2/23, day 29, Friday.
Honduras border control is busy. 4 ACs, none working. Long lines, only 3 out of 11 windows are processing. The rest have employees sitting there, but not sure what they do. The security person at the gate told me and others to line in front of window #1. By the time, it was my turn, the officer turned me away. It's a window for senior, handicapped and family travel with little kids. Had to queu up at the end of another line. Paid $3. I had only $5 nothes, was given 2 $1 coins. I was done at 11am. 3 hours before my scheduled pickup.
Outside has a bit of breeze, so not too bad in the shade.
Saw this interesting Jicaro tree. Seems common here.
Converted my leftover 27 Cordoba to 17 Lempira.
A girl came begging for money. She does this to everyone.
She bought a coke with her earning and shared with her brother and mom.
3 stray dogs. They don't like totilla that I gave them.
I exchanged my 2 dollar coins from the aduana to Limpera, but they only worth 20 each.
Around 12, a long line filed out of a big bus to the customs. 2 girls wore puffy jackets!
2pm, no shuttle. I asked one lady (one of the many who sells drinks and food outside of the border control buildings) to message my hotel on Whatsapp. No shuttle. Seems there was a car breakdown, or maybe because I was the only customer, and not worth their trouble? It would be a ~7 hour drive. I was told to get to their capital Tegucigalpa, and someone can pick me up there.
L20 TUK-TUK to the nearest town. Shared with one flamboyant girl who speaks good English.
L50 bus to Choluteca.
On the way, stopped by police, they interegated me and the girl who did the translation.
Where and when I'd be in the country. I showed them the printed return ticket, hotel reservation.
We had to take all our belongs down to the officer.
Another good thing not to carry much luggage.
They didn't even open my bag.
The whole bus waited for us. I'm the only tourist on this bus.
Later, saw a different bus, all occupants were outside standing by the road. They are all black. I was told they work in the farms, illegally.
Arrived at 5pm in Choluteca, missed the last bus to Tegucigalpa (4:30pm-ish?). The girl at the terminal gave me WiFi password, so I could contact D&D. They will pick me up tmorrow morning.
Paid for 1 night at the closest hotel. L500. He would take USD at L24/$1. The bus terminal only takes USD at 22. The hotel has AC and wifi. The owner stopped me when I informed him my early departure, so I could chat with him. Interesting.
What a waste of time today.
2/24, day 30, Saturday.
Took the 3:30am bus to Tegu. On my way out of the hotel, slammed the iron gate on my finger! It hurted. The bus stopped at another town from 3:45-4am. This is a fancy big bus with AC, curtain, and WiFi. L132. It still picked up passengers on the way. Arrived at its own Tegu terminal outside of the town at 6:50. There's no terminal per say, just a bunch of buses at a street corner.
I now waited for another pickup from D&D Brewry. Luis arrive around 7:05 in a white mini-van. Tegucigalpa is hilly. Houses covering all the hills. 1.3 millions people. Saw pine trees along the way. Passed a couple of toll collections L22 (car) - L269 (semi).
I arrived at D&D ~9:45am. They upgraded my room. Waived the $40 pickup fee.
Lake Yojoa
This is one of the many eco-lodges in the area.
They offer tent site, hostal rooms, standard and delux accommodations.
My room is on the second floor of a 2-story building (one of the many), spacious, high ceiling, ceiling fan, private balcony.
At elevation 2300' (700m), finally, the temperature here is pleasant.
I walked out for a short hike to Cerro Las Nalgas, a hill behind the village Los Naranjos next to the lodge.
On the way, saw a family collecting some plant (shoot). Otherwise, I did encounter anyone to and from.
Short, but quite rugged. On my way down, I slipped on some rock and hurted my back.
Rested for the rest of the afternoon, until my night tour.
I was the only person. My guide told me to spray insect repellant.
We walked to Bioparque Paradise. There's an entrance fee. I was given a wrist ribbon.
Saw some large bamboo clusters, and people camping. First time I see actual campers.
Saw many spiders, moths, a few frogs. I'm very surprised of so many spiders, large or small.
Basically, anything shines in my headlamp turns out to be a spider.
Saw an opposum, heard and maybe saw an armadillo.
I was introduced to culantro - smell like cilantro.
2/25, day 31, Sunday. Bird tour at 6am.
Me and a young couple. Same guide. We stopped at his house first. It was still dark.
His wife gave us coffee and biscuit.
Then we walked to the canal.
There, our guide picked a boat that had less water in it. Yes, all of them leaks.
Off we went, along the canal, all the way to the lake.
From time to time, he had to scoop water out of our boat.
We saw more birds along the canal, lined with tall trees. The lake is very pretty. But not many birds.
Here's a list I noted down:-
Great Kiskadee,
Social Flycatcher,
Crimson-collared Tanager,
Montezuma Oropendola,
Chestnut-headed Oropendola,
Northern Waterthrush,
Crested Caracara,
Altamira Oriole,
Gartered Trogon,
Yellow-throated Euphonia,
Gray Catbird,
Belted Kingfisher,
Ringed Kingfisher,
Black Phoebe,
Rufous-naped Wren,
Masked Tityra,
Ivory-billed Woodcreeper,
Grey-breasted Martin
Turquoise-browed Motmot,
Melodious Blackbird,
Green-backed Sparrow,
Black-bellied Whistling Duck,
Lesser Scaup,
Squirrel Cuckoo,
Golden-fronted Woodpecker,
Keel-billed Toucan,
Bare-throated Tiger Heron,
Black-crowned Night Heron,
Green Heron,
Little Blue Heron,
Limpkin,
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl,
Snail Kite,
Purple Gallinule,
Common Gallinule
Northern Jacana,
Wood Stork (a group, just arrived a week ago),
Western Cattle Egret,
Snowy Egret
Osprey
On the way back, we stopped next to this big tree, to stretch our legs, and for our guide to smoke.
Lots of trash.
When we came back to dock, a group of people were sing after a baptise ceremony.
After the tour, I took a mini bus to Peňa Blanca, the nearest town. There, Waited 20 min for another bus. A 22 person van. L20. 13Km took an hour, to San Buenaventura, a busy town. On the way, passed a military out post. Walk an ugly road for 1.2km to the gate of Cataratas Pulhapanzak.
L120 entrance. They sell zipline L400-600. Quite a few people swimming above the waterfall.
Waterfall is very pretty. Many braids. Need to walk quite a few steps to get down.
At its downstream, there seems to have a dam (behind locked fence).
Waited 5 minutes before catching up a Mochita bus.
The ayudante wanted L30 from me. I gave him L20.
Saw some large pipe by the road. Not sure if it's water or gasoline.
Walked to Biopark Paradiso hoping to take a photo of those large bamboos during the day. The boy wouldn't let me in, even with my ribbon from last night.
2/26, day 32, Monday.
3:30am shuttle to La Ceiba, where I'll take a ferry to the Bay Islands. I wait at the gate, pitch dark. The driver came, and then, 2 more tourists. Lots of speed bumps. It's a long drive (~5 hours). Near La Ceiba, large fields of agave, some covered with dark mesh.
