The End of the Journey and Some Final Thoughts

Nothing says fun like an early morning ferry back to the mainland filled with people puking all over the place. And with that I said goodbye to Utila, and the Bay Islands which had become like home to me and an incredible stop on the journey. Once arriving on the mainland I started the push north, to try and catch not only the ferry to Belize but also my flight home from Cancun, Mexico. Making my way on yet another bus to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, I was needing to make it to Puerto Cortes to make the ferry the following morning. At the bus terminal in San Pedro, an Auzzie couple with the same plan that I had, so through convenience we started to travel together and make our way up to the port. After arriving we settled into a hotel in town. It was really nice to have my own room, with a private bathroom for the first time in a long while. Some simple things like that, become quite big once you haven't had them for a while. The next morning after a very painless Immigration process at a small office near the port we made our way over to catch the ferry. The "D-Express" was to be our ride. We all had our own thoughts about what the "D" stood for, by I will let you form your own opinion of a small speed boat headed north from Honduras. While waiting for the ferry I was hoping to change some money and was told that I could do so. When I decided I wanted to I was taken onto the boat and hidden behind a small wall to make the transaction. Easily one of the sketchiest feeling things that I had done on the whole trip. After a fairly quick 2.5 hours to Belize where I thought the lady beside me was either going to die or vomit all over me, we arrived in Belize. The Immigration officers came right onto the boat and did our paper work there. We then had to get off and get the bags checked. I had a pretty intense search...the officer actually opened my bag, which I believe is only the second time that has happened! OH NO! Once we were all cleared we jumped back on the boat for a quick 5 minute ferry over to the town of Placencia. Here I partnered up with 2 Norwegians who where just finishing their study in Leon, and 2 Canadians from B.C. and we caught a taxi out the the main road, at a price a bit steeper than what I have been used to, but was able to get some sweet street knowledge and wisdom from the driver. We were hoping to make it in time for a bus that would allow us to skip the stop in Belize City, which is incredibly dangerous and dodgy, with not many redeeming points to it, but unfortunately this couldn't happened and we needed to stay the night in the city. As I said, upon arrival in the city we were warned by the bus driver that we needed to get a taxi, and that walking anywhere would be stupid and dangerous. This to was echoed by the hotel owner, who, when we asked if there was any place to go and eat were told that there was a place a block or two down but if we were going to go there we should only take the money that we need and nothing more because the chance of us getting robbed was really high. Yes, that is the type of city Belize City is. Early the next morning we made our way back to the bus station for the final push through Belize. Upon arriving at the boarder I pay the 16$ exit fee, for my 24 hour trip through the dodgy country of Belize and I am then on to Mexico. The final stop on the journey. After the customs stop we head back to the bus only to find that it had left us at the border, and because of that some taxis were needed to make it the final way to the bus station where I would find my final bus to Cancun. After departing from the friends that I had met leaving Honduras, and on the trip through Belize I was now on my way to the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, and the western worlds vacation paradise of Cancun. Mexico initially had a much different fell from the rest of Central America. There was a more developed feel to the area. I'm sure that this is not the case in all parts of the developing nation but the tourist haven of the peninsula had a much different feel from anything that I had seen in the past 4 months. Nice roads, better vehicles and a cleaner environment had a foreign feel to me. Upon arriving in Cancun I made my way from the very modern bus station to a hostel near by. I was now in my final destination and on the home stretch of the trip, a really sad realization to come to. After a fairly lonely night in the hostel, and quite dinner on my own, I decided to head into town and try to see some of the sites. The hostel is not very near the resort and hotel rich area of the peninsula and I am required to take the very modern bus system to see what is out there. When I get out to the "Hotel Zone" I am blown away by what I see there. Massive hotels lining the entire stretch of the beach with stores and restaurants included in the mix. I feel so out of place here and am experiencing this strange feeling of a reverse culture shock. After being away from everything and living in a more organic way, this all seems to be a shock for me. I walk along the beach and through the store to see what there is to see. This shopper paradise isn't sitting all that well with me. I have a really tough time seeing the appeal to this all. It seems to have any last trace of culture sucked out of it and replaced with an Americanized caricature of what Mexico and central America really is and has to offer. I feel sorry for people if that is the only experience of Central American culture, because it is much deeper and vibrant that Cancun seems to lead on. No it is not wrong to go here and have a vacation but I hope people realize there is more than malls, clubs, beaches and big hotels in this part of the world. This however is all I really needed to see for me to know that the resort style vacation is not quite for me. After this eye opener of a day I made my way back to the hostel to see that I had a new roommate from the U.K. After chatting for a while we went out for dinner at a road side stand and had my last taste of the food of Central America. Upon returning to the room I finish my final packing and get ready for the early morning flight back to the homeland. As i lie in bed I am filled with a tremendous mix of feelings. On one had I am excited to head home and see friends and family and so sad that this journey of a life time is now coming to an end. I have seen and experienced so many things that have changed me, and helped form my world view and outlook on life. I have met some incredible and inspiring people along the way that have taught me to dream bigger, and really enjoy life to the fullest in whatever you are doing. Not really looking forward to getting back into the real world but realizing that for me this is the end of a chapter in my life. However, this will not be the last trip like this and already feel the creative juices flowing as I ponder future trips. I get up early in the morning and head off to the bus station to get my ride to the airport. A few hours from now I will be back on home soil. Getting on the place I feel an excitement about going home. After arriving at the airport, in Toronto, I met my parents and we headed home. My trip was finally over. Now being home for a while I want to be back on the road. I have tasted something so sweet and now want that again.
I want to thank people for reading along and taking part in my journey. Your encouragement has been huge as I made my way though 8 countries over 4 incredible months.

Thanks

Bye for now

Mike