Utila-Omoa

Yesterday I undertook my "escape" from Utila. It was a long voyage. I thought I might make it all the way to Livingston, Guatemala in one day but there are so many chicken busses that it turned out to be impossible. Instead I ended up spending a gorgeous night in the charming town of Omoa. Omoa lies in the Northwestern corner of Honduras, close to Guatemala and still on the ocean. I took a ferry from Utila to La Ceiba, a tourist bus from Ceiba to San Pedro Sula, a direct minibus (slightly crowded, but with A-C) to Puerto Cortes, and then a chicken bus (pretty much just a crowded school bus, no AC or amenities) to Omoa. The chicken bus goes all the way to the border but I didn´t have the time.

Omoa was great. Quaint and charming... I met an American ExPat from LA who had just rented a big house on a big lot across from the ocean with the intention of turning it into a backpackers hostel. I was his third guest and he treated me great. He had converted to Rastafarianism and was really cool. He was an army medic and does some work at the hospital in Omoa so he was very happy to chat about healthcare and the system with me, and much appreciative of all of the medicine I left him with this morning. His buddy Christian owns this bar right on the beach by the pier so we hooked up with him for the night and he served up cold ones all night long almost for free. The music was great and I met this chico who danced for me all night long, and only paused to ask me for one Lempira (.05cents) so he would dance some more:


Slept the night really well and walking out this morning I saw a fort that the Spanish built in Honduras in 1750 to protect their gold exports from Pirates and the British. It is exceptionally well preserved. They used to keep politcal prisoners in the basement there during the dark years of Honduras´´ past not 20 years ago. I walked up to the highway and picked up the chicken bus again, which stopped ever 20 feet between Omoa and the border. It took 2 hours to cover about 32 miles. At the border I got my exit stamp and crossed between guards with AK47s to get into Guatemala, where little vans wait to pick up anyone and everyone between the border and puerto barrios along the way. The trip from Omoa to Puerto Barrios cost be about $3.50, and that´s where we stand now because I´m in Puerto Barrios waiting for the ferry to take me across the bay to Livingston. Livingston is a little Garifuna community of mostly African Descendents who mostly speak English and are very into Rasta. I should get there around 6.30pm local time and I´ll book a hostel from there.

One last thought. I got to see a lot of the countryside today- infinite expanses of mountains and ocean, banana and pineapple plantations for as far as the eye could see. It is really beautiful and magnificent here, and the people have such charm and most of them have great attitudes despite a relative lack compared to the US. The one thing I saw that struck me today seriously was an auto accident. Once in Guatemala we travelled a few kilos inland and stopped to pick up a woman who proclaimed there was an accident ahead in which people had died. Sure enough we slow down on the way by to see a devastating accident of a van in which there were obviously some serious injuries, if not deaths. Part of me wanted to jump out of the van right there and offer to help. Someone appeared trapped in the van. Others were cut up and banged up. I realized that despite my desire to help and the fact that there was no ambulance there, I´m really not a doctor and I don´t have anything useful but band-aids in my bag for them, and unless anyone needed CPR, I wouldn´t have any useful skills. Furthermore I was all by myself, my valuables in my lap, I just paid close to the last money I had to get into the van, and my bags were strapped to the roof. Tough... but we did pass an ambulance just down the road.

There´s a lot of help needed here.... both urgently and in the long run.

Utila winding down... Guatemala in my sights.

It is said that there are three lies in Utila:

1.) "I'm leaving tomorrow"
2.) "I'm not drinking tonight"
3.) "I love you"

Well, I've previously been guilty of telling lie 2, and today I'm responsible for lie #1. With a smile I'd say that from my experience, lie 3 is not really necessary... but the locals know better than I do, I suppose.
The original plan was to travel from Roatan/Utila to Belize to do some more diving and snorkeling, but to be honest- it's so cheap here and so much fun and with so much to do and see both in and out of the water, that I decided it wouldn't be necessary to get to belize. Instead I've modified my itinerary. I concluded my dive course yesterday and I'm now a certified SCUBA diver, but everything on this island is closed on sundays and I needed to get some laundry done and pick up some supplies before leaving (not to mention rest my foot- more about this in a bit). So today is a prep day for tomorrow.

Hopefully I'll get the 6:30am ferry out tomorrow morning, which puts me on the mainland in La Ceiba at 7:30. By 8:30 I hope to be on a bus on my way to San Pedro Sula and ultimately the Guatemalan border. I'll make the crossing and head to the dumpy town of puerto barrios, and I hope I can catch the last ferry out for the night to Livingston... a charming Rasta town on the narrow Guatemala coast. I may not make that distance in one day, in which case I'd rather stay in San Pedro than Puerto Barrios. I'll stay another night in livingston to take in the vibe before catching a river boat up the Rio Dulce to the town of Fronteras. From there I can take a bus westward around the north side of the lake there, and I'll be delighted to stop for a day or two in Lanquin/Semuc Champey. Semuc is apparently a series of limestone pools in the jungle which descends many feet and is warm and perfectly swimmable. From Semuc I can catch a bus to Coban, from which I can take a tourist bus directly to Tikal. I'll spend a few days in Tikal and get back to Xela by Sun/Mon for spanish school!

My time in Utila has been great. I've been fortunate to meet a lot of cool people and have a lot of cool experiences, plus to feel the intense rush that it is to breathe for an hour underwater in some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the Western Hemisphere, and probably the world. I've got a single with a private bath at the divers hotel for which I'll be charged nothing- its included in the dive package. I've been hanging out with a LOT of Canadians... there everywhere here, heh? lol- the funny thing is, they really do throw heh and eh into their sentences a lot, and don't really like it when you tease them for it. I've also been surprised at the nationalities and numbers of a lot of other people- several Danish and Sweedish people, plenty of folks from the UK, a few french, and a scattering of Swiss and Germans.

In Utila there are only really three things to do- dive, lay out, and party... and we've been doing all of them. For my course I had 6 dives- 2 in shallow water near shore and 4 out on the reef where we were taken by boat- over the course of 3 days... plus one more day for classroom instruction. Already I'm getting nice and dark, but definitely not burned. It can be a bit buggy here- the mosquitos are killer at sunrise and sunset and the sanflies bite you without you being aware of it. There are really only two bars to party at, Tranquila and Coco Loco, and they are right next to each other a 5 minute walk from my hotel, with their bars on piers extending right out onto the ocean. Lots of dancing, lots of drinking, lots of girls, and lots of fun. On Friday night my hotel/dive shop had a BBQ. 200 Lempiras ($12) gets you a huge plate of home cooked goodness, plus all you can drink at the open bar. MAN we had a blast... Tatiana was NOT happy that I was sleeping so much in her class saturday morning at 8:30, but hey- I hadn't slept all night.

So about my foot... I didn't really tell the story before because I didn't want to get anyone alarmed, but a week ago- during my first night here- I was riding a bike home from an all night rum drinking session (they call that "hanging out" here) and the chain snapped and I fell of and took some hard scrapes and bruises up and down my left arm, and especially my left leg and foot. The salt water cleanses, but it also prevents them from closing up so I've decided to stay out for the near future. I've been limping around a bit, but the wounds are definitely clean and I've been taking some prescription medication for infection as a precaution. Until yesterday my foot was swollen as if I weighte 300lbs, but I've got it back down to normal again. I guess the lie about not leaving today will probably be good for me as I keep this foot elevated and lay in a hammock all day. I'm a bit worried about traveling on it, so any healing I can do today will be great.

Okay- sorry for this crazy essay, but I had a lot to say! Hasta luego...

More Photos- Utila

This is dive instructor and professional diver Tatiana Jijon. You better do what she says!!! This photo was taken yesterday on our way out to our last dives for PADI Open Water Diver Certification. We went to 60 feet on coral reefs and saw a lot of cool fish and plantlife. Haven't seen a whaleshark yet, but Utila is famous for them.
Here is Christian, Lauren, and myself. Behind them are the divemasters who accompany each pair of students, along with the instructor of the course, on every dive. Lauren has the big smile, Stefan has the hangover.
This is the view from the common patio which is right outside my door. The hotel is built out onto a platform on the water, so we are awoken every day by the splashing of the waves, lapping at the walls and foundation.
The view is transformed at sunset. Maybe not quite as majestic as Roatan, but charming nonetheless... and did I mention it costs $4/night to stay here???

Finally Some Pics- Roatan

I'm still in Utila and using the rare opportunity to find an open internet cafe with decent speed which allows you to upload photos. Enjoy!

Dive Utila!

Hey everyone!

I left Roatan and went to Utila- a smaller more budget friendly island 18 miles away. Despite the short distance it was quite a trip since I had to take a ferry to the mainland and another back. The first wasn't too bad but the second ride, although shorter, was a bit more nauseating. I met an American guy and two Canadian girls on the boat and the girls had been here before and recommended an exquisite place to begin diving- Underwater Vision. I begin my open water certification course tomorrow and should be here until Sunday.

The hotel is awesome. $4/night gets you a room with private bath and shower, and it's right on the water- can't beat it. I'm gonna hang here and dive and enjoy the hoppin island nightlife, which so far has brought adventure and a bit of disaster too. A couple nights ago I was riding a bike at 4am and the chain snapped and I took a little spill. Have a nice rasberry on my arm and several on my leg to show for it... they burn a bit in the salt water, but I'm taking good care of the wounds and don't expect them to hold me back.

The power goes in and out in the islands, which can be both fun and frustrating. It's impossible to sleep at night without a fan blowing on you (obviously there's no AC for $4/night). But blackouts usually bring out the adventurists in people. Had a candle lit rum drinking session with an American and Norwegian divemaster and a few girls 2 nights ago (prior to the bike disaster). Last night we partied hard til 5am and explored the only pool on the island really really late after the bars. Tonight there is a BBQ at the dive center next door. 150 lempiras ($8) gets you all you can eat and drink once inside.

So that's that. Net is WAY slow here so no pics yet, but I'll post some from diving ASAP!

Greetings from Roatan, Honduras

Hello from paradise!

I'm on the island of Roatan, Honduras right now and it is gorgeous. Apparently it stormed here for a few days but in the last 24h since my arrival we've seen nothing but sunshine with the occasional overnight shower. I've found myself a solid accommodation and I'm totally happy where I'm at- staying right across the street from the beach on the West End, near all the bars and dive shops.

Right now I'm inquiring around the strip to find the best place to do my diving. Prices are pretty standardized here so the biggest decision I have to make is if I want to stay and dive here in Roatan (where the instruction is said to be superior) or catch a boat to Utila (which is a $50 voyage, and the diving is said to be superior).

I've had a blast so far. Cleared customs no problem yesterday and headed this way. At the sundowners bar I took some awesome photos (will post soon when I'm off the island and internet use is cheaper). Then I met a Danish guy and two English girls and we got an awesome fish/lobster dinner and hit the bars hard last night. Basically everyone here dives. They all get up early and go out once or twice, come home, nap and shower, and then party the place down til the bars close up in the wee hours.

Out last night I managed to meet a group of four awesome Americans- all Southerners from GA, TN, and NC- here on a summer program that their university (Wake Forest) does. Had a blast- spent the night out drinking with them and found out I was staying in the same place. We got up and got breakfast and hit the beach today and I decided to stay another night on Roatan. Hopefully I'll be able to stay in touch with them back in the states. I definitely felt like we hit it off, so we'll see.

Right now I'm trying to get this dive stuff all settled, and I'll try to post in a few days when I'm done diving. Hopefully I'll be able to upload some pics for you all then. For the time being I'm trapped on an island in paradise- where the beers cost a dollar and the sun and beach is awesome. The beard is getting longer and my skin is getting darker.

Much love,

Benny

It's Go Time!

I'm leaving Atlanta in an hour and I can't wait! Just a few short hours from now the trip of a lifetime begins. Don't have a whole lot to say now, I just hope I have everything I need for the next two months and I've tied up all the loose ends here in the US of A. If you want to contact me while I'm traveling, shoot me an email at thebenny@gmail.com

Miss you all and I'll see you soon!

My Trip Route

Roughly, this is where I will be for the next two months.

Navigating my navicular...

So I've been having some foot pain since I rolled my ankle a month ago playing soccer and I've finally gotten to the bottom of things. I learned two things today- first I am a mutant- I have an extra bone in my foot, an accessory navicular bone, that is present in about 10% of the population. Secondly, I managed to fracture that bone right where it attaches to the main navicular bone in my foot. Since I fractured it a month ago it would be useless to put my foot in a cast now, but I do need to prevent lateral motion of my right foot as much as is humanly possible.

I guess the good news in all of this though is that my problem is not more major and that if I do manage to find a way to rest my foot sufficiently for the next month, this whole thing should heal up and stop hurting. Now I do have an extra "bump" below my ankle joint that didn't used to be there, but that's purely cosmetic. My foot still fits in my hiking boot, even when wrapped in an ACE bandage, so I think I'll be A-OK.

I think the image above is worth 1000 words...

The Big Sleazy

I've been living life in the fast lane since school ended on May 4th. The next day (Friday) I flew to New Orleans where I met my old pals from Tufts (Nick) and Trinity (Eli and The Reg Man).

NOLa was a blast. The French Quarter and Bourbon street are partying it up as if nothing had ever blown through and destroyed town. The plan for the weekend was:
Friday- Celebrate Cinco de Mayo on bourbon street
Saturday- Jazz Fest
Sunday- Do whatever our two days worth of hangovers would permit

Friday afternoon we settled into a spot called Razzoos for a 3 for 1 happy hour. I highly recommend 3 for 1 happy hours, wherever they may be found. After Reggie and I burned Nick and Eli back to the hotel on New Orleans' FREE street trolley, we geared up for a night on the town. We all spent entirely too much money on booze, but the relative bargain of the night might have been dinner at Coop's Place- a classic stop for local flavors.... mmmmmm Jambalaya. Hurricanes at Pat O'Reiley's and general debauchery ensued until the wee hours of the morning. Nick slept in the bathtub for a good 3+ hours...

Saturday- Jazz Fest! Eli "up and at 'em" Cohen kicked our asses out of bed EARLY (like 10:30) and we were at the fest watching the "mayor of New Orleans" prance around like a possessed man to some killer jazz by noon. The food was almost as good as the music. Warren Haynes rocked out. Robert Randolph and the Family Band were SICK!!! RR plays the slide guitar like a man possessed with the spirit of Hendrix. Finally we caught Buffet with the masses... Buffet's pot references were almost as plentiful as the number of kids I saw there.... wholesome. We headed out for a recovery nap before another classic night on the town- where else but on Bourbon St. The 28 year old divorced pharmaceutical rep was cute and flirtaceous... but she became slightly less attractive and flirty when her huge boyfriend finally made his way into the bar. Yes she tried to pawn her little sister on me... NO I wasn't biting on that.

Sunday- Early morning Eli was at it again. Grabbed a solid breakfast and did some shopping before dropping Eli and the Reg Man back off at the airport. Then Nick and I road tripped out to Houston. I enjoyed two solid days in Houston learning all about the fine bar establishments and restaurants and, did I mention all the bars? Nick might not have been able to tell time on an alarm clock on the morning of my flight, but he sure as hell does know every single happy hour in Houston. Awesome. My flight home was made more enjoyable by the company of a beautiful and charming young lady named Elise. Great company definitely makes the time fly by :-) purrrrrr- This poor bastard was caged up in Grosse Tete, LA at the Tiger Truck Stop outside of Baton Rouge. I have to apologize for the lack of photos thus far, but it's really more due to Eli's technical incompetence than my own fault.

Fantastic 5 day trip. Definitely a much needed escape valve for the pressure built up during the first year of medical school. Can't say I relaxed much on my vacation, but if I wasn't living life at 100mph I wouldn't be happy.

Next Blog installment- either pre travel, or post arrival. This Saturday (May 20th) I depart for Roatan/La Ceiba Honduras. Sweet!

5am

Oh yes, 0500 hours and it's May. Few people in the Eastern time zone have ushered in the first five hours of May the way I have- in the basement of the Emory library in a portion that was built into a ravine which I now sit on top of. D-Rock is upstairs, so I'll give him credit.

Neuro beckons, but through the delirium I've gained an appreciation for how concise and well assembled Dr. Pettus' lectures are... even if people think Cauda Equina is a bit kooky.

Four May Days and then I'm FREE......

A week from now I ought to be passed out on Nick's floor in Houston- the remnants of New Orleans ethanol being cleared from my blood by my liver frantically, to make room for everything that was layered on top in H-town.

Maybe one of these days I'll have time to catch up on the last 3 episodes of 24.

For now, back to neuro. I really don't have any business doing anything else at 5am on a Monday morning.