Vacation away from my Vacation, Dia 1

Sometimes things get to you and can be too much.  Whether it be stress, people, stress and people, small town syndrome, too many noises, whatever it may be you know when you need a break.  I am not the type to mill around and plan; If I'm hungry- I eat, when I have an itch- I scratch it.

I decided to grab some new passport stamps and take a week-ish escape up to Guatemala (through a bit of Honduras and come back down via the coast of El Salvador/the coast, and then back home.  My journey began on Monday November 26th, 2012.  I keep a journal and an "electric notepad of my thoughts", so my transcribed events are a jumble of my notes, thoughts, typed, and written.  enjoy.

note from a beautiful chica the night before I left, lifts me up.

26/11/2012
"It's exactly 445 am as I walk through the silent town of San Juan del Sur.  All I see are cats and sleeping quitadors...note that the direct express bus at 5 doesn't make stops like I was told, so I will be arriving in Managua 2 hours early.  Oh well I have absolutely no problem sleeping anywhere at the moment.  Note: get off at the Movistar stop in Managua, its only a 50 cord cab ride from there to Ticabus :)"

"I am hoping that good news comes early for me and that the black cat that walked parallel to me on my way here and never crossed my path means so.  Decided to let James Taylor guide my mind in the darkness of this morning bus ride...'Carolina in My Mind' playing en route to Managua, Nicaragua..."

8am, arrived at Ticabus station in Managua.  Got the seat in the back left corner of the express bus from town here, I slept ok but when I awoke the bus had become an oven that was stuffed full of people.  Anyone claustrophobic would have lost it.  I had the feeling of lack of oxygen sitting at the window seat.

Damn I forgot my sunglasses.

Again I am mad early so I'm going to be waiting a while.

Conversation with brother on text while waiting at bus terminal in Managua:
"Me: wearing sanuks, spandex pants and a humane society tee at a bus terminal in route to Guatemala:) but I'm happy

B: Wearing khakis and a button down polo in a cubicle 23 floors up in a high ride downtown"

1115, depart for San Salvador, 3 hours until la frontera de Honduras.

Border was boring, took a picture.


Driving for 2 hours through some country.  Roads aren't so nice, lots of nothing, just green mountains.

1733 arrived at the border of El Salvador.  I just want some street food which I see everywhere but I am only carrying $11 U.S. and change in cordobas.

1908, I can't begin to write the bus is rocking and bumping; my coffee is going everywhere.

We just pulled beside a Burger King.  Its just surreal that this morning it was street cats and horse and buggy, and now its El Salvador where they've adopted the US currency and I look outside my window at a fast food joint.

2235, we arrived @ San Carlos, which is a (bad area of town) and a girl from Costa is traveling to Guatemala City also so we've stuck together.  This Ticabus hotel is pretty horrid  ha I can only imagine Mom taking one look at the area, let alone the room I am staying in and freaking out.  It's $12 a night, and my toilet / hose shower is directly beside my bed.  Passing out and setting my alarm for 515.

Note: I thought seeing all the fast food places, and shiny billboards, and malls/shops in new stucco buildings would make me so happy- yet living in a town where there is a 60/40 taxi/horse and buggy ratio- I already miss the simplicity...maybe its not simplicity but the less interest/fascination with $$$money-everywhere I look I see money signs/prices/amounts- life isn't about what you don't have and need...its about making the best of what you do have and being happy.

-night