Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Travel Story

Travels in Central America, Part 1

Getting there, or bridging with GAP

The security guard motioned me out of the lineup and into a separate area where I was instructed to take off my belt and boots. After looking under the insoles he gave me a second going over with the wand which beeped suspiciously in the area on my crotch. Finally, satisfied that the signal was due to a metal zipper and not some lethal weapon concealed in my shorts, he gave me back my stuff and told me to "have a nice day in Dallas".

Since most flights from Vancouver to South and Central America involve a stop-over in the Excited States of America it’s important to be prepared for a thorough inspection before you even get out of the airport – valid passport, clean sox, and plastic zippers. But I still haven't figured out how to avoid the guy who does the random checks. Neither my harmless-Canadian-wimp look nor my god-fearing-American-patriot look seem to work. Maybe it’s the boots?

Our American Airlines flight to Dallas pushed off promptly at 7 a.m. and we settled back for the three and a half hour flight, pleased to find that there actually was, as advertized, extra leg-room. After a long hungry wait we inquired about breakfast and were told we should have picked up our "Bistro Bag" before boarding. However, the stewardess would be happy to bring us one. The sturdy little shopping bag, emblazoned with American Airlines insignia, contained a small tub of yogurt, a limp rice-crispy bar, a few raisins and a plastic spoon. As she passed us our breakfast I sensed even the stewardess was slightly embarrassed. Extra leg-room, it seems, comes with a trade-off.

During our four-hour layover in Dallas airport we met a group of doctors, nurses, and medical technicians – volunteers with Helps International who were on their way to a remote first-aid station in the mountains of Guatemala. Twice a year they convert the station to a hospital and provide modern treatment, including surgery, to the forgotten poor who live outside the cities. Our conversations were a prelude to our own helpless witness to the grinding poverty that still afflicts so many people in Central America.

It was dark when our 737 began its letdown over the sprawling lights of Guatemala City. Getting through immigration and customs was a breeze and Rosana was waiting to take us to the Los Bucaros Hotel in Antigua, a 45-minute van ride from the airport.

Betty and I were signed on to a 17-day tour from Guatemala, through Honduras and Nicaragua to Costa Rica. It was our sixth trip to Latin America and our second with GAP, a Toronto-based adventure tour company that avoids the luxury tourist traps in favor of local services. Accommodation is modest, transportation is by local "chicken bus" or van, and shopping is in the local, rather than tourist, markets. It’s not a style of travel that appeals to everyone – the squeamish and weak-of-bladder will find it a challenge. But, although it’s not possible to shed one’s gringo image completely, the GAP style does bring you a small step closer to the local people and their culture.

After a couple of days on our own Betty and I met the rest of our group. Getting to know the strangers who become your travelling companions, and often your friends, is a fascinating part of the experience. We were 12 in all – an eclectic bunch ranging in age from 24 to 79 and hailing from seven different countries. Australia was represented by Corey, a medical doctor; Robert a professional chef, and Margaret a young Sidney police officer. Stig, a Swedish steel executive; Allan a chemist from Denmark; and Herbert, a German aircraft designer, were squeezing a holiday into busy careers. Erica, youngest in the group, was on a break between school and a stint in the U.S. Army. Howard and Maurine from South Africa were the only other couple. And lastly, we were delighted that Nancy, an old friend from Whistler, was able to join us.

For the next two and a half weeks we travelled together through four very different countries. Many things were done as a group but there were always choices – choices as varied as climbing to the rim of a volcano or going white water rafting; prowling through native markets or snorkeling on a coral reef. And none of it could have happened without the expert guidance of Martin, our tour leader, who handled all the logistic and bureaucratic details.

A native of Argentina, Martin is fluent in Spanish and English and has a working knowledge of several more languages, including Vietnamese. He comes from a family of inveterate travellers and, at age 27, he has already spent time in 29 different countries. Now resident in Toronto, he has a degree in architecture from U of T and works alternately in design and as one of GAP’s most versatile Central and South American tour leaders.

From the colonial streets of Antigua to the Mayan ruins of Copan; from the coral reefs of Roatan to the volcanoes of Granada; and from the clear waters of Lake Nicaragua to the cloud forest of Monteverde Martin cut through the red tape. Using tact and humor he bargained, on our behalf, with everyone from cab drivers to customs officers, leaving the rest of us free to explore and enjoy our surroundings. It was a fascinating, fast-paced trip and, although it gave us only a glimpse of the complex Latin world of Central America, it left a host of lasting memories which I will attempt to share in later columns.

For more information contact:

G.A.P. Adventures (the Great Adventure People)

19 Duncan Street, Suite 401, Toronto, Canada M5H3Hl

Toll Free 1-800-465-5600

E-mail: adventure@gap.ca www.GAPadventures.com