Clever that I am, with extremely slow internet here, I wrote the words to a new post on my laptop and posted it to notepad. That way I could copy it here and then add photos.
Great idea! I have the photos on my iPad but….. Apparently the notes didn’t copy. So I’m writing in reverse.
Here are a few photos from my. I’ll start with this lunch where I found fast internet. Cost is more than double, nearly triple my normal lunch. But it is a treat!
OK…found the notes…here we go! A brief note to catch up my blog friends who are not on Facebook. If you are on facebook, you can see post on my page. Just search my name.
I left Quetzaltenango on Saturday. The 8 o’clock shuttle arrived around 9:00. I was the only passenger so they weren’t late by picking up other passengers. That’s just the way things work here.
We were hung up at the Guatemalan border for hour or more as they straightened out a problem with josh’s, the driver, passport and papers. My process took about two minutes! Stamp, hand back passport and I was ready to be on my way.
On the Mexico side, things were different! I had a form filled out but the wouldn’t accept it. She took it, handed me an identical form and I filled everything out again. Then, she processed it for seven days even though I had said I would be here longer, stamped it, handed it back and I refused since I needed more time!!! I’ll be here nearly a month!
Long story made short, with the help of Josh translating, I had to walk back, recross the border from Guatemala, have them stamp the new visa form and return. Then, I had to fill out yet another form, go the the bank, pay a fee, re-enter the line, and finally get what I should have received in the first place. It took time but it worked!
In Tapachula finally, I walked to the Parque Central area and sat for some food as it started raining hard! I finished, the rain stopped, I walked back to the hotel and a downpour commenced! It turned the street in front of the hotel into a river! POURING! Lots of thunder and lightning!
When I checked the weather, it showed rain in every location I was considering traveling to! SO after some more research, I realized that if it was going to be raining anyway, why not spend my time at the beach where it was warm! Good plan!
On Monday, I had to check out by 1:00. My laundry wasn’t done until 12:40. I repacked, put my pack in storage, and began walking and exploring as I had 10 hours before my bus left! I went to the park by the church and sat under a tree for quite a while where it was really cool! And I grazed my way through the afternoon.
I was at the bus station early and found a lovely cafe across the streets. Awesome food! The bus loaded around 10:40 and we were off! About 40 minutes later, we were stopped for a checkpoint and had to take everything off. I didn’t realize that meant checked luggage as well. An agent made an announcement I didn’t understand so I asked about my other bag and he pointed in the direction of the bus.
Settled back on the bus, it was rather uneventful stopping at villages to let people off and eventually repacking Pochutla where I got off. Taxi drivers waited at the door of the bus and were persistent but I knew there were collectivo’s available for around $15 pesos while taxi’s wanted $125 or more.
A man on the street asked me where I was going. When I told him, he pointed to the sidewalk where he was standing! Here! His name is Michael and he was in Pochutla from Zipolite buying paint to fix up his lodging. The collectivo came and were were off! Everyone was so helpful.
My stop was the last stop, “termina”, where I got off with another young man. When I asked him about the hotel where I was staying, he pointed down the road. In a short distance, I could see a lake which had previously been the road but flooded in last nights rain storm. Walking a little further, the other road was flooded. I was changing in to flip flops when he stopped a motorcycle. It was a friend he works with who gave me a ride through the lake and dropped me at my hotel. Awesome!
Now, I’ve already extended my stay by one night and may add two more. I have no set schedule so why not! Peaceful and quiet here and my room faces the ocean since it’f off season and rooms are discounted! Perfect!
