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Published: June 21st 2006
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Let the Countdown Begin!
Joe and I (but mostly me, because he's still in Europe) decided to post our first travel blog exactly one month before our journey through Central America begins. Poetic, eh? Actually, this is more for my benefit. I need to figure out how this site works, and you - family, friends, and fellow bloggers - should get some practice with our travel site too.
The Trip
So... about this trip we're taking:
We'll be flying from Orlando, Florida to Cancun, Mexico Sunday, June 25th. From there, we'll simply head south until we reach the Panama Canal. Our route south will take us straight through
Central America (Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama). Our return flight leaves from San Jose, Costa Rica on Monday, August 21. The entire trip will be just four days shy of two months!!!
(See our route - highlighted in yellow - in the picture of Central America on the rightside of your screen.)
About Central America
Tiny on a map, Central America packs in more diversity than any comparably sized area on the planet. No matter when or how long you visit, daily adventures are for the taking, and they come in all types - fun, easy, bumpy, challenging, suprising, fulfilling - the sort you'll be talking about for decades. For starters, there are Caribbean white-sand beaches and offshore reefs at laze-out backpacker towns offering cheap scuba-diving courses. On the Pacific there are fewer people and bigger waves attracting expert surfers or first-timers wanting to learn. Inland, coffee-scented mountains reach, Dr. Seuss-like, through smoke-ring clouds. In 16th century colonial towns, Spanish haciendas line cobblestone streets, under the gaze of lava-gurgling volcanoes that can be climbed or just looked at. In the jungle, howler monkeys communicate in the treetops above as you meander to (and up) Mayan pyramids that date a millennium. Getting from country to country can mean open-boat trips over chocolaty waters, and excellent Spanish schools make boreder-crossing study hops a viable option. Best are the people you meet. Witness colorful modern Mayan life, not much changed over the centuries. Along the Caribbean, sit back in a Garifuna village, home to an African-Carib culture. Central America - Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama - is distinctly apart from its bigger, more well-known American neighbors. That it remains a mystery to so many, makes the trip all the more rewarding.
What is Backpacking
For the record, Joe and I are not literally hiking our way down the isthmus. Nor are we carrying a tent, sleeping bag, etc.
Lila and Joe
Lila and Joe on our back. Backpacking, as we define it, means carrying our clothes in pack - instead of rolling them in a suitcase - from town to town. It isn't luxury travel, but it is by no means ridiculously rustic. We'll always be able to sleep on beds in rooms with running water and electricity. If we don't, I can assure you that we chose to "rough it" for a night or two.
Preparation
A great trip always starts with a great idea. And then it just goes from there... We began our journey months in advance when we bought the bare essentials: plane tickets and a guidebook.
A good guidebook invaluable. Joe and I will be using
Central America On a Shoestring published by Lonely Planet. I have used Lonely Planet guidebooks in Peru, Bolivia, South Africa, Spain, and Mexico. I have found their books to be an honest, reliable soure of travel information.
History of Lonely Planet The story begins with a classic travel adventure: Tony and Maureen Wheeler's 1972 journey across Europe and Asia to Australia. There was no useful information about the overland trail then, so Tony and Maureen published the first Lonely Planet guidebook to meet a growing need. From a kitchen table, Lonely Planet has grown to become the largest independent travel publisher in the world, with offices in Melbourne (Australia), Oakland (USA), London (UK), and Paris (France). Today, Lonely Planet guidebooks cover the globe. There is an ever-growing list of books and information in a variety of meida. Some things haven't changed. The main aim is still to make it possible for adventurous travelers to get out there - to expore and better understand the world. At Lonely Planet we believe travelers can make a positive contribution to the contries they visit - if they respect their host communites and spend their money wisely.
Next time you're in a bookstore take a look at any Lonely Planet travel guide. The amount of information it contains will astonish you.
Our other pre-travel preparations included: receiving immunizations and updating prescriptions, purchasing basic
over-the-counter medications, and shopping! shopping! shopping! I've been busy buying essentials like a new backpack, bug spray, hiking apparel, and vitamins. (Joe isn't shopping much. Shopping isn't really his thing. But, he is buying a new pair of hiking shoes!)
Thanks and Stay in Touch!
This trip will - without a doubt - be the trip of a lifetime! Joe and I are truly grateful for all the support our family and friends have given us and we hope that this blog will allow you to share the adventure with us. Please keep in touch with us via e-mail and have a wonderful summer wherever you are! We look forward to hearing from all of you!
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. - St. Augustine
Contact Information
E-mail Addresses Joe and Lila = joeandlila@gmail.com
Joe North = jnorth@gmail.com
Lila Rose = rose.eliza@gmail.com
Our Website http://www.travelblog.org/bloggers/thannatoznlileoytis
Flight Information
Flight to Central America - Sunday, June 25th Depart Orlando International Airport @ 8:50 AM
Flight # NK675
Arrive Ft. Lauderdale International Airport @ 9:45 AM
Depart Ft. Lauderdale International Airport @ 11:55 AM
Flight # NK271
Arrive
Joe and Lila
Joe and Lila Dressed for Graduation Cancun, Mexico @ 12:45 PM
Flight back to the United States - Monday, August 21st Depart San Jose Internatial Airport (Costa Rica) @ 11:50 AM
Flight Martinair Holland #636
Arrive Orlando International Airport @ 5:10 PM
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Laura
non-member comment
Lila (and Joe!), I'm really excited for you guys, and I will definitely be checking your blog!!! Have fun, and Lila, I cant wait to see your fabulous red hair on Friday!!! xoxoxo, Laura