Who Needs an ATM Card

It has been a while.

From Somoto headed down to Esteli. Just checked out war museum and then pushed on to Leon as I had a urge to see a beach. In Leon the Aussies served a mean sangria in the dorm. Next day headed to the coast. Spent a rough two days at Las Penitas lying in a hammock reading. Taking breaks to swimming in the ocean. Back in Leon the Aussies were still there and more drinks to be consumed. Next day got a slow start and headed to Managua which I zipped through and continued to Masaya. Masaya. is known for its Mercado Artesanias which is nice, but I am not ready to add more stuff to my backpack. There is a nice overlook into a lagoon from the edge of town. Above the town is Fortaleza De Coyotepe which is known for being a place to make your last stand from 1912 to Somoza's Guardia Nacional in 1979. All of last stands at the fort were not successful. There were good views from the fort and bats were hanging out in the lower tunnels. From there caught a ride to Volcan Masaya. At the gate to the park there were signs all over the guard house "No Solo Entrada" with a picture of a guy walking with a slash through it. The guard talked to me in Spanish for two minutes while I smiled and nodded. Then he waited to for a answer to his question. As I understood almost none of the conversation I was once again my limited Spanish. He asked for my nationality in English and then took my entry fee. I was in and hiking the 5k to the Volcano rim. There is smoke coming out of the large crater that obscured the bottom from view. I could see a good ways in but no lava was visible. All the cars in the packing lot were backed for a quick departure as a couple of years ago the volcano started shooting out large rocks (500lbs) taking out a couple of cars. Caught a ride to park gate with some guys from Florida. Then immediately some Spanish travelers got me a ride in the front of an SUV that took me to bus I needed to catch. I thanked the Palestinian driver with one of the two Arabic words I still know. And he would not take any money for the ride. My luck with rides was good and I had not missed any of places I needed to stop at. The bus was taking a while to be ready to leave. I wander a little ways into the market for a look. Then I realized it was going to take me a while to find my way back to the bus terminal. The bus that I was planning to take was gone. There was another bus in its place and just another hour wait. The first bus did not have any tread left on its tires so the second bus may have been a good thing.

Got to Laguna de Apoyo and found the place I wanted to stay full. The next place was just down road and had a room. Almost everywhere I have gone the hotels have rooms on my first try. Laguna de Apoyo is a lake in the middle of a old volcano. Swimming is great in the volcano's waters. In Granada I notice that I could not find my ATM card. Did a piece by piece search of everything no card. So I must have not put it back in the wallet last time at the ATM. Good news is I have another ATM card for a different bank.

Love and Kisses
Steve

Did something unusual and hired a guide for the Somoto Canyon. It worked out well as he provided water shoe and the Explore 200. Trip started with vultures flying low over head. Will let the pictures show the canyon. There was a good bit of swimming. Last little bit when it opened up we took a boat. I know you rafter types want the oars.

Love & Kisses
Steve

Traveling south

Hopped a truck out Gracias. Got one last picture of Mt Celaque. Its progress may have been slow due to the load of bricks in the back with me. In San Juan think I saw most of the town from the truck, so I hung out waiting for the bus talking to a Cuban doctor working in town. Got to La Esperanza which was a rough town but had a market place I wanted to check out. Ran across a tailor who I had fix my pants the were torn hiking/crawling. Double his rapido price with a bonus that made it two bucks. In the middle of the market a gentleman that did not seem quite right and had a crazed look in his eye grabbed my hand and demanded a dollar. I told him no and he just went away. Around the corner I ran into one of his buddies tasting sidewalk and not caring as his bottle was empty. I moved on.
I arrived in Tegucigulpa (the capital) after dark. Like DC everyone recommends a cab. Pick the driver that recognizes the name of the hotel I was saying. The hotel is on a one way street and the cab does a neat move to back around the corner up to the hotel to be going the right way. Cab driver does not want his money in the street, but waits till we are inside of the hotel. He watches everyonre on the street nervously when outside. I need food and the hotel clerk indicates around the corner. I look both ways and head out. Find a Chinese restaurant with a guy using a metal detector at front. Only two items with out meat and they are Tou Fu. They are out of tofu. After a good number of tries they finally figure out I will except just vegetables. I make it back to the hotel watching everyone on the street and being casual about it.
I the daylight the streets are safer. I walk the ten blocks to the bus stop. On the way I spot a donut shop and pick up two. I feel safer. Get to where the bus is suppose to be and find only taxis and they are starting to move on. I am not going to hang on an empty street. One of the cab drivers knows where the bus to Danli real is and puts his passengers in his cab into another. I am going to get a great deal for this ride. The bus stop is across town so I am very happy with the ride and keep the fare to just very good.
Getting out of the cab my water bottle with filter falls into a hole. I do consider leaving it in the sewer water. I climb down an safely retrieve the bottle as it has my water filter system. A block away is the the golden arches which to season traveler means clean bathroom. Water bottle gets clean enough to be put back into the pack. In the bus I eat the donut as I fell secure.
Check out the town of Danli. Remember I need a lighter for my next jungle adventure. I am still murdering the language as encendedor got me a light bulb. Fosforos got me matches and then worked it from there to a lighter.
Then I was off to the border. The bus stopped short in a traffic jam and everyone walked the last quarter mile to the border through the packed vehicles. Think I stopped at all the write offices because I made it through. Next border crossing will tell. Stopped in Ocotal to get some local money and the ATM worked on a Saturday. Ocotal was the first city ever to have fighter plans bomb it. Guess who´s marines did that? Ended the day in Somoto watching a basketball game and eating pizza in the main square. Tomorrow I am of to a local canyon to hike and swim. I decided to not go to Cerro Mogoton Nicaragua's highest peak. No guides go there due to Oliver North mines as they are still exploding the wildlife. Officially all landmines have been removed. Ojo, no salir de sendero!!
Love and Kisses
Steve

Adventure

Spanish word for the day is ¨sendero¨ (path).

Started mid morning as I headed up Celaque (Honduras highest peak). Caught a mototaxi to the park entrance 9K from town on a 4x4 dirt road being a stream bed in places.

The first mile and half is switch backs which were not to bad but long. Met a gentleman carrying a bag of oranges down the trail. He gave me two and would not take any money. They were good. Took a side trip to view a large water fall which included a 500ft climb for a quick view of the falls a in the distance. Then when through a rolling section of the trail for a ways with a number of creek crossings. Came to a couple of rough buildings being built. This I assumed was one of the camps that was on the hand drawn map I got in town. The trail was suppose to fork soon. After going a quarter mile I came to a creek crossing that was a bit bigger than the others. I figure I was on the wrong trail as the map showed the river crossing for the other trail. So I went back to the the building finding no other trail, but the trail I was on was not well defined. So taking a look at the topo map which has no trails on it I figure where I should be in the jungle. I decide to take a short cut straight up the mountain. It is four o´clock as I head up the 1800 feet to the top. At 4:30 it is dusk at 5:00 it is dark. I climb on by headlamp and the slopes are now 60 degrees with the jungle getting thicker. It became harder to find a ways through the thick brush and vines as it also was getting steeper. Headlamp shows me why each time I stop to rest the mosquitoes are buzzing my ears. Mosquitoes ckeep me moving. Slope is now 70 degrees with with the footing that gives way at times. Half the limbs and trees I grab are rotten, so it is tricky to find good branches or trees to pull myself up with. I start looking for a spot I can camp on, but the slope is way to steep. I finally come to a cliff wall there is room to camp roughly on a rocky area. I am 200 meters from the top so I look for a way through the cliffs and find an opening.

The opening is filled with brush and trees. I haul myself up the 80 degree slope. As I reach up for one hand hold I see a small taranchula is where i want to put my hand. I move hand that is wrapped under a log to where I can see it just in case of friends and family. Go a little further with some expose face rock climbing. The route closes off and I need to down climb. I find another route that has a nice bed of ferns below. I drop into them and find they are 6 feet deep and a thicket. I fight my way out of them on the steep slope. Working my way back to the rough camp I find I am up on different set of cliffs. I hear my water bottles fall out of the pack and ending up somewhere below. Ground gives way and I drop seven feet onto a lower very narrow ledge. I try tossing my backpack up the cliff but it will not stay as the slope is to steep. Next bad choice is to drop it and hope it does not roll to far before stopping. I drop the pack and it rolls and drops three times before stopping somewhere below in the dark. I try climbing up to the ledge

above but the branch breaks and I end up busting my lip open. I drop down instead, going 8 feet at a time and hoping the way will not run out. I Make it to the bottom. A quick search turns up my pack and one empty water bottle. I camp on the rough but generally flat area. I am dehydrated, but I only have half a liter of water and some canned fruit for dinner. Even with all my gear under me the rocks are evident as I try to sleep.

Morning shows I am camped under a hundred foot cliff that is vertical. Work my way to the edge of the ridge and can pick out my location on the topo map positively from the view. I decide to climb down as the exposure is too great to continue up. I find my other water bottles near my tent so I am back in water and must have been up on the cliff somewhere above camp. It is great when you can only see 20 feet with by headlamp you don´t see the exposure. I head down the mountain picking a better route that is not so overgrown. Once I hit the trail I head up the mountain refilling my water in the stream. A mile later I come to the camp and fork in the trail that are marked on the map. A bit further on I see a sign that says caution ??? dangerous.
Curious what "tramo" is. The trail did get steeper and I need to use my hands to pull myself up. The top flattened out and it was and easy walk through the cloud forest to the top Celaque. Yes, I carried every thing I brought to Central America including the fins. The cloud forest was great and with plants growing every where. If it was flat there was something growing on it.




I camp near base of the summit. The next morning I headed south. There was no trail I could find so I worked my way through the jungle. Some large logs I stepped on disintegrated beneath me. A half a mile through the dense forest I spot what could be a trail and not just a game trail. It is not marked but turns out to be a trail and heading in the same direction I want to go. I am glad to be on the trail as it is slow going without it. It is overgrown in parts and there is no markers showing where the trail should be making it tricky to stay on it at times. I come to an old building marked as a camp. From then on the trail is good, just need to pick the correct fork. I should have picked water at the only creek crossing I passed early in the morning as I only had only one liter of water for the day. Going down this long ridge I finally come across a small village and check directions. The water there and from then on looks questionable. The road I was pointed to turned into a path and no hopes of a ride. I continued to walk passing through more villages but only transport was horses. As dusk was starting to settle and I was getting to near the other side of the valley, I see a lad riding his horse up the hill carrying a bottle of coke. Asked about store and it is less than a kilometer. I am motivated as it is getting dark and the store may close. I get to the a real road and and I get directions to the store just down the road. No water, but there is cold coke and fanta to replentish me. I am seeing dividends in my coke stock. The sun is setting and I head down the road wondering where I will camp as this village does not look like it has a hotel. I make it only a hundred yards when firsts truck to pass is a newer Toyota truck and it gives me a ride to Gracias. I try to to pay him for the ride but he won´t accept money. It must have been my comment on Honduras going to the world cup in South Africa. I go right to the hotel restaurant and a Belgian girl ask to have dinner with me. The gods are being good to me. And she must have been up wind as the shirt I am wearing is the same for the last three days.

Love & Kisses
Steve

Day of travel

I did get the next bus and did not need to go back again. The bus stopped continually to pick up and drop off passengers I do not think we went a kilometer with out stopping. Hitching (jalon) a ride in the back of a truck is common and is looking better. Stopping ever hundred yards. 61 Kilometers and two hours and fifteen minutes so far. I see a red Toyota coming at us fast around a bend. It hits the side of the bus and bounces off. I did not see the carnage as the bus continues on. A few miles down the driver stops and checks the damage, which was a big dent in the rim. Someone said the truck rolled. The bus continued on to La Entrada. At the edge of town the bus is pulled over by the police. After a bit of a discussion with the driver, he continues on to the terminal with the police on board.
At the terminal the bus to Santa Rose was ready to go and I was on it. It did not make as many stops. Last bus for the day was like a sardine can and the driver kept trying to get more passengers before we would go. Got to Gracias after dark.

Today I am of to Montaria Celaque as it is the highest peak and is in a cloud forest. There was a Dutchman lost somewhere on the mountain a few years ago and they still have not found him. Bought a bit of food and should be back off the mountain after a 3 or 4 days. Have a loaf of bread to mark my way in, so I can find my way back.
Love & Kisses
Steve

slight delay

Ruins were Copan were good with lots of sculpture as advertised.  You could have entire plazas to yourself.  People must be reading the state department warnings about Honduras.  This morning I had a mid morning start and spent a half  hour melting on the bus waiting for it to leave town.  Then I saw someone putting on there sunglasses and thought where are mine.  As the bus was leaving I did a quick check of my gear as I did not remember packing the bag that had sunglasses , Raincoat, GPS ....  A kilometer out of town I hopped off the bus and got back to the hostel to find my bag at the back of the locker under the bed.  Now I have 50 minutes to wait for the next bus in the sun again.  So I am in the Internet cafe writing. Love and Kisses Steve

Central America

Made it to Honduras where el Presidente has some issues and is getting to know the Brazilian ambassador better. The trip so far has gone as planned with Ida not being a problem with the Atlanta hop and arrived on time in San Pedro Sula. Taxi got me to the bus station not once being touched by any of the lorries that we were zipping between. With a little work found the right bus to Copan Runias (ruin) town. The town is in great shape as its name comes from the Mayan ruins next to it. Only took three tries to find the hostel as I wonder the stone paved streets. The town is only five blocks each way. This trips goal is to work on a tan. Other goal so far is to find out if the rumors are of the Mayan calendar telling of the end of the world are true. I may also need to find out what I need to present at an alter to consult the gods on this. Would have sent this out last night, but the town had the power go out during my dinner, so I ended up with a candle lit dinner. When I was getting my bed there was something said in Spanish about no water and electricity. As I was not getting what was being said they spoke faster and added more words I did not understand. An Aussie came by then to tell me that the power had been out earlier in the day and there was yet no water. Nice to be back in a civilized country where paper is put in the trash and not in the toilet. Love & Kisses Steve

Backpack is loaded and ready to go.

Hi all, It is time for another trip as I have been layoff.  I am off to sunnier places to climb volcanoes, go up tall ancient ruins where others have left there hearts, and wandering through jungles on this trip.  There will be some diving and snorkeling also to be done.  So can you guess where I will be, in a tropical breeze?  Trip starts in five days and I will be updating my blog http://adrifttraveler.blogspot.com/ on my travels.    Love and kisses, Steve

Edinburgh Bound

Yes, there were kilts and leiderhozen, but no dresses in the pub.  Glad I change from my biking shorts to long pants as I did not want to give the lads any ideas as I looked good in those shorts.  Ladies were dancing together as they may not trust themselves around that many unshaven legs.

Off to Edinburgh with the plan.  I am getting in at 2:30 and need to find a box for the bike.  Have a list of bike shops.  After I finding the box I need to then get to the hostel and drop of the bike.  Then I  walk back to the shop and retrieve the bike box before closing.  Else I have no way to get my bike back home the next morning.  The plan goes perfectly as  the first shop has the box. They just need to remove the new bike from it.  The bus even let the box on for the mile trip back to the hostel.  Bike is now in the box and I will be up early to airport.  You need to experience Edinburgh with competing corner musicians with their bagpipes.  Street performers are quite active and then what some people are wearing on the street and I don't think that they were headed to a fancy dress party.  The fringe festival is still a good ways off.  The town is quite lively
4 miles
Love & kisses
Steve

And more Highlands

I could get use to the castle life my. house could fit in library or the next room up the sitting room.  Just forgot the single malt to sip and enjoy the view.
21.5 miles
I'm off again heading south.  I did not leave my hand print on any of the bottoms of statues.  Rain has come again but no real wind.  Travel along a loch stopping to see pictish carved stones.  Then off to the coast with fighter jets near by doing target practice.  A short ferry ride and a few more hills then I am on the bridge into Inverness.  The loop of north Scotland is completed.  The hostel does have room.  I am off to the pub having Thai food (no deep fryer) listening to a traditional Scottish band.
59.4
The day starts out a little wet and gets more wet as I go.  Head out to Fort George a cannon fort..  Big place and the military still uses the builds there.  More cannons seam to point inland than into the bay they were there to protect.  That unruly populace again?  As I work my way back to Inverness rain picks up to a solid storm and even has hail at times.  Ah that was what I was expecting when biking in Scotland and the feeling will come back to my hands and feet.  Back again to Inverness and some great Indian food.  Yes the UK has great Indian and Pakistan food.  Now for some more traditional music and a pint or two..   A number of the guys in the pub have leiderhozen with dress this going to be a fun night.
33.7 miles
Love & kisses
Steve

More Highlands

There is a pub is just down the road from the ferry.  After dinner on two miles to the hostel.  Now that was an easy day.
35 miles
Another clear day and light breeze from the east.  I head into the wind.  Get passed by four racing cycles all in matching outfits on an uphill.  They look like shriners.  I do not bring it up with them as they have "Royal Marine Commandos" emblazoned on there blue jerseys.  On the down hill I start to gain on them.  Then another uphill and they are gone.  A few miles future I pass them as they patch a tire. Winner goes to the heavy duty tires.  A week ago there was a road race south of here and an older man through tacks in the road taking out 300 bikes with punctures.  He was mad that the road was closed for a couple of hour for the race.  Another group of four blue jerseys pass me, and then let me draft for a mile before pulling away on a hill "yea".  Shortly there after I am at Wick heading off to view a castle..  Get there and it is closes for reconstruction.  No one is around so I hop the three foot gate.  Second part has a locked iron gate with high walls.  I am out of luck as I did not bring my castle assault kit.   Fog rolls in so I don't go up to the light house as it is lost in the fog.  Then onwards to Camster cairns.  Nice cairns you can crawl into.  Decide to change plans and not go down the coast, but to go down the center Scotland.  It will avoid the heavy traffic and the fog.  I am ahead of schedule so it is only extra miles.  I head backup to the northern coast as there is no direct way to cross to the center of Scotland.  I push past Reay and find a nice spot on some cliffs above the sea.  Best camping spot so far with great views of the sunset and the north sea.
77.3 miles
As I was hanging out the next morning, some bird watchers came by and pointed ou the puffins below.  They even lone me there field glasses to see them better.  I had been looking for puffins for a while with no luck.  Then I just camp right above them.  A light northern breeze good for pushing me south.  I head south up along a nice river.  The day is spent going over gentle hills and looking across giant moors.  Last 12 miles are down hill with the wind behind me.  Midgies motivate me to setup my tent with speed. 
 75.6 miles
Cool morning with no breeze.  Exit the tent with long pants and a head net.  Midgies are waiting but do not have access the flesh as I pack.  Ten miles down the road is a castle youth hostel.  I decide to stay and have quiet day here.  And not because of the gallery of nude lady statues.  I am caught up today with my writing as it is Jun 3.
Love & kisses
Steve

Orkney

Arrive at Stromness and find no room at the inn.  I head out of town and fine a great site next to the sea with nice mowed grass that is next to a cemetery.  Maybe I'll get a visitor tonight to talk to while enjoying the great sea views..
33.8
Dreams of southern Spain have come true.  There is not a cloud in the sky and a light breeze.  Off to see 5000 year old ruins.  In one burial cairn viking hung out in during a long storm.  They wrote a good bit, including about   Olga who was very friendly.  Large stone circles and one viking ruin that    can only be gotten to during low tide.
The hills are covered with grass.  Cows fill the fields..  The hills on Orkney are gentle rolling hills making easy riding.  Until I head south to Kirkwall and find the wind has picked up in the wrong direction.  Long ride but I need to get to a hostel and shower.  Just wish a van would go slower so I could draft.  Getting near nine when I get to Kirkwall.  Grab a quick vegi burger (no bun this time burger is just tossed on top of chips).   
Find the hostel after venturing down a few wrong roads.  They are open and have beds available.  Nice to grab a shower after camping for a while and riding hard. 
52.7 miles
Going for an easy day.  Wind is from the south again and it is a solid breeze.  Tack ten miles down to the south west to a old round church and drinking hall.  Foundation outline for the drinking hall.  The best way to describe the round church was there was one side wall to it.  A bust.  Coast up the hills to the north as the breeze pushes me.  Maybe I miss judged the breeze.  Get to some ruins of a very old fort and town that I passed by yesterday.  They are ok.  Now I am heading back down from the north end of the island on the same road as yesterday with a head wind again.  Check Kirkwall weather and the wind speed is 25 mile.  Make it back to Kirkwall again at nine and head off to a protected bay to camp.  The hostel was fairly grim last night.  Camp over looking a old wrecked ship in the bay.
50.0 miles (easy day ???)
Sunny again and a very light eastern breeze.  I head south and hope to take a ferry this evening.  Low point.  There is such a thing as a shit spreador and being down wind is not a good thing with a working nose.  The southern islands are connected by cause ways built during WW2. There are old ship wrecks from WW1 that were sunk there on purpose to protect the straights.  In WW2 a U-boat slipped by the wrecks and sank a cruiser then got away.  So they built the causeways with italian labors during WW2.  The italian soldiers also built a nice chapel out of a quacet hut. From the front and inside you can not tell what the building was as they painted on tiles and stone to the walls.  Saw a few more ruins then off to the ferry.  There was no time table for the ferry at the dock, but a local told me the ferry would be in 45 minute and he was right.
Love & kisses
Steve

Highland

Got a mid morning start with light rain coming down every once in a while.  Nice start going down hill at high speed and then start up the next hill with a tail wind.  That was the basic cycling for the day doing hills
with wind shifting all after noon.  Nice ride through glens and down to the lochs.  Occasional rain showers throughout the day.. Stopped at Ardvreck castle only two walls are still there.  There are support to be ghosts there.  One in a gray suit and the other weeping lass near the loch.  Supposedly she made a pact with the devil to save her fathers castle.  It does not appear to have worked out.  At Lexford bridge head inland and up river.  Wind was still shifting slowing me at times and helping me at others. Just before Merkland Loch found a nice wooded area to camp that was protected from the wind. 
61.5 miles.
Next morning there is a little bit of rain at times.  And I start up my short cut which starts at Merkland Loch.  The two miles up the dirt road is much easier than expected.  There is no traffic as there was a locked gate at the bottom.  Great glen views and the lochs looks nice.  The wind pushes me through the pass.  Would recommend wide tires and if you want to go fast some suspension. Nice long ride down the other side to Allnabad.  Then over to and down the Strath Naver.  Strath Naver was where some of the clearance happened.  1000 homes with an average of 5 persons each were told to move on.  Some given a half hour notice to move there stuff before their home was torched.  Many men were doing military service as was custom for use of the land and 1812 were distinguishing themselves in the Americas.  Only when they returned to Scotland found no home.  In this case it was done for 2000 sheep to replace them.  Future army recruitment was met with "let the sheep defend the land." Made it past Bettyhill before calling it a night and camping over looking the ocean.  
The vegi burger meal.  If there cheap the there is most likely no bun.  If there is a bun that is it.  Sometimes there is lettuce and tomato.  And the burger can be deep fried or not.  I never ask how it will be prepared when orderring as I like the suprize.  Salad on the side.  This can be half a tomato, yes just a half of a tomato.  It can get up to lettuce, cucumber and tomato.  This is topped with a little packet of salad cream.  I truly can't say more about the salad cream.  Vegetable think mushy peas.  Chips they know how to use a deep fryer down and chips are always good. Just order vegi burger and chips and see what comes..
53.5 miles

It is a gray morning with a occasional rain.  A bit hilly and each down hill is into the southern wind so no roll up the other side.  The rain picks up and there is a pub so life is good (plan B).
Hills ease up as I get further east.  Great views of the coast as I head for Thurso. I get there at two and the ferry leaves at seven.  I am finally able to get some laundry done.  Pickup some Chinese take out for the ferry ride and I am set.  Hostel too night and a hot shower. 
Love & kisses
Steve