Home » Mexico Guatemala » Central America (part IV)

This is a detailed report on that trip: * Panama to Costa Rica: 19 hours, $25, Borders fee $10 * Costa Rica to Nicaragua: 8 hours, $10, Borders fee $10 * Nicaragua to San Salvador, through Honduras 12 hours, $25, Borders fee $20 * San Salvador to Guatemala: 6 hours, $8, no borders fee * So entire bus fee was $68, borders fee was $40 and it takes 45 hours.

Central America (part IV)

Alex Mumzhiu
2006-03-22 18:46:53

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road I ever saw. The passengers do not have seat assignments and take any seats they want. Soon after departure the conductors starts to sort passengers in such a way that every car contain only passengers for the same destination. After this they started to compact passengers, so that the front part of car became empty and rear part have all the seats taken. I had to fight hard to re-assign me to a window seat. In the morning, when it was cold, they switched air conditioning full blast. In a midday, when it became hot, they switched it off. I moved to empty car in which air conditioning was working. Immediately my movement was noticed and several different conductors came to me and ask me to move back. But it is "frie" here and "caliente" there, I told them. Eventually they forced me to move back, but they switched air conditioning on. So my silent Mexican co-riders were also benefited by my stubbornness. Growing back in the Soviet Union gave me a taste for arguing with authorities. Most Western tourists, as I noticed, prefer to not argue with local authorities. To finish with the Rail Road I should say that on my way back, the train was delayed by 10 hours because the derailment of a freighter train in front of us. Steep slopes below the rail road are littered with rail cars. Conductors explain quietly: "This one derailed two years ago, and these two just a year ago, and these three cars just six month ago". The Rail Road is built on a narrow gage and it is still functioning, only because the American retirees love it and pay extras for first class tickets. On my way back I also took first class ticket in order to get in time for ferry to Baja California. But as I said train was late so I have to take ferry the next day.

Upper portion of the canyon county with the major city Creel is located at the altitude of 2,600 meters. It is very nice temperature there, in spite it is located on the Tropic of Cancer. The nature there remarkably reminds me of Karelia. ...