USA
Start of Trip: May 2, 2011
(Denver, CO)
Departed: May 23, 2011
(Douglas, AZ / Agua Prieta, SON)
Duration: 3 weeks
Average Daily Expenses: US$89
only 2 hotel rooms, camping, and couchsurfing kept cost down. Meals out at restaurants pushed costs right back up there.
Average Fuel cost: US$ 3.50-4 per gallon
HIGHLIGHTS:
Seeing family in Zion
Chaco Canyon
Couchsurfing with Karl in Bisbee, AZ
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Mexico
Entered: May 23, 2011
(Douglas, AZ / Agua Prieta, SON)
Departed: July 31, 2011
(Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, CHIS / La Mesilla, Huehuetenango)
Duration: 3 months
Average Daily Expenses: US$58
due in large part to couchsurfing, and generosity of new and old friends (thanks again, Marina, Ron, and Alicia!)
Average Fuel cost (premium): M$X 10.5 per liter
Food was fantastic! Streetfood is good. And cheap.
Hotels were around US$ 15-20 per night, except for the random hospedaje below US$10.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Couchsurfing
Tepoztlán with Ron and Alicia
San Blas
DF
Palenque
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GUATEMALA
Entered: July 31, 2011
(Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, CHIS / La Mesilla, Huehuetenango)
Departed: August 25, 2011
(La Ceiba)
Duration: 25 days
Average Daily Expenses: US$63
Average Fuel cost (premium): Q 35-36 per gallon
Hotels were cheaper than Mexico, and camping seemed to be more readily available.
Language school in Xela was US$ 140/wk including 25 hours of 1-1 instruction, place to stay, and 3 meals a day.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Couchsurfing in San José (in Petén) and in San Pedro with Federica and Petra
Tikal
Santa María
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El SALVADOR
Entered: August 25, 2011
(Anguiatu/La Ceiba)
Departed: September 5, 2011
(El Poy)
Duration: 11 days
Average Daily Expenses: US$30
Average Fuel cost (premium): US$4 per gallon
Happy with a simple hospedaje-style room (with A/C!) for US$20 on the beach near La Libertad.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Seeing friends from Denver in Perquín
Papusas
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HONDURAS
Entered: September 5, 2011
(El Poy)
Departed: September 8, 2011
(Las Manos)
Duration: 3 days
Average Daily Expenses: US$81
(note: this is not right. Being in Honduras for only 3 days screwed our math up, and we don't remember how much we had in hand at each border, so we can't really correct for it. Honduras costs are similar to Guatemala. We were traveling each of those 3 days, which make for expensive days, so we expect our Guatemala days to have cost about $60.)
Average Fuel cost (premium): 92 Lempiras per gallon
HIGHLIGHTS:
La Paz
Old mountain road from La Esperanza to Marcala
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NICARAGUA
Entered: September 8, 2011
(Las Manos)
Departed: September 17, 2011
(Peñas Blancas)
Duration: 9 days
Average Daily Expenses: US$52
Average Fuel cost (premium): 26-28 Cordobas per liter
HIGHLIGHTS:
Salcar's generosity with a place to stay in Managua
Robert's tour of the Potters for Peace factory
Partying too hard in San Juan del Sur, then leaving our tool bags out front to get nicked
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COSTA RICA
Entered: September 17, 2011
(Peñas Blancas)
Departed: September 25, 2011
(Sixaola)
Duration: 8 days
Average Daily Expenses: US$68
Average Fuel cost: 750 Colones per liter (nearly US$6 per gal!)
HIGHLIGHTS:
Couchsurfing with Ivan
Generosity of family in Lagarto campsite and truck transport
Getting out of this expensive, Disneyworld for adults-esque country (without a $$$ traffic violation)
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PANAMA
Entered: September 25, 2011
(Sixaola)
Departed: October 27, 2011
(San Blas Islands)
Duration: 32 days
Average Daily Expenses: US$tba
Average Fuel cost: US$xx per liter
HIGHLIGHTS:
Visiting Dana in El Rincón
Hanging with Erik and Beth
Stahlratte anchored in the San Blas islands
