Tuesday, 8 April 2008

Honduras Entry most expensive at US$55


The Aduna officer at the Honduras border took my passport, V5 and driving licence and I am told it will cost me US$ 40 for entrance for the bike and get the correct paper work. Another Aduna officer confirms this. Later this goes up to US$55 and a mountain of paperwork and receipts are produced. About 6 or 8 copies are various bits of paper are produced and some are photocopied and this all takes about one and half hours. I change US$ 40 for 720 local and I also get some local change from my US$60. I finally leave the border and gain entry by 1600 hrs but in the mean time have a row with the Aduna officer who how wants me to tip him even though he mislead me and the cost went up by US$15. My offer was too small and he left with my receipts but not my entrance document. I left feeling a bit mean but angry that it cost even more to gain entrance into Honduras than Nicaragua which I had thought expensive. I immediately fill the bike with fuel which cost 450 local and head for Danli on good roads but my front wheel has a wobble, I think its the road surface as can not find anything wrong. At 1830 hrs make it to Tegucigalpa ( capital I think) and find a hotel by 1900hrs. That's 12 hours on the bike. Its a huge city in a valley and I'm certainly lost now as drove all over the place to find this hotel.which was 320 local (US$18)
I go over the road to the local rough restaurant as am short of local currency and eat chicken in bread + beer of course and all for 80 local. The bike is locked behind some corrugated iron doors across the road from the hotel and I have no idea where about in town I am but expect I will find out tomorrow. The Lady running the restaurant wants to come with me on the bike to California. She chats me up and wants to know why I'm alone and did I have a wife. Yes I say and two children but there 22 and 20. Pity she says as she would come with me, we have a laugh and I go back to my hotel and wonder how am I going to find my way tomorrow.

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