Yesterday I spent the whole day just hanging around waiting for a bus. I was also on a mission to change some money cos I was down to my last 70 quetzals. (Here they say ket-sul-ess and there is 7 to the dollar) I had to cross the causeway to Santa Elena to find a banko cos there isn't one in Flores. There was a big promotion going on in the new shopping centre so I managed to spend some time there. You know you are in a good shopping centre when all the greeters are holding a pump action shotty. I managed to get some change so I headed home to get shower, change and check out. They are going to hold my bag here for me for the arvo.
I decided to go up the hill to the church and sit in the shade a read for a while in the hope I could catch some breeze. All the seats in the good shade are covered in bird ****. Lucky I got my camos on. (They have a big rip in them and prolly last another couple of weeks) It is Sunday...no one told me. The noise I had to put up with?
I for dinner I had the same as last night. There are some old women set up stalls by the waterfront. They don't speak English and my Spanish is very weak and limited to a few pick up lines. Anyway we managed to work it out and I got 2 plates of food, one burritos and one with big round corn chips covered in veggies. All for 10 quetzals ($1.50) bargain.
The number one thing NOT to do in Central America is take the night bus. They frequently get robbed and should be avoided. I looked at alternatives, like flying or going somewhere else but couldn't find something suitable. So I did it and here I am in GC. I did take the first class bus and I got the very front seat on the top deck. When we left I had both seats so I thought bonus but just after I got comfortable we stopped and a fat Mexican woman got on and you guessed it set next to me. We only had one comfort stop and buss drivers all over the world do the same thing. They just stop, they don't tell you how long or any other stuff you might need to know they just stop then when they are ready to go they get in rev the bus a few times then take off. Speedy got us here an hour early so it was too early to go looking for a hotel so I decided to stay at the bus station. It looked like a lot of other people had the same idea. I thought what if they all going for the same hotel as me? So about 5.30 I decided to head for the hotel I wanted and be the first in line. Lucky for me I found it straight away and it was only about 5 min walk fron the bus station. I was prepared to wait but a taxi driver out the front rang the bell and night manager answered. They do have a room and he let me in straight away. The room is beautiful, the best I have had so far. It is clean, comfortable bed, tv and HOT shower. I had a shower, did some washing and went for a walk for breakfast.
I have been out, had a nanny nap and now feeling pretty good. I went down to Parque Central and took some photos but I might have to go back and get some in better light. They have two bus systems here. The one you would expect with heaps of **** running around with the locals and a new circular route that is good for me cos I can go sight seeing very cheap.


This arvo I was on a mission to change some money and take a bus ride. The bus ride was a bit of fun but not really any use. I don't know if I was supposed to have a ticket but I walked around the turnstile. The roads here are barely two lanes wide and one way. Next to them is a footpath and the buildings are right there so in the bus you can't see much just the bit of the building fight in front of you. I did spy a big mercado that I will have to check out.
I went looking for a banko to change money. The first one I found don't change money but they sent me to another one. They didn't tell me the other one is inside an electrical store. Long story short I walked miles down town but eventually found what I was looking for.
I stopped in the mercado on the way home and was going to cut sick on stuff for Noah and Sonny but i remembered I still have 6 countries to go through. I maybe can't buy stuff for them just yet but I can still look for cool T shirts. I got caught in the rain this arvo. Lucky I had a poncho with me. It is really the first time the rain has bothered me, except for the hurricane. Have you ever tried walking in the rain in thongs? I need to do something about footwear. I blew out a shoe on my second day in Mexico and I blew out a thong in Belize so I only have my good Coles thongs and a cheap pair of sandals I bought.


I had breakfast in the hotel this morning and ordered eggs. I got scrambled with the usual brown stuff they put with everything. I asked what it is and she said beans. I don't care what it beans it is **** now. I even had nachos in Mexico with that **** on. No tomato salsa or sour cream! Really you would think they could make proper nachos in this part of the world?
I went looking for a but to buy Bolito (ticket) to Xela manyana (tomorrow) but not much luck. FDN are just around the corner but I have to go to another station across town. A couple of other places around either don't do it or are ful. I am going to wing it tomorrow and go to the big chicken bus station and get something. I don't care, I have a fe options, Quetzaltenango, Hueheutanango or chichicastenango if worst comes to worst I can go the other way around an go to Panajachel.
While I was down town I had some fun with the girls selling phones. Trying my best Spanish and they were ******* it when I got stuff wrong. They had great deals on 20 year old phones. Have a look at the pics. For less than $30 I could have phone and some credit. I also went to the Inguate office (tourist bureau). They gave me some maps and bus time tables that were a little help. Also while I was out I bought some new shoes for about $20 on sale. I hope they last a while cos this place has been murder on cheap footwear so far