Jessi's Adventure... Making a Lifetime of Memories! : Go with your gut and always keep your eyes opened

Never ignore a gut feeling, but never believe that it's enough...Robert Heller

My last few days I have put some miles on my shoes and found myself in a state of "I really want to be in Canada right now", moments.

My day stated out pretty good, I was on my way to Honduras on a Private bus but it only took me as far as the capital. I met a guy who was from the city and he helped me get to another bus station to take a bus to my next city. He even went and talked to the driver of the station to make sure he kept a good eye out for me. He gave me tips on what to do and what not to do in Honduras and was on his way. It was not until after I found out I would not be able to get to the city I wanted to go to until 9:00pm and I was going to have to wait at a gas station, if the station, allowed me to, from 1:30 until 4:30 in the morning. This plan did not sit well with me nor did the alternative which was to get into San Pedro Sula, the city rated as being the number one crime capital of the world. I had wanted to avoid going here from the start because I would be getting in after dark and was told to be careful of everyone including taxi drivers. This coming from lonely plante, the internet and about a dozen local people I had met along the way including the helpful local guy who talked the bus station people.

The bus ride to San Pual Sal was fine, it felt save but at the time thought the driver was going to assist me in getting into the right direction. It was not until we got to the bus thermal and I went to the driver and talked in broken Spanish that he had no intentions of helping me. He just told me he didn't know what cabs to take and good luck and god bless.

I found myself so scared all I could do was cry. I tried to hold the tears in. My phone was dead and had no service in Honduras and had no clue what to do since the hostel I had lined up was in a different town.

I had a small panic attack and left the station but not before being approached by every cab drive trying to get me to go with them and having everyone guy hanging out at the bus station look me down and call out things I wish not to remember. I never felt so scared and uncomfortable in my whole life. The bus station was closed so anyone hanging out there as per everyone I talked who told me not to go to the city at night, was either in a gang or drug dealers.

I took off as fast as I could with a gas station in my sights to sit and figure out where I was going to go for the night. The thing about gas stations in Central America is that they have security or police with machine guns and will not let anyone into the stores. Me already scared and not being able to explain myself clearly in Spanish just cried and walked away.

I was walking down the street and a older guy on his bicycle stopped me to see what was wrong. I knew right away he was safe but he couldn't help me as he didn't know where I was trying to go nor did I.

This is where my another angel was sent to me and things turned around. A young man stopped to see if I needed help and the older guy tried to explain to him. His name was Eduardo and he spoken a little but good English. He offered to take me to the mall and to find a hotel. After driving around he had a plan, he decided to take me to his place for the night. Now it's not what you think, he opened his parents home to me. I met his mother,

who was the sweetest and most welcoming person ever. I also met his brothers and younger sister. They helped teach me some Spanish, which I am practicing daily now. I had a shower and we all talked a little longer before going to bed. I was given a room and later found out one of her sons slept on the kitchen chairs which I felt very bad for. I had to be back at the bus station for 4:30am. This wonderful family got up and took me there and packed me a lunch with drinks to take on my way. I will be back again one day soon to learn more about Honduras and have them show me their town and I can't wait. We have added each other to Facebook so we will stay in touch for many moons to come.

Once back at the bus stations things changed again, this has happened a lot throughout this trip but has worked out so far.

After asking the driver which bus would take me to Guatemala and the Belize border, I was told their wasn't one. I later found out there was just with a different company.

I ended up going to Copan

which I had wanted to do anyway. I went to Copan

around before crossing over to Guatemala. The town is small and it was not all that great actually. It took me maybe am hour to see the town and a lot of walking up hill.

Her I ran into a guy who I think became a little stocker actually I am pretty sure he did. He was on the same bus I was on going to Copan and he had helped me a little finding out the price of some things. I decided to head to the border as did he. This is where I should have went with my gut and didn't. I listen to him when he said I need to take a bus to one city to get to Flores. Turns out I should have left right from where I was to get there. I ended up in Espuipulas. The town was nothing special, it has some nice church

and their was a big celebration going on. I am not sure what it was for but I know it had to do with the Church, the Mayan and maybe independence. It was a very busy town and I was blessed with holy water.

This is where my trip got interesting and my gut feeling came in. This person who was leading me in the wrong direction as I will out it was found out. I'm not sure what his intentions were and why he had to go to this city instead of letting me head to where I wanted to go and I never will but I'm happy I figured him out when I did. He had been asking questions about the next bus I would catch Flores, and what he was telling me kept changing.

He said my bus came at 1:00pm to Flores and his bus to the capital came at 11:00pm. He then he changed it and said mine was at 1:30am and his was at 11:30pm. He kept telling me not to buy my ticket then to. What didn't sit was I had understood the bus driver and he said I had to catch a bus and pay the bus driver but couldn't get the time since my understanding of numbers in Spanish is not very good.

I decided to ask the bus driver what time my bus came, he didn't speak English at all but I did understand when he said the bus to Flores leaves at 11:00pm at another station and there was no bus at 1:30am.

I was frustrated at this time so I bought a ticket to Guatemala City so I could catch a bus to Flores. Once the ticket was printed I saw the time which was 1:30am. I asked this person why he lied to me and he got all confused. He disappeared and I never saw him again, thankfully. I'm a smart person and have been able to figure things out this fare in my trip on my own, I do not even know why I let someone talk for me but I did. Lesson learned always go with what you feel.

My bus ride to Flores was all but fun. The first part was great, I slept and when I was a wake the views were amazing. At once stop however a group of guys got on the bus and say in the seats around me. I could tell by the way the guy who was sitting beside me tensed up down thing was wrong. He was relaxed the whole ride until this point. I looked around and found out quickly why, they were drug dealers and were transporting drugs on the bus. They put wholes in the seats and stored their supply in them, this included my seat manly. I couldn't do anything or say anything and there was no way I was letting them know I could understand most of what they were talking about to each other. They asked me a question in Spanish and I just said "no speak Spanish!" The question they asked was, how was I and where was I from. During. Their conversations to each other they kept saying it will be put on the white girl if they find anything.

I pretty much didn't move the rest of the way and wanted to cry. On the way we were stopped and the Army came on the bus and looked at everything and made us get off, I thought for sure they would find the stuff but if they did they didn't say anything.

The last part of the ride seemed like it took for ever and once off the bus I just booked it.

I decided to just relax and go for a kayaking ride around the river

with a few people in the hostel I am at. It's a nice place and after a walk around the town I went to bed. I fell a sleep early and in the middle of everyone talking. It was my first night sleep not on a bus since being at my adopted families house.

Today I walked to town again and just relaxed.

I decided to skip going to Tikal and relaxed instead, tomorrow is another day and I am moving on.

I finally found good I could eat and I loved it. It was a pretty much a quesadilla but it's call a tortillas. It was a homemade grilled Tortilla with pickles vegetables and two different homemade sauces as well as tomatoes and cilantro. You could have meat as well but I asked for none. A few people from the hostel I am at went out for a walk and this lady was cooking and had a sign up so we thought why not try it. She was cooking in her living room and he family was sitting around eating. She did say we could sit but we decided to take it to go. I this town people just put grills out and cook food out of their house, it's a pretty good idea to sell dinner out of the house. I only got one because my luck with food in Guatemala has not good very good and has made me sick every time I eat it. This however was delicioso, and I was sure to tell her on our way back to the hostal. I stopped and said "que era la mejor comida que he tenido en este país, gracias!" Which means that was the best meal I have had in this Country, thank you! She smiled and told me in Spanish "Es usted muy amable , gracias" (it means you are kind, thank you) and something about coming back tomorrow. I wish I could come back as it was the best thing I have had since Costa Rica.