Around the World in 800 Days

[flyingdutchman177]

Here's a better picture without me
The top was clouded over, but as soon as I got to the top the clouds broke so I could enjoy the view. And as soon as I started my way down, the clouds came back in.
Perfect timing
I had trouble finding my way down.
I was looking for the trail down. I figured it would be easy considering that is the way the 99.9% of the people hike up. Remember I was up in the clouds so it was hard to see. I tried one faint trail but it headed down this slope that I was not sure I could get back up. So I turned around and climbed over these giant rocks andfound the trail. It was a class 3 or 4 climb over but it was obvious that I was on the right trail down. There were steps and trash cans.

[flyingdutchman177]

It was a challenge climbing the volcano and it was a challenge just getting there and back.
Here's how I traveled...............
It took a boat.........

[flyingdutchman177]

A Colectivo
(it is a pick up truck that drives around and gives people rides in the bed of the truck. It only costs a few pennies. In this case, the guy driving the truck with the bad teeth said it was free for me. Probably the only Gringo he had in the back. I actually was standing on the rear bumper)

[flyingdutchman177]

A Tuk Tuk

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If you don't know what a Tuk Tuk is...........
They are everywhere down here. Made in India
They are the taxis in Central America

[flyingdutchman177]

And even a motorcycle
Actually I didn't go anywhere on it. Just around the block and back.
I was checking out this guy's bike. I sat on it and fired it up with one good kick to the kickstarter. And then I took off on it. He was holding my camera so I don't think he was too worried. My camera was probably worth more........LOL

[flyingdutchman177]

Here are Volcans Fuego and Agua just outside Guatemala City

[flyingdutchman177]

My last day in Guatemala, I wanted to spend the night on the beach and go for a swim in the Pacific Ocean. I looked on my map and asked a random guy on the side of the road which beach I should go to.. He told me to go to Monterrico. With a name like that, it had to be nice. I turned off the highway and took this awful road that was more potholes than pavement towards the ocean. My GPS said I was only a mile to the water and the road came to an end. As it turns out, I needed to take a boat thru the jungle swaps to get to the beach.
Well, I took a closer look at my map and it showed that the road stopped short of the beach so I couldn't fault the map
So I turned around and rode back down the crappy road back to the CA-2 highway and turned off for Las Lisas. Again, I turned off the highway and went down an even worse road.......and guess what............I got within a mile from the water and I had to takke a boat again. I was not happy. It was 100 degrees. I was hot. I wanted to go for a swim before I left the country. The boat guy wanted to load my bike in to his launch. And for a couple of minutes I actually considered it. They had a ramp and everything. But he told me about this other beach just 5 miles away that was not on my map that I could ride to........so that is where I went
Here's a picture of the end of the road in Las Lisas Guatemala

[flyingdutchman177]

So I get to the beach in Guatemala. The beach goes on forever in each direction. I figured I was the only tourist that has ever come to this area of Guatemala. The town is really small. More of a fish camp than anything.
The beach is pretty much empty. I thought it might be ok to camp on the beach there. I asked some people I saw. It turned out that one of the guys was visiting from Los Angeles but was originally from Guatemala. They invited me to stay at their house. At first I was reluctant, but I thought it might make a good story. And it turns out so.
Here is their house. It was this amazing house right on the beach.

[flyingdutchman177]

Here is the view from the deck

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The people were so friendly. Here they invited me to have dinner with them. Fresh ceviche, shrimp and fish.
Plus I had my own bedroom with air conditioning
And in case you were wondering........no they were not in the drug cartel. They had some different businesses and it just doesn't take a lot of money to live like this in Guatemala

[flyingdutchman177]

We took the quad out on to the beach at sunset. There were five of us cruising along the sand comfortably. I was wondering if anyone has ridden a quad around the world. It might be doable

[flyingdutchman177]

Sunset on the beach in Guatemala

[flyingdutchman177]

Crossing in to El Salvador was pretty easy. I get about a mile from the border and 4 guys on 3 motorcycles came racing after me. I pulled over at the gas station to get some gas and they followed me in. They were all "helpers". They help you get your paperwork done at the border for a fee. I told them I was going to try and do it myself. They followed me anyway. When I got to the border, there were even more helpers there. They were all fighting each other to be the one that was the one that was going to help me. I finally yelled......"everyone go away and stop bugging me". One guy follwed me anyway. It turned out he was a big help. I got my copies done at the border. He stood in one line for my visa/passport as I finished up my paperwork in another line for my bike. I gave him $10 and he seemed happy

[flyingdutchman177]

My first stop in El Salvador was going to be Imposible National Park. It was near the border. The first thing I noticed in El Salvador was the roads were bad. And when I turned off the main road towards the park, I found out how bad they really can be. I went back a few miles and had visions of Semuc Champey freshly in my mind. If it rained, it would be hell to get out. So I turned around and came up with another plan. I headed to a little town up in the mountains called Tacuba. There, I stayed in a hostel for $8 a night. And that night I went to some hot springs and took a dip. There were pools, each with a different temperture. I forgot my camera so I didn't take any pictures, but it was really nice. I stayed for over 2 hours.
The next day, I got a bike, a guide and a ride in to Park Impossible.......all for $25.