Wednesday, November 28, 2007

• how i hitchhiked across 4 countries

  Disclaimer: I didn't do anything STUPID per se ... like stick out my thumb and hop in a strange truck with a death wish. However, I DID hitch a ride with a random stranger and drove through Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. It was an opportunity of a lifetime - seeing the back alleys, side roads and Pacific Ocean in the passenger seat. And good news! I'm still alive and unscathed. ;)

  Granada, Nicaragua

  

  

  This is a little colonial town near the capital city. People say it looks a whole lot like the Granada in Spain, which I'm sure it was meant to model after.

  I loved Nicaragua but it brought out a really LAZY side of me! For 4 days I laid around on a hammock, read books, and watched tv. For those that know me ... this is an EXTREME rarity!
  

  Laguna de Apoyo, Nicaragua

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  One of my favourite spots in C. America. All I did was bake in the sun (w/sunscreen of course) and breath in nature. I think I've had enough nature to last me a decade.

  This is not really a tourist hotspot; people tend to gloss over Nicaragua probably because it doesnt have a main attraction? So I'm chilling by myself and strike up a conversation over dinner with a random stranger. This isnt really a novelty b/c after traveling for prolonged periods of time, random conversations are as natural as breathing.

  There's always the icebreaker questions: where are you from; where are you going; where have you been; how long have you been gone, etc. Its pretty mundane b/c everybody sort've has the same itinerary? Anyways, this dude is Danish but living in Vancouver and his story is all kinds of weird. He's here in Nicaragua ... trying to export a car ... that his friend from Denmark ... left in Nicaragua ... after driving it from Canada ... which he bought from the US.

  Long story short, he's bitching about the bureacracy and corruption and dirty cops and bribery. How they promised they'd let him leave with the car but decided they want more money. It´s a terrible situation. Anyways I didnt really pay attention at first, but little did I know that I would soon witness all that crap firsthand.

  So Danish Guy says, ´they're SUPPOSED to let me leave the country tomorrow. So youre more than welcomed to come along if you need a ride.'

  OBVIOUSLY I jumped at the chance before he changed his mind. I was heading north too, and how often DO you get to interview the person youre hitchhiking from? For the record, he was married and civilized and seemed very very NON-creepy. I went on a gut feeling and life is about exploring the unknown - so I took my chances!

  We waited an eternity for paperwork to process. Danish Guy says they delayed the process for about, 3 weeks? Here are shadey government officials conducting dirty businesses.

  

  

  Danish Guy being really really mad.

  

  Here I am sticking my head out of the Jeep Cherokee when a flood of cows swarm the highway!
  

  

  Dirty cops lounging around. There are stories of cops stopping you on the hwy for alleged speeding and demanding cash upfront. And bandits posing as cops, stopping you on the highway waiting to rob you blind.

  

  Some kid who acted as an alleged 'translator' and then demands a tip afterwards. After being held up at the border for 8 hours, he tells us he needs an extra $70-something or else they wont process the papers! This was after hiring lawyers AT THE BORDER (all of whom did not speak English), paying stupid fees and contributing to corruption.

  

  The horrible Honduras/El Salvador border, where I waited in 100 degree weather while melting in the car.
  

  But stupid bureacracy aside - I loved watching the sun set while driving through mountains in El Salvador. Over a period of 30 minutes, you watch the sky melt into a lovely pallette of colours while the sun disappears behind the velvet sky.

  Playa el Zonte, El Salvador

  
  
  

  At the crack of dawn, the black beach looked like something out of a manufactured spa.

  

  The owner of the hotel goes fishing and catches fish with his bare hands! How cool is that.

  Word to the wise: never do anything random like attempting to import/export cars into countries not in the 1st world. Its a shame that these very countries already have an unpleasant reputation that deters conventional travelers from visiting. I have a personal philosophy where I think we should take chances on the unknown, but suffering these experiences is sometimes enough to taint one's perception. However, these pictures speak for itself. These countries are breath-takingly beautiful and there will always be evil people whever you go!

  Lars & Lars: Muchas gracias para la experiencia!

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