Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Three Countries, Three days, three weeks.

This all began about a month ago, I was on the Island of Roatan, as you can see its in the Caribbean, of the coast of Honduras. I had a friend there old friend that was having serious problems with visa and passports, and just living in Roatan. I was teaching Zumba, doing on line work, dealing with a number of really horrible situations. He and talked much, and resolved some issues that were part of our separation in friendship. We resolved the issues, and he shared with me his desire to leave and go back to Costa Rica where we have been previously. Now this is just a friend almost like family to me, we ended up before leaving House sitting in the jungle in a lovely house private on a dirt road with very little access to the real world. Nature was abound and in the morning peaceful and filled with wildlife.

With much talking and thought, we both decided to leave the island, it was time. The issues with the roads, being all tore up, the black water sludge that was being pumped into the sea, lack of tourism, and poor economy, crime rate escalating, murders, muggings, taxi's holding you at gun point. Made this beautiful place become a scary situation, especially at night. Roatan is a beautiful place,but with the amount of drug deals that come directly into the island the amount of gangs that are infiltrating the island, it was dangerous. We held on to our faith, believed we could go and make a way back in Costa Rica. I did some research, found that a small town called Quepos, right around the corner of Manuel Antonio, had some good possibilities for both him and I, continuing my research, found its resorts, hotels restaurants, still draw lots and lots of people. The Marina had just renew there financing and now in a short time the finishing of this marina will begin and produce more revenue for this little fishing village off the coast of Pacific Ocean.

The Trip was thoroughly thought out, I planned so it was not a struggle to make our way back to Costa Rica
. I helped fix up this house we were sitting, the realtor came took photos and before we knew it the house was sold. The date was on the 22nd of  November that the owner was taking occupancy.

OUR DATE WAS SET. On the 21st, We took a ferry from the island at 6:30 am loaded down with three suitcases, a carry on, computer and banners I boarded the Ferry. An hour long tripin to the sunrise to the mainland Honduras. From Honduras I paid a taxi to take me to the bus station to go to Teguchigalpa. I got there just in time to buy the ticket and board the bus. This trip was hours and hours the whole day actually traveling through mainland Honduras. Beautiful but dangerous country,various types of terrain, from flat farmlands to steep rocky mountains. Honduras is now the number one country in the world for crime and murder, so gracefully left with out a problem. I spent the night in a seedy, dirty little hotel around the corner from the bus station. The noise level at night was horrible. Screaming drunks, prostitutes, and motorcycles blasting most of the night. I ate at a little Chinese Restaurant across the way that was outrageously good and cheap. The next morning at 5:45 I dragged all that luggage around the corner one block to the Tica Bus Station and bought the next leg of the trip.

Nicaragua, Entered the bus after eating breakfast at the bus station in a tiny little soda on the side of the station that actually was quite nice and had plants and a parrot. The food typical Honduran, not my favorite. This bus was beautiful, luxury style, with air and bathroom, Crossing the boarder in Honduras to Nicaragua,simple but had to unload all the luggage our self and pass through customs, Although the Nica's, were kind to me and didn't search anything and passed me right through the fee then dollars. The trip was gorgeous and pleasant, the sites in Nicaragua are very pretty and memorable.  Ometepe, is spectacular to see in real life.  I was smiling most of the time thinking how amazing this is, and how I had very little money to do this and managed to make it happen.

I got in this brain wave, playing games with myself on the bus, to see if I really had this ability that my friend says I have. For many years, I feel or think something, and its strong and then it comes to past generally with in the day or the hour. So I thought ok If I have this, lets see if I can make it work. So I just let my mind go, saying I want to see whats coming before it comes. I thought of a man in a red shirt, I saw it in my minds eye, and about 20 seconds later a huge group of people were walking on the road side and in the middle was a man in a red shirt?? ok that was fun, I continued to do this and was shocked at what was happening during the ride through Nicaragua Wow I really do have this if I could only just tap into it and make it work for me! Other friends call me Bruja, this is a slang word for witch, but its not a bad connotation like Americans think. It means you know things before they happen. Continuing on the trip it took most of the day to cross Nicaragua,Lovely country. I saw an old ox cart with oxen a some areas that have not progress through time. I saw brick makers making bricks in the hot sun, Many Sugar cane fields, lots of coffee plantations, Banana plantations, gorgeous hills and mountains. Rich valleys with crops of sorghum,and spices. A really shocking area of Homes like something Out of California's Pasadena, or Beverly hills??? Wow... and then very poor shacks made of nothing but tin and dirt floors. Children playing with no clothes on, dogs running a muck, and chickens and turkeys wandering about everywhere.

Then we got into Managua, interesting metropolitan city. They day Dangerous after 10 at night. Nice that Tica bus now has hotels built into the bus station, so you disembark, and unload and walk around the bend and there is the check in counter for the very nice modern clean classy small hotels with about 25 or so rooms. Indoor gardens, birds, and really shockingly modern!
Rooms rate 23 a night, very reasonable, the beds were beautiful the best so far in months, the sheets smelled of vanilla, the pillows crisp and so comfortable, towels perfectly laundered and soft.

I saw this couple board the bus in Teguch, and I watched them in the bus as we traveled. The woman was vibrant, and man quiet and introverted. Such opposites in personalities. I loved her, was Leary of him. But when I was checking in they were also, so I asked what they planned on doing after check in. Going to eat and have a drink. I asked If could go along with them, and of course they said yes.

So we all went in a taxi to the of all things the Mall in Managua, cool multi level mall with lots of restaurants and things to see. Hadn't been shopping in months and months, although I didn't buy anything, not much money to spend it was fun to watch the people and look at the products, VERY CHEAP very cool and fun. I ate at a bbq Nica style in the mall, My god that was good good.. had a drink of Flor de cana, had to that is the countries rum! and then back the room. To rise early in the morning to load and move on.





Heading towards, Costa Rica we moved very fast, the little game I played earlier I continued on this leg, I had a sense that something was going to happen to the bus, I actually spoke it out about five minutes in to the new part of the journey. I felt it, although the bus sounded fine I could sense something was going to happen, that we were either going to be stuck or transferred to another bus.

Then I forgot about it for about two hours, this particular driver was hauling ass, he was moving so fast it was making me feel sick to see the country side flying by. We got into Granada, and I felt really strongly about the mechanical problems of the bus. Although no sign at all no smell, nothing. As soon as we passed Grenada, I smelled a burning of oil or fluid,  then about 20 minutes later I heard it. I heard some sort of strange noise, he kept going passing cars, big trucks, buses and whatever cows were on the road. I noticed he was having trouble shifting gears, hmmm Transmission problems?? Then we crossed the boarder into Costa Rica. That was a mess, Getting into Costa Rica now is a task and half. Show you have cash money more than two hundred I was told, Show you have credit cards, show you have  valid passport, where are you going, search through your things, how long are you there?? Well I was smart when I went to customs I told them I was living here before, I had some business to do, and well they passed me right through with no issues, of course I speak Spanish and I smiled allot this helps! The bus sat for about half or more hour, when we loaded back up, I knew something was going to happen. He started it up and it went but it was struggling.

I don't think anyone else noticed everyone was eating laughing talking. I listened to the engine, We went about 10 miles and then we stopped to let people out, when we stopped the bus just croaked.  When he tried to go it wouldn't move, no one even noticed then I knew I told my friend lets get out things from above were going to transfer to another bus, he was shocked saying what are you talking about. I said get our things lets get prepared, about five or more minutes past, the driver got off the bus went to the back opened up the engine area, I saw him get tools, no one else was watching, I got our things and started to get out, then he came and told us I was the first one out the door. I went right across the street, bought a celuar chip and got my CR phone right then. I knew we were going to be stuck and so I figure make the best of the time. We ended up transferring to another bus making us about two hours late into San Jose.

I called my friend in Santa Anna, this is who we were going to stay with while trying to get to Manuel Antonio south, to find a place to live. He came but four hours later, sitting in the bus station till almost 11 at night, tired hungry and wanted to sleep. I ended up staying in Santa Anna for some three weeks, not able to find a place in Manuel Antonio, online or in the two trips I made to there to find a place. Finally five days ago I hooked up with a company called Costa Rican places here in Manuel Antonio, and this lady found me a small, clean affordable place. I have no furniture, hardly any food, didn't celebrate Christmas, but I am safe and sound and with shelter now.

A three day, trip From Roatan Island to Manuel Antonio Costa Rica was a great trip! inexpensive and interesting. Now I am here in Quepos, finding its changing daily developing, and becoming a very cute little town. The new bridges and road has obviously change the life of this dead little fishing village. Now its seemingly teaming with life and beginning to redevelope, I like that I am close to everything, walking distance, I do miss the nature and gardens, but in time I hope to have orchids and plants and make the place a little doll house.  I will be teaching Zumba here soon in the Teatro Copaza so stay tuned for more adventures.