We´re in Cusco now! Took a one hour flight from Lima today. Flew into Peru (2 flights, six hours later) from Honduras via El Salvador yesterday. Stayed in Miraflores last night and I was surprised how modern that area was. My mouth was watering from all the streetside cafes displaying their sweets. I really like Peru so far!
We´re staying in a charming hostel up on the hill, about one and a half blocks from the main plaza. We had a tasty lunch not too long ago; ceviche, sweet potato, tamales, vegetable quinoa soup, and coca tea. Alpaca and guinea pig are staples here.
All alternative trails heading to Machu Picchu (at least, those that connect with the Inca Trail at some point) are completely full. One of the alternative options is to do a mountain biking/jungle trek that takes about 4 days. $150 covers transportation, three days of meals, three nights accommodation, mountain biking, hot springs, entrance to Machu Picchu, and round-trip bus and train travel. That seems to be a good deal as everything is organized and taken care of. However, we'll most likely take the train to Aguas Calientes and from there take a bus to the site early in the morning.
Showing posts with label Honduras. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Honduras. Show all posts
Monday, March 17, 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Stranded on an Island as a Hurricane Nears!
Well ... not exactly. But there is a storm headed this way.
And even that isn't enough to keep me from leaving this paradise! I am on the gorgeous island of Roatan, one of three islands that make up the Bay Islands, off the coast of Honduras. The water is crystal clear with different shades of turquoise and blue. Coconut trees are abundant and shade the white sand beaches. The island is occupied by a mix of Garifuna, native islanders and friendly expats. As I type this, a large Macaw squawks loudly right outside my window and a cat dozes on top of my computer. I've been looking forward to coming here for a long time and the primary reason being the affordability of getting my PADI Open Water certification.
Obtaining certification requires hours of classroom instruction, reading, four quizzes, a final exam, confined water dives, and four open water dives. It is definitely intense but I am glad to be doing something challenging and worthwhile. I have two more dives to go before I'm finished. However, they've been postponed until Monday because of stormy weather. But don't worry, there is no hurricane ... just mighty waves crashing on the reefs and strong winds.
Scuba diving is a whole new realm that one cannot imagine. When I first started breathing under water, I did not want to trust my regulator! The salt water was trickling into my goggles and stinging my eyes. I started to feel very anxious and wondered why the hell I ever wanted to do this. But I was immediately put to ease by my awesome instructor, Marco, who guided me through everything with patience. We practiced many different skills in shallow water and by the second day, were off diving along the incredibly diverse reef. I've seen turtles, squids, a barracuda, stingray, giant conches, fishes in a myriad of colors and sizes, huge lobsters, starfish, and even got stung by a jellyfish! Ouch! The pain quickly subsides though, and later you can treat it with terrific smelling vinegar (sarcasm there).
And even that isn't enough to keep me from leaving this paradise! I am on the gorgeous island of Roatan, one of three islands that make up the Bay Islands, off the coast of Honduras. The water is crystal clear with different shades of turquoise and blue. Coconut trees are abundant and shade the white sand beaches. The island is occupied by a mix of Garifuna, native islanders and friendly expats. As I type this, a large Macaw squawks loudly right outside my window and a cat dozes on top of my computer. I've been looking forward to coming here for a long time and the primary reason being the affordability of getting my PADI Open Water certification.
Obtaining certification requires hours of classroom instruction, reading, four quizzes, a final exam, confined water dives, and four open water dives. It is definitely intense but I am glad to be doing something challenging and worthwhile. I have two more dives to go before I'm finished. However, they've been postponed until Monday because of stormy weather. But don't worry, there is no hurricane ... just mighty waves crashing on the reefs and strong winds.
Scuba diving is a whole new realm that one cannot imagine. When I first started breathing under water, I did not want to trust my regulator! The salt water was trickling into my goggles and stinging my eyes. I started to feel very anxious and wondered why the hell I ever wanted to do this. But I was immediately put to ease by my awesome instructor, Marco, who guided me through everything with patience. We practiced many different skills in shallow water and by the second day, were off diving along the incredibly diverse reef. I've seen turtles, squids, a barracuda, stingray, giant conches, fishes in a myriad of colors and sizes, huge lobsters, starfish, and even got stung by a jellyfish! Ouch! The pain quickly subsides though, and later you can treat it with terrific smelling vinegar (sarcasm there).
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