To Roatan and Back Again

April 23, 2008

Sunday was the day to travel to the island of Roatan and our plan was to take the public bus since it was cheaper and my A/C still was not working the best. Emily dropped us off at the big bus terminal and we began the search for our bus-line. But after twenty minutes we still had not found it. Several other companies tried to get us to take their “direct” buses (otherwise known as the “Chicken” bus since chickens could very well be your companions). The bus I had hoped to take was a coach but without A/C. When I asked the one company if their buses were school buses, the worker said “no, they are nice buses” but a man standing nearby said, “School buses.” We completely looked like tourists by this point with our backpacks wandering around the station. I even tried calling the bus company but they could not even tell me where they were located within the station so I decided they were not too concerned about their sales. At last I said forget it and Emily came back and got us and we drove. It was a three hour drive which can make for a long day since you have to be so focused on the driving and forever passing the trucks going 30mph. But we arrived in La Ceiba and were stopped at a checkpoint where the policeman so kindly told us (after seeing 3 American girls in the car) that we were going to be robbed. Thankfully he was wrong.

A really neat turn of events was that we were able to meet up with a pastor in La Ceiba whom my pastor had mentioned to me that morning at church. I called him to ask for directions to the ferry and we ended up meeting he and his family at Wendy’s. He offered to drive us to the dock and then stored my car at his house, thereby saving us the parking fee. Upon our return to the city he graciously drove us around so that my friend could see all the places her parents had lived and worked years ago. He was ready to give us his entire day even though I am sure he had many other things to do. I do love that part about this culture.

I always have prided myself on not having trouble with motion sickness and boats, but the ferry ride almost changed that. You know it is going to be bad when they pass out bags to every passenger before you even leave the port. Thankfully we reached the island before I could be too sick. In Roatan we pretty much relaxed, wandered around the one town, ate (awesome Coconut Smoothies), marveled at the sunset, and played a game of Settler’s. It was a good way to spend a birthday – if snow is not an option.