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slowdriving.us
Week two. Day seven, Sunday 11/25/2007 I drove 357km from Puebla Mexico, N19 04.414 W98 13.615 to Oaxaca Mexico, N17 05.263 W96 44.775
Downtown Puebla Sunday, 11-25-07 The hotel did not have an internet connection and I wanted to call my wife using the internet, so I went looking for a internet cafe. I soon found a Starbucks. I used their internet connection and talked for an hour or more. I had a breakfast roll at Starbucks.
I spotted a Walmart. I needed more oil, so I went shopping, yes, at Walmart. I discovered they didn't carry the oil I wanted. I could only find 20w-50. I bought some thinking, the wrong oil is better than no oil.
Puebla is a clean well kept town.
I hit a speed bump too fast, and bent the rear rack brace.
Flat roads and agriculture.
A field of corn.
There was a stretch of mountains between Puebla and Oaxaca.
Tunnel near Oaxaca.
Storm Clouds
Getting a late start from Puebla I drove only as far as Oaxaca. Again, I arrived in town after dark. Near the hotel was several little sidewalk cafe's. I walked to the one with the most people eating, and had a good meal.
Day eight, Monday 11/26/2007 I drove 421km from Oaxaca Mexico, N17 05.263 W96 44.775 to Juchitan Mexico, N16 26.635 W95 01.354
Oaxaca Hotel, $42.00
View looking down on Oaxaca.
Oaxaca
I feel like home. I got "lucky" and stopped at this McDonalds for breakfast.
This guy was trying to get three burrows to go where he wanted them to go with limited success.
I stopped at this bank near Matamoros.
The town square was nice.
Several tour buses were also here.
More corn.
An overloaded truck of lumber
Almost to Juchitan. When I got to Juchitan, there was a traffic accident just as I went into town. In Mexico when there is an accident no one moves either vehicle until some one admits fault or the police determine who is at fault. The road was blocked for hours. Fortunately I was next to a store like a Walmart. I pulled into their parking lot, went inside and purchased fried chicken, a pastry and drink at their deli. I went outside and had my evening meal in the store parking lot sitting on the running board. After the traffic cleared I found a room at a downtown hotel. There was an Internet Cafe next door.
Day nine, Tuesday 11/27/2007 I drove 577km from Juchitan Mexico, N16 26.635 W95 01.354 to Tapachula Mexico, N14 53.912 W92 15.121
The Hotel at Juchitan. Starting the day without breakfast is becoming routine. I am sitting all day and don't need as much food as I would if I were working hard all day.
This was the worst stretch of road I drove on. I found out later I had made a wrong turn onto the free road. The toll road was great on the way back.
Road improvements.
A good road again.
The guy who put a bolt in place of the pin, got to pose in the car.
I found a room at the Comfort Inn in Tapachula, they had wireless internet. I walked a couple of blocks to a nice steak house restaurant for dinner.
Day ten, Wednesday 11/28/2007 I drove 481km from Tapachula Mexico, N14 53.912 W92 15.121 to Los Cobanos El Salvador, N13 31.732 W89 48.474
Pictures for this day were lost in the transfer from camera to computer. Guatemala My challenge for this day, crossing another border. This crossing took over two hours, and cost me $10.00 for a translator-guide-helper. These helpers are at all of the border crossings helping those who don't speak Spanish or are lost and confused. They work for tips. First I had to get stamped out of Mexico, then into Guatemala. Some of the fees have to be paid in the countries currency. There are money changers at the borders willing to exchange money. Guatemala went quickly and I was at the El Salvador border by five in the afternoon. El Salvador I did not see anyplace I wanted to stay in Guatemala near the border, so I headed into El Salvador. This border crossing took longer that I had hoped, but I was learning the routine. I was now starting into a strange country after dark, with no clue as to where I was going. When I found a Gas station, I asked for directions to a hotel, fortunately for me one of the guys spoke good English. I was directed to go on down the road and turn right, drive to almost the end of the road, there would be a nice place on the right side of the road. I could not miss it. I followed their instructions and found a Golf Resort on the Beach. The restaurant was still open and I ate on the veranda overlooking the ocean. Internet was available in the Rental Office.
Day eleven, Thursday 11/29/2007 I drove 290km from Los Cobanos El Salvador, N13 31.732 W89 48.474 to San Miguel El Salvador, N13 28.603 W88 11.050
Pictures for this day were lost in the transfer from camera to computer. I awoke in a beautiful villa at the Las Veraneras resort. I had breakfast at the country club. The resort looked like a Del Web Sun City on the beach. I wished I could have stayed for several days but I was on a mission, drive south, and drive I did. I arrived in San Miguel just before dark. Lodging was at a downtown high rise hotel with internet. Dinner tonight was at a Wendy's across the street.
Day twelve, Friday 11/30/2007 I drove 462km from San Miguel El Salvador, N13 28.603 W88 11.050 to Manauga Nicaragua, N12 08.741 W86 10.286
Breakfast was at Burger King next to the Wendy's. Leaving San Miguel I headed toward Honduras taking the inland road, staying on CA1 was beautiful, but no place to safely pull over and take pictures as the road was in the mountains. The hills are getting greener.
Honduras Honduras came and went quickly as the distance across the county at this point is only 160km (100 miles). Soon I was in Nicaragua, I think.
I did not see any roadside trash cans so there were piles of trash along the road. I changed my oil at one pile and left it there for who ever finds it.
Nicaragua It was a challenge remembering what country I was in and whose money I should be using. CA1 as beautiful as it was, took much longer than it looked like on the map to drive. It was dark again long before I reached a place to stay. It was hard to see with the oncoming lights, so I followed a semi-truck through the curves and down the mountain to Managua. The first place I could find was a Best Western across the street from the Managua Airport. This was a nice place but cost $75.00. I ate at the Hotel. It was the worst meal of the trip.
Day thirteen, Saturday12/1/2007 I drove 374km from Manauga Nicaragua, N12 08.741 W86 10.286 to Caldera, Costa Rica, N9 55.899 W84 43.171
The Hotel in Managua. No breakfast today, I just wanted to get on the road. Leaving Managaua I took a short cut to Masaya on the CA1. It was a beautiful drive, but I had to drive 16 Kph (10mph) for almost two hours. By noon I was at the Costa Rica border.
Another bad stretch of road.
Cattle grazing along the road.
Costa Rica The Costa Rica border was the most congested. Trucks are lined up for miles. Tour and Chicken (local) buses drop a load of people at the border every few hours. This border took about three hours to cross, and I paid my helper to get me to the front of the line for my visa. Corruption is ok when it is used to ones own advantage I thought to myself.
Tree covered road.
Round bales of hay in the field.
Due to the long wait at the border I did not have time to get to my planed destination, San Jose. Instead I turned off the main road just before dark and headed toward the ocean looking for another resort. What I found was an old beach shack hotel in Caldera. I paid my $32.00 and was happy to be off the road before dark. Then I walked down the beach to a restaurant. The best sea food I have ever eaten.
End of week two. Continue to week three-south
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