Roatan runs

You never get used to it. We rushed to the bus station and found our bus. We were rushed on, no time for a toilet break, no time for some food. 10 minutes down the road and the driver stopped the bus under a tree, hopped off the bus, bought some lunch and sat and ate it while a fully laden bus of passengers could only sit and watch in the heat and humidity with no breeze.
We were in front of a factory and the move to western living has spread its mark, the amount of litter is disturbing, people throw plastic bottle, rubbish from vehicle windows. The locals buy food on plastic plates and in foam containers and when they finish they just leave it there and no one picks it up .
Not really enjoyable but he finished his lunch and we were on our way. We arrived several hours later at San Pudro Sula, and we thought Ah! we can get some food, but, No the next bus ready to go. The bus station was a new purpose built place. we were on the 1st level and were bustled by the staff to the other side of the building and down a level to where a bus was trying to leave and with much very loud Spanish our backpacks were thrown on the roof and we were bundled in to a bus with a driver who had Grand Prix expectations. Mountainous narrow roads Wheee!!. We arrived at the port town of La Ceiba. We hung around for an hour, and the boarded the ferry. At last something that was new. It was a modern fast ferry. We were used to travelling on ferries that we wondered how they had kept afloat for so long. We arrived on Roatan about an hour later, the island is about 50kms into the Carribean. Bundled onto the van from the hotel and half an hour later we were at a beautiful place. AHH!
What a beautiful place and we set of to find some food, heaps of restuarants. You have heard of Turkish tummy or Bali belly, well Gabrielle woke up with what we will call the Roatan runs and looked like being laid up for a day. Nick wandered down to the dive shop and signed up for a scuba course. Nick was told it was unlikely to be achieved in the 2 days we were to be there, but as Gabrielle was lying low and close to the WC he thought he would try. First day theory and a shallow dive and a protected water dive and an after dark finish. Day 2, Gabrielle still in need of rest and 3 open water dives at 830, 1030 and 230 and a bit more theory and an exam and Nick now has an Open Water scuba certificate. The reef was great, heaps of colourful fish, including moray eels all sorts of coral and associated coral fish and sea urchins. Beautiful.


In the 2 days Gabrielle and Nick saw a little of the island, but it was a welcome rest.
The Islanders were an interesting mix from Spanish people to creole speaking Caribeans and tons of tourists, to people who looked like they had found the place to drop out of society and live the life on the beach. It was the first place we had seen anything but black sand on the beach.
Next morning up early and of we go to Copan