I woke up at a very early time and after rushing around in my room to ensure that I had everything, managed to get the owner to call for a taxi back to the bus terminal that I had arrived at a couple of days ago.
The ride over was short and didn't cost that much, only US $4 but again the best advice is to ask someone first how much it is going to be and then you have a good reason to stand your ground and not take any more.
When I arrived at the bus terminal I had to rush to get the tickets, as I was already cutting it fine with the time and I was a bit shocked to find that the price was US $41 for the 7 hour bus ride and even more shocked to find tat they didnt take credit card, and then to make matters worse the ATM machine that was right outside the ticket office was out of order.
Running around like a headless chicken I managed to find an ATM machine that worked and was further frustrated, but only a little, in that they wouldnt accept the first couple of cards I tried and I was beginning to wonder If I was ever going to get out of Honduras when I tried my emergency back up card and it worked, phew.
Dashing back to the checkin desk I had to then try and summon up enough Spanish to get me a ticket out of there and explain all I needed, as they spoke no English, and by luck and desperation more than skill or fluency I managed to get the message across and get a seat for the bus that was right outside and left in less than ten minutes.
The ride through the countryside was as it always was in these countries, full of green fields, blue skies, occasional big cities and plenty of small broken down huts and clotheless locals going about their daily lives.
At the checkpoint of El Salvador I was abit thrown, as I had not realised I could just stay on the bus as my entry to Hunduras counted for the three neighbouring countries as well, so I got off just to wander around and be told to get back on the bus, so feeling a bit foolish I did.
Sitting back on the coach I sparked up a bit of a conversation with the two German lads next to me, who were travelling to El Salvador for the waves and the beaches, and it wasnt hard to imagine them riding high with the spray all around them.
A few more hours later, and a couple of movies that were not that much cop, I arrived and got out into the blistering heat of the day and again, after getting advice from one of the guards at the bus terminal, accepted a taxi to my hotel that was quite far for only US $5.
Arriving in my hotel I was not impressed, it was a rough and ready looking place right on a main road, which mean that it was surely loud and noisy at nights and early morning, and also the place had no lockers or cupboards for my clothes, no internet or wifi in the entire place and still cost me US $30 a night.
The owner phoned me up a few minutes after I checked in to see if I was ok and if there was anything that he could to do help, which sounded nice, but in actuality was nothing more than lipservice as the map tat I requested was later only shown to me, not given, there was absolutely no tourist or city information made available to me and if it wasnt for my own sense of adventure I am sure that I would have a time spend only in the hotel.
As it was still the early afternoon and the sun was shining down upon me, I fet safe enough to take a wander and soon found a shopping mall and internet cafe, where I learned that my friend wasn't able to meet me due to prior arrangements but hoped to meet me the following day. I replied that it was a shame as my time here was short and then went back to the shopping mall in order to watch a movie and kill some time before getting a bite to eat.
I also was able to find a place where I could pick up another wifi adapter for around US $23, which was a lot less than the one I had bought in the uk, and I just hoped that it would last as long or longer than my first one.
The cinema was showing the comedy movie Tropic Thunder, and it took me a few seconds to figure out that the early trailers were in fact part of the film, and also in joke digs at some other films, like so many films these days.
I was more impressed int he price of the movie and the pizza and drink combo available for the customers, and so I managed to combine my grub and my movie at the same time. The shopping mall was so huge and spread out over such a large area that I think I could have done with a map, and at variuos stages I was out in the open, wondering if I was going in the right direction.
Heading back to the hotel I passed a number of strip joints that I had not noticed earlier due to their smallness and lack of advertising other than neon sings, which of course are neither open nor lit during the day. I reached my hotel to find that my friend had called and left a message to say that she had changed her plans and would be arriving a little after 7pm, which was barely enough time for me to go to my room and, take a shower and fix myself up.
She arrived on time and I was very happy that she had been able to change her plans as she worked during the day which meant that we would not get to spend much time together had she not, but this way we got at least a few more hours and I woud be spending one less night bored in a hotel alone.
My friend M' drives a nice car and suggested we go to a place near her work, which was another Mall, but this one much grander, with a miiature train,a crazy golf course, plenty of bars and restaurants and even a bungee chair that would shoot you up into the air for a few bucks for five minutes.
As M' was not in the mood for golf or bungee we instead went to a nearby restaurant where we had a chat, got to know each other a little better and enjoyed 'The best' pancakes with syrup and strawberries I have ever tried, and for a price that was afordable. The Mall itself was very stylish, modern and full of water features, Christmas decorations and places to sit down.
After the snack we headed off to another Mall,as elegant, modern and tidy as the first where we found a bar called My Way, with all the classic designs and ideas of the Rat Pack and together we enjoyed a drink in a place that was almost deserted, as the neighbouring bar was having the band 'Creed' play a low key gig.
Finally she drove me back to my hotel before we agreed to meet up again inthe morning for breakfast before she would go off to work and leave me to my own devices for the day.
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