and money. I love it when a plan comes together!

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Mexico City (D.F.), Mexico

I arived after an uneventful trip of around 28 hours door to door, if you call waiting in the wrong terminal uneventful in New York. I suppose I can claim I visited the USA as I got the stamp and saw a yellow taxi cab in between terminals. If you can avoid the place avoid it, a complete faff changing terminals, having entered the queue for exiting the country my passport was checked no less than 3 times. A little tip don´t bother wearing a belt as you have to remove it and wear slip on shoes as they have to come off too.

Got to my hostel at around midnight local time and checked in for 2 nights, they put me in exactly the same room I stayed last time, went for a beer and then got my head down for the night.

Yesterday went to re-familiarise myself with hte City and within 1/2 hour saw a fight which, was pretty amusing. Some bloke in a van was being abused by a couple of other on foot moving some boxes, next thing the guy in the van pulls out a knife and starts chasing them. At which point the City seems to stop and just watch. One of the guys being chased stops, takes off his belt and then starts chasing the guy with the knife (perhaps I shouldn´t have left mine at home!). The thing is for me at what point do you think I´m not having this remove your belt and go for him instead, talk about the best form of defence. I´d never think to remove my belt as protection I´d just run.

So things don´t seem to have changed much in the past 12 months in D.F., unsurprising really, so the trip is not that exciting just yet, I´m sure as I head south things will get more interesting. Tonight I head off to San Cristobal (assuming I can ask for a ticket correctly, 750.00 peso for a 13 hour bus trip) and then the real fun begins trying to get across the border into Guatemala and beyond.

Anyway watch this space.
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