Oh no!!!!
antigua-076.jpgHave been back in Antigua for a month, only seems like last week. Been living on Latin American time & haven’t accomplished all I set out to but still have another month, well there is Semana Santa & this & that to do so really only a few days. Have located a bus importer over in Palin so going to see him next week & the way things usually work the owner I am to meet will likely be around within a day or two. The trip to Palin will take me over the other side of the volcano down to the Pacific Slope to Escuinlta a distance of about 30km with at least a 15oF rise in temp.
Also my real estate lady will be back Apr 1st so will be able to check the outlying pueblo’s for a nice cheap place to live on the bus route as parking in Antigua is limited (to put it nicely) so lots to keep me occupied, one more week of Spanish lessons & I will have the basics covered & is just a matter of practise.
The stories I am hearing from back in Ontario are just sickening with the inept politicians misjudging people & blowing by-elections leaving no opposition at Queens Park so the fool in charge is talking about harmonising the PST & GST creating more tax. Harper apparently twiddling his thumbs at a loss as what to do. This makes leaving paradise a form of exile to hell, to wind up the school portion of the business, after the court case with the school board that they have been putting off for 3 years as they know they are in the wrong but just doing what governments do best, putting it to the little guy.
In light of the reluctance to return have decided to take the scenic route back instead of merely jumping on a plane in Guate City will take the airport shuttle in but go to the bus station instead then grab the bus to Rio Dulce spend the night then take the collectivo boat in the morning to Livingston on the Caribbean coast, spend the night then the morning ferry to Punta Gorda Belize. From there it’s a 7 hr chicken bus ride to Belize City or might luck out & find a water taxi & do the trip in 1 1/2 hrs, the next day hop on the AA flight to Miami & on to YYZ & Exile until can get a chance to drive my bus to Antigua some time in July.
Tags: Travel
busman7
Dave, I have read several posts on Bootsnall about the violence and lack of security in Quad City. The central bus station was particularly risky, In truth, it got a bad report.
Guatemala City doesn’t have one central bus station, each company has their own facility. The reports you are hearing are about the “chicken bus” terminal & a tourist is taking a chance using it although I know some who have with no problem (personaly I wouldn’t). There are 3 or 4 others in the area with their own good security & Tica Bus have a terminal in zone 10,no problem.
Also the chicken buses out side of Guate City are fine & I have used them many times. There are oodles of tourist shuttles going into the airport & the other bus terminals from Antigua for $10, other tourist locations also have shuttle service so there is absolutely no reason to take a chicken bus to the city unless you are really desperate to save $8.00
As far as Central American cities go, with the exception of Panama City, none are all that safe for some one that doesn’t know their way around but the worst I have seen for a bad bus station area is San Jose CR.
really eh..Costa Rica…the mecca lol………I was just talking to someone who can’t wait to retire in CR but hasn’t been there in 30yrs…i advised her to visit first before making a rash move lol. I know you were thinking CR but not anymore right?
Definitely visit first as a lot of ex-pats that visit here from CR are complaining, would probably find Panama more to their likeing.