Roatan, Honduras

Nov 23, 2004


I finally made it to Roatan, one of my goals for this trip. It is a small english speaking island off the coast of Honduras with a sizable foreign population. Everyone told me how expensive it is, but i'm in a big room with a kitchenette and HOT shower for $30 a night, and beers are about a buck. I'm also right on the water in West End. Had I wanted to look around, I could have found a room with shared bath for $7-9, from what I hear.

I went to the ferry in La Cieba, and watched as my motorcycle was rolled onto the back of the boat, about half a foot above the dock, and lashed to the railing at the back deck. When we got to Roatan, I disembarked and watched six laughing porters lowered the bike about eight feet from the back of the boat to the dock. Watching them manoeuver all 600 pounds of the Moto Guzzi only two feet from the water's edge, laughing and pretending it was about to go over the side, all the things I would have to do to make it run again if they accidently dropped it in the water racing through my mind, sent a chill down my spine in the tropical heat and put a knot in my stomache that called for a cold beer. I was anxious and excited to be there both as I loaded all the travel gear on the bike, started it, and idled slowly through the thronging mass trying to get home or on vacation.

I got in at about 6 pm and the bike was loaded and ready to leave at 6:30. It was dark, raining, and the road to West End is about 11 km. of twisty pavement through hills. When it rains, my visor fogs up, and so I was riding slowly, with it half opened, not sure where I was going. I got into town and the first place I found was full, so I took a room at the place next door, without looking first at my surroundings, just glad to be somewhere. After the shower and beer, I went for a walk and found that right across the street was the ocean. So I think I'll stay put for tonight.

Yesterday I saw an accident between two taxi cabs. After riding here for a while, I must say I am happy whenever I see taxi cabs hit one another. When, not if, but when you are cut off in traffic, it will be by a taxi cab, and every accident I have seen involved a taxi cab, so seeing them hit one another actually warms the heart.

I've talked to a couple of americans who have been down here for a while, one opens restaurants and sells them to people who come down on vacation and fall in love with the place, then buys them back when the buyer has depleted his life savings, and the other teaches diving. You can get certified here in open water for $150.

The island is 40 miles long, so today I'm off to explore it.