My departure from Costa Rica effectively ended the first leg of the trip. Central America is in the books and admittedly it’s been a bit of a whirl-wind. I’ve traveled a little faster than I probably should have, seemingly spending almost as much time on a bus as in a hostel. I didn’t get too far outside of the capital cities, which I know to some travelers is a travesty, but to be honest, I’m ok with it. For whatever reason, Central America has never held a lofty place in my traveler’s mind. I’ve of course always had a desire to pass through, but never in the same romantic sense as the mountains of Argentina, the jungles of Kenya, or the sands of Egypt.
Five places stick out in my mind:
- Antigua, Guatemala: Quaint, comfortable and relaxing. Close enough to surrounding volcanoes and the highlands to provide adventure, far enough away from Guatemala City to give you a little piece of mind. I truly enjoyed my time here and will try to get back at some point.
- Panama City, Panama: Two cities in one – The historical center is making a comeback from years of neglect, and the new town bears an eerie resemblance to the Manhattan skyline. If the new plans for the expansion of the canal are approved soon, watch out for Panama City in the next 10 years.
- San Jose, Costa Rica: I spent more time here than anywhere else, mainly due to my departing flight, but it’s a good place to recharge the batteries.
- Belize City, Belize: A Caribbean town in Central America. Dirty, aggressive and expensive. I was happy to put it in my rearview mirror.
- Guatemala City, Guatemala: I don’t get scared too often, but this city fit the bill. I’ll remember the ride into the “Guate” bus station at 5:30 in the morning for the rest of my life.
I will say though, Central America was a great place to start this little adventure. I learned a lot about traveling, and traveling light. About eating and eating right. About how bad my Spanish is, and how glad I am that pretty much every other culture makes their kids learn more than one language.
Along the way, of course, there are anecdotes that beg to be remembered. Below are some random thoughts and observations.
- Eight countries in three weeks is a lot.
- Most buses aren’t built for me.
- The famous “Chicken buses” pretty much suck. Less comfortable than a big tour bus, with more stops and more people. And chickens.
- If you find yourself in Belize City, find your way out.
- No one tries to hide stares.
- The scenery from the Central American road is tremendous.
- You can’t flush toilet paper in a lot of the toilets. You have to throw it away in the trash. Yes, I know.
- Showers in Costa Rica are warmer if the pressure is lower.
- Everyone should hike a volcano
- The bus drivers are terrible.
- I have a new appreciation for the English language and Coke.
- Canadians travel really well, followed by Scandinavians and Australians.
- There are a lot of really beautiful women wearing some amazingly skin-tight, low cut, head-turning clothes.
- There’s no such thing as “gaudy” in Central America.
- There are a lot of fat, white Americans in San Jose speculating on land opportunities.
- Postcard stamps are really big in Costa Rica and Panama
- The NFL playoffs will draw Americans to some strange places in the world
- There are a good number of women trying to wear amazingly skin-tight, low cut, head-turning clothes that shouldn’t be. And they don’t care.
- Border crossings on a bus are a pain in the ass.
- Not too many people in Central America have seen a 6’9” white guy walking around their town.
- Everyone should see the Panama Canal.
- Twin bunk beds are not constructed with me in mind.
- Some showers have huge plastic heads with electrical cords running into them.
- It’s disturbing when you see a thin trail of smoke coming from the electrical tape on the electrical cords in the showerhead when taking a shower.
- Always have cash at the border.
- The popular national beers of each country pretty much all taste the same.
- Tour bus drivers will let absolutely anyone on board to sell absolutely anything.
- Everyone in Central America has a cell phone.
- The national currency of El Salvador and Panama is the US Dollar.
- Inhibitions need to be checked at the US border.
