# My time in Central America:



## Axel19 (Aug 11, 2004)

In case any of you were wondering.
I actually got back two weeks ago, but couldn't be bothered to recount my experiences yet again to another group of people in my heavily compartmentalised social network. 
It was good. At times very good. Never quite sublime, my present mental state would not permit that. But nonetheless it was a highly memorable experience.
I'll give you a quick rundown of the countries I visited.

Atlanata: I didn't have time to do anything in my night here because the airport security detained me. The lady at the arrival check in took one look at my surname, and knew I was probably some crazy Jihad foreigner, who had an illegal British passport, and was coming to Atlanta to comit some unprecidented terrorist attack. Seriously, she became suspicious of me because my surname doesn't look English (it is in fact Iranian, I am a quarter Iranian, a quarter Azeri and half English), so sent me to some interrogation office for crazy terrorists and turban-bandits who wear stupid cloths round their head, eat semtex for breakfast and shout stuff in some funny language before blowing themselves up, cos' that's all we do, us Arabs. I heard them talking about me, saying I was of Iranian lineage, and might hold certain ideologies. I was furious at the whole thing, but they let me go after a few hours, because I appeared innocent. If they had any sense they would have shot me then and there, cos' us Arabs are crazy and can't be trusted. Next time I'll take my flying carpet.

Mexico:Huge, but slightly disappointing. My anti malaria medication was giving me funny dreams, and making me anxious. I got sick at one point, and didn't eat for days. My travelling buddy went home after a week, upon learning that his grandad had died. Leaving me all by myself. I was slightly relieved actually, as he tended to sit around all day like an inert slug. Although he's one of my best friends, I really learned how much of a nerd he can be. He wanted to spend more time in Mexico City so we could visit Frieda Khalo's house, she had a mono brow and a moustache, that's all I need to know. 
Anyway travelling by oneself is an incredible experience. Usually there are other travellers about, so you don't get too lonely. Often you travel with them for three or four days. There were times when I'd arrive in some remote town all by myself, and suddenly feel very dp'ed, but once I found a hostel and some other travellers, I'd begin to feel better. It never ceases to amaze me how well I can coninue to function in spite of my inner mental state.

Belize: Very nice, English speaking and very Caribbean. Spent a week on a paradise island staying with an islander who ran a small hostel. I watched quite a few people come and go at that place, and it began to feel like home. I had plenty of laughs here. The culture clash I witnessed when an islander tried to sweet talk a reserved German woman, was truly cringe worthy.

Guatemala: Beautiful, this was real Maya land, albeit in an opressed colonial form. Saw some amazing jungle cloaked ruins here, real Indianna Jones stuff. Also did some truly thrilling caving, with nothing but candles to light the way.

El Salvador: Didn't spend much time here, I might have seen a dead person in San Salvador.

Honduras: Didn't spend much time here either.

Nicaragua: Wanted to spend more time here, the lake looked amazing.

Costa Rica: The most Americanised of the countries, but still beautiful. Went on a three day hike in what is the greatest wilderness in Central America. It is also, square metre for square metre, the most biologically diverse place on the planet. Saw plenty of wildlife. My most thrilling encounter was with a pack of wild boars, who are supposedly the most dangerous animals in the region. It was a real Jurassica Park moment actually. I was hiking on my own out of season, so there were literally no other people in the region. I was strollign down the path, when there they were grinding their teeth at me, ready to attack if I made any form of moevement. I gazed in horror as more came out of the bushes around me, at least forty. I stood still for a good five minutes before they stopped grinding their teeth and trotted off.

Panama:The last country I visited. By now it was the dead season for travellers, so I ended up on an island off the East coast alone except for the frankly scary islanders. I was staying in hotel, which consisted of a few rooms on stilts on the water, very ramshackle. The first night, an islander who I'd been speaking to earlier that day, and who I had told where I was staying, broke in with a bunch of guys and started banging on my door asking for money. Fortunately I only had a couple of dollars on me, which seemed to satisfy him. What's funny was that at the time I was more scared of how dp'ed and spaced out I felt, seeing as he had woken me up in the middle of the night, than of the imediate physical threat, which I was completely indifferent to.

I actually completely ran out of money before I got to San Jose airport for my return flight. So I could not pay the departure tax. At first the airport staff said that there was nothing they could do for me. This was the first time that I was actually worried. The threat posed by shady characters, robbers and wild animals is nothing compared to the inevitable, ultimate authority of the establisment, when it antagonises your own intentions. Anyway after some negotiating in broken Spanish, they let me through without paying the tax. 

There is something incredibly romantic about travelling by oneself, especially when you are young, the older travellers tended not to be as adventurous. I'm twenty now, and intend to do a whole lot more travelling before I become too old.


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## Revelation_old (Aug 9, 2004)

Awesome post. Really liked reading that. Thanks man


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## Axel19 (Aug 11, 2004)

Well I did have an awesome time, which would explain why my post was so awesome.
Perhaps I shouldn't have spoken so vehemently about my experience in Atlanta, they were just doing their job, but it did really p*ssed me off. On my return journey Atlanta was a much friendlier airport.

I met well over a hundred different travellers on my journey, as well as the native folk I met, and have come to form a few opinions of certain nations.

Americans: Probably my favourite people in the world. No seriously. Whilst America can produce some real a$$holes, Americans can be some of the most well rounded people on the planet. Seeing as backpacking seems to attract a more worldly crowd, American backpackers (along with almost any backpacker) are almost always relatively intelligent. But, being American they always have a great deal of character and a sense of humour, which melds well with that of the English. I had some of the best times with yanks.

Aussies: Good, reliable travel companions, the English and the Aussies always feel at home together, whether we admit it or not.

Canadians: Seem to share a similar sense of humour to the English. Appear to be depressed Americans on the surface, but prove themselves to be indeed very different to the yanks underneath, it's probably just the accent.

South Africans: Didn't meet that many. Like the Canadians, they seem to be like depressed Aussies on the surface, but the ones I met revealed a very black sense of humour underneath.

Israelis: Stuck together in crowds quite a lot. Friendly when they opened up.

Italians: I can't stand the bleeding Ities. They're so arrogant, and really do walk around with a sense of superiority. They also wear funny swimwear, and all the hot Italian girls have really ugly husbands. Still they do have a lot to be proud of.

Spanish: Didn't see any, but the Spanish are my favourite Latin people, somehow being laid back but intense.

French: Friendlier than expected, but still a bit serious. The frogs don't smile enough.

Germans: Don't get me started on the bloody Krowtz. That jungle trek I went on, well the only sign of civilization was a ranger station right in the middle of the area. I'd trekked for two days with a backpack that started out at 25kg, no exaggeration, I had about 12litres of water, a tent, food and other provisions. Anyway I arrived at this ranger station in the middle of a tropical down poor, exhausted and smelly, covered in mossie bites, to discover the place was empty apart from the rangers and a group of very clean Germans. There was a small airstrip there, and it turned out the Germans had flown in with all their provisions, and were taking short three hour day hikes, like a bunch of pussies. Anyway they had the social skills of an autistic gorilla. I did, however meet other Germans on my travels who were more fun.

There are a few more nations I need to write about, but I'll leave them for another time.


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## terri* (Aug 17, 2004)

Those damn Atlanta hotheads! :evil: I do hate your time got messed up there. Thanks for posting all about your trip and the people you met. Ya did good. I agee with you about backpacking people. Very neat bunch of people.

So how about this story...

Eight years ago,my husband and I traveling with the president of his company, who had just retired,and his wife. We are going to spend a lovely day in Victoria, BC Canada. Ride a ferry type thing out of Washington state early in the morning. Get to customs. I get thru, guy's wife gets thru, my husband gets thru...no ex-pres. :? You see the pres had left corporate America after nearly 40 years, let his hair grow out a bit, sported a little goatee type thingy and wore jeans with a jean hat on that was splattered with all kinds of pins that came from God knows where. Now in this part of the world that makes you look like some kind of gun carrying, KKK, white supremist, trouble maker out to ruin all of beautiful Victoria. They held him 3 hours. Totally ruined our trip. I was mad like this... :evil: .

Customs...what do you do?

Neat trip, neat post. To do all that with dp/dr...inspirational to all the people that want to travel. It can be done people. Good to have you back, Axel. We'll see how long it takes you to get in to trouble here. :wink:


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## terri* (Aug 17, 2004)

p.s. That damn hat was the ugliest fashion gone bad thing I have ever seen. Hell, I shoulda smacked him that morning for wearing it!


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## Milan (May 29, 2005)

Great post axel.

When I was 21 I travelled for about six months across Europe and America. Had a fantastic time. Heaps of money in the bank and a world ticket. And it is much better to travel alone. A lot of friends said they would come with me but all pulled out. I had second thoughts about doing it alone but went regardless. Best thing I could have done. Met so many people.

I concur with you axel about the Americans. I liked them. Love to go there again, especially NYC.

And yes the Aussies and English have a lot more in common then they like to admit. Except the fact that our weather and outdoor lifesytle is sh*tloads better.


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## Martinelv (Aug 10, 2004)

Superb post. Absolutely fantastic. Glad you had such a wonderful time mate.


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## Homeskooled (Aug 10, 2004)

Wow...that was really an awesome post Axel. Although your time in Atlanta was rough, your take on Arab stereotypes is hilarious. On behalf of Americans everywhere, sorry about that. Glad to hear that our nationality is well-rounded and good-intentioned. You did some things that I dont think I would have the guts to do. From what I understand in my readings, South America is supposedly one of the more dangerous places to travel, from a crime perspective as well as a natural one. I was planning on backpacking across Europe sometime in the next year or two....but thats pretty tame in comparison to what you're doing. And while you're DPed too? I dont know if I could have done that while I was DPed, unless I was on medicine. Are you on any right now? Although in most cases, I would have been more concerned with my existential issues than my actual bodily safety, which I usually wasnt sure existed anyways. Thanks for the stories, and if more come to mind, please post them.

Peace
Homeskooled


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## Axel19 (Aug 11, 2004)

Just a few more opinions of cultures I formed on the way:

Dutch: Very good at parodying themselves, and stating their opnions. Surprisingly funny for a non Anglo derived culture.

Mexicans: Are friendly to Western women, especially blondes, but indifferent to Western men, especially Spanish looking ones, like myself.

Belizeans: Manage to make laziness admirable.

Guatemalans: Friendly.


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