November 22, 2022
This morning had a chat with Nelson, (his English is really good) and he invited us for dinner at his parents house tonight.
We spent the day trying to get quotes from various shipping company, went around the town to their offices. Some were helpful and provided contacts but most were not really interested in doing private business. The weather is still overcast, hot and humid, this is rainy season here in subtropical Honduras.
We had a nice dinner at Nelson’s house: nachos (fried plantain chips) with chicken, refried beans, sour cream, cheese and scrambled eggs , served with Chismol, a salsa made of cubed tomatoes, onions, coriander and green pepper( hot chillis are optional) with a squeeze of lime. This is a staple on Honduran tables and always served with grilled meat.
Nelson’s parents were very welcoming and we managed to communicate in my broken Spanish and Nelson’s help. Nelson’s dad works in logistics and has contacts in the business so will try and get shipping quotes for us. We also met Elsa ( auntie) and Nelson’s grandmother. Elsa speaks good English too and has travelled extensively. She works for a Non-profit Organisation in the sugar industry ( sugar cane). The company provides jobs but also re-invest profits into local communities by building schools, medical centers etc… She lives in the capital Tegucigalpa and has offered to help us if we need to go back there.
Nelson’s parents asked us to stay with them (they have a spare room) but we declined as we did not want to impose on them. So, we drove back to our spot on the Puma petrol station for a second night!
November 23 to November 26, 2022
Our new home is now the Puma station! On the plus side, there is a coffee shop where we can have light snacks + wifi and toilets so it is reasonably comfortable. Also most important for Paul, there is a TV showing the Football world Cup so at least he is not missing on that and can cheer with the locals! we can also continue our search for a shipping company.
Lastly, there is air conditioning and we gratefully retreat there as it is in the mid 30’s Celcius outside!
On the minus side, the station is on the main road going into town, is open 24/7 and used essentially by large trucks so it is very noisy even at night.
Our roof tent arouses interest and some of the drivers come to us and ask questions. All are welcoming and just curious and I manage to answer in Spanish mostly. Some of the drivers have spent some time in the US and speak English too!
We spend most of the week trying to get quotes , some are too high and the breakdown of the fees do not make sense $900 for lashing the car in a container ?? This is at least three time what we expected from previous experience. Most companies simply do not want the extra hassle dealing with the paperwork for a private shipment and charge ridiculous prices.
We are quite deflated but keep trying.
Saturday
We go for a drive to a small town on the coast called OMOA. We get there early and the weekend crowds have not arrived yet. Most of the coastline appears to be private and the only access is if you go to the restaurants or resorts that are right on the beach.
It is rambutan season and lots of little stalls are set up by the roadside selling them by the kilos. They are called lychees here and they are actually related to them. The fruit inside has similar taste and texture.
We go as far as Cumayel along the coast then turn back as we are due to have lunch at Nelson’s. There, we have a great time. Nelson and his Dad are also into football so together with Paul, they watch a match. His parents ask us again to stay at their house and this time we accept.
After 5 days camping at the Puma Station , we welcome the home comforts!
Later in the evening, we go and see Nelson’s new house which is nearing completion. It is in a gated community on an elevated position. It is a good size with two bedrooms and an outdoor space. Nelson hopes to get the keys soon so that he can finish all the indoor painting and move in the furniture before his wedding in January about 6 weeks away. We then go for a drive into town and see Puerto Cortes by night!
November 26 to November 31, 2022.
On Sunday, I go to Pedro Sula with Nelson’s Mum, his fiance Paula and his cousin Deborah. There is no traffic and we get there in an hour. We go to a modern shopping mall (sales are on) and Paula manages to get a few more furniture items and household goods at a good price.
We also have lunch there and I try the famous “POLLO CHUCO” a Honduran favourite. The portion is huge but excellent as confirmed by Nelson’s Mum who loves Pollo Chuco and knows the best places to get it. Pollo Chuco is a portion of grilled chicken served on a plate of fried plantain with some marinated onion slices( they turn pink as marinated in vinegar and beetroot juice), shredded cabbage and chicken stock based sauce poured on top.
Simply delicious !
The rest of the week is spent chasing various shipping agents for quotes .Nelson ‘s dad is also approaching all his contacts but it becomes clear that, despite everyone’s efforts this is not going to work.
We really appreciate the time spent with Nelson and his family. We had nice chats and got to know more about the family and Honduras in general. We are very grateful but it is time for us to leave. We have decided to make our way back to the States with a faint hope that we can still arrange shipping from there.
