Central America Travel |

Central America - Travel Stories from Around the World - BootsnAll.com Home | Ask an Insider | Members Forum Plane Tickets | Youth Hostels | RTW Guide About Us | Advertising | Search | RSS | Staff First Time Visitor? Travel Stories Africa - Travel Stories from Africa Asia - Travel Stories from Asia Middle East - Travel Stories from the Middle East Europe - Travel Stories from Europe North America - Travel Stories from North America Central America - Travel Stories from Central America South America - Travel Stories from South America Pacific - Travel Stories from the Pacific and Australasia Travelogues - Travelogues from around the world Central American Travel Stories Below you will find stories written by travellers on their experiences in Central America. If you would like to submit your own stories for this region, click here . Belize | Costa Rica | Dominican Republic | El Salvador | Guatemala | Honduras | Jamaica | Nicaragua | Panama | Puerto Rico Belize Relax, Mon Matt Scott quickly adapts to the easy-going pace of Caye Caulker - both above and below the water. Diving Adventure in Belize Seasickness, wild waves and an overflowing toilet weren't going to keep Kristin Piljay from diving in Belize's blue waters. PepperOni, Island Style A Washington state man sells off three pizza joints and stateside life to open shop in a bamboo-covered trailer in Belize. Belize & Tikal, Guatemala Justin Bryant tackles wildlife, forests, scary restaurants and rickety bars, but why worry, man? It's Belize. Dreadlocks & Voodoo Jack Simpson, Jr honeymoons in Belize where he experiences dark caves and voodoo rituals. No tigers though. Living the Life of Raleigh Recounting horror stories from the foreign bush is just part of the Raleigh International experience. Costa Rica Pura Vida en Costa Rica Whatever your taste, you can find it in Costa Rica. Lee Abbamonte promises that you will want to return time and again. The Legend of La Mona Did a half-woman half-monkey, with a hysterical laugh, prey on Andrew Black's sanity? Costa Rican Beach Bum Buddha People can touch your life, even if you know them only for a short while. Shawn Cooley reflects on the people that touch the life of a traveler. Seven Days in Costa Rica Traversing through the rainforests next to an active volcano, David Alan Robinson makes the most of his seven days in Costa Rica. Don't Miss the Boat Costa Rica is considered one of the most ecologically abundant areas in the hemisphere, writes Judy Wolf. It has distractions and attractions galore - beaches, surfing, nesting sea turtles, cloud forests, active volcanoes, rivers and more. La Catarata Rebecca Bowe and her friends put their clothes back on and made their way back up the path feeling exhausted and full of wonder. Touch the Wire After 2 years of highs and lows Brandon Dane's hand got pried off the high-voltage line of life. He can't wait to clutch on again. La Fortuna Fiesta A spring break with a difference, Catharine Wells traveled to Costa Rica to see Volcan Arenal. Instead she arrived in time for a local festival. Tico's Rampage (or, The Shortcut) The story of Craig Guillot's right leg dashes on a mad horse through Costa Rica. Los Chiles , Costa Rica Many different ways to travel on this river, in varying degrees of comfort. Puntarenas , Costa Rica Taking the bus from Puntarenas to Nicaragua and back. Dominican Republic The Missing Piece of the Puzzle The hidden mountain village of Los Quemados is poor, but those who come to know it see the beauty of the countryside and its people. El Salvador Biting the Bullet William Koplitz went to El Salvador to go surfing and was shot by thieves after being in the country for 24 hours. La Union , El Salvador Boat problems lead to a refreshing break on the island of Conchaquita. Guatemala Don't Worry, It's Straight Ahead, and Other Guatemalan Fibs NEW! Children run from her shrieking, she has to catch a ride on a dump drunk and Claire MacDonell still has another week in the mountains of Guatemala. I Will Survive: Early Morning in the Guatemalan Jungle with a Drag Queen The temples of Tikal are cause for awe and wonder. But Diana Reed found herself wondering about one of her fellow visitors to the ancient ruins. The Idiot's Guide to Good Transport in Guatemala Diana Espirito Santo navigates the scary, but rewarding, world of Guatemalan transportation. The Complete Rules of the Road for Driving in Guatemala Ken McCormick provides a basic set of rules for surviving (or not) Guatemala's notorious highways. Deconstructing Travels To Tikal Amongst the huge stone temples at Tikal, Shawn Cooley waxes philosophical. Fear (but no loathing) in Guatemala Explosions ripped Shannan Murphy out of an exhausted sleep. But she learned she had nothing to fear, but fear itself. Avoid being Ripped-off in Guatemala Maury Englander follows up his story of being robbed in Guatemala City with some tips to help you avoid the same fate. A Guatemalan (Sad) Story Maury Englander was distracted for just a second, but that's all it took for thieves to end his holiday in Guatemala. The First Great Maya City: El Mirador Don Parkinson's 20 mile hike through the jungle was rewarded the view from El Mirador, the largest of the ancient Mayan cities. ER in Guatemala The nightly turtle races were all the excitement the village of Monterrico was supposed to offer. Laurie Magree found a bit more than that after helping to save two locals attacked by a machete-wielding drunk. Volcano Pacaya Hiking a live volcano should be adventure enough, but throw in a few bandits and it's downright scary. Antigua: Home Sweet Home Semana Santa is one week when Antigua gets even more international visitors than usual. Through the Looking Glass... How I was rescued from the jungle by a Belizian fisherman, his son, and a dog named Red. Indigenous Markets in Guatemala Experience the fun of a local market, but don't forget to arrive early! Ascent to Pacaya Hike to the top of a live volcano in Guatemala. "Mundo Olmeca"...in Guatemala?! Guatemala is famous for being the heart of "Mundo Maya". So what's this about "Mundo Olmeca"? I am not as young as I used to be... Local Guat buses can take you to beautiful places, but you've gotta have the stomach for it. Rio Dulce , Guatemala The Hotel Backpackers is a great way to meet other travellers in Rio Dulce. Honduras Roatan: a Caribbean Island in Transition NEW! David Alan Robinson snoops around Roatan and witnesses another Caribbean island that is poised for development. A Bridge in The Bay Islands The Great Barrier Reef and the Red Sea pale in comparison to the quality of the Bay Islands of Roatan. Time may be running out, writes Lee Abbamonte, to see this unspoiled area. Don't wait. Bloody Football Today's football heroes are worshipped, but in an ancient time, they worshipped the gods with human sacrifice. Escape from Roatan Leaving Roatan, Honduras felt more like an escape than a departure for Diana Espirito Santo. Island Time Island Time - undetermined quantity of time just long enough to infuriate, confuse and befuddle a sick-stomached mainlander, writes Thomas Jones. Like a Fish to Air Roatan is reknown for diving, but it also forces Kristina Johnson to confront her fears. Utila - Hangover in Paradise A tequila hangover doesn't stop Malcolm Blakey from spending 2 weeks diving and eating on the island of Utila. Dead Pirates and Frozen Fish Battling a fever in Honduras, Christine Michaud uses the only thing at her disposal to cool down: a frozen fish. Jamaica Jammin' in Jamaica Shirley Camia witnessed both the beauty and tragedy of Jamaica's tourism and its people. Broken Space & Time in Jamaica It was just before turning back that the strangest series of events unfolded for Ajay Nityananda and his friend. Nicaragua Hippocrates Laughs Shawna Kenney goes to Central America to cure her friend's loneliness and finds another world in the process. Panama Counting the Hours on Contadora NEW! Troy White visited the only nude beach in Central America, called 'Swedish Girls Beach.' The problem was: there were no Swedish girls, just he and his friends. Casco Viejo NEW! Mike Heavers is awed by resilient, sensual, enticing Casco Vieja - epitomized by the daily struggle against poverty by its people. La Casa Grande What Chris Lele's search from the website blurb on Casa Grande led him to expect and what he found was different, even shocking. Puerto Rico A Tropical Independence Day: Giant Ferns, Aliens and City Folks Regardless of the fact that it sits on one of the Bermuda Trangle's corners, Elda P. Acevedo found El Yunque to be an extremely beautiful and possibly enchanted place. 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Air Travel May Double

Bloomberg.com: Latin America Updated: New York: Dec 28 17:46 London: Dec 28 22:46 Tokyo: Dec 29 07:46 US AU BZ FP GR HK IM JP LN SM IND : Regions Top Worldwide Regions Asia Australia & New Zealand Canada Europe Germany Japan Latin America U.K. U.S. Markets Economy/Politics Commentary Sports Culture Bloomberg RSS RESOURCES: Bloomberg TV Bloomberg Radio Markets Latin America E-Mail This Story Printer-Friendly Format Venezuelan Economy Grew 9.4 Percent in 2005, Fueled by Government Spending Codelco Union Workers Delay Strike at Chile Copper Mines for Wage Talks Brazilian Central Bank Expects 4 Percent Growth in 2006, Faster Inflation Mexican Air Travel May Double in 3 Years on Discounts (Update2) Dec. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Mexico is preparing for domestic airtravel to double in as few as three years, predicting newdiscount airlines such as Interjet will pull 20 millionpassengers off the bus, the country's aviation chief said. Interjet, the first low-cost carrier to begin service fromthe Mexico City area, introduced fares this month that beatpremium bus travel. Almost 40 million people annually travel 400kilometers or more on buses equipped with televisions, airconditioning, and washrooms between cities served by airports,said Gilberto Lopez Meyer, Mexico's civil aviation director. ``We can double the number of domestic air passengers ifhalf these people begin flying,'' Lopez Meyer said in aninterview in Mexico City on Dec. 20. The first discount fares introduced in Mexico areencouraging, he said. Mexico City-based Interjet, one of fivestartup projects, began flying four routes on Dec. 5 with pricesthat are as little as a quarter of those charged by the nation'slargest airlines, Mexicana and Aeromexico. They can be cheaper than the bus, too. Traveling to thebeach resort of Cancun from Mexico City on a luxury bus run byAutobuses ADO costs 1,284 pesos ($120) and takes up to 23.5hours. Interjet's fares to Cancun from the Toluca airport, 69kilometers from downtown Mexico City, start at 1,205 pesos,including taxes. The flight is two hours long. A round-trip ticket to Guadalaraja from Toluca can be ascheap as 1,144 pesos on Interjet, compared with 5,145 pesoscharged by Mexicana or Aeromexico. ``I hope these prices are here to stay,'' Lopez Meyer said.``If the discount fares are on average 50 percent cheaper thanthe legacy carriers, we'll have achieved our goal.'' Temporary Subsidies Avolar Lineas Aereas SA began flying from the northern cityof Tijuana to four towns in September. Another two carriersprobably will start operations by June, Lopez Meyer said. One issponsored by Mexican billionaires Carlos Slim and EmilioAzcarraga and the other is backed by Brazil's Gol Lineas AereasInteligentes SA. Mexico is Latin America's second-largest aviation marketafter Brazil, with 20 million passengers a year. To help lower fares, the Mexican government is expandingairport capacity and giving the startup carriers temporarysubsidies on services such as fuel delivery that reduceoperating costs by about 10 percent, Lopez Meyer said.Passengers get 50 percent off on airport tax when flying fromsecondary airports. Competitor Reaction Interjet, owned by the son and grandson of former MexicanPresident Miguel Aleman, can break even in a year by maintainingthe current fare structure so long as the planes fly 65 percentfull, Chief Executive Officer Jose Luis Garza said in aninterview in Mexico City. The carrier has a five-class faresystem with a 50-peso difference between them, he said. The Alemans spent $230 million to buy seven Airbus SAS'sA320 from insolvent Italian airline Volare Group SpA and putdown $60 million in equity capital to start Interjet, Garzasaid. Interjet placed firm orders for 10 new Airbus planes andhas options to buy another 10, which would demand investments of$1.2 billion, he said. Interjet has no debt. Reacting to increasing competition, Mexicana and Aeromexicointroduced promotional fares and expanded service to Toluca.Government-owned Aeromexico began flying to the industrial cityof Monterrey from Toluca on Dec. 14 for as little as 822 pesos.At Interjet, fares to Monterrey start at 745 pesos. ``I can make money at this price, but they can't,'' saidGarza, who served as chief financial officer of Aeromexicobetween 1988 and 1990. Airline Sale Discount airlines reduce investor interest in theprivatization auction for Mexicana and Aeromexico last month.The government sold just Mexicana and rejected bids forAeromexico, saying they were too low. Grupo Posadas SA, Mexico'slargest hotel chain, bought Mexicana for $165.5 million plusassumption of $1.27 billion in debt. Shares of Cintra SA, the holding company for Mexicana andAeromexico, tumbled 20 percent the day after the bids wereplaced Nov. 21 and another 18 percent in the three daysfollowing the auction results were announced Nov. 30. Thegovernment plans to put Aeromexico on the block again in early2006. ``We couldn't artificially halt the entry of the low-costairlines because of the sale of Cintra,'' Lopez Meyer said. ``Ifthere's interest in new carriers and all the requirements aremet, we have to issue a license by law.'' To contact the reporter on this story:Adriana Arai at aarai1@bloomberg.net Last Updated: December 23, 2005 13:57 EST ©2005 Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved. Terms of Service Privacy Policy Trademarks Site Map Help Feedback About Bloomberg Log In/Register Advertising ??????

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