Leaving Pacific Coast (long read)

5:30am in the morning, it’s dark and we’ve been on the road for half an hour now, making our way to the border. At this point I’ve stopped trying to remember which border we are crossing, and instead rely on Juan (our guide) to tell us how much cash we will need, and in what currency. I can safely rely on him to shepherd us through the various lines. (Long post…)

(Note: the formatting is all screwed up, I don’t know why, but I’m doing these on a phone so it makes it somewhat tricky).

 

Juan is an excellent guide, he, like many, lives in perpetual fear of leaving someone behind and always double counts before we leave. Juan ensures that we all have at least one good place to go for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and ensures that the place has at least one vegetarian option (though sometimes it is only one, but that’s hardly the fault of the guide — Latin America has yet to embrace the complex and varied dietary requirements of some of its many Western visitors. 

La Tortuga Verde, El Salvador

Our visit to the Pacific Coast stop was a stay at La Tortuga Verde, a small resort on the coast. It reminded me of the likes of club meds and other such places, just a three star Latin American version. Everything was charged to your room, avoiding any unseemly dealing with costs until the eventual settling of the bill at the end. I’m sure the lack of alcoholic drinks helped, but I did consume a lot of virgin Mai Tais and my total was only $35 for 2 nights, 1 day. Not bad at all.

My room was spectacular given I have a single supplement (I don’t share a room). I had a fully enclosures by mosquito mesh room with curtains for privacy. In it were two double beds and a number of pedestal fans, and two hammocks. Inside this enclosure was a “real” room with a door and two more double beds, for those who preferred to not sleep “outside”. 

I chose to sleep outside for both nights and enjoyed it immensely. The inside room featured AC, and you’d have needed it, but a fan was all I needed for the outside beds.

As I expected there was no hot water, but being on the coast and the temperatures involved, you hardly needed it. Though it would be nice to shave with hot water — I must ask someone what they do.

I’m most pleased with the dry soaps I have — they are little packages of single soap “paper” that you slide out, and when wet provides enough soap to wash your hands. I have hand wash, body wash, shampoo and laundry (though I suspect the only difference is the colour of the container). They are quite tiny, only the size of a pack of gum. They are excellent for carryon only as they aren’t counted as a liquid, and you don’t have to deal with a slimy soap bar in your wet bag.

Backpack and packing

On other luggage news, I appear to have misplaced my spare glasses and case. An odd thing to lose, but the last place I had them was in my hands in Copan. Normally the case sits in the bottom of my pack as I have no reason to take them out. I have of course pulled everything out, and unpacked the dry bags, and not found it — so either I left them somewhere or they have found a hidden pocket in my pack that I was unaware of. 

This has of course now made me stress about breaking my glasses, but I do have a backup backup pair in my large bag in Costa Rica. (The reason is because I got brand new glasses while I was at school in CR and so my current pair became the backup, and the backup pair stepped down a notch). I can get new glasses if needed in places like San Jose, but only if I’m there long enough for them to be made).

It really has driven home how used to the fast delivery get it right now that I’m used to living in western cities. I’d still be able to get what I wanted, glasses, Amazon things, but only if I have the time or wish to spend serious money (my glasses from the US arrived in 5 days but cost over $80 in shipping and customs).

The long diary entry today is driven my the early start and desire to do something other than try futilely to sleep — the roads here aren’t exactly the smoothest, anyone who attempts to sleep on the bus gets bruised.

Mental health

I am enjoying my trip, but I’ve hit a period of what I call “nobody likes me”. It’s purely in my head, it’s probably echos of my life long depression. I’m not worried, I am taking a few days of deliberate reduction in group activities (but not isolation!), that way I reduce any (imaginary) slight that I might misread. I suspect within another day or so I’ll be back to my usual self. 

This is also good “training” for my 42 weeks expedition in Africa. If I can’t get over my insecurities here then I’ll be in a lot of trouble in Africa. My understanding from what I’ve read of others who have done the same or similar expeditions is this is normal and everyone at various points goes hermit for awhile and takes “me time”.

Why do tours?

Speaking of Africa, someone asked me why I am doing these tour group trips, given we rush through countries and I could have spent a week at the last stop, but don’t have the choice. The reason is simple — I’d never have gone to El Cuco but for this tour. I suspect I would not have gone to most places. I’m by myself so don’t have someone else to bounce ideas off, and don’t have the desire to search for and find out of the way places. I’d never have gone to Copan, as I thought the ancient ruins of a Mayan temple wouldn’t have interested me — I was wrong. 

So tours such as Intrepid expose me to new things, and I’m in a fortunate position such that if we went to an area that I really wanted to spend more time in, I can travel back there after the tour.

Well that’s a long entry, but it has served to fill in time until sunrise.

13°27’1” North, 87°52’14” West. Nearest landmark: Centro Escular.