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Published: April 4th 2010
Well now I have left the station for 2 weeks and with the volunteer work behind me I am truly now living on a Caribbean Island!
Funny how when you been somewhere for a while you slip into patterns just like being at home, although obviously things are different.
Not even really started proper traveling just yet, though not long until I do, imagine it is a balance of being somewhere long enough to feel the place but not too long that you slip into a routine and then time flashes by.
So what’s different about living on a Caribbean Island?
Well I still get up earlyish about nine at the latest make myself breakfast, usually Kellogg’s cornflakes and occasionally bacon and eggs, difference is I sit and eat breakfast on the porch with the sun shining!
The weather is quite changeable here, just like home, but the forecasts are generally accurate, it is mostly hot with 1 cloudy / windy day a week and maybe one or two days of rain over a two week period, difference is sun, wind or rain am still wearing flip flops and shorts!
Most mornings I sit on a plastic chair on my personal beach reading a book, read quite a few books now, one quite gruesome murder thriller book, couple of detective books, Taoism / meditation book, The Celestine Prophecies, Tenth Insight and a couple of environmental books.
The environmental books tell you what you have heard or seen on the telly and are pretty damming for civilization over the next century, one analysed earlier civilizations such as Easter Island and The Romans of how over population and over use of natural resources ended those civilizations and how we have not learnt from them, good read!
Some days pop into town for food shopping or just to get some exercise, or pop into La Pirata to watch the footy, they have finally opened their kitchen so can pick up some nice bar food like nachos, burger and fries or chicken fingers.
John the Canadian barmen in Pirata is cool to chat to and have a laugh plus some of the volunteers from the station pop down if they can sneak off! Think I have watched more footy then I would at home.
Gonna be strange getting back to civilization where there are cars, roads and pavements!
When walking into town you usually see the same old faces happily living in their life circle!
Been staying in more nights now the initial “holiday” feeling of going out to bars each night, stayed in and watched some movies. Probably because I am an old git too! Fed up with packed or loud music bars and queues for beer!
Semana Santa “holy week” started here on Wednesday lasting to Sunday so lots of mainlanders over on the island for their holiday break. Some of the locals put up some temporary bars on the beachfront to make some extra cash from the holiday break and so been quite busy at the public beach. Quite amazing how you can just build a cover put in fridges etc and open a bar!
Have been cooking in a lot more, tends to be boiled or fried after my experience with the exploding Dauphinoise potatoes! Lol Make fajitas a lot, even started putting jalapenos in my home made salsa!
Still go out for meals if any of the volunteers going out or
someone leaving and having their leaving bash!
Margi left in the week, left her camera at Annie’s internet café but luckily Fernando saw her waiting for the ferry and gave to her, she did not realize she did not have it! Save travels in Guatemala Margie etc
Mandy left Sunday with Gabrielle for few days in La Ceiba with Vanessa then onto Tegucigalpa (Honduran capital) so we had a leaving barby at the station Saturday night.
Andy and Charlotte leave next Wednesday off to Cape Cod to meet their parents and then home after a few weeks to end their six month plus travels. Helen and Tim will also be off Thursday, traveling to north Honduras to Copan then into Guatemala then Tim back to here and Helen off to Costa Rica, said they may catch up with me when I hit Panama City.
Also heard from Dave and Ann and may hook up with them in Quito or Cuzco.
Linus and Sammi still have few months left but both planning to head off traveling earlier as bored at station. Five new arrivals due this week coming.
Quite strange,
think I have said before, with people coming and going you make friends then they go so tend to make sure you don’t get too attached to anyone, particularly at this stage of traveling as in I have a reasonably fixed itinerary until July so cant go off with other interesting people you meet.
Usually try and hit Annie’s internet café twice a week to check emails, facebook and write up blogs, Diane has lent me her laptop so I can type up prior to going to internet café to save some time at internet café, mind you only a pound an hour but nice to type up at “home”. Luckily Andy and Char were kind enough to give me a spare memory stick they had after my two gave up the ghost!
Also use time at Annie’s to fill in some holes in my itinerary such as book hotels etc
Due to leave the island on 20th April and stay in La Ceiba for 4 nights, gave myself this window as seen others stuck on the island if bad winds and don’t want to miss my ongoing flights!
Booked a bungalow near the
airport called Rainbow Village. lol only 32 bucks a night and as near the airport can get up bit later for my early flight to Miami, plus they will pick me up from Utila ferry dock and take me to airport, saves hassle with taxi drivers!
After my one night in Miami (hotel already booked) at same place I stayed at on way here so I know my way around! Then fly to Panama City for 3 nights planning to visit the old city and the Panama Canal as highlights, not booked my accommodation as of yet.
Then fly to Quito in Ecuador on 28th April and hook up with my GAP Adventure at that hotel on April 30th.
Again bit weird at moment as not started the “real” traveling where I will be on the move all the time and seeing lots of amazing things, really looking forward to the GAP trip experiences!
Also the blogs will get more interesting again!
Still not decided what to do for my spare month in South America, Markie Metcalf still up for Rio for world cup final week? May then travel to Buenos Aires via Montevideo and
then on to Santiago for next flight?
Still have the occasional slip and think what am I gonna do when I get home? No idea yet so try and not think about it!
Had a barby at mine with Tim and Helen in the week, food was great! Pork, chicken and some great shrimps they brought with them. You will also see in the picture Princessa the caretaker’s dog that seems to go a little crazy when I am here and visits me regularly! Wags her tail so hard her bum moves and keeps jumping up at me and hugging me, sounds familiar, Helen and Tim started calling me the dog whisperer! lol
Few of us walked over to Pumpkin Hill and down the steep path to the beach, don’t know how I managed it in my flip flops! Lots of locals at Pumpkin Hill beach having picnic and cold beers on sale!
On what is usually an empty remote part of the island, note the locals don’t walk there like us muppets they all take their quads! While there we went for a swim and Terry came swimming with me, but
when he reached me wanted me to hold him! Had to hold him like a baby so I did not get scratched by his claws! Nutter!
Used an ATM for the first time last week, strange experience with two security guards with pump action shotguns guarding the booth as two other guys filled it with money! Sorry no picture!
Been snorkeling and kayaking occasionally, Tim and I paddled across the bay (about half an hour) tied up to the Mariposa Café dock and stopped for a cold one before paddling back. Had a bit of an incident as tied my kayak up near some kids and my kayak ended up with some water in it so when I tried to get in it capsized and filled with water! Had to bail it out before heading back! lol
Finally have a decent all over tan from wandering and sitting around in the sun, except have a bit of a smiling belly from being sat in kayak or in my chair! lol
So couple of weeks time I have been away for 3 months, gone quite fast. Must get a “proper” haircut before I
leave the island!
Had good news from home last week with my dad given all clear from his cancer specialist so no radiography treatment required, good.
Also my big sister had a promotion at work, congrats sis.
Oh well that’s me for another blog, enjoy the pickies, hang loose and smile.
Larf
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.Gary
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Hi Mark, sounds like your having a tgreat time, although i do think that you may be reading far to much as this seems to be rubbing off on to your Blog! I had to by a wide screen tv just to fit the page on. Life here is good, weather startin to pick a little now. Easter I spent at Funk@Wedge, and as usual it got messy. :-/. Have now decided to cut down on the naughties, as the recovery is just to shite. Peanut is having he's Stag weekend in August, Its Coastering In devon, and guess who is scared of heights. lol. Just my friggin luck. Portsmouth are doing well. I Think, were number 22 in the league.. er, is the highest number thats the best? GULP! After my last two bike getting stolen from Flat, i now hava road bike that in riding terms floats my innertubes. its fast and with traffic now in Portsmouth like is is, not worth having a car at all. Oh well, signing off now, as got bits to do before wrok tomo. Nice to know your having a wicked time and good luck on your journey fella. .ga.x