Country: Honduras.
City: Tegucigalpa.
Currency: 1Euro = 17 Honduras Lempiras
Elevation: m / ft

Arrival Date: Saturday Dec 28th.

Date: Saturday the 28th, 10pm

Well I got here tonight with Ross and Pius and all we`ve done so far is check into our hotel and we had dinner in a nice Chinese restaurant too where Pius went off on one of his mad tangents chatting to a Spanish dude that didn`t speak English and he only speaks German!! heheheee He`s nuts! So to fill you in we came across the border to Tegucigalpa tonight as we've been travelling together from Granada in Nicaragua we all just checked into the hotel Granada in Teguce (as they call it)(kinda funny that!) and got a room for the three of us as it's cheaper that way but still works out as $9pp which is kinda expensive but as there doesn't seem to be that much tourism here i guess it's expected!

We took a walk tonight and all got stocked up on money, checked mail and went for a yummy Chinese!! I had a great Pollo Agridulce which i figured was sweet and sour...and you know what I was right!! heheee It was really funny cos Pius ordered "Rez y Arroz" and none of us actaully knew what it was...I guess we soon found out and it was quite nice actually!! This mountain of rice and meat came out and Pius barely made a dent in it there was so much!! Then the Spanish dude offered to buy Pius another Beer so after a bit of "oh no thanks" and "oh go on.. you will, you will, you will!! Mrs Doyle style, Pius got a beer brought to the table!! So then in the true Pius style he went over for a long indepth chat with this guy which was surprising seeing as Pius only speaks German and this guy only spoke Spanish!!hhehee

They seemed to be getting on great though so myself and Ross finished off our meals in peace and we all had a great laugh that night!! I went and checked mail for a while and then during a 60second walk back to the hotel (on my own) I had three different men call out to me "hey baby!" and "I love you baby!" ...yeuk!! But there is an aweful lot of that here towards women I think! Every few steps you take you get a whistle, kissing noise, a "hey baby" or a beep from a car or a bloody taxi man!! cos of course you can't possibly walk anywhere if you're a tourist!! you must get in a taxi! well that seems to be what they think anyway!! So I got back to the room and Ross was alone...apparently Pius had gone out to a bar for a drink and a chat with the locals!! he really is nuts! hehee They put him in a taxi home in case he got mugged on the way!! Well it worked cos he got back safe and sound!

Date: Sunday the 29th, 8pm

Today myself and Ross said bye to Pius and started to explore the capital of Honduras!! It wasn't really that great though and made it even worse that it was Sunday and nothing was open!! We stopped at a supermarket and got some breakfast and lunch and I checked out the TACA office to see if I could fly to Roatan!?!? Of course along with everything else it was closed! So we took a walk about and while we were walking past the Stadium a little kid was asking me for money and kept persisting even though I said No about 5 times...(i wasnt taking out my wallet on the street!) He kept walking beside me anyway and then before I could say or do anything he grabbed the shades right off my face and legged it!!

So it's finally happened!! I've been Robbed! All he got was a cheap 5Euro pair of crap plastic shades that were annoying me anyway and I was thinking of getting a new pair! Now I have my chance I suppose!! But I can't believe i let him take them right off my face!! hehee But I'm still learning bit by bit how to deal with all these situations! It takes a long time though to figure all this stuff out!! I mean it's hard to know if people are being genuine or not ..if they are going to rob you or if they are really starving!! Oh the trails and tribulations of travelling eh!! He can have the piece of crap as far as I'm concerned!! I didn't even bother running after him and just let him have them!! But the fact that I let him take them was the bit that bothered me! If they were my prescription shades THEN it's be a different story!! and I'd NOT be a happy camper!

I guess you live and learn!! and boy am i learning! hehehee After that we just did a bit more sightseeing (without my shades!) and I tried to update the site again when Brian (my bro) logged onto MSN so we chatted for a while before I set up a Yahoo messenger account so that he could set up the webcam from home!! I managed to see him and mom and dad on the video link and we all chatted for over an hour!! It was really funny to see him again and mom and dad too.. waving at me!! We all got to say Merry Xmas and Happy new year!! heheee so that was funny! Later I had dinner with Ross and went to bed in order to try to get on the plane to Roatan tomorrow morning!! I'm going to have to just go to the airport and hope for the best as I'm not sure what time the flights go at or if there'll be any free seats either!??! Well Fingers crossed!!

Date: Tuesday the 31st, 12pm

Bay Islands: Roatan.

Wow , wow and WOW!! What a day it was yesterday!!! Monday the 30th!! I got up at 7am in Teguce, packed up my stuff and said bye to Ross and headed straight to the airport! Not knowing whether I'd get on a flight or not or what time it was or even How much it was for that matter!! But I had a rough idea so I figured "It'll work out!!" as it always does!! So I hopped in a taxi and got to the desk, asked for a ticket to Roatan (an Island in the Caribbean sea off the coast of Honduras) One Way! And I got one!! it was $60 and was due to leave in 45mins!! See!! I told you so! it always works out when it's supposed to! heheee I finally got on the flight at 9.30am when I'd fly for 35mins to La Ceiba (a town on the coast of Honduras) and then hop on another plane for 20mins out to the island!! Easier said then done though!

I got put on one plane in La Ceiba, then got taken off it, then put on another plane and ready to go!! Then got taken off that one!! Then sent back to the terminal!! Then put on a third plane which finally took off!! bloody hell!! well after I figured I wouldn't want to be on a plane that wasn't working properly anyways!! hehehe So I wasn't complaining too much?! I eventually took off on the little 30seater and left the mainland for Roatan at about 12.30pm!! I was waiting for ages but I did manage to bump into Svia, Joel and Paul who I then ended up (funny that!!) Sharing a room with on Roatan!!! oooohhhh Imagine that! it's always the way!! So we got to the island and hopped in a taxi to West End! This is apparently where all the best fun and diving and places to stay are so why not!!

We tried to check into "Chillies" , a place that was recommended to me.. but it was booked out! So then we tried the next place...and the next place ...and the next!! And every single place about was full!! Svia and Joel headed off and found a place for themselves and at the same time I found a room for myself and Paul in a place called "Seagrape". It was only $7 a night per person and has a kitchen, toilet and showers, but best of all this amazing pier out into the sea from the kitchen area with the most amazing view you could imagine!! There was a perfect blue sky, beautiful blue/green sea with the sun shimmering on the surface. There was white sandy beaches across the bay with a green canope of trees behind as far as you can see and not a taxi driver in sight!! All you can say is WOW!!! It's just breathtaking!

So after a run and jump off the pier into the sea and a quick swim to cool off Paul and I met up with Marianne and Yada , Joel and Svia for something to eat. I had a yummy fish tostado and then did some shopping for breakfast, had another swim in the sea before taking a shower and heading up to "Valeries" (another hostal) where Yada and Marianne were staying and cooking dinner!! It was the yummiest dinner I'd had in ages!! It was rice and vege stew but it was absolutely gorgeous and made with coconut milk and lots of other good stuff!! After eating we all went to for drinks and a stroll along the beach!! I really like it here and am so glad I came here for new years!! I arranged some dives for New Years Eve and New Years Day!!! I might even do my Medic First Aid course and if I do will go on for my Rescue Diver!! Well it was just a great day!!

But so far today (Tuesday) i had breakfast and sat in the sun and now I'm going to go diving for the afternoon!! It's just fantastic!! I'm going to have dinner and drinks tonight with Joel, Svia, Yada, Marianne and Paul tonight and celebrate the New Year!! Bring on 2003!! heheheee

Date: Tuesday the 31st, 7pm NEW YEARS EVE!! heheheee

Well the diving was just amazing!! The first dive was to "Turtle Crossing" where I did actaully see a turtle crossing!! He swam about a bit and then ate for a bit and then swam off up to the surface before diving straight down to the sea bed again!! I saw loads of fish and the Vis was about 30-40m!! We dived for about 50mins at about 15meters and just had the most amazing time!! Then back to shore again, changed tanks and out for the second dive of the day to "Fish Dem" where I saw Barracuda and loads of cool and some scary fish too!! We were at about 12meters for another 52mins! Wow Diving is just amazing!! It's soo beautiful and quiet and fun!! We got back to shore at about 5pm and I got a quick nap before taking a shower and meeting the guys to make dinner at my place this time!

A load of their friends that they worked with in Guatemala came along too and we all had New years eve dinner together and drinks too before heading out for a crazy New Years partying on Roatan!! heheheee We went to the "Monkey Bar" for the countdown and then to "Fosters" for some partying and then we all jumped in the sea!! Well we were out over the sea at Fosters so it just seemed like the thing to do!! We had half our clothes on and off and then afterwards went back in the bar for more dancing and drinking!! We went for a walk down the beach to another bar, had another swim, and did some more drinking and dancing!! I finally made it home after 4am very tired and ready for bed!! but WHAT A NIGHT!!! hhehehee Superb!!

Date: Wednesday the 1st, 9.30pm

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! hehehe Well I woke up pretty wrecked this morning and tired too!! funny that! So I tired to recuperate for a few hours before having to go out on the boat again at 1 o'clock for my next two dives! I did the first dive which was great but I wasn't feeling the best so it could've been better. Then when I got back on the boat with all teh rocking and waves I wasn't feeling good and so I stayed there for the second dive and decided to do it tomorrow instead! It turned out I wasn't the only one who was feeling the pressure as there was three of us that sat out the second dive! heheee Tonight I just took it easy, rested, had something to eat and then a slice of Pizza and then had a craving for a hot fudge sunday!! MMMM hehehe I couldn't finish it all but it was yummy!! I popped in to say hi to Yada, Ben and Marianne before I go to bed!! two more dives tomorrow so I'm going to be in top shape for them!! hehehe Night night!

Date: Friday the 3rd, 1.30pm

Well the dives yesterday were fantastic!! I got up and had breakfast and just chilled out until Marianne and Yada came to pick up their cameras from my room. I went with them to the supermarket for Water and met Colin (a guy from Navan) and James (from Bristol) along the way so we ended up stopping and having breakfast with them. Afterwards I just headed back to my room before my second last dive. I went out diving with Emma and Jon from Dallas as my Buddy. We had a really nice dive along a wall of coral about 30meters deep!! Then had a second dive where I saw lots of cool tropical fish and two huge green Moray Eels!!

After the dives I arranged to do my MFA medic first aid course and Rescue Diver course too!! It's a lot of money for a backpacker but it'll be worth it when I get to Oz I reckon. On my way back to my room then after the dives I bumped into Trever from England who's also travelling the world. I'll probably see him again somewhere along my travels so we exchanged addresses and I'm sure we'll stay in touch! I had a quick shower and headed down to Valeries again and hung out with everyone for a few hours before having dinner in the "lighthouse" with about 20people!! How can that be that you can travel alone and yet still end up at dinner with 20 people!! hehehee

Today Yada, Marianne, Paul and a few of the other left, but Colin from Navan (the only other Irish person I've met in 3 months) James from Bristol and Stijn from Holland are still here. I'm just relaxing this morning and I'm going to do my medic first aid course this afternoon. So here goes!! hehehee

Date: Saturday the 4th, 7pm

I did the medic first aid course yesterday and had to actually help one of the instructors who slit his thumb open with his dive knife about 10mins before I did the course which was kinda funny...well not for him though! The only thing I did wrong was that I didn't protect myself first and wear gloves as he was bleeding everywhere! There were none in the first aid box but there were some upstairs!! He got two stitches at the hospital after that!! And came back to say thank you for helping him after!! I finished the first aid course today and so I am now Medically Trained and I can help you!! In the event of an accident! ehehee

I can´t do anything to help the fact that a storm has hit the island though an most of the places are closed!! But no problem cos I've started my Rescue Diver course with Coconut Tree Divers so I have plenty of studying to keep me occupied! So I basically spent the whole day starting my course an studying that with Chris in the dive shop. It's raining outside and windy and too bad to dive but I have too much theory to learn and knowledge review to do so it´s no problem!

I stopped up at Valeries again after studying and chatted to James for a while before Stijn brought us some beans and potatoes to eat as he had too much! This has been great! men cooking for me everywhere I go! hehehee Later I had more work to do so headed back to my room with Stijn who has moved in with me seing as Paul has left. Stijn left me a note earlier that his bed was a swimming pool last night and couldn´t take anymore so he was moving in with me!! hehehee Thats fine with me cos then I only pay $7 a night in the room while I´m sharing with someone. I told the guys at Valeries that I´d drop up after studying for a drink but was too tired so myself and Stijn went to bed...to our own seperate beds that is! I can always go for a drink tomorrow night! :-)

Date: Monday the 6th, 4pm

Well when I said the other day that everything was closed...I was wrong...the weather got worse yesterday (Sunday) and THEN everything was really closed!! There was still no diving which was fine by me cos I was up at 7am for more study and the knowledge reviews in the shop with Chris. I spent all day ...with some lunch in between...with Chris going through the reviews and the course! Phew!! lots to learn! Then I went for a swim in the sea while it was cloudy and windy and raining and everyone was tucked up indoors!! There was a few people out in cars and by the supermarket who looked at me like I was mad but the water was lovely!! It was just a tad windy in the storm! heheee Later I just did a bit of food shopping and had a nice shower before having dinner with Stijn and Colin.

Then I headed up to Valeries and found everyone drinking and James still here even though he wanted to leave two days ago!! The weather has been too bad for him to leave and apparently lots of other people too!! Then in La Ceiba people are stuck there and can't get out to the Island!! Madness! Anyway I brought my Rum with me tonight and shared it out with everyone and we had a great laugh! I ended up staying over and leaving at 5am with the others who were trying for the ferry that morning! I went back to bed then for an hour before getting up to finish my rescue course!

I spent three hours practicing all my rescue techniques on the shore and in the sea and then had a big lunch of rice and beans and fish before heading out for my last two rescue dive scenarios!! Bad idea to eat that much though!! After eating so much I felt sick with the boat rocking all over the place and we just decided to finish it Monday instead cos I really wasn´t up for it!! We got back to land later (thank god!!) and I then managed to smash my drink all over the shop floor!! what a great day!! Blood hell!! Nothing was going right! I just went back to bed then and chilled for a while before going to look for "my Belgian Boyfriend" Stijn....it´s a long story...Anyway I found him in Valeries and was talking to Aneliese and Chloe when who walked back in the hostal but James!!

He had forgotten his Guidebook for central america and after he got off the ferry in La Ceiba got back on another one and came back!! This was just hilarious after he tried to leave for three days!! then left and came back again! hehehee Well it turned out the book was nowhere to be found so we all chatted for a while before myself and Stijn headed home! I got a good nights sleep so that I could do my course properly without being sick! But guess what! the bloody weather was too bad today to do my final dives! Bummer!! I did however spend the day practicing my rescues in confined water with Chris and Bod as my rescuee!! The heavy fecker!! I did loads of stuff and after lunch did my knowledge reviews and study before heading to bed.

Date: Tuesday the 7th,11pm

I got up early this morning but beacuse of the weather I still couldn�Lt finish my course!! I did manage to finish the last of the theory for my course and complete my written exam in which I got 93%!! Not bad I suppose! hehehee All thats left is the final scenarios which I�Lll do tomorrow. So with the afternoon off I decided to go to Coxen Hole for the afternoon. Easier saids then done though!! Because it was Tuesday "Cruise Ship Day!" All the Americans came to the Island off the cruise ships and none of the collectivos wanted to take me there for the normal cheap price when they can bring the Americans for a ripoff price!! So I decided to hitch a ride instead!

I met up with a couple from England and we all hopped in a jeep to Coxen Hole. A nice man from Spain picked us up and dropped us there for nothing!! See!! it always works out! We went shopping and I got some chicken and potatoes for dinner!! Yum yum!! I spent the afternoon shopping in Coxen Hole and then hopped on the cheap bus back to West End when all the tourists had left the Island!! hehehee I cooked myself a yummy dinner and then went out for a walk to see if Bob was about (a guy from the states that was in Valeries the other night) seing as Stijn had left that morning and I was on my own again!! Well not for long, I bumped into Bob in one of the bars and we chatted over a few drinks. Then we went to Fosters and were having a last drink when the electricity on the island went off!!

GREAT!! I'm half way down the beach on a cloudy night with no electricty on the island!! So it was time for bed and getting a good nights sleep before my last dives tomorrow and so there was only one thing for it to walk home in the dark! I just about managed it with a little help from some car lights along the way but most of it was pitch black and praying you didn't fall in the potholes!! I made it though and got a good nights sleep before getting up at 8am to finish my course!! fingers crossed provided that the weather is good to me! I've already stayed here a lot longer then I expected!! But what the hell!!

Date: Wednesday the 8th, 11.30pm

I got up this morning and had Bod knock on my door to walk down to the shop at 8am!! We got to the shop and low and behold we were able to get kitted up for the last dives of my course!! woo hooo!! We had to go to a different part of the Island in the truck though as the sea at West End was still too rough!! We had to do a shore entry into this cold murky, muddy water where we did a deep dive to 40meters. I started to stress myself out though worrying about what was going to happen in the staged scenario and if I was going to do everything right and not make a mistake and so we ascended to 15m where I calmed down and Bod panicked!! hehehee Well pretended to panic...for my course! then I rescued him to the surface!

That went ok and while I was chatting to Chris at the surface about what I did, Bod slipped off to the bottom again! Only this time he played an unconcious diver and nicely positioned himself in a crevace about 4ft down between a wall of rock and coral on either side!! thanks Bod!! So I rescued him to the surface and followed all the steps before having to tow him about 200m to shore while administering rescue breaths every 5seconds! It was really tough cos then I had to drag him ashore and start CPR and rescue breathing after all of that but I managed it ok I think! We took the truck back to the shop where I found out that I had passed my course!! Woo hooo!!

I was so knackered that I headed back to bed for a while and later had dinner before heading out for a drink with Paul, Bod and Guy to celebrate!! Then I bumped into Bob again and we all had a drink in Fosters then for the night before strolling back for a slice of pizza and bed!! I said bye to everyone and finally could leave Roatan for the mainland again!! It's kinda weird leaving and starting my travels again after stopping in one spot for so long!! But it was definitely worth it and as well as being one step closer to trying out for Divemaster I'm a lot happier and more confident as a diver too!! So Belize here I come!!

Date: Thursday the 9th, 10pm

I got up this morning at 5.30am in the pouring rain asnd darkness and headed for the dive shop in order to get a collectivo to the ferry. I met up with Guy and we all got a taxi to Coxen Hole where we hopped on the 2 hour boat trip to La Ceiba. From there we got a bus to San Pedro Sula where we had lunch and I said bye to the guys as they were going to Antigua.In order to get to Belize I had to get another bus to Puerto Cortes and then a last one to a town called Omoa where I needed to stay for the night before crossing the border through Guatemala and into Belize!

In Omoa I stayed at a hostal called Roli's Place. It was nice but completely full except for the outdoor hammocks so I decided to be brave and try it out for the night!! It was kinda chilly seing as I don't have a sleeping bag but a few layers of clothes was enough to keep me warm! I met two Dutch guys Peter and Gabi and we went to dinner together where I had a yummy fish meal until half way through dinner...the electricity in the town went!! I say that I'm learning things every day when I'm travelling ...well it's true...this time I had my torch with me and we were able to see our way home in the dark!! hehee Back at the hostal I chatted with Vincent and Evlyn from Holland and a few guys and girls from the states ...we exchanged massages and I learnt another thing or two to add to my skills as well which was excellent!!

I left Omoa with Vincent and Evlyn on the morning of the 10th and got the bus to Corinto the town nearest the border. Then we got in a pickup truck to the border and another bus over the other side in Guatemala to a town/port called Puerto Barrios. From here we all had lunch and checked mail for a bit before I said goodbye as I wanted to get to Belize that day and they were stopping in Livingston for a bit.I found out that there was a boat to Punto Gorda in Belize that afternoon and so I got on that which took two hours to get to Belize!! Through three countries in one day!! Mad!! So check out Belize now for some great weather and superb diving stories!! Finally left Honduras!! Not that I didn't like Honduras cos I did but that I just needed to move on I think! ;-)

Here are the photos!!

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