Last Thoughts on Honduras

Trip Start Nov 24, 2005
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Trip End May 21, 2006


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Flag of Nicaragua  ,
Thursday, February 23, 2006

We left Tela and nine buses over two days later we were in Nicaragua. The trip went all together smoothly with only one breakdown and subsequently unexpected bus change. Overall a reflection of the ease of travel we experienced in Honduras. Things, namely bus transport, are noticeably more relaxed than in Guatemala. Gone is the stuffing of buses with passengers to the point of oxygen deprivation. Gone is the aggression of the ayudante screaming out destinations and pouncing on potential passengers the second they are in view. And gone is the suicidal driving technique of passing on hairpin corners in order to arrive before the other buses in the constant rush for ticket money.

Instead bus transport became a relaxing experience. Notably, our bus to the villages near Tela was filled with the happiest collection of travellers I have encountered on a bus, anywhere in the world 01_comayagua church
01_comayagua church
 . But I suppose living in site of white sand beaches and Caribbean waters can do much to improve a persons disposition.

Since outside of Utila much of what I saw of Honduras was from the window of a bus I can hardly claim to know much of the country. But what I did glimpse appeared significantly more affluent than Guatemala. Or perhaps I am mistaking affluence for a presence of American fast food chain restaurants. Taco Bell, Dominoes, Wendy's...the list is lengthy. Honduras was also a remarkably clean country with a conspicuous reduction in litter strewn along the ditches of the highways.

To avoid the stressful turbulence of the capitol we overnighted in Comayagua, a typical colonial town. Buildings around the central plaza were painted warm toned hues. Glowing in the sunshine I was reminded of sunny mornings in my former yellow Toronto apartment sipping mugs of coffee and reading the weekend paper. Waves of homesickness can hit in the most unexpectant of places.

Onward we persevered the following day making it to Esteli, Nicaragua's major city of the north. The warnings of minimal good value accommodation were quickly realized. $20 for a stinky noisy room was a bit of a shock. But refusing to settle our hunt brought us to a cozy spot well within our budget.

The next morning a wander of the town demonstrated there wasn't much to interest us. That and every place we searched out was closed anyway. So yet another bus whisked us quickly out of town on route to our next destination.
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