- 2016-10-09 - Day 23 - Antigua, Guatemala to El Tunco, El Salvador (271 km - 5:30 hrs)
- 2016-10-10 - Day 24 - El Tunco, El Salvador to León, Nicaragua (495 km - 9:30 hrs)
- 2016-10-11 - Day 25 - León, Nicaragua to Granada, Nicaragua (140 km - 3:00 hrs)
- 2016-10-12 - Day 26 - Granada, Nicaragua to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua (99 km - 1:45 hrs)
The goal on October 9th was to cross the border from Guatemala into El Salvador to reach El Tunco on the Pacific coast.
What strikes me most is a difference compared to much of the route I traveled in the U.S. and Mexico. Here, everything is green! No drought problems, and rivers flow freely.
Entry into El Salvador: Marked by helpfulness #
Exiting Guatemala went relatively smoothly, despite a somewhat hidden customs post on the opposite lane. In El Salvador, a system outage slowed the procedure, but after an hour, I was finally on the road.
In El Tunco, I was welcomed by two passionate local bikers. One of them even paid my toll entering the village! We ended up sharing several beers and discussing travel. Their advice: head straight to Nicaragua.
Overnight stay at Hotel Mopelia.
The Border Marathon: Honduras and Nicaragua #
On the morning of the 10th, departure at 5:30 am. Crossing all of Honduras in 3 hours is a tactical mission. Bureaucracy rules: forgotten documents, missing signatures, and sweltering heat.
But the worst was yet to come at the entrance to Nicaragua:
- Heat: Over 40°C in offices without air conditioning.
- Queues: 90 minutes to exit Honduras, then an eternity to enter Nicaragua.
- Paperwork: Inspection, forms, pre-verification, mandatory insurance…
The highlight of the day: having to pay 20 córdobas (local currency) without having any. A young local helped me in exchange for a US dollar, thrilled with the deal.
León and Granada #
León was a small disappointment, with streets in poor condition. I stayed at “Leo y Pinita,” a simple but welcoming B&B.
On the way to Granada, I notice drivers here ride with lights off, even in storms. My Xenon lights intrigue them and earn me countless flashes!
Granada leaves a much better impression: colonial, restored, and warm. I find refuge at Hotel de Sonrisas, run by a woman from Alberta.
San Juan del Sur #
The last Nicaraguan stop: San Juan del Sur. First night in a hostel (Hostel Esperanza) to save budget. The town doesn’t particularly excite me, but La Gorda has a nice view for the night.
Tomorrow, the direction is Costa Rica. Borders are absurd, but I’ve decided to laugh about it!
To be continued!