In El Salvador

So my flight was totally uneventful, save two facts. First, apparently too many tickets had sold to run the prop plan so then we got a 737, the same size plane I'd flown cross continent in. However, not that many tickets had sold so essentially every passenger had their own row. Second, was the very funny fact that we were at cruising altitude for about 3 minutes, the rest of the 30 minute flight was consumed in ascent and descent.

Cramming into an air condition less bus for the 5 hour ride from Guatemala City to San Salvador was a sad reality check, further reinforced by then climbing onto a chicken bus for the final leg of the journey to a surf town called La Libertad on El Salvador's Pacific Coast.

Fortunately I was not lonely on board as a man sat down in the seat beside me and kept talking in rapid Spanish through rotting teeth on foul booze breathe. Clearly he was concerned that I had not had enough physical contact for the day as he touched both legs, purely by coincidence in the places one would keep a wallet as well as my waist, where I happen to keep my money belt and finally the wrist I keep my watch on. However, I was a little ill at ease suspecting any other passenger buy this one might try to pickpocket me and had squirrelled things away securely.

The physical contact barrier dealt with my newest friend took the freshly opened glass bottle of coke from my hand and had a big swig, even before I had had the chance to offer it. I thought in light of our new comradery I would let him have it. However, he kept spilling on me which I worried might accidentally distract me and allow a completely different passenger to nick my things. Unfortunately, in a moment of clumsiness on my part I knocked the bottle he was dangling by the window out and to the side of a rural road.

We continued on in silence until we approached my destination. He was exceptionally concerned about where I was staying, if I'd be alone and if I needed a ride. His relief was almost tangible when I told him that I was meeting six of my former American football teammates in town and that they had sussed a place out, I only had to phone them.

Unfortunately, I forgot to get his email address or say goodbye when our bus lurched to a stop and in the rush of some street vendors getting on to hawk their goods I slipped out the back door.

Unfortunately the town I am now in does not have ATMs that work with international cards (a first in the 12 countries I've travelled to) so after paying for my room I've only 12$ left, so I skipped dinner and am now waiting for a bus back to San Salvador. Surfing in this part of the world shall have to wait for Costa Rica.

A consolation for those of you lamenting the high price of gas this long weekend here. It is 3.78US per LITER here.