Exploring outside of San Pedro Sula - Lake Yojoa, Pulhapanzak Falls, Taulabe Caves and Cusuco National Park.

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We knew it coming in - it's no secret that San Pedro Sula is a big Honduran city with not a lot going for it. As we are driven along the main road from the bus terminal, the Coca Cola and Pepsi billboards both lay claim to Santa Claus and attempt to dominate the crowded skyline. San Pedro Sulan's main hobby must be shopping as large malls are a feature every few kilometres and American fast food chains and Power Chicken outlets drown out any independant and local food offerings. Not surprisingly a lot of the people are very overweight. To us, it is like the worst of America jammed into one location.

Thankfully we are not staying to here to see San Pedro Sula. It is a logical base for a couple of 1 and 2 day trips we have planned with Juan Carlos from Jungle Expeditions. But first we need to get to our accommodation. We have booked a couple of rooms at a local B & B called Casa El Meson. Sandra has been lovely to deal with and her husband Jimmy waited patiently for our bus that was over an hour late in arriving. He then explained that there was a big football match about to start at 3pm and everyone in town was heading home to watch it. It turned out to be a game between Barcelona and Real Madrid and the roads were filled with boys selling flags, banners and shirts in preparation for the game. When Jimmy learnt that we were football fans, plus Taylor a Barcelona supporter, and Piper a Real Madrid supporter, he invited us to join his family in the lounge room to watch the game on the big TV.

Barcelona won the match 3 - 1 and after the excitement died down, Michael and I took a short walk to see where we could eat that night. When we selected Casa El Meson to stay at, we did so largely because of their reviews. But none of them mentioned that it is in suburbia on the northern outskirts of the city and that you cannot walk to anywhere, except a very busy main road. The only choices for eating were subsequently Pizza Hut, Domino's or Subway. Welcome to America - Honduran style.

Early the next morning, our disconcertingly red bearded, pale skinned Honduran guide Juan Carlos, picked us up for a day trip to see Lake Yojoa, Pulhapanzak Waterfall and Taulabe Caves - all within easy reach of San Pedro Sula. First stop was the caves which had some lovely formations which have fortunately not been damaged by candle flame like many caves discovered in the pre electricity era. It was unexpectedly hot and humid in the caves and we opted not to do the tunnelling option - way too muddy and claustraphobic.

Then, as the skies threatened rain we headed next to Lake Yojoa - Honduras's largest lake. This lake is very pretty with abundant birdlife, some possibly attracted by the telapia fishing pens located in the middle of the lake. These fairly small pens hold what seems to be an impossibly large number of fish, until you learn that the lake is an average of 15 metres deep and goes down 35 metres in parts. As we cruised the lake on a local boat we were able to watch them feeding the telapia and it really was a feeding frenzy.

Not sure why, but our next stop was to the D & D Micro Brewery (which is also a backpacker hostel) for some beer tasting. Not really the best option when you are travelling with a 13 and 15 yr old and there is only one beer drinker in the group. But Michael tasted a few of their beers, I had a sip of the apricot and raspberry beers, which reaffirmed why I hate beer and the boys tried a root beer, which they said was disgusting (and I had to agree). Who drinks this stuff? Think this stop is a hit with the backpackers though - who settle in for the afternoon!

Our final destination on this day was the Pulhapanzak Waterfalls, which turned out to be in this privately owned picnic place - a popular bathing and lunching destination. We enjoyed a local meal of fried chicken, beans and tortillas, before walking a couple of the tracks around the lovely waterfall. When there has been less rain, the exciting and apparently very scary thing is to walk behind the falls, but that was not an option when we visited. Though we could have taken a zip line ride across the front of the falls - if we had completely lost all common sense!

Travelling back to San Pedro Sula we felt like all these places were good, but there was nothing really special that we connected with. Maybe if we had been beer drinkers, it might have felt different?? Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

The next morning, Juan Carlos picks us up about 8am and we head up the hillside at the northwest of the city to our cloud forest destination - Cusuco National Park. There was heavy rain the night before and the road is treacherous and extremely muddy. It seems to take forever at the snails pace we need to travel up the steep, windy roads. Fortunately Juan Carlos is very patient and an excellent and experienced off road driver. We doze on and off.

After a couple of hours heavy driving, we make it to the village of Naranjito, where we stop and meet a beautiful local lady who is roasting coffee beans on a large wok style pan in her yard. She makes us all a coffee - Piper has his first ever cup (very sweetened and with coffee creamer) and some pikelets (mini hot cakes) for morning tea. Her coffee is smooth and not at all bitter - which we all enjoy.

Then it is back in the pick up for the trip to the village of Buenos Aires (Good Air). The roads continue to be very challenging and muddy, though it has not rained so far today. We are very keen to get out of the car, get some exercise and get into nature. Juan Carlos parks the car outside a local Comida (private dining room) and we head off up the hill for the long hike to the El Toucan Waterfall.

The walk is steep and once we get off the dirt road, takes us along very narrow paths on the side of coffee planatations and bushland. The views across the valley are quite striking as Juan points out the El Toucan waterfall way off in the distance. The cloud sits as a light mist across the top of the mountains, adding an air of mystery and intrigue. After a couple of hours hiking we finally reach the waterfall, which is very powerful and coats us all in a blanket of spray - a welcome refresher after the hot hike. We just wish we had one at the top of the hill for the climb back!

By the time we arrive back at the Comida for lunch it is nearly 3.30pm and we are famished. Our cook makes us a superb local meal of beautifully prepared chicken, tortillas, salad, beans and rice, as the chickens roam around the ground outside the outdoor dining space. Juan Carlos then takes us for a walk down to see the view across the valley on the other side of the ridge and we check out the exterior of the Eco-Lodge where he usually has his guests stay overnight, if they are not camping. Apparently the eco-lodge is not being well maintained so tonight we are staying at another privately owned lodge in the village and Juan Carlos has not been in it since raising some funds and leaving instructions for some work to be completed by local people.

Unfortunately that work has not been carried out and we are quite staggered as we enter what is effectively a couple of rooms with walls and a roof and bugger all else. There are four single beds in one room - cheap foam mattresses on a pine frame, with a single sheet draped over the top and a very light cotton blanket folded at the end. No pillows, top sheet, blankets - and this is in a pretty cold place. The living area is even starker - with a simple table and a couple of planks for seats and part of an old car seat on the floor for a lounge. The floor is lumpy, uneven concrete and the walls are marked and water stained. To be truthful, it is awful! We are very disappointed but determined not to let it spoil our night. The one huge relief is the existence of a flushing toilet.

When we booked this trip we had the impression that we would be staying in the middle of the bush, so that at night we would be surrounded by the animals of the forest. The reality is a little different. We are in a very run down building with no outlook to speak of, on a muddy, slippery road in a fairly ordinary looking village. And if we want to see the animals we need to go on a 3 hour plus hike, very late at night. We really support Juan's passion for Cusuco and enjoy his knowledgeable, intelligent company but don't think he has really thought about the fact that we are travelling with children. After our long hike to the waterfall and a late lunch and dinner, we are all pretty exhausted and not up for hours of hiking late at night, when there is more to do in the morning. Fortuitously it starts to rain, so the decision to head out again is made for us, as the anmals do not venture out in the wet.

Surprisingly, the boys and I sleep OK - must be due to our physical tiredness, but unfortunately Michael does not. The weather has not improved a lot overnight, so we get into our spray jackets and head up the road for a delicious breakfast at the Comida. Then we depart for our walk to the nucleus zone. Cusuco National Park has two main zones - a buffer zone where a very small amount of land use, homes, farms are allowed and then the nucleus (core) zone where there is no development. We walk up an old logging track which suits me better today as my knee is playing up again after yesterdays hike and a kayaking injury a couple of weeks ago. But the boys find this trail a lot less interesting. When we get to the part they prefer - a steep track, I elect to sit out the descent to the waterfall, so Michael and the boys head down with the local guide with his trusty machete in hand and Juan Carlos keeps me company.

We encounter the three intrepid explorers as we head back down the main trail to the village, as their friendly guide has helped make a short cut through the forest for them with his machete. This is more the boys style! Michael and Juan Carlos stop at a local house on the way back to the village for a quick cup of coffee while the boys and I pick up snacks from the local Pulperia (small shop). They have grown very fond of Rancheritos and Ranchitos corn chips and Michael and I are quite partial to the lemon and chili flavoured plantain (banana) chips, so this looks like being lunch today!

We begin the slow drive down the mountain back to San Pedro Sula to pick up our bags, and then head over to Tela, on the north coast. Because of the condition of the road driving up yesterday, Juan thinks we need to go down the other direction, which will add another 45 minutes to our trip.We have booked Juan for the transfer to Tela as well, so don't have to meet anyone else - but had all been hoping for a daylight arrival in Tela.

Cusuco National Park is a wonderful asset for the people of San Pedro Sula. It is a shame that so few of them have ever bothered to visit it and that it is left for people like Juan Carlos, of Jungle Expeditions, to be one of the few champions of the area. It really is a beautiful place and we are sure that Juan will, in time, make the experience even better for all who make the trip with him.

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