CROSSING HONDURAS

A TRAVEL ‘FAILURE’ LEADS TO SAVING MONEY ... AND STAYING SAFE.

Crossing two borders and driving 300 miles in a single day was not my plan at the start. Driving across a country in a single day is a bit of a failure, I think. I wouldn’t be able to try new foods, see beautiful places or meet locals. In short, I wouldn’t be experiencing the country. To be honest, I’m not sure I’d be able to say I went there at all.

The more I’ve heard about Honduras, however, the more I’m certain driving straight across in one shot is the right thing to do.

Over the last few months, I’ve heard many horror stories about bribery and corruption in Honduras. It seems the police and military often do whatever they want to foreigners in order to extract cash. Everyone has a different experience and, therefore, a different story. My friend, Rupert, wound up in handcuffs on the side of the road—narrowly avoiding a night in jail by paying hundreds of dollars. I’m certain jail in Honduras is no fun, and I have no desire to nd out for sure.

By minimizing my time in that country, I hoped to lessen the chances of serious problems with the corrupt of cials—meaning I’d attempt to cross Honduras in a single, huge day.

Leaving El Salvador

I break camp before sunrise, then pace up and down for 30 minutes, impatiently waiting for my tent y to dry. I have it draped over the side of the Jeep to catch the morning sun. It’s a slow, but effective, drying method.

After two hours driving in the early-dawn light, I stop for gas a few miles before the Honduran border. The station attendants love the map on the hood depicting my route, and we strike up a conversation, again making me appreciate how