The Nomads

Richard changing money as we leave the Honduras border

Day 71 Thursday June 19

Left Nacaome, Honduras
Temp: 30 degrees C
Sunny, light cloud

Late start as I had another bout of Moctezuma’s Revenge all night and wasn’t able to leave until about ten. We made good time to the border crossing at El Amatillo but got held up for about three hours in a very hot humid wait. The computers on the El Salvador side where we had to get our vehicle importation license went off-line so we had an extra hour and a half or so sitting around in a puddle of our own sweat on the wooden bench outside their air conditioned office. And all the while I in agony and wondering where I’m going to find facilities because my problem hasn’t yet resolved!!!

I finally have to go in search of “banos” and what I find is enough to scare even the hardiest “third world traveller”….no water, no paper, no door, and hard to find the plumbing under the filth….Hard to clean enough to safely approach when you’re about to explode and all doubled over in severe cramps!

Thank god I thought to bring lots of paper “just in case”, cause there definitely was no turning back!

And, some local kid who presumably has some connection to this government public facility had the nerve to stop me as I was leaving and demand $1US for using “the conveniences”. I thought he was joking but he wasn’t… I got a good laugh out of it anyway and he got “diddly squat”!

Once cleared for entry we were off to San Salvador with the intent to possibly stop there for the night. When we got there we couldn’t find anything but a Sheraton and a Holiday Inn both of which demand the same prices as though they were in some capitol city in Canada! ($185 plus tax US!)

We decided to continue on and maybe find something reasonable further on but the towns got smaller and rougher and no sign of anything resembling “hotel” …we were beginning to panic as it was now getting dark and we were a long ways from any large town or city.

Taking the cattle to graze - view of volcano in El Salvador

After many desperate inquiries along the way we pulled into Sonsonate hoping to find something because a traveller at the last gas station assured me there were hotels there.

Several more inquiries in Sonsonate centro later we were headed to the Plaza Hotel. It was well on the way to “too late!” so we’re really happy to find this place! Oops…sorry, all full, no vacancy…is there another hotel nearby? “Yes, I’ll call them.., one moment, dials…. Oh. Sorry they are full too!” Panic…

“is there anything else near?”

“No, there is one place about a half hour’s drive away…in a small place called…let me see … what is it called…”

Susie by now is begging to be allowed to sleep in that big chair right there in the lobby!

We were three very dejected looking people as we headed back out to their wonderful secure gated parking to go off into the night in search of an inn! I could use a biblical reference here…

I had just started my bike and was backing it out of the parking space when someone from the hotel hollered something at Sue. Wait a minute… turns out there is a room that has just been vacated, not cleaned yet, but empty! Three single beds! Yahooo!!! Last place for miles! Happy! Happy! Joy!Joy!

Susie is refusing to sleep in her own bed! No rest tonight!

Kilometres - Daytrip: 309km total: 15,925
Gas: $ 22.75
Lodging: Plaza Hotel $ 45

# posted by Richard and Susie @ 9:32 PM