El Zonte and La Libertad, El Salvador

Alright, so still trying to catch you up because internet access has been total caca hanging out in Surf spots!

So this one goes from Oct 6th to the 12th.

We were supposed to meet up with Matt and travel companion on the 5th, but their bus broke down and they only made it as far as Antigua. Only 1 our more, but traveling by dark is never a fun thing. They were super bummed when they found out that they could have done washing and had a free place to stay with my awesome friends in Guate, but oh well. So Asha and I were now to meet Matt and who ever he was with in El Zonte, El Salvador.

The morning of the 6th, we got up at 4 am, packed up were about to make soem breaky (that´s australian for breakfast) when the phone rang. I ran to the phone cuz I didn´t want it to wake up the host, told the Taxi driver we´d be down in a moment...dragged our shit to the elevator down we went, adios door man and into the taxi and off to the Tica Bus stop for our 5:30 am bus to San Salvador, El Savador. Guess who slept the whole way...yeah that was me. Asha woke me up to tell me we were at the border and we had to get off to stamp our passports. So off I go...not awake in the least, people are crowded by the door all trying to get out attention and I can´t focus, Asha is asking me what´s going on and I don´t have a clue...I try to snap out of it and it turns out they are money exchangers all hoping we pick them to swap the last bit of our money in american dollars because that´s what´s used in El Salvador. Sadly for them we only have 100 Q at the most and we already have US money. I´m just going to tap into the emergency fund and restock it before I leave the country...good plan...unless I for some reason need that emergency money while I there. Keep your fingers crossed. So to the immigracion window we go, stamp stamp and we are back on the bus. The bus drives us a few 100 yards down the road and this time a couple officials get on the bus and we stay seated not knowing what´s going on. They ask to see the passport, we show them, she hands them back and keeps moving. Still not sure what is going on, we ask someone what the deal is when the officials get off. They say they checked the pass'ports now they are checking bags. So apperently we don´t have to get off the bus this time until they ask for all those with locks on their bags to step off the bus. We get off, the lady asks us if they are out bags in spanish of course...I say yes...she asked where i´m from and I tell her Estados Unidos (United States for those of you non spanish speakers) then she says and your friend, Asha is looking confused not understanding a word being said and I say Australian (when said with a spanish accent sounds like owe-stalia). She tells us get back on the bus and off we go to San Salvador. We get off the bus....jump on a taxi to the main bus termial to head to La Libertad...by the way I have to pee like no bodies business....so he drops us off and there´s no place to pee...just standing on the side of the road looking for bus C200...finally the bus comes, we jump on...still have to pee...super bumby ride...oh man I have to pee....turns out we have to switch busses at some point and I still have to pee...didn´t understand where we needed to get off...2 blocks away from the next bus stop....some guy at a gym lets me use the toilet there...THANK YOU!!!!!!!! Oh no...no door..gotta go...hope no one walks back here...peeing and peeing and peeing...it felt like it would never end...now to flush....no flush...gotta scoop water into the back off the toilet bowl, then hit the flush....still doesn´t work....oh well...I´m out and sitting on the curb waiting for the bus to drive by hoping no one goes to the toilet before I leave!!! Get on another bus and now we are talking...2 guys are trying to make a buck and start singing and playing the guitar...I can barely understand the spanglish coming out of their mouths, but from the guitar you can hear ¨Rolling, Rolling, Rolling Rolling...Rolling on the River¨in your head. They walk up and down asking for money...too bad we don´t have any small bills or change and they hope off from the back and tell us enjoy your time in El Salvador. We make it to La Libertad and from there hope on one more bus headed to El Zonte....this bus ride we finally see the beach and here we go, just a short ride and off the bus. We look at each other and say where the hell are we cuz there is nothing there but a road that goes down hill off this main road. So off we go. Stop to have a beer or two because its´s 12:30 pm and man what a day its been so far. We walk around the down...which means down the street and wade through water across the river and check out all the places to stay (we left our stuff where we had the beers good thing). We couldn´t figure out where to stay and where Matt would find us best so we decided on the place with the pool and the only internet connection in town. We never see Matt that night, We finally ate food at 3 pm...first meal of the day...went back to get our stuff...thankfully a car came to piock us up so we didn´t have to cross the river with our bags...setteled in and had a nice relaxing read that turned into a nap that turned into be being a sleep for the night by 6pm. What a day!!!

Next morning Matt and Paddo (who we met in Dangirga, Belize and told him and Mikey to go to El Retiro for some must have fun...totally didn´t expect to see these guys again!!!) ended up staying at the place across the river we decided not to stay at...Lame!!! It turned out Matt and Jorge (also worked at El Retiro) and Mikey and Paddo all traveled together for a little...thanks to my suggestion that they head to Semuc Champey. Jorge and Mikey wanted to find ladies in El Tunco, so the boys went there for the day while Asha and I lounged around waiting for our surf lesson. Surf was fun...They started us on lesson one, but I was quickly told I could move on to lesson 2 because I could already stand up on the wave no problem. Then Asha needed some extra help, so instructors switched and the guy wouldn´t let me catch my own waves...bummer...but still a great time because I got o ride lots of waves. After we got some lunch..read our books and only 2 of the 4 boys came back to hang out with us. Paddo and Matt. Started playing card games and drinking beers a little early...had dinner at 8 and were all a little goofy and in bed my 11:30

On the morning of the 8th we got up early to watch Matt surf and Asha and Paddo took pictures like Matt was something special. Had breakfast...went for a swim...hung out in the hammocks...read...lunch time..more pool...just a lot of relaxing and watching surfers. On the 9th in the morning Paddo and Asha watched Matt surf...I went off to the other beach and read under a rock. It was awesome....went back...had breaky and headed to La Libertad for another surf break for Matt.

La Libertad was kinda a sketchy place. We had a late lunch and beers at a restuarant...spent some time on the internet and went to the hotel with not much to do. We played cards all night...drank some rum and cokes and then people went to bed. Iwasn´t tired and Forced matt to hang out with me until he couldn´t keep his eyes open any more! Place we stayed at was pretty gross too. Anyway...next morning off to watch Pro Surfer Matt Dalton with his morning surf...not awake at all...back for breaky and then off to find some surfboards to rent for matt to give the three of us a lesson....didn´t work out so well...I did catch one wave all by myself with no help...I was super happy...back in...shower from the yucky water...off to find an ATM on a 40 minute walk...lunch...pack up and head back to El Zonte

Stayed there a couple of days...more swimming and lounging and reading and drinking. The day before we left the break out front wasn´t doing much so we all walked down the beach to some other spot. He tide was out so it made the walk exciting with rock hoping and carrying cameras and stuff. Went through this awesome cove to get to the beach. The picutres don´t do it justice, but yeah...finally a beach I could swim at...so that´s what I did while the photographers did their work...oh and I did some videography for the boys...That day the hostel had live music...might have been the worst ever...awesome thai food ....that night we had a Huge bottle of rum we bought for next to nothing in La Libertad and drank the night away with all our new friends.

Miss you all...i´m enjoying all the comments!! Send me some emails and tell me what you are up to these days!!! Hugs and more hugs!!!

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Part of trip: El Salvador

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