Border crossings border crossings are ...
Trip Start
Aug 1999
1
4
Trip End
Jul 2000
Frontier with honduras, Honduras
Thursday, December 21, 2000
Border Crossings, are always a little daunting and interesting especially in remote spots.. You may not speak the language and know where to go and what to do. You hear of alot of stories of people being intimidated, robbed, or just ripped off, while crossing borders especially here in Central America. Not that I have had any of these problems but they are always in the back of my mind. I crossed numerous borders in the past year. The worst being 4 hours in a hot sticky queue after Christmas, crossing from Costa Rica to Nicaragua.. I have had a few other memorable crossings that happened on different trips from Guatemala to Honduras. The first was quiet funny looking back at it now any way.
I left Coban in the highlands in a rush, I was hoping to make San Pedro Sula by nightfall (a 12 hr hell bus journey). I packed early in the morning in a rush as always as I can never get out of bed on time. I hoped to get an early bus. I checked for all the important stuff for about the third time passport, money, and credit card. I slipped a few hundred Q ($100 US) into my passport for safekeeping.
All went well I had made the border in really good time. But the trip is really tiring from the mountains to the lowlands just wears you out. Whether it is the altitude change or the temperature I don't know. There was no queue to get the entry stamp for Honduras so I stepped on up. I handed my passport over to get the necessary stamps. Surprisingly the attendant all of a sudden signaled to someone at the door, I looked around shocked, I thought what the hell is going on here. A security guard walked in Uzi and all. They were exchanging glances in between looking me over. My heart began to pound,. Thoughts ran threw my mind. What have I done, what have I done. All of a sudden a voice, the questions began. My Spanish is ok but under the circumstances I could only catch a few words, drugs, trouble, problems, wanted. I was dumb founded. I quickly spat out one of the usual gringo cries for help. 'My Spanish is not good can you speak slowly'. He all of a sudden looked seriously pissed. While I was just getting worried. He turned and signaled over a, more important looking guy from the office behind. Shit I was in trouble but for what, had my visa ran out. It was time to try to speak again. 'I don't understand what is the problem'. The attendant's eyes caught mine in what seemed to be a stare of death. He lifted up the money that I had forgot I had put in my passport. I quickly stuttered out 'I am sorry' in what sounded like a truly pathetic gringo Spanish, at least 4 times, 'its my fault', then, 'I put it there for security and had forgot'. For once in my life on purpose I tried to look stupid and as innocent as possible. It worked, after a stand off and whispers from behind the desk. The attendant picked up the stamp and bang. I sighed a sign of relieve. My stamps where stamped. My money returned. I think though by the looks I got as I left they where only thinking one thing " Another Stupid Tourist" I was slightly embarrassed. I don't know whether they really thought I was trying to bribe them to get across the border or whether they where just putting the wind up me. But it worked I will never put money in my passport again. That's for sure. I made the last bus and made San Pedro by nightfall.
The same crossing but on an earlier trip. On the way this time from Honduras to Guatemala. We where waiting in a mini bus to shuttle us to the other side. About 4km, strangely enough the bus left with only 5 passengers they can usually fit 15 people in them. Strange buses never leave unless they are full especially at the borders. As we drove pass the line of trucks waiting to get through, we came to a quick sudden stop. From behind one of the trucks 8 or so guys jumped out. I thought no, robbery, but instead they quickly pushed in to the bus. We sped of literally flat out. About a little over 500mt short of the entrance to Guatemala we came to a quick stop again. The guys we had picked up got out as quickly as they had got in. And ran, for the trees along the side of the road. There was a sense of urgency in their faces. All the other passengers didn't even raise an eyebrow. As I looked around a little bewildered as to what was going on. By chance the driver caught my eyes in the rear view mirror and simply smiled. That wasn't the end. There were 2 young girls in the mini bus as well. I got my passport stamped no problems. It is a lot quicker some times as a foreigner. As I reached the other side to get a taxi to the nearest town the 2 girls where there waiting as well. They where whispering to one of the drivers. He signaled me over to jump in the taxi. I did the girls jumped in the back and again we sped of flat out. I realized I had not seen the girls in getting their papers stamped. Whats up this time. Not again I thought. Just up ahead I noticed the police on the side of the road. This will be interesting, the driver yelled something at the girls they ducked quickly. All of sudden we toke a quick left a detour, gravel road back way into town. As sudden as before we stopped quickly in front of a few small house. On a dusty back road. The driver pointed to one of the houses; the girls grabbed their bags and headed straight for the door. It opened and then closed behind them. A smile and a wink this time from the driver. I made the last bus again. Some luck
