March 10

Another border crossing...back into Honduras. These days are lost as we sit at the border waiting most of the day. And tonight we are rewarded! We are in a parking area of the Hotel Hacienda Gualiqueme where there is a lovely pool setting with out door snack bar, free Wi-Fi and best of all laundry service! We have come to really appreciate these immenities, especially on border crossing days when we sit and endlessly wait and then stand in hot and dirty parking lots lines to get our passports stamped.....

March 9

It's not fair.....I have been missing all the fun. Listening to the gang talk about all the great food, entertainment, the beach, etc. and I didn't have the energy to do much except lay in the hammock and sleep and read. But the reports are in, this all inclusive resort was GOOD.
But today, after a leisurely breakfast we checked out of the Hotel and returned to our Casa-mobiles. We made our way back to the main road through a very poor area. How there can be such a luxury resort in the middle of poverty!
Finally back on the main highway into Managua with mid-day traffic. School kids everywhere because morning students are in school from 7 til noon and afternoon students are in school from noon til 5. And then there are all the folks out for lunch from their offices..... and we are a spectacle as we drive through cities!
We are camping tonight at Esteli in a field at Club Campestre. Tonight is the Sales Pitch Social. We are just 2 weeks away from jopurneys end and the staff has some great deals for us and discounts on future trips!
Rig #4 organised dinner for us as this club has a resturant but we are the only guests so there is a very limited menu with a few serving of shrimp or chicken to choose from and it was delicious.

March 5,6,7 and 8

3/5
Chicken soup and gatorade...for breakfast, lunch and feeling okay... Went to Burger King for supper. Not a good idea!
We are camped in a Total Gas parking lot outside Liberia....been here, done this!
But there was a festival happening in town and the Burger King was a perfect place to see the horsemen parade by. There were hundreds, some fancy, some plain....riding down the street. Someone told us this was part of a 14 day event!
3/6
Up and out early... nose to tail in numerical order as we are crossing another border. We arrived at the border at 10 and were not on our way until 3 with a long drive ahead to Montelimer and the Bocelo Resort. We drove through a huge windmill farm along Lake Nicaragua, with volcanoes, Conception and Maderas in the background.
I am very sick!
3/7
I am now vomiting as well as the other... I saw the hotel doctor and her prescibed additional meds to the cipro I am already taking. And he suggested a strict diet of no dairy, no fats, no carbonated drinks....small servings, eating often and drinking alot of liquids!
IT FIGURES DOESN'T IT? We are staying in an all inclusive resort with great food, entertainment, swimming pools, spas...etc. and I am sick! Well, there is a hammock and a cool breeze on our porch and I am loving it!
3/8
Went to the Beauty shop and got another chopped haircut, oh well, it will grow. And a pedicure for my pathetic feet. When the polish was removed I discovered several black toe nails....this trip has been rough on the feet, oh well, new toe nails will also grow!
Obviously, I am feeling better....even went for a swim!

March 4

Oh No! I've got the runs.....no cramping just sludge! Found my cipro and keeping my fingers crossed. I slept all the way to Jaco, our destination for today. It's a neat little town on the coast with a camp ground right in town so we can walk to shop and to the beach. I ate some chicken noodle soup and slept!

March 3

Headed out early, nose to tail, in numerical order because it's a border crossing day! We are going back into Costa Rica. But after we cross the border we will change our route. We are hugging the west coast to Uvila and a National Park camp ground. Great beach and surf! We are all very happy with this change of plans.

March 2

Destination is David and the Price Smart parking lot........driving the same road, staying at the same place etc. We decided to take a side trip as soon as the road got closer to the ocean...so at Las Lajas we veered left and drove about 6 or 7 miles til we hit the water. Changed into bathing suits and played in the surf for an hour or so, walked the beach....great way to spend a hot afternoon!
Parked again at the PriceSmart lot and enjoyed a pizza supper again. It started to rain and it cooled right down to a nice sleeping temperature.

March 1

Last day before we start the trip toward home! It's a free day but there was a tour offered to a small mountain village called El Valle de Acton. We were promised a waterfall hike, a mineral bath with a mud facial, if desired, lunch, shopping and a zoo. And we got it all! The hike was in a rain forest, the trails were well defined with swinging bridges crossing the streams. We were given walking sticks to help on the damp trails....the waterfalls were spectacular! Off to the mineral baths and mud facials, we had a choice between white mud or black mud. They had different powers I am sure but that escapes me. I used the black mud, got into my swimsuit and sank into the mineral pool where we were to stay for 30 minutes for it to be beneficial. Near the end of the 30 minutes, I swear the water felt carbonated against my skin. Well I am rejuvinated! Back into the village to find some lunch-I had grilled chicken and french fries with rice and beans (that's how the meal was served, everything always arrived with rice and beans no matter what you ordered).... We strolled the street checking out the shops and street venders before heading to the zoo. The facinating exhibit was the Frogs! The collection was amazing!
Back to the RV Park and a pot luck supper and a celebration for rig#10's 51st anniversary.... One of the members brought out his guitar and with tailgunner Brians assist we sang! Fun evening!

Feb 26, 27, 28.

A weekend in Panama City! Left the rigs behind and boarded a coach for the city. Took a walking/driving tour and lunch in the city. Spent the afternoon at the canal observation center, preparing for our day on the canal. After checking into our hotel we had a chance to walk around the area before dinner.... a group of us went to a chinese resturant for dinner.

Saturday... On the bus early to get to the canal and get the "good" seats in the air conditioned part of the boat. It was a long ride through 2 locks....lots of waiting etc but very interesting! Very glad we were air conditioned as it was very hot. We did have a heavy rain mid afternoon but it really didn't cool us down much! Tonight the group we ate with chose Italian for Dinner!

Sunday...On the bus early again for a trip to the Indian Village! Wonderful Day! We were greated by scantly clad men, helped into life jackets and dugout canoes. They paddled us up river to their village. There are 3 villages and we were taken to the farthest upstream. There we were greated by the women and children and ushered up the path to the village. They had prepared a meal for us as well as entertainment. We were told about the lifestyle and as we listened and asked questions we were offered Tattoos..... I was given a nice arm band. Also girls and women were weaving baskets among us and some men were carving and painting. The man who drew my tattoo was carving a frog and then painted it.. I asked to purchase it, so have added it to my collection.
Before leaving we were invited to swim in their stream....again Fun with a capital F! There was a swift current so the trick was to get into the shallow stream and into position before being swept downstream. If you didn't get out into the stream far enough before the current caught you, your backside got thoroughly pummeled by the pebbles and rocks. Anyway, it was fun and refreshing and my tattoo didn't wash off! They paddled us back downstream and to our bus. It was a wonderful day and a long bus ride back to Santa Clara, and XS Memories, and our Rigs!

Feb 25 Day 58

Free Day! Laundry Day! Shower Day! Beach Day! Hot Day! Relaxing Day!
The Park Hosts prepared a dinner and entertainment for our evening! Dinner was American Hamburgers and the entertainment was local children in native dress, dancing....very charming!

Feb 24 Day 57 (45 days on the caravan)

From the town of David to Santa Clara.......
Passed by and shopped at artisans booths along the roadside. Beaded necklaces, bracelets, collars, and native dress. Bought a dress from a vender no one was paying any attenton to as he had no beaded stuff...so I just had to buy one!
Stopped in a little village that has the oldest church in Central America...a wooden structure with great statues and it was huge!
Our campground ia a real RV Park called XS Memories. All amenities! A mile from the Pacific! It is listed in Frommers.

Feb 23 Day 56

Border Crossing Day! Always confusing, too much traffic, too long lines, too hot! Today's crossing took 3 hours 47 minutes... We need to get the drivers and vehicles out of the country, then the passengers. Then some official comes along with our staff in tow to check the licence plates and vin numbers against the paperwork that we fill out. If and when it all matches, we get inspected, sometime verbally and sometimes literally. Then we are fumegated. And the process is repeated to get us into the next country... So now we are in Panama! Camping tonight in a "Price Smart" parking lot.. We got guest cards and were able to shop. Bought a bottle of Jack and a pizza!

Feb 22 Day 55

Free Day! No traveling, no tours....a good day for just hanging out, visiting, reading, swimming , and crafting. Lu Ann, our wagon mistress, continued to teach some T shirt and scarf techniques to dress up some of the T's we had purchased.... adding beads, fringing and braiding the hems. Got to see it to love it!
The resturant was featuring a Japanese theme and the food was fantastic! Served by a guy dressed in appropriate costume.

Feb 21 Day 54

Left San Jose today.... 8 am on a Sunday morning driving through the city should have been an easy cruise thru town but....we ran into the middle of a 10K heading in the same direction we were going. So with the spectaters, the water stations, and the traffic control folks we were in the middle of a mess! When we finally cleared the city we started a 40 mile climb to 11,000. ft and guess what....we encountered bicyclers out for a Sunday ride up hill...we passed 52 as we wound our way up the mountain. The downhill ride was 9000 ft in 40 miles...really hard on the heavy rigs but only one had braking problems.....
It was a beautiful drive...winding roads, great vistas!
Arrived at our next campsite, a soccar field behind the Hotel del Sur, in San Isidro late afternoon to find a fair in progress in the fairgrounds next door to the hotel. And the heavy medal music and gales of laughter continued well into the night!
The hotel is lovely-swimming pool, dining room, and game/ craft area, all outside but shaded. After all we are back in hot, humid air again!