Utila to Copan

Utila and Paradise Divers with all the lovely friends I made was so wonderful that instead of a week I spent 17 days there. And I still didn't want to leave. My heart is still aching and I wish myself back, wish I had stayed even longer! The best time I have had so far, thank you my friends! :D I was so upset on that ferry as it was taking me further and further away from the island, waving goodbye at Misato and Dani, and when I got to the mainland there were cloudy mountains and rain expecting me :(. Not helpful! After initially thinking that I would only snorkel a bit on Utila, I ended up doing the open water PADI and then extending my stay and did the advanced dive certificate as well, which included 30m dives, diving to a ship wreck and a night dive. The night dive was so impressive and somehow the sound seemed to be different. The last dive I did was with Misato, my new friend, best diving companion EVER! Wish we could do more. I think I am hooked. And that after I was so scared initially, I almost quit the first day after just being 30cm under water because Ï thought I could not breathe through the regulator, but luckily Pisa was strict enough to not allow me to chicken out. I hope I get to do more dives somewhere else, Misato come with me! I was seriously considering to stay on Utila and find a job. Tempting. Sunshine, sea, fish, beach, diving, baleadas (typical Honduran food), party, making music and dancing, darts, ice cream, friendly people, what more does one want!

And one day we went over to a small island, little key, with 14 people, we basically rented the entire island to ourselves and stayed over night until the late afternoon of the next day. 25 dollars to stay on your very own private island, how incredible is that. We had such a wonderful time, all white sand and palm trees and great snorkeling. Laying in hammocks, playing boule with coconuts, slacklining (I totally did it!! I got video proof! Misato you still owe me a massage!), playing table tennis on the kitchen table and making music. And cooking together, unfortunately I made the Thai curry extra spicy, everybody was sweating, ehm... The rum and food ran out after the first day already. Next time we calculate better ;). On the island there was just one house with spaceous rooms and another tiny house, that's it. Surrounded by turcoise water and coral. I have to smile when I think of it, what a lovely experience! I am so grateful for having found this paradise on my trip. Makes me have teary eyes. I still miss you guys so much. Thank you for a wonderful time.

And of course, my trip on the mainland to San Pedro Sula was full of greyness and rain and a sentimental Nessa. Haha. And as I got to San Pedro I asked the bus driver to let me out by the market near a hostel. He dropped me on a main road by a petrol station saying it was a very dangerous place and I should not walk around. Great! Walked over to the petrol station and the taxis wanted to charge me as much as the entire bus journey had cost me. I just kept wishing myself back to the lovely warm beach! The security guy from the petrol station told me not to trust just any taxi drivers either, only the ones I know. How would I know any taxi driver there though? Luckily he knew one that came in after a while and I eventually made it to the hostel which was much further then I thought. The hostel was pricey and not nice and in the middle of a boring area. I was so upset, I have to laugh at myself now, feeling all sorry for myself, hehehe. Then on the route to Copan I somehow missed my stop, didn't even know I had to change buses! So when I asked when we will get to Copan they told me oh, we already went passed it. Argh. Had to pay again an go back, taking two hours longer and I just thought I had to stop being so sad because it was effecting my travel karma. And sure enough when I got to Copan it was nice. Sweet little town with cobbled hilly streets surrounded by lush green mountains. Everyone is so friendly here. And my hostel is really nice, great fresh little room with comfy beds, there is internet (as you just realize) and a kitchen and the owner was singing to her kids this morning, so sweet. Right next doors is an ice cream shop. Perfect really. And then two guys walked into the hostel whom I had met on Isla de Ometepe in Nicaragua and also in Utila, so I am not on my own :). We went to the Copan ruinas today, my first Maya ruins, an amazing experience. Can't wait to see the next ones, these are only small in comparison to others!