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Didn't have to start until 10 but couldn't sleep in again so got up and ate some more pineapple- I'm addicted!!
Had the exam at 10 which I hadn't studied for but didn't think I needed to! Simon and I got 92% and Richard got 86%. My brain was functioning a lot better then! Had a couple of hours before our dives so grabbed some lunch with June from my room and a couple of guys. Had a baleada of course- so delicious!!! Came back to find that the owner of Altons dive centre was concerned about all the bites (everyone is covered in them but she was horrendously bitten- a combo of mozzies, sand flies and potentially bed bugs) all over June and discovered a bed bug or two under the mattress. He said they must have come with the last guests. We were told to change rooms but didn't get around to it- she slept on the top bunk instead. Did a couple of dives in the afternoon which was cool. Saw an eagle and sting ray cruising around which made a nice change to fish! Id never seen an eagle ray anyway. Only had to do a couple of exercises to complete the open water course!! Was handing my gear back after the dive and dropped the weight belt from chest height onto my foot- it hurt!!!!!!!!!!!! Was lying in the room using Junes laptop (which the usage was exchanged for my pineapple cutting skills!) when I discovered that my photos from Guatemala and Belize were in some random stupid folder on the camera! Was stoked. June was sleeping and I was using the computer, contemplating going to bed shortly, until Jarl from the US came by and rounded up the French and slovakian guys to head out. There was meant to be a beach party with a bikini comp and stuff so June and I put ours on just incase there was no one else to go in it- the $100 prize was tempting. Turns out this was unnecessary in fact.. Jarl had bought a bottle of vodka and a big container of cranberry juice (which actually cost more than the vodka!) and he was very generous with his portions - he poured everyone a big cup of virtually 1/2 and 1/2, so we took the dive centres cups for the road, ensuring one of us would remember where we stashed the cups to get them on the way back! Picked up an american and couple of canadian girls along the way that the guys had met, and went to tranquila bar and then to treetanic- apparently rated #4 in the 2009 worlds best bars! It was awesomely decorated like in a fantasy world. Drinking literally in a tree. There weren't heaps around but enough to have a good time. The chef from the dive centre was there being absolutely ridiculous and hilariously drunk. Making comments to me also haha. Got back to the dive centre and we all had a feast of leftover baleada, my bread and someone else's nutella and whatever else. Got to bed at about 3, ready to get up at 7!
Was a bit of a challenge getting up for the first morning in a while!! Dragged myself the 30m to the dive boat to set up my gear. Simon couldn't go because he has had trouble equalizing and it's dangerous to continue diving, so I thought it'd be just Carlos and I because there was no sign of richard! He hadn't come home yet! However, he made it just in time. Had another two dives- our free 'fun dives' included with the course. It was much better than the previous day because there were only 10 on board instead of 18 so there was much more space! I felt a lot better and more refreshed at the bottom of the ocean not on board. Carlos took lots of pics of us which was good since my camera wouldn't handle the pressure at 20m deep! Headed back to shore after two dives, making my total at 6 open water dives for the island. Would have loved to have the time to continue on and do advanced open water + rescue diver + dive master but not an option for me! Packed up my s***, got the pics off Carlos and said goodbye to a few people then June walked with me down to the ferry. Grabbed a couple of last minute baleadas for the trip and got on board, dreading the next day or so. Slept for a while but the trip was mostly flat calm - more than what I can say for the trip over!!! Got a taxi to the bus station where they were just about to leave. This bus to San Pedro Sula was supposed to take 3 hrs, it took almost 5...... Couldn't handle one more beeping of the bus horn after that trip!! Sat in traffic next to a chicken bus which had the whole bus singing at least 3 songs which was interesting! Made it to SPS and immediately knew it was going to be s***. Was hoping because of the terminals large size that it acted like an airport where I could avoid leaving it and just crash somewhere. As soon as I got there I knew this wasn't an option- it was already eerily quiet and locked up at 7:30pm!! People harassed me for a taxi and tried to work out where I was going, feeling a bit stressed out. The first hostel in the lonely planet was the only thing I could manage so the taxi took me there (expensive!) with two other guys in the taxi (something you should never do, but i questioned the driver about my own taxi with no idea what his response was!! The other guys both had iphones so i felt hopeful that they weren't going to rob me!). The downtown area was again eerily quiet and i didn't like the place at all!! Some hookers on each corner reassured me that i was in a dodgy place, and the aids capital of central america! But i was relieved to think I would be able to sleep for a few hours. I found out i could do just that, but the only bed they had was a mattress from the cupboard under the stairs that was about half as long as I was. It still cost me L240- about twice the amount I'd been paying for other normal hostels! The only positive was that I had some good company- two German girls, two South African guys and an Aussie guy. Watched a bit of legally blonde with Spanish subtitles and waited until they fixed their wi fi before going to sleep. Had been feeling pretty ordinary all afternoon- sweating like crazy yet my actual skin felt cool, was hoping I hadn't contracted anything from the mozzies on utila or something!!
Only a few hours later it was time to get up. The German girls had organised a taxi for 3:30am so I went with them (which I ended up paying more for, due to not having correct change, but was again really expensive - as soon as they know you don't speak spanish and after dark the prices increase dramatically!) the tica bus left at 5, and thought things were going smoothly until I realised we were already 1.5 hours late getting into the capital tegucigalpa. Great start. The rest of the trip dragged on, the taxes etc ended up costing $15 US which is a load of bulls***, bcos we all thought it would be $7/$8, but the driver made up some stories I think! There is a 4A agreement between Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica about not having to pay to enter these countries once you have a stamp from one. But like everything in this region it's a world of lies to gain fortune. The border crossing from honduras to nicaragua was slow despite the bus driver organizing the passport part of the border. They had to look through everyones bags. Lots of people got off in Leon, which I would have loved to visit if I had time. I had to give Louise some money back but kept going to Managua. Once I arrived there I followed this English girl straight through to the Tica Bus Hotel, without even having to leave the terminal. It was like a prison, the hotel didn't even have any water I could drink!! I didn't want to leave the terminal so I pulled through the night feeling like I was trapped in for the night! The room was only $2 more than the previous night but it was a private room rather than a mattress on the floor!
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