What a fun day it was today! Having been assigned to the Eco-Safari Off Road Adventure, I met up with the group on the pier and boarded a waiting bus. After a 10 minute drive we met up with our next mode of transport – a large ATV. With only 8 of us in the group and our guide, there was plenty of space – we were in for a bumpy ride (Mexican massage!!).
Our guide, Martha, was a great load of fun and soon had us laughing. We also laughed because of getting bumped around as we went along dirt roads through fields and villages. We crossed a river and those at the front, sitting behind the driver’s cab, got wet whilst the rest of us got caught in the tail end of the spray. We had been warned!
Our first stop was in San José where left our driver, Donaciano, with the ATV and Martha took us through the cobbled streets of the village to a leather shoe shop which also sold handmade leather saddles. The prices were very reasonable, in line with what local folks could afford compared to that of overpriced (as you already know!) leather goods elsewhere. Two guests ended up purchasing leather sandals and flip-flops. Along the road we stopped at a small grocery shop where Martha taught a volunteer guest how to shop for vegetables for salsa – in the Mexican language and using the local currency. Across the street there was a shop selling freshly made tortillas so Martha once again had the guest buy us some tortillas, coaching him what to say in the local language – which he repeated to the shop owner. For the quantity of groceries bought in that small town for very little money – it was a far cry from what we pay in shops at home at a hefty price. It was a sobering thought that we get ripped off.
Back on the ATV we headed on the rough roads into the Sierra Madre forest, getting thrown around in the process. Fortunately we had seatbelts across our laps to hold us to our seats. There were handles hanging from the roof which the guests clung to but I just sat back and allowed my body to relax, taking the impact of the bumps very easily. The more you tense your muscles for bumps – the more likely it will be that jar something or you will be stiff the next day. When Martha told us to duck – we ducked to avoid low bushes coming through the open windows as we scraped past them. We were advised to keep any limbs inside the vehicle for fear of getting a Mexican manicure! Ai ya ja, mama mia! Now and then Martha climbed out of the ATV to open and close farm gates, happily swinging on them, like a child, as they opened.
We finally arrived at our destination and got out for a 45 minute nature trail walk. During that time Martha talked about the various plants and trees, as well as different birds and insects we spotted. It was sad to note how some guests cannot leave things alone – they ‘need’ to take souvenirs of plants or, in one case, someone broke off a thorn from a thorn tree to take back with him! If everyone took a souvenir then there would be nothing left. There is a saying: “Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints” that should always be kept in mind.
Back in the ATV and we soon arrived at our next stop: someone’s home on a small farm. It was here that we were shown how to grind our newly bought corn with some water to make a corn paste/dough that was flattened by hand and cooked. We were all encouraged to have a go at grinding the corn using a stone grinder (looking rather like a rectangular rolling pin) on a stone pestle. Our efforts left much to be desired because our tortilla was lumpy, compared to our host who cooked some tortillas for us. The other ingredients that Martha had bought earlier on were soon turned into a lovely salsa and our hosts put out 2 other things with which to fill our tortillas. They were so yummy but also filling. And we discovered that we were still going to have lunch at our next destination!
As we bumped along the dirt track Martha opened up a cool box that was filled with beer, water, coca cola and 7-Up (a bit like Sprite). Most guests had a partly filled cup of beer (which was topped up regularly); a few had something else to drink. One lady unfortunately lost her coke over her t-shirt when we hit a pothole just as she was trying to take a sip. Her husband roared with laughter and I thought he might get clobbered but after the initial shock, she ended up laughing too. It was a very happy group of people that climbed out of the ATV when we arrived for lunch in Litibu.
Lunch was held under the palm trees, starting off with tortilla soup followed by bread and freshly BBQ’d kebabs of vegetables, beef and chicken. There was a type of banana pudding afterwards but I couldn’t manage any more to eat. We were given refreshing iced hibiscus tea, with fruit in it, to drink. The setting for lunch was really lovely; a view of the sandy beach and ocean on the one side and on the other side - the grounds and house of where we had lunch. We had time afterwards to swim, take a walk along the beach or relax. It was truly wonderful.
All too soon we had to head back to the ship so we said a sad ‘adios’ to the lads who cooked our lovely meal. Somehow we managed to climb back into the ATV - we were very full from our earlier snack of tortillas plus the large lunch. A few seat-belts were loosened a bit to accommodate the extended stomachs.
The ride back to the ship along a tarred road was not quite as bumpy as the dirt roads but it was still bumpy enough to have people groaning over their full stomachs when we hit a pothole.
To sum up the day – it has been the best so far! Lots of fun and laughter along with an excellent guide with a good sense of humour.
Oh, fun and games on board. There has been a guest hovering around the photography area, constantly looking at his and his wife's pics which were on display with a whole load of other pics - all on display to buy. Anyway... the pics disappeared and he was a suspect but nothing could be done as there was no proof he took them. A few days later he was caught red-handed, removing them and putting them in his pocket. He was 'reminded' that he had forgotten to pay for them. He explained that he just wanted to show his wife them before making up their minds whether to purchase them. He handed them back after being told to bring his wife down to look at them - to purchase or not. Unbeknown to the guest, the security department was advised of what had happened and was authorised to search his cabin when he was next 'home'. In the evening the head steward duly notified security and Paul that the guest was home. So Head of Security, along with the Hotel Manager, knocked on the guest's door. When he answered it was explained to him that there were more missing pictures (the earlier ones that were taken when nobody was around). He immediately realised he was in trouble and fetched them - and 41 others! And those 41 weren't even of him and his wife. If he hadn't owned up to taking any pictures - the cabin would have been searched. Needless to say the guest and his wife were allowed to finish the rest of their cruise to San Diego, port authorities were advised, and they have now been 'blacklisted' and will not be allowed to sail with Holland America's ships again let alone any other company. If they try to book - they will be flagged up, even when booking online.
You can see my pictures on facebook via this link:
Excursion: Eco-Safari Off-Road Adventure
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| Route to our next destination (via sea!) to San Diego. |
