My first night at the Casona Colonial I had the entire hotel to myself, but last night more visitors moved in. This morning I met them, a trio of Americans from Duluth, MN and Superior, WI who are on a volunteering mission for an organization called Witness for Peace. You can check out their website linked to the right. I've also added Wikipedia's controversial articles about the organization, which supposedly is very pro-Sandinista.
The man, who I will call M, is a retired academic, and he told me they are part of delegation that will tour various agricultural regions in Nicaragua to assess the impact of NAFTA & CAFTA on the economies here & in other countries like Colombia & Venezuela. M is traveling with R, a woman--also an academic from University of Wisconsin. And a third younger woman is also traveling with them for part of their journey.
I visited WfP's website and checked out the page about the Nicaragua delegation. It appears to be another one of those deals where you pay big bucks to "volunteer." It's not a bad thing, I don't mean that, but $1000 plus airfare for a ten day mission strikes me as a little dear, at least for me personally.
At some point in the future, I might want to do some "volunteer travel." It seems to be not such a bad way to put in some time, somewhere, for a good cause, to try to do one's part for the bigger picture, and so forth. But I'd prefer to sign on with some organization that doesn't require me to pony up the thousands of bucks some of them ask for. I can see giving either my money, or giving my time (and paying for my expenses as I do so). But I can't quite bring myself to give just a little bit of my time and a lotta bit of my money, both.
Showing posts with label Venezuela. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Venezuela. Show all posts
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The Route Ahead After Perquin
I offer this post as a picture for the reader of what I face in the days ahead. Managua is about 9 hours from San Miguel by bus and includes two border crossings into Honduras & Nicaragua. Considering the fact that I prefer to travel 4-5 hours per day at most, that means a two day trip with an overnight in the Honduran town of Choluteca.
Once past the Nicaraguan border formalities I have to decide if I will stop in Leon and/or Managua (probably one or the other but not both). Then it's onward immediately to my true destination goals of beautiful colonial Granada & the charming Pacific coast town of San Juan del Sur. Last year I visited both latter two places but was very short on time. I would like to spend perhaps a week total in that area.
Then there's another border crossing nearby into Costa Rica and one or two days (at my easy-does-it tempo) to the capital San Jose. A day or two there hanging out with my student's Uncle Marco is sure to be a highlight of this trip.
From San Jose, another day's travel will get me to Tortuguero, famous for its turtle-hatching seasons and its remote beauty (the only way to get there is by air or boat). This is yet another place that, for me, is worth spending a few days.
At that point, Panama--or at least the Carribean coast of Panama near the Costa Rican border--becomes a viable option. However, if I go that route, then Merida,Venezuela simply becomes not viable at all--if it ever was, at my meandering rate of speed.
Probably the reader has figured out already that this trip isn't really about getting to Merida, or any other destination, but more about the voyage of getting to several stopping off points along the way. Budget issues also play an important part in my deliberations. For example, if it takes me 14 days worth of hotel spending to get to Panama City from here, but I can get a flight for the same amount or less, should I buy the plane ticket? The answer is, not if that expense puts me wildly above my projected costs for the entire enterprise.
Once past the Nicaraguan border formalities I have to decide if I will stop in Leon and/or Managua (probably one or the other but not both). Then it's onward immediately to my true destination goals of beautiful colonial Granada & the charming Pacific coast town of San Juan del Sur. Last year I visited both latter two places but was very short on time. I would like to spend perhaps a week total in that area.
Then there's another border crossing nearby into Costa Rica and one or two days (at my easy-does-it tempo) to the capital San Jose. A day or two there hanging out with my student's Uncle Marco is sure to be a highlight of this trip.
From San Jose, another day's travel will get me to Tortuguero, famous for its turtle-hatching seasons and its remote beauty (the only way to get there is by air or boat). This is yet another place that, for me, is worth spending a few days.
At that point, Panama--or at least the Carribean coast of Panama near the Costa Rican border--becomes a viable option. However, if I go that route, then Merida,Venezuela simply becomes not viable at all--if it ever was, at my meandering rate of speed.
Probably the reader has figured out already that this trip isn't really about getting to Merida, or any other destination, but more about the voyage of getting to several stopping off points along the way. Budget issues also play an important part in my deliberations. For example, if it takes me 14 days worth of hotel spending to get to Panama City from here, but I can get a flight for the same amount or less, should I buy the plane ticket? The answer is, not if that expense puts me wildly above my projected costs for the entire enterprise.
Crossroads in San Miguel
A touch of "Delhi belly" early yesterday kept me here for another day & today the imminent prospect of a temporary cash shortage is keeping me from moving on immediately. So I took advantage of the hotel laundry service & will have clean clothes tonight!
I'm still on the fence about visiting remote, mountainous Perquin, but the Lonely Planet advises there are no ATMs in this town of 5000 for when I expect a funds transfer to be completed on Thursday. Lonely Planet also claims that Perquin is a highlight "for most visitors" to El Salvador, whatever that means. It sounds cool to me, though.
Thus I'm at a crossroads of decision (or "indecision" might be a better way to put it). Perquin sounds exactly like something that's right up my alley, but of course the longer I don't move, the further I remain from my ostensible destination goal in Venezuala.
Today I took a bus to a point about 5 miles west of town where there was a great view of this region's main geographical landmark, the 2130 meter Volcan de San Miguel which looms like a towering, fire-eating god over this city. Today its massive cone was shrouded in an envelope of ominous looking clouds that seemed ready to burst with rain. This short trip to the outskirts of town was rewarded with a noticable cooling of temperature--a welcome relief from the brutal hot in the centro.
The volcano is less than 20 miles from here, but my guidebook explains that a trip there is a bit of an undertaking: you have to rent a car or take a bus & then a taxi to get to the base; if you want to climb to the top, it's a 9 hour trek & you have to hire police escorts ("reserve two weeks in advance"). Lonely Planet also reminds us that you have to provide lunch for your escorts. Now that's "mordida"!
I'm still on the fence about visiting remote, mountainous Perquin, but the Lonely Planet advises there are no ATMs in this town of 5000 for when I expect a funds transfer to be completed on Thursday. Lonely Planet also claims that Perquin is a highlight "for most visitors" to El Salvador, whatever that means. It sounds cool to me, though.
Thus I'm at a crossroads of decision (or "indecision" might be a better way to put it). Perquin sounds exactly like something that's right up my alley, but of course the longer I don't move, the further I remain from my ostensible destination goal in Venezuala.
Today I took a bus to a point about 5 miles west of town where there was a great view of this region's main geographical landmark, the 2130 meter Volcan de San Miguel which looms like a towering, fire-eating god over this city. Today its massive cone was shrouded in an envelope of ominous looking clouds that seemed ready to burst with rain. This short trip to the outskirts of town was rewarded with a noticable cooling of temperature--a welcome relief from the brutal hot in the centro.
The volcano is less than 20 miles from here, but my guidebook explains that a trip there is a bit of an undertaking: you have to rent a car or take a bus & then a taxi to get to the base; if you want to climb to the top, it's a 9 hour trek & you have to hire police escorts ("reserve two weeks in advance"). Lonely Planet also reminds us that you have to provide lunch for your escorts. Now that's "mordida"!
Monday, May 24, 2010
SubwayFiddlerBlog Welcomes You
Welcome to my trip blog. The premise is simple: I have seven weeks to get to Merida, Venezuela by way of Panama then back to Guatemala City in time to catch my flight home Stateside. Alternately, I have the same amount of time to skip Venezuela and make my way to Havana instead (and get back Stateside without the feds finding out!). A third option? Go to Nicaragua and hang out at the beach ´cause it´s cheaper and less hassle!
Can I do it? Do I really want to do it? Does anyone really care? Which option is better for the budget? Check back soon for more posts to find out answers to these and other questions. . .
Can I do it? Do I really want to do it? Does anyone really care? Which option is better for the budget? Check back soon for more posts to find out answers to these and other questions. . .
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