http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Honduras , Bay Islands , Roatan en-us Sat, 12 Dec 09 07:56:34 +0000 Sat, 12 Dec 09 07:56:34 +0000 The last few weeks have been rather eventful since my last entry. I learnt to love Roatan. The latin american experience I was looking for whatever that is anyway I discovered would never be found. The history and culture of the island are more routed in Garifuna traditions than Latin American ones. In fact the locals I met and spoke with did not see themselves as Hondurans at all. The Garifunas http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-457783.html My journey so far has been fairly uneventful. The flight to Houston was long dull and cold I do not like ac. The air hostesses reminded me of Stepford wives mechanical in their actions their painted faces in a permanent gringrimace. My body and mind were confused by the 10.5 hours of sunshine during the flight would it ever get dark again I braced myself for the interrogation I was led to http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-449992.html After a very long journey from Guatemala onboard a stinky hot bus that could get up to a maximum of 20km's an hour driving around cliff sides we finally arrived into Copan...to find there was no electricity or running water....when it would come back on nobody knew. It was the last thing we felt like in the heat after having being stuck on a chicken bus for over 12 hours.But Copan was a lovely li http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-423718.html After all that work to get out of the country in a big hurry because of the possibility of violence or being stuck in Honduras nothing much happened during the time that I would have been there. The rest of my tour went back to the mainland went to Copan crossed the border into Guatemala without a problem and finished the tour. Ah timing is everything. Still glad that I left when I did. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-417287.html Current troubles and Central American passions during coups being well known for exploding my tour group decided to skip going to Copan and get the heck out of Honduras. We were on Utila enjoying some diving and relaxing after sneaking out of the capital Tegucigalpa only about an hour before the roads were blockaded. Our tour leader thought he could get us back onto the mainland and to San Pe http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-414802.html Roatan is probably the most beautiful place Irsquove been itrsquos everything yoursquod expect a typical Caribbean island to be. A glorious last stop on my round the world trip if you donrsquot count a Miami that is. Irsquom not much of a beachy holiday kinda girl but I can tell you that Roatan could easily change my mind. I was staying in West Bay reportedly the most beautiful b http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-414239.html Day 795 03.06.09 to Day 799 07.06.09From a choice of two Caribbean islands which should we go for It doesn't sound like it should be a difficult decision really does it And yet it's one we pondered over for some time before finally making a decision an hour or so before we caught the ferry. We had heard that some cheap diving could be had in the Bay Islands of Honduras and before we made http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-408144.html From the time I landed at the airport to the low quality expensive fishing and snorkeling tours not to mention the double charging restauraunts I was not happy with this so called tropical resort. The only place I found true Honduras and excellent food and snorkeing was a little island called Helene off of Roatan. A really nice christian man named Frank took me in and rented me a cozy cabin fo http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-403361.html Just a few pictures of Roatan thus far I will try to take more this week http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-394469.html On Roatan there are two prices the local price and the tourist price. This is important the know when going to bars and getting taxis. Sometimes you are just out of luck. Never take a taxi to West Bay they will assume you are a tourist staying at one the resorts. Ive heard stories of people who have paid 10 american for a taxi from West End to West Bay. And of course there are some bars t http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-385027.html Collectively written by the majority of our teamhellip. Well today was the busiest and for many of us the most satisfying of the clinic days. From the moment we arrived at the clinic animals were ready and waiting for exams and surgeries. Today everyone learned new very valuable skills and techniques that they will carry with them throughout their careers who knew I would be teaching an act http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-383360.html It is tough to describe a day in Roatan. Today began with an earlymorning snorkel in the ocean. It is a great way to start the day. Theteam headed out to the clinic beginning at 815. We were greeted bypatients waiting to been seen and surgeries to be done. Today was a veryproductive day. We have really come together as a team and are able tofunction very efficiently. Total animals seen toda http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-382951.html All work and no play today We headed out to the clinic at 830am this morning. We had patients waiting when we arrived this morning and immediately got to work. There was a big morning rush and then a bit of a lull for an hour or so. The lull was short lived and soon we had a steady stream of patients for surgery and appointments. In all we treated 81 animals today 26 surgeries and 55 appo http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-382649.html Today those of us who are volunteering on this trip enjoyed two new experiences among the many we are amassing on this already amazing adventure. We got to see the veterinarians and technicians of World Vets in two hours transform a school science lab into a fully functional clinic that we expect will allow for the treatment of as many as 500 dogs and cats over the next three days. Even more excit http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-382416.html Greetings from Roatan Honduras In the interest of full disclosure the team has actually already been here for a few dayshellipitrsquos just difficult to convince anyone to sit in front of a computer for long enough to write a blog. Apparently when yoursquore staying in a gorgeous 5 bedroom house with huge back porch pool swimup bar and a few short steps down to a private beach peop http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-382343.html Sunday was the superbowl and of course I had to watch since the Cardinals had made it to this point... quite obviously hell must have frozen overReid the latest and greatest intern had arrived the day before. Alice Mindy and I took the day off which to Brian meant we were all taking the day off including Michel and Reid... that was quite the first morning for Reid to have his ride to wo http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-377145.html So yes its been a while but I had written a great entry and then the internet went out without the website saving my entry and then i got lazy Dso here now are the missing entries but properly dated well somewhat properlyI mentioned my noisemaker because I was so excited to have it and I used it all the time and then on the second day of having it I dropped it.... it happened as I was ge http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-377134.html I always thought tropical islands would be so beautiful. I was right the island itself is beautiful but food service and some of the people were quite the opposite. I will write briefly for now. I really would like to get Jose at the passport stamping booth for leaving the country fired. This was the most disrespectful man I have ever met. A couple years ago he would not let my wife who is http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-374108.html Well it appears that the rainy season is practically over Woohoo for sun My feet have turned a nice brown but that ends at the ankle and my legs are casper white... with red dots all over from the damn sandflies. Still have rain here and there which means the seas are still a bit of a rollercoaster ride... the wooden kind. Sandflies are out in abundance though... apparently they quite lik http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-369706.html Yes but I also kicked your ass in the swim test I've almost caught up to Jason in our dive master requirements who arrived here two weeks before me but it was a hectic busy two weeks and so he didnt get started on his rescue course as early as he could. One of the things we need to do are the swim tests an 800 meter swim with mask snorkel and fins a 400 meter swim with nothing a 100 m http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Roatan/blog-366997.html