The carribean

I've managed to tear myself away from the hammock for long enough to take a four day diving course.

Puerto Viejo

I'm on a beach by the Carribean. There's only one thing to do - absolutely nothing.
Actually that's not quite true, I am managing to find the time to lounge in a hammock and drink mojitos.
Its okay, I'm not expecting your sympathy.

40,000km

40,000km since leaving home and I've made it as far as Liverpool. Later I was stopped at a police checkpoint. Having asked to see my passport the policeman then seemed a little confused as to what he should do with it. Rather than make a note of my passport number he wrote down the details of my Mongolian visa.

Volcan Arenal, Costa Rica

A volcano hike in the afternoon. An evening spent at thermal hot springs with an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Now remember folks, the life of an around-the-world-motorcyclist is one of hardship and sacrifice.

I hired another fixer at the Costa Rican border. I was quite glad of his assistance as part of the customs process involved handing all of my documents through a bus window.

Granada

Nicaragua's oldest colonial city. Founded by the Spanish in 1524, raided by Captain Henry Morgan in 1665, burned to the ground by American William Walker in 1856.

Most people come here to admire the colonial architecture. I came to Granada because I've owned two of them.




It appears the Nicaraguans don't think much of my Guatemalan haircut - everytime I walk past a barbers shop they try to usher me inside.

Cloud forest zip line tour

Nicaragua

At the border this morning I was approached by a fixer (for the first time). Now, after 27 countries I like to think I've got the hang of border crossings (immigration and customs for the country you're leaving followed by immigration, customs and sometimes insurance for the country you're entering) but for the sake of three quid I thought I'd make use of his services.

For another 60 pence I got a security guard for the bike as well:

Police Corruption in Honduras

I've been stopped by the police twice before and fined (Kazakhstan and Mexico) but in both instances I'd been doing something wrong and didn't mind paying up. Today I was allegedly caught speeding, although the policeman who stopped me couldn't tell me what speed I'd been doing and other cars seemed to be pulled over at random. The 'fine' started off at fifty pounds. I decided to waste as much of his time as possible and he eventually got bored and got in his car to drive off, but he still had my log book and driving licence. The licence was a copy, which he could've kept, but I needed the log book back. He suggested twenty pounds. I gave him three. He wasn't happy. Neither was I. In future I'll make sure all my documents are fakes.

Beer

In the early stages of my trip planning I bought guide books for most of the countries I was going to be visiting to help me decide on a route. One of the places that immediately appealed was a micro-brewery and guesthouse in the highlands of Honduras. In six months of travelling its the only place I contacted in advance to confirm that they'd be open and to make sure they had a room.
So having spent well over an hour trying to find the place I was more than mildly disappointed to get there and find it shut.

Copan, Honduras

Another day, another country, another Mayan ruin. Excuse the jaunty angle, I'm not trying to get all arty, I was trying to cut out some scaffolding in the foreground.

This part was the Mayan equivalent of Buckingham Palace.






I probably won't be spending very long in Honduras. There's been a military coup and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office advise against all but essential travel.

Gautemala City

If it hadn't been for the fact that I needed to buy a new rear tyre (the fourth so far) I don't think I would've bothered going to Guatemala City - it doesn't have a good reputation and big cities are always a pain to get into and out of. But within the space of 20 minutes I met an off-duty fireman on a Yamaha who gave me a souvenir notepad, a family in a Jeep who gave me a Guatemalan flag and once I'd found a tyre I was led out of town by another biker.

Soon after I crossed 90 degrees west - three-quarters of the way around the world.









I hope the sign doesn't say no changing of motorcycle tyres in the hotel car park,

Six Months Ago....

Six months ago I was doing this:

riding along the M20 on my way to Folkestone.
23,695miles later and I'm in Antigua, Guatemala.

Lake Atitlan

Quetzaltenango

Patron Saint's day in Quetzaltenango.

Guatemala

Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, and five days off without riding the bike whilst I go back to school in an attempt to learn some Spanish.

Adios Mexico

My last full day in Mexico and a lunch stop at what turns out to be a trendy organic coffee shop that would be more at home in Campden Lock Market rather than at a Mexican roadside. I started with an omelette but had to stay for a coffee and a slice of homemade cake.





I've had a bit of a sore throat and blocked nose for the last few days. I don't think its anything to worry about, there aren't any health issues associated with travelling through Mexico at the moment are there? There would've been something on the news about it if there were.

Palenque

The guide book suggests getting to Palenque early to avoid the heat. It didn't work. By 9 o'clock it was already hot and humid.