Traveling is a b!#ch

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words so I'm going to try and fill the blanks with as many photos as I can.

As usual for Humboldt county, just getting out of Arcata was a daunting task.  My flight was delayed 3 hours bu I had planned for that by booking my layover to be 5 hours.  My second plane to El Salvador wasn't going to leave until 1:00am so I had hoped to meet my parents for dinner.  The delay was going to cramp my dinner plans but I was still going to make my flight.  As it turned out the flights out of Arcata were all delayed and they ended up getting me on the earlier, delayed flight which actually got me in to SF before my original, delayed flight had even left the ground.  So I had dinner with my parents and still had  4 hours at the airport.  When it was time to board the flight to El Salvador the early boarding line started to form:

By the time they actually started boarding there were 9 wheelchairs lined up.  I'm not sure but I think that is a better way to go than Premier status.  Must be some heavy healing going on in El Salvador.

I arrived Saturday mid morning and the weather was gorgeous. Moist air, blue sky and about 90 degrees.  I took a cab to the West End of Roatan. Only 20 dollars - Not bad for the only E-ticket ride on the island.  The entrance is usually very beautiful.  You turn off the main island road and you see the coast and the grand entrance to the West End area but unfortunately they are paving the main street which normally would be great but they aren't quite done yet.

So I had to carry my bags to my hotel.  Not usually a bad thing but having traveled for 24 hours and it being 90 degrees, I wasn't exactly pleased.  The idea of paving is a great thing for this area.  The dirt road, while picturesque, was a nightmare if it rained.  And they are adding drainage and potable water lines as they go.  Unfortunately trucks can't get down the road so deliveries are difficult and so is garbage service.

 

But I think it adds to the 3rd world charm.

I managed to get to my apartment house and found my place to be just exactly what I was looking for.  This was the view as I walked into my unit:

My place is 20 feet from the waters edge on a beautiful bay, appropriately called, Halfmoon Bay

Here's a shot of the building from down the beach.  My place is on the second floor under the satellite dish:




I got my stuff all settled and went down to the dive shop and checked in with Reef Gliders.  Then I went for a walk.  Here's a few shots I took as I walked:

 I found a great side street with some much needed shade.

Not bad for a little pocket digital camera








After a bit of island style chicken, I was home for a stunning sunset.  What a great finish for my first day on the island.