Saturday 24 August 2013

Nicaragua ..

The support team in England, thanks Deb, laid into the bank who continued to state there was nothing they could do, they could only speak to me. The wonderous GOSIM I was still using denied me this oppourtunity but amazingly the next morning in Somoto money access was restored, as is by magic.

Somewhat relieved I got on my way. I liked Nicaragua, I liked it alot. It would be one country I could return to and get to know better, amazing history (both 20th century and before) and landscape, really friendly people. Although one of the poorer Central American countries it also seemed one of the most organised, the roads were good and the police interesting. I was stopped by some local policemen, they checked my papers and then informed me I had been winding across my lane in a dangerous fashion and they would have to give me a ticket. Well, I stuck to me trusted 'I don't speak spanish, I don't understand' but they carried on. When I crossed into Guatemala I had been stopped by some young army guys, they had looked at my passport and had seen the chip in the back page, one decided this was clearly linked to a satellite so my government could monitor my position. With nothing to loose I showed this to the policemen and told the same story, they looked at each other, paused and told me to go. I rode on.


Granada

I planned to bypass the capital and stay a few days in Granada, I found a great hotel and pulled in just before it started to rain. The hotel staff were great, got talking to Hannah who was in charge, she had been learning English to help her career prospects, she was pleased to find an English speaker from England  "From Texas, you can't understand". Hannah worked 12 days in a row, lived at the hotel and then had 2 days off when she visited her family, amazing workers.



A good example of how not to frame a picture, great church though.



Sunday market, nice bike .. a 'not a suzuki'

I had been doing the 'big beard' thing for a while, earlier I had bought some scissors and trimmed it but with little success. My hair, well I was getting dangerously close to the Charlton 'comb over', so I walked into this unisex hairdressors in Granada and left about 1 1/2 hours later, I met Kevin (Kaveen) and he was really keen to sort this guy out, ' they don't have barbers in England ?' He started on my hair, moved to the beard and then informed me I needed a 'facial'. A great guy, surprised we English took so little care of ourselves, patient and he even threw in a massage. I was so relaxed at the end I didn't want to leave or try and explain what my face had been through over the last couple of months while on the bike, all in a great experience. So, you English, get to work on your hygiene.


The 'after' photo.. his look says it all ..

Next, Costa Rica, the so called 'Nica-Tica' border, another on the Panamerican and one that does not get a good write-up, very busy and seemingly under constant construction. Fresh faced and onwards ....
 
Congratulations to Sam on reaching the grand old age of 18, now all that is left for you to do is run off and join a circus ..... well done Sam.


Wednesday 14 August 2013

El Salvador - Honduras - Nicaragua all in a day .....

Night and day, night and day. If getting into El Salvador had been a breeze, although a very hot one, getting out and into Honduras was a different story. I think you have to accept that riding down this way some borders are going to be a challenge. I met up with Ronnie, the local fixer, and watched as he and the Honduran border guards and customs span out a real show for me. Having said that, I spent much of the time sat by the side of the road watching everyone else trying to get through. Those with El Salvador number plates were pounced on as soon as they got into the Honduras border area, guys would run along side offering to help with immigration and customs, I was not alone. The 'team work' shown by the officials and fixers was great to see, a couple of dollars here, a few there, all to 'get you through quickly'. I soon took the view that some experiences in life are worth paying for, here I was sat on a pavement in no mans land, smoking a cigar (oh OK, a marlboro), right next to a couple of shoe shine stands, out of the sun, watching a sort of 'dance' . I eventually got clear, shook Ronnie's hand, thanked him for the show and rode off.


This is a beautiful country

I had been told two hours gets you through this bit of Honduras and to the border wth Nicaragua at El Espino. Plenty of stuff out there to read about what to expect, 'keep clear of the police' and 'watch out for the pot holes' were just two of the warnings offered. Well, the Police ignored me and the pot holes were as promised but easy to see and steer around. In fact, this country was worth seeing, if only for a few hours. I climbed up into the highlands and out of the heat. I stopped to take these photos and have a drink and everyone who passed honked their horns and waved, I was even passed by a group of motorbikers on a mixture of 'big' bikes, I later met up with them at the border, they were heading back to Costa Rica.


..... very beautiful Honduras

I soon reached the border and easily signed out of Honduras under my own steam, a really helpful customs guy walked me through the paperwork, no cost. These smaller borders really do work well. I rode across into Nicaragua, had the bike steam cleaned and set about getting myself in, easy, and then the bike, a bit more complicated. Nicaragua want you to buy insurance, that was easy. After that the usual paperwork, stamps, copies, which customs guy to see, find the Policeman for his signiture, the bikers who passed me earlier helped and I managed to find my way through. Not once did I think I was getting to grips with this border process, although similar in some ways I now knew there was plenty that changed each time. On the plus side I had completed what I set out to do, two borders in one day, I rode off into Nicaragua and stopped at the first big town I came to, Somoto, where I checked into the local Hotel, met a couple of backpackers from the US of A, had a meal and then found my UK bank had decided to stop me withdrawing money, they had done this in El Salvador and I had rung them to advise, oh joy... I thought 'I bet they're just keeping my money safe' ....and also 'I really love bankers' ...


Parked up outside customs, Nicaragua



Tuesday 6 August 2013

El Salvador ...

I set off with about 100 miles to go to the El Salvador border. The road south out of Antiqua wound it's way through coffee plantations and volcanoes, I stopped at one petrol station and a guy from Cuba came over for a chat. He told me he had ridden his bike from Guatemala (where he now lived) to Alaska and back, took him a year 'I took it real slow'. He confirmed I was on the right road and suggested it would take 1 1/2 to 2 hours to reach the border.



On the road in El Salvador

I have started to develop a routine, mosty based around security, for the borders. Horizonsunlimited also continues to be a great source of information, some amazing people out there write up each step you need to take to cross the border, although it's clear things do also change. I reached the border and crossed into El Salvador at La Hachadura after a few wrong turns, the road signs are few. Still it provided much laughter for a crew of petrol station attendants when I went to ask for some directions, the guy who spoke some English did a great job, his mates rolled around the floor, at my expense, I hope. As soon as I pulled up to leave Guatemala at the border a guy called George (with a sister working as a nurse in London) came up and offered to help, he told what the customs/immigration would charge on each side and offered to help for a 'tip'. One cigarette later, as I scanned the chaos around me, he had a deal. George was great, there seems no logic to what you are required to do, get copied and then signed ... many times, to cross these borders. This was a whole new border experience. It took about 1 1/2 hours, without George I could be still there. What I noticed was the customs/immigration staff would not allow him to presents my papers, a great idea as this reduces the risk of corruption on both sides. I thanked George, paid up and rode into El Salvador and the heavens opened to celebrate, big rain, big thunder and amazing lighting.


Coastal El Salvador


.. and more of the same. They have signs on the side of the road warning you about surfers crossing, just what are these guys on ?

I soon realised this country was small, I looked at my map and saw I had covered almost half way in a few hours, I had heard 7 hours to go straight across. I pulled into a hotel at La Libertad and spent the night there on my own, 4 staff, one security guy with a shotgun, a dog and me. I left in the morning and looked for somewhere to spend the night near the next border. When planning this route I had decided to steer clear of much of Honduras, it did not get a great write up, thats not to say they were right. Anyway, the plan was to leave El Salvador, ride into Honduras and then cross into Nicaragua, all in one day. I had heard that going this way you spend 2 hours in Honduras. I chose to stay at La Union, about 45 minutes form the El Salvador/Honduras border. When I got there I found this empty port and a brand new 'Welcome Inn', very strange, almost as if it was airlifted down from California. The hotel was full of USA soldiers and evangelical christians, a strange mix ? .. I don't think so. Anyway I fitted right in, enjoyed the 'western buffet' and stayed for 2 days enjoying the gospel singing.



A beautiful day at La Union, Honduras in the distance


All quiet at the port

I got up early on my final day and headed for the 'double border'. George, my El Salvador 'fixer', and rung ahead to tell his mate 'Ronnie' I may be passing through, what fun lay ahead I wondered.


I was trying to check the brakepads