If you've been following this blog from day one, you're probably ready to get to Honduras too! That's the way we feel and we had already been on the road 10 days prior to entering Mexico. On February 6, 2013 - 23 days and 4,783 miles later - we finally arrive in Siguatepeque, Comayagua, Honduras, Central America.
This portion of my blog has been, for me, as much a journal and memory keeper as it has been a "blog". Someday, after time has faded some of the memories, we will be able to go back and read of this epic jouney in the life of our family. I had the great good fortune to experience a similar, although far more intensive and exhaustive trip, with my own father and younger brother in 1980-1981. That grand adventure has remained, and always will be, a highpoint in my own life. I was glad to be able to make a similar trip with my own boys, and if it leaves as great an impact on their lives as that first trip made on mine then, if for that reason alone, this trip too will have been worth every "tope" we came to a screeching halt for.
Back to the story. Leaving Rio Hondo we found the road to be quite good pretty all the way to the border at Agua Caliente. Some have asked why we did not cross at El Florida. Well, this is where, in our "transmigrante" status, we were instructed to cross. I was tempted to just take the turn to El Florida as it is much shorter, but I was afraid that we might be turned around and sent to Agua Caliente...and I did not want to take that chance.
Approaching the border we were again met by guys wanting to assist us with the crossing. This time I was far more prepared. I arranged a price before hand and even had most of the photo copies of our documents already in hand. Everything was going smoothly until, "Ah, there is a slight problem, Señor. You were supposed to exit Guatemala within 24 hours of arrival as you are a transmigrante". "No, no," I tell them, "I informed them we would not leave until today, Tuesday." My "guy" tells me not to worry, it will be okay, but we should be sure and show our "appreciation". What are you gonna' do?
We have another "guy", Hugo, who is Honduran and who has been waiting to help us cross into Honduras. He does a fantastic job. Arranges for someone to watch the van, helps us through immigration, does all the customs paperwork and even takes Tiger (and me) to get his official entry papers. I have hopes at this point of making Sigaut by nightfall. But then Hugo tells me that the "system" is slow. We wait, and wait. He and I had not settled firmly beforehand on a price for his services and so as we sat waiting I asked him how much he thought he should be paid. In Spanish he tells me that perhaps $100 for the van and $50 for the trailer. I consider this and decide that it is a bit higher than I had planned, but that he was worth it. I agree. Suddenly he takes off running and comes back in less than 10 minutes with our paperwork and asks for the $150 to pay for the van and trailer "permit". I'm confused, and not for the first time. "Is this official" I ask. "Oh, yes" he assures me." Well, I'm in no position to argue and whatever it was we had agreed on, the system sure liked it. Soon we are through the gate and the police check point and on our way. Oh, in case anyone was wondering, the import taxes on all our household goods (excluding van and trailer) were only $150 USD.
Travel note: For anyone making a similar trip, ask when you enter Guatemala if you are able to cross at El Florida or even the newer crossing between Puerto Barrio and Cortez. Although I haven't crossed at either one, the roads must surely be better than the ones leading out of Agua Caliente. Also double check the 24 hour rule.
I'm going to abbreviate the next 200 miles. I will only say this. The road between Agua Caliente and Santa Rosa de Copan is HORRIBLE! It appears to be a beautiful road until out of nowhere appears a giant pothole so large that it cannot be straddled. Some of them measure 8" deep. Then there are the washouts. It is mountainous and curvy. You know it's bad when 40 mph feels like you're really making time. It became very clear that we would not make it to Siguat that night.
Eventually we found a nice hotel. Estancia Don Miguel in Quimistan, Santa Barbara. It is new, has secure parking, a decent restaurant and reasonable prices. They have a number of STM teams stay there every year.
Anxious to get to our destinationwe leave early and by 11:30 am we are in Siguatepeque! It feels like coming home as we pull into the SEBCAH compound where we had stayed for two months exactly one year ago, and are greeted by so many of our friends.
THE BEST NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE A HOUSE TO MOVE DIRECTLY IN TO! Our friend, Mark Fittz, had contacted me a few days before when this place became available and asked me if we wanted it. My answer was a resounding, "YES". My hope and prayer had been that we would be able to move immediately into a house on our arrival. By 1:30 pm the trailer is unloaded and we are at home in Honduras!
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