The Bay Islands Honduras

SO my bus to El Salvador was so good on King Quality I had to take it again so I checked my all faithful Lonely Planet 2007 guide (which every traveler is using Ill have you know) and left the black sand beaches of surf spot Playa El Zonte for San Salvador to catch the 12 pm bus to Honduras. I get there and my out of date book has failed to mention that King Class one step above Quality class doesnt go until the next day but I can take Quality class to Honduras at 2 pm and there is a bathroom on board...fine give me that ticket...sorry man (In Spanish) but we cannot sell tickets until 1pm...stupid rule, they say this as they sit there and do nothing, Im actually not sure why they would be paid until 1 pm but I don't run the station. There is quite the difference between Quality and King class; for instance, I have to bring snacks as they don't serve food or drinks on the bus and there is no one to serve it to me...BS and the bus is no where near as nice...fine Ill live. We head out of the city and Ive got the entire back section to myself when we hit some random parking lot to pick ppl up...but do we pick up ppl ??? nooooo we pick up several hundred kilos of boxes of cargo goods being shipped to Honduras, no problem, they will put this under the bus that's why my suitcase is beside me...noooo we will block the bathroom door and use 15 seats to stack the cargo in...seriously like WTF?? so now Im alone in the back surrounded by Ebna Martins Honduras entire house which she has clearly decided to use King Quality lines as her moving company.
Needless to say we are pulled over by Antinarcoticos on the highway and they come aboard...Im sorry but as an antinarcotico would you not check the boxes that take up half a bus or would you flirt with me and ask for my passport and whether Im going to Honduras for business or pleasure (In Spanish) after a quick wink and a beaming smile the antinarcoticos leave the bus and allow us on our way...no wonder drugs are rampant in Central and South America. Once at the border me and the only other white guy have to pay the $3 entrance tax which I paid on the way thru to El Salvador but I make no complaints. It is here that I meet Ken, a Vancouver Canadian on his way to La Ceiba which is where I catch my ferry to Bay Islands...perfect, it is travel love at first site...he speaks fluent Spanish which is perfect and I have someone to get off the bus with in San Pedro Sula...this is important because white ppl are swarmed off the bus especially at night...you wanna taxi, by like 14 ppl if you're lucky and then before you collect your thoughts you're being dragged to a cab. I am extremely good at walking away for a minute collecting my thoughts and letting vultures walk while I determine what I need to ask and am ready to debate over charges. So we get off the bus, talk a guy down to $5 from $20...this is in the guide book what you should pay and off we go to a hostal...both Ken and I are done with budget accommodation, it just isn't worth it but we end up at one anyway and are to tired to argue because it is midnight and we travel again in the morning. I will never get over how the buses pick up in the most random spots...it is rare to find an actual station, more often then not it is a road side or a gas station with a small hut beside it...if you didn't go by cab there or were local you would not know where it was but just stand on the highway and hop on to the one that goes by...yes you can do this course know Spanish or God knows where you'll end up. Many a traveler has ended up on the wrong bus going the opposite direction.
Ken and I say our goodbyes in La Ceiba and Im off to the islands via a beautiful ferry called Galaxy Wave...I have chosen Roatan which is a backpacker island but a step up from Utila which I hear is a younger crowd and let's face it Im 30. I meet a couple from Wisconsin on the boat and they are a great duo as well as Matt the 23 year old from Maine who shares a cab with me to West End, the hip part of the island. Matty's cute and we become friends right away.
I check into Hotel Dolphin which is good enough even if my room does seriously smell but it is in good location and I have my own bathroom for 4 nights which is a plus. The next morning I start diving and am upset to find out that whale sharks are only on the island of Utila which would seriously have changed my plans..too late now. I dive with Coconut Tree Divers and the owner shares my birthday plus my dives are only $25 each so I do 5 over the next few days. I did a wreck deep dive which was cool and meet a bunch of great ppl who I dine and drink with over the coming week.
Matty - my Maine cutie
Laura - the Californian beauty who is also my dive buddy and heading to Mexico (I wonder how thats going for her with the flu business and all)
Calla - now check this out...Calla's dad owns Spinickers pub in Victoria on Vancouver island and my friend Shelbey used to work there and they know eachother...I find this so incredible Im here writing about it.
There were alot of great ppl on this island where the streets are made of sand but Im paying by the minute for this computer so we'll chat later.
On one of my last nights I realize Im sharing my room with a cockroach....ugh, I hate those damn things but I figure if he lives under the bed and doesn't bother me then Im fine with him...Im not but I aint chasing the thing to kill him. Sunday, Les, a Toronto native and I go for Champagne breakfast. We share, eggs benedict and red snapper...this seems like a strange choice but it is champagne breakfast and it is 11 am so really its brunch. We are at Lighthouse grill and if you go to Roatan try this out on Sundays. $15 USD and Im not kidding, you can pour your champagne into an orange juice for a mimosa and boom they refill the glass...this is also why Les and I go our seperate ways for afternoon naps before meeting everyone for Argentinian later. I share with Brett at Argentinian...Filet Mignon (2 giant steaks...just ok) and garlic shrimp...all in not bad but not great...Im an Alberta girl, some beef cant be beat but I say nothing.
The next morning Im off to the ferry dock and headed North on route to Belize. On the bus from La Ceiba to San Pedro Sula, I become the acquaintance of Julio Robinson...oh my...Julio talks to me for 5 seconds and then plops beside me on the bus. He is a 40 year old black man who was born and raised on Roatan. He is a Realtor as well he runs adventure packages and is already planning my next trip out there...yea no. He not only talks my ear off but is starting to weird me out..in fact I text my mom with his name so that just in case. At our pit stop he walks on the other side of the rope right behind me and seriously Im ready to kung fu him like back off, you're not my boyfriend and if you were I would punch you for being this close and acting all macho. he doesn't eat just sits with me and stares at me while I do...I do everything I can to make it clear Im not looking at him and trying to avoid conversation but instead of getting it he says maybe Ill drive up to Puerto Cortes (where I have to spend the night for the ferry to Belize tomorrow) and I want to take you out to dinner....Im like Im actually really tired so Im just going to sleep tonight but Ill text you if Im up (he has given me every number he has, website and email)
This happens for the next hour until Thank God we hit San Pedro Sula and it is time to part ways. Let me describe myself this day...I do this purposely because I attract too much attention being tall and blonde. Im e\wearing capri pants which Im pretty sure are gross because Im so sweaty, I have not showered nor am wearing deodorant, my hair is a tangled mess of grossness on top my head and Im pretty sure I smell quite bad by now and he is still hitting on me...some ppl's children.
I say goodbye and promise to text...uh huh and hit my next bus to Puerto Cortes.
This is a small mini van with Air con...YEY!!! that they fill and by fill I mean ppl are standing and the guy beside me has my backpack on his lap for an hour...ho doesnt seem to mind so I go to pay for him when the guy comes to collect...Instead I end up paying for 2 ppl and he pays for himself, I would complain but it is a dollar and this is my fault...what a day
A huge cacident on highway has a truck standing straight up and in between two trees....I need to review what happened
The backpack carrying guy shows me a nice hotel which looks really scary form the outside but turns out to be great...big double bed, nice bathroom, very clean, no bugs, air con, and cable tv with lots of English channels and the girl brings you a fresh jug of ice water...jackpot Hotel Spring Palace if you're ever thru this way. One funny thing, the ashtray has 2 condoms in it...I consider taking them to freak them out but I don't.
I have more to write but happy hour on computers is ending so see you soon

Turns out Matty and I got very overcharged on our cab ride in so Im determined not to do this again