Transportation

Bus, train, boat, pickup truck… whatever it takes to get you there, it’s transportation. To read any full post, click it’s header.

Ambulance/Fire truck/Bus rally from CA to Honduras for charity

 in Central America / El Salvador / Guatemala / Honduras / Mexico / North America / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Honduras / Transportation

In 2011, 30-something-year-old Murray Johnson and some friends reached out to CouchSurfers to join them driving two donated ambulances down to Honduras to give them to Honduran hospitals. Johnson recently posted: “The experience was so amazing and the donation so needed that we have made the Charity Rally official and opened it up for others to join! You can mix travel, adventure and charity all in one for a good cause. How it works: You form your own team or join a “potluck” team. Your team can be comprised of any number of people. (I am guessing it is best if all of our team members fit in your vehicle though, of course.) Each team secures its own car/ambulance/fire truck/buse/whatever and drive down. The rally organizers work with you to get the vehicle, secure the donation and do the paperwork to have the vehicle imported into Honduras — or wherever […]

Travel between Panama and Colombia

 in Boats / Central America / Panama / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Panama / Transportation

I share this because every backpacker that has time, has the interest to travel between Panama and Colombia. I have not made this trip and will not be doing so, but I watched a lot of travelers research and book passage. The flights are around $500 as are the commercial sailing boats. The sailing experience be excellent or, like some travellers tell me, your captain can fail to being enough food and water or can be high or drunk on the voyage. Every hostel in Panama City, and Captain Jack’s in Portobelo (and maybe hostels in Bocas del Toro) can provide information about several of the approximately 30 boats that now make this trip. Jeff at Captian Jack’s is a sailor and told me that several years ago there were only 10. This voyage is a popular thing for people with boats to do in order to make money. Jeff […]

Costa Rica: La Fortuna to Monte Verdi

 in Central America / Costa Rica / Deb's Travels / Sight-seeing / Transportation

Time to take the “Jeep-Boat-Jeep” from La Fortuna to Santa Elena (aka Monte Verdi). The bus arrives at my hotel gate for me. Yep, the “Jeep” is a mini-bus, just like my hostel companion Sebastian guessed it would be. The first bus is 20 minutes to the lake. Flat boat. Flat water. Beautiful scenery. Man made lake after 1968 Volcano. Then 1.5 hours on stone and dirt narrow roads as we climb toward the clouds. We are going to the Cloud Forest. Here it doesn’t rain so much. The views cannot be caught in a single frame photo. We all comment on the beauty of the rolling green hills and many levels of mountains and fields and textures. We pass some small home or farms, some cows locked in pens and some out grazing. At 11:05 after about 30 minutes from where we packed up the 4 american horse riders […]

Costa Rica: La Fortuna to Santa Elena

 in Central America / Costa Rica / Deb's Travels / Sight-seeing / Transportation

Time to take the “Jeep-Boat-Jeep” from La Fortuna to Santa Elena (aka Monte Verdi). The bus arrives. Yep, the “Jeep” is a mini-bus, just like my hostel companion Sebastian guessed it would be. The first bus is 20 minutes to the lake. Flat boat. Flat water. Beautiful scenery. Man made lake after 1968 Volcano. Then 1.5 hours on stone and dirt narrow roads as we climb toward the clouds. We are going to the Cloud Forest. Here it doesn’t rain so much. The views cannot be caught in a single frame photo. We all comment on the beauty of the rolling green hills and many levels of mountains and fields and textures. We pass some small home or farms, some cows locked in pens and some out grazing. At 11:05 after about 30 minutes from where we packed up the 4 American horse riders we are in the clouds. The […]

Tica Bus from Guatemala City

 in Central America / Deb's Travels / El Salvador / Guatemala / Transportation

Leaving my great friends in the Guatemala City area was hard. They were amazing. But it was time to move on. A new friend awaited in San Salvador. Pedro and Tere dropped me off at the Tica Bus station on their way to work. I spent several hours in that bus terminal before my bus. However, Tica maintains its own terminals (each with its own hostel next door) so it is safe and comfortable. It was fun to see the people come and go, most on a great adventure or to see family. I felt comfortable and safe on this trip. The staff in Guatemala City was impressive. (Added note: I wasn’t impressed with my next Tica trip starting anew in Salvador and had problems due to lack of information that passengers starting in Guatemala City were given.) The Tica bus terminal in Guatemala City: My lunch in the Tica […]

Leaving Roatan

 in Boats / Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Sleeping Accommodations / Transportation

May 28, 2012 It was difficult to choose to leave Roatan. I knew I would be packing up my snorkel for quite a while. I would be going far from a family, from people, I came to love. I was leaving a place of beauty that was comfortable and relaxing. But many more places remain for me to get to know so it was time to move on. I believe I will return to Roatan so that makes it easier. It was simple to walk from Mel’s place to the main road, stand a moment, and have a taxi turn around for me. The driver had a friend riding along who spoke English well, having been teaching himself since his arrival from the mainland just 3 months earlier. I forgot what they charged me, but it was exactly what Mel said it would be. the ride was easy. So was […]

Transportation on Roatan

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Transportation

On the Bay Island of Roatan, there is only one main road which runs across its length.

At one point it crosses from running on the north shore at the west side to the south shore on the east side. From that main road, you will see offshoots that lead to the various towns and resorts. These tend to be marked with large signs. You will not find signs marking street names; there are no street names or street addresses on Roatan. Instead, you need to know landmarks.

There are busses on Roatan, but they — and the bus stops — are not easy to spot. Tourists tend to take taxis. The busses are actually mini-vans. From what I have seen, they are white and rather unmarked. A bus will go all over, off the main road into the various neighborhoods, so it can take a couple of hours to get across the island.

Caye Caulker, Belize into Honduras: Boat, walk, boat, bus, bus, car…

 in Belize / Boats / Central America / Deb in Belize / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Transportation

One post, several adventures. This would be a very full travel day. From sunrise until after sunset I’d be on the road.

By 7am I was on the dock awaiting the day’s first Belize Express Water Taxi to carry me from Caye Caulker to Belize City. The boat was 10 minutes late (which gave me more than 10 minutes to worry that I would miss the boat to Honduras) but did a great job of making up for lost time if any time was actually lost. I was on land again by 8.

Backpack firmly on my hips, I received clear directions to the Radisson Hotel boat docks where I was to find the Pride of Belize, the ferry that would deliver me to the Honduras mainland. And upon arrival at that dock, learned the boat to Belize was departing from another dock this morning, so I hiked back the way I’d come.

The Pride of Belize, the boat to Honduras — a 5+ hour ride — was more utilitarian/cargo than passenger comfort but the crew was great. This was a little engine that could type of boat and crew.

And then there was the bus from Puerto Cortez, Honduras to San Pedro Sula — followed by the bus to my final destination of the night.

I would be traveling from my final night’s destination to Roatan.

On bus from Cancun to Playa

 in Deb's Travels / Mexico / Transportation

It is 12:21 and I am on an ADO air conditioned bus now a few blocks from the terminal, en route to Playa del Carmen. This is the first time there are others from outside of Mexico, but the bus was nearly full when I boarded so I am not within speaking distance of any of them. The man beside me kept the aisle seat, keeping me from any conversation. So, again, I watch the roads and I write. Only this time I write on the iPad keyboard on my lap rather than with my thumbs on the iPhone. My hand-carry bag is my lap desk.

Bus from Izamal to Cancun

 in Deb's Travels / Mexico / North America / Sight-seeing / Transportation / Traveling with Technology

Again, I am the only foreigner on the bus. In fact, the only tourists I saw today were the same couple from the pyramid. Izamal is a day trip for most people and a destination at which to stay resort style with a rented car for others. I wish I had picked up a book to read. The iPhone is useless for reading without Internet. 5 hours with nothing to read. What a waste that is because for 20 years I have mourned having time to read. The bus arrived at 2;40. I zipped up the backpack straps and carried my pack onto the bus taking the first seat on the non-driver’s side so i can have leg room and a view. My pack is on the floor in front of the seat beside me. Space permitting and with a stop in Villadolid I am more comfortable having it on […]