Panamericana

10.04.09

Puerto Barrios (Guatemala) to Omoa (Honduras)

87,9 km, 4:40h, Ø 18,8km/h, 315 hm

Since I knew that it wouldn‘ t be too hilly today I didn‘ t even try to leave early. After finishing my last Nutella and Peanutbutter I was on the road by 10am. The road was very busy for the first 13 km, but then it was a great ride through palmtrees and banana-plantations. After 18 km I got my exit stamp from Guatemala and exchanged some money “on the road”. 20 km later I entered Honduras (3US$). The border crossing was no problem at all. The scenery was great, the honduran people a lot more reserved than the guatemalens. I passed many rivers where hundreds, maybe even thousands of people where swimming.

When I reached Omoa there was even a traffic-jam getting into town. The place was packed and I decided to have a late lunch before looking for a place to stay. So my first meal in Honduras was fried chicken with salad and funny looking fried potatoes – pretty good in combination with a cold beer.

Right next door, at Roli‘ s place, I asked for a place to camp. When I stepped outside again a boy looked at me and said, very excited, “Are you a cyclist? Do you speak english? Wait, my parents want to meet you, we are cyclists, too.” That‘ s how I met Jessie, a 13-year-old boy from Australia. He‘ s cycling with his brother and his parents on 2 tandems. They started in LA and are on their way to Argentina. They already spent a few weeks in Omoa to wait for another cycling family, the Vogels.

It was great to meet other cyclists again and we had a good time sharing some stories.

09.04.09

Rio Dulce – Livingston – Puerto Barrios

4km + boat-ride

Takuya left early today, he‘ s on his way to Antigua. I walked down to the pier to find out about prices for a boat to Livingston. It would be 150 Q for me and my bike but I had to be there in a few minutes cause they were ready to leave. So I walked back to the dorm to get my bike. We put it in the front of the little boat, quit adventurous. The boat ride wasn‘ t only transport, it was kind of touristy. First we rode into the other direction to get a glimpse of the “Lago Isabell”. Later we stopped to watch some birds, then some kids in small kanus came to show us some crabs and other things for a small tip. The boat was going fast and it was pretty bumpy. Then we stopped at a restaurant along the river where you could swim as well – what many people did.

After about 3 hours we finally arrived in Livingston after a very scenic ride.

I had lunch there and decided that I wouldn‘ t stay but take another boat to Puerto Barrios.

That boat ride was … well, I was glad when it was over. We were going so fast that it wasn‘ t enjoyable at all. The boat bounced up and down and always hit the water like it was concrete. I already had a headache and only wanted to find a hotel-room once I arrived in Puerto Barrios. That wasn‘ t as easy as it sounds. All budget-hotels were full, others way too expensive. In the end I stayed at a hotel for 150 Q with aircondition, TV, a single and a queensized bed.

I walked to the market through the dirty and dusty roads, bought some bananas, mangos and bread and stopped at an internet-café before I went back to my room to watch some TV.

08.04.09

Poptun – Rio Dulce

105,6 km, 5:25h, Ø19,6 km/h, 787 hm

Leaving early? Naaah! It was already 7am once my bike was loaded. So I decided to have a good breakfast at the Finca before leaving. I talked to Rob and Michele who are from the US but living in Mexico for several years now. Time went by fast and it was already 9 am when I left.

It was overcast the whole day what made the temperature a lot more comfortable. After a while

I saw another cyclist taking a break at a busstop – it was Takuya, whom I‘ d met several times before. It was great to see him again, we were both surprised cause we both thought the other one would be a few days ahead. So we cycled together for the rest of the day.

In Rio Dulce we saw a sign for camping. We checked that place out but for whatever reason it wasn‘ t possible to camp there anymore.

Rio Dulce was overflowing with people, the main-road was jammed with cars and people. Too many people. Of course those people were staying somewhere, too. That meant that all those hotels we checked out didn‘ t have any vacancy or were way overpriced for the holidays. Finally we found a dormitory for a reasonable price.

The buffet last night was pretty good, but I could only eat one (pretty loaded) plate. Different kinds of salad, rice, quiche, something like “Gulasch”, fresh bread. It was pretty good.

I woke up in the middle of the night because it was raining and I didn‘ t use the rain-cover of the tent. It was only a little rain though and I was too tired to go outside. A while later I had to do it, though.

When I woke up at 6am it was still raining. Now, at 10:15am, it‘ s still raining – and I didn‘ t leave. Just had some breakfast and am sitting in front of the finca now, writing my journal. And it‘ s so good not to be sweating! The air is a fresh and a cool breeze is blowing!

Flores – Poptun (Finca Ixobella)

109,2 km, 6:14h, Ø 17,5 km/h, 899 hm

Early start? Ha! You knew it, right? Got up at 6am and had breakfast next door (that really is a big change to Mexico and Belize, there were actually places open before 8am!). Scrambled eggs with tomatoes and onions, beans, cheese and fried bananas, orange juice and coffee.

At 7:30am I was ready to go. Temperature was already 24 degrees C, but it was comfortable. After 20km the first the first soda break, after 40 km the second, then the distances between the breaks became shorter with the increasing temperature. I stopped counting after a while and was surprised that I made some progress at all, considering all those breaks. There were so many kiosks along the road – and I was glad that I had money this time to buy plenty of em;-).

So it was the first time today that I really got to talk to some guatemalan people – and they were all very friendly. At my last stop I some fruit juice which I saw a lot in Mexico as well, but never really tried. It only cost 1 Quetzal and tasted pretty good. After almost 100 km I was pretty tired when I sat there and drank my juice out of the plastic bag, but the woman who sold it to me didn‘ t take “I don‘ t understand” for an answer and so we both tried hard and actually had something like a conversation. She thought I couldn‘ t make the last 12 km anymore today – though it was only 2:30pm!!! She said that in most people in Guatemala have some kind of motor-bike and asked me why I didn‘ t get one?!? No answer.

When I reached Finca Ixobella near Poptun I just dropped my bike and lay down in the grass for a while to rest. I was pretty exhausted.

Then I took a shower and life came back to me;-). I walked the short trail to the Laguna which looked pretty nice, but there were so many famlilies swimming, playing and yelling that I didn‘ t stay. So I walked back to my tent and finished my book (Bel Canto by Ann Patchet) hoping to find another one at the book-exchange here. Meanwhile a group of about 40 teenagers pitched their tents only 30 m away from mine – great!

I think this is a great place, but a bit too touristy for me. Considered taking a day off here, but don‘ t think that‘ s gonna happen – unless I get up REALLY late.

Now I‘ m waiting for the All-You-Can-Eat-Buffett – hope it‘ s as good as it sounds!

Anja

Day off – Tikal by bus

Deep dreamless sleep last night. After breakfast I decided to take a bus to Tikal. I was still pretty tired and there was no way that I was going back the 70 km on my bike, at least not today.

The minivan (60 Quetzales roundtrip) picked me up right in front of the hotel. Picking up other people in front of other hotels I got a tour of the small Island. The entrance-fee at Tikal was 150 Quetzales. I walked and walked and walked through the jungle and climbed the Temple IV. But the highlight were actually the 2 monkeys I saw playing in the trees.

After only 3 hours I was ready to take a bus back. I‘ m glad I went there, but it was enough.

Back in Flores I went to an internet-café and had dinner at Burger King after that.

Trek Stop – Flores

101,8 km, 6:35h, Ø 15,4 km/h, 796hm

Got up at 6am and left at 7:30am. The 6km to the border were easy rolling and the scenery the most beautiful part of Belize I‘ ve seen. Though I have to admit that I didn‘ t see that much of it, staying only on the main road except for the short side-trip to Crooked Tree.

Crossing the border was no problem, they didn‘ t even ask me any questions. After the border a 23km long part of dirt road started. I had to push my bike up 2 of those steep climbs – and doing so I was almost rolling down the hill again backwards!

The ATM at Melchor didn‘ t except my credit card and so I was really glad when I found a restaurant after 30 km that excepted US$. Cold coke never tasted so good!!!

Since I didn‘ t have cash and didn‘ t expect to be able to get any at Tikal I decided to cycle to Flores instead. A few km before I reached Flores I stopped at a big shopping center, got cash and bought some cold drinks. Together with many scooters and other motor-bikes I cycled across the bridge that connects Sta. Elena and Flores. In Flores I checked into the first hotel I saw. I was done, didn‘ t know what to do first – take a shower, eat, drink, sleep. Only had some cookies during the day and didn‘ t feel too well once I got off the bike. Ate dinner next door, BBQ-Chicken, salad and rice.

Back at the hotel I slept from 7pm to 9pm, still in my bike-clothes. Only stepped outside again to buy some water, then went back to sleep.

I ignored my alarm clock which rang at 6am successfully, tuned around and slept another 5 minutes and another 5 minutes and another five minutes … and decided that this was a great spot for a rest-day, though I didn‘ t really need one.

After a good breakfast consisting of fry jacks, beans and scrambled eggs, orange juice and coffee I rested for a while in the hammock and tried to convince myself that it would be a good idea to check out Xunantunich, more ruins. It was a 5 minute-walk down the road, then I had to take the ferry across a river. The ferry is on a cable and man-power operated. From there it was a 15 minute walk mostly uphill – in the midday-heat. Unfortunately there was no sun but it was a nice walk, trees on both sides of the road. The ruins itself were pretty nice. I especially liked that they were in the jungle and that there were hardly any people. But there was a group of 8 US Americans – and they were so loud, shouting all over the place. Annoying.

On my way back I saw an iguana in the woods, but he ran away. After crossing the river again there were 3 huge iguanas on the river-bank! That was amazing.

Back at the campsite I slept for a while, cleaned my bags and organized my stuff, hoping to get an early start tomorrow… would be good to get some kilometers done before it gets hot again!

Hi there!

The last days I‘ ve been cycling through Belize. It‘ s a small country, the people here speak english, creole and some spanish. And it‘ s hot!!! The temperature was getting close to 50 degrees the other day! Even hanging out and doing nothinmg isn‘ t as easy as it seems. Sweat is running down like a waterfall!

I‘ m just siting in an internet-vafe in San Ignacio, about 16 km away from the guatemalen border. I just burned my pictures on a DVD and will send ‚em home, later. Hope to find a bikeshop here, but nobody I asked so far knew about one, though the guys at the bikeshop in Belize City said there‘ s supposed to be one here, I‘ ll see.Then I‘ ll cycle 10 km to a Campground and tomorrow I‘ ll go to Guatemala.

Ok, time to go… out in the oven again;-)

Anja

 01.04.09

San Ignazio – Trek Stop (6km to the guatemalen border)

Shitty day somehow. My plans for the day didn‘ t work out. I spent 2 hours at the internet café and in the end I didn‘ t get my pictures burnt on a DVD. There was some problem and the huy who worked there gave up after a while. Ok, then I could skip the way to the post-office as well. Looking for a bikeshop I met a guy from Switzerland who cycled quite a lot in Central America. Then he ran out of money and now he is working in San Ignazio for a while. He explained me the way to a bikeshop, but it was closed. So I hang out somewhere at a bench in the shade and talked to a belizean mom with her 3 kids for a while. That was nice, but it was very annoying that about every 5 minutes someone stopped to shake my hand, welcome me to Belize, ask me for a taxi, tell me a good place to stay or try to sell me some tour.

At 1:30 pm I went to the bikeshop again. The guy even had some tubes with presta-valves, but not my size. He sent me to a hardware-store where I tried my luck. Again not what I needed.

After a half day being busy I hadn‘ t achieved anything. Time for me to leave. At first I had to climb a steep hill to get on the road that leads to the guatemalen border. It was too steep for me to cycle, so I had to push my bike. I stopped at a gasstation to get some air. The guy who worked there asked me some questions and then he said, “ … but I know that you must get very tired sometimes.” Oh well, don‘ t we all get tired sometimes? What kind of statement is that? It‘ s kind of like the other thing many people ask me. They wanna know if I stop sometimes for a break and if I sleep sometimes… Hellooouuuu?!?

The 10km to the “Trek Stop” were a bit hilly but it was easy riding. It‘ s not possible to sweat anymore than I did even without cycling anyway. Waterfalls of sweat are just running down on me!

I could pick between 2 campspots here and I chose the one under a tarp with a hammock. It‘ s very nice, trees all around, a bit like paradise – but hot as hell!

They have a kitchen here, sell coke and beer and have a restaurant that opens at 6pm where I‘ ll probably have dinner and spent my last belizean dollars.

And now I‘ m ready for a short snooze in the hammock…

Anja