Hello El Salvador!!!

I figure Todd is typing away the details. I am just so happy to be out of Honduras. After the sand fly incident we were jaded, the Omega Lodge was a nice oasis void of most everything Honduran, but there just weren't the anticipated moments of redemption. Todd kept referencing west Texas, which I now, if I ever did, never want to see. And the people continued being rude. But no longer, because we are in El Salvador, Hallejuhah!

Two days of back breaking travel to make it 87km but we are finally in Perquí­n. We made it to Esperanza, a little mountain town, enjoyed some beer at a Chinese restaurant (oddly the only place open), and had the best intentions on leaving the next morning for El Salvador. Well, our morning quest for coffee left us missing the 8:30am bus to some town called Marcala. Not in our book and not on any maps we had seen, but it is apparently the transportation hub for those going to El Salvador. Our plans of making to El Salvador were dashed when we arrived in Marcala around 3pm in a beautiful rainstorm. The quoted 45min ride must have been on a different route because our road was barely graded. And the old school bus, which by the way was from St. Louis, didn't have the best of shocks or any at all. After two trips around town, it's small, it didn't take long, with everyone stopping to stare at the two white kids with backpacks wondering about in the rain, we through in the towel. Checked into the loudest hotel ever and were up at 3:15am for attempt number 3 at border crossing.

Another fabulous ride on an ungraded road and we have finally made it to friendly El Salvador. The contrast is striking. No official government stamps, both posts were closed this morning, but we are here. Todd and I seemed to be the only ones on the bus worried about crossing without the proper documentation. Fine for now, but I am a little worried about trying to exit the country. Last time that happend, there may have been a forced bribe involved to get the proper stamps (Zambia border patrol is not to be messed with, seriously, no seriously).

So far, we have checked into another Hotel with linens that scare me, a bucket flush toilet, but it does have a proper seat, eaten another wonderful breakfast of eggs, beans, tortillas and cafe ($3 total), and been reassured by the tourist police that our departure will be smoothly. And its only 10:45am.

It is weird to be using dollars again. We were trying to figure out how they get the bills since they only mint their own coins. Is there a big shipment of bills that comes in from the states? Doesn't seem logical, but then again, a lot of things here in Central America don't. Time for a siesta before we go and depress ourselves at the war musuem. It's a beautiful day to be in El Salvador!