The bus ride to Tapachula was more or less uneventful. I slept a little here and there. There was some kind of inspection point or something along the way: when we got there, two buses were already lined up. Didn't see any kind of security. Some people from the bus ahead of us were standing by their bus. One bus left, and then the other one. Couldn't tell if there was anyone behind us. No one boarded the bus. No one got off the bus. Didn't hear them open the luggage hold. Didn't seem like anything was happening. Then we took off. Altogether, about a half hour stop.  

Got to Tapachula about 7:15. I had hoped to catch the 7am bus to Guatemala City: no others until tomorrow.  

I walked around a few blocks, looking for a place to eat and sleep. I wasn't at all impressed with what I was seeing in Tapachula. So I decided to hop local buses to get to Guatemala City; the bus was due to leave from there at 2pm: with any luck, I might make it.  

 

 Border control: there's a whole mountain range right on the border. This was the tallest peak.  

 
I had read that the border crossing at Talisman was better than the one at Hidalgo. I got on a van that didn't waste any time getting from point to point; I think the guy had a hemi under the hood!  
That ride cost $2 for 10 mi, and ended at a gathering spot for taxis, busses, etc. I didn't know how far the actual border offices were; I couldn't see very far down the road. So I got on one of those bicycle type things with a bench on the front. The guy wanted $3 for a ride that turned out to be less than half a mile. He wanted more than the other guy did for a ten mile ride. I knew I was getting ripped off, but it was hot, I was tired from the long bus ride and frustrated from missing my bus connection and disappointed in the town of Tapachula. So I talked him down to $2.50 and got on.  

The idiot goes right by the Mexican place, drops me off right at the border, and tells me just to walk across. I started, saw the Guatemala building but not the Mexican one. One of the ripoff artists hanging around on the bridge (there are dozens of these assholes all over the border and on both sides) saw my predicament and guided me back to the correct building on the Mexican side. I could see myself trying to explain that I was trying to leave Mexico, not come in. But the guy got me to the right office without a problem. I was grateful, but I wasn't going to tip him: after all, it was one of his associates who put me in that position in the first place. He didn't look too upset that I hadn't tipped him.  

When entering Mexico, they give you some kind of paper and tell you to make sure not to lose it: just another way to make money from you, I think. The border clerk had walked away to take care of this, with my passport, then returned, handed me my passport and that paper, and told me to move along. We were hurriedly being herded from point to point, and I just grabbed my stuff and moved on to the next point. Never thought to check my passport for a stamp (won't make that mistake again - also check to see if they wrote down the correct number of days: most countries give you the maximum automatically, but I've read that sometimes, if you don't tell them how many you want, they'll give you less). I don't remember if I had to pay anything when I entered: I've read that sometimes you have to pay entry and/or exit fees, and that sometimes it's just a scam by the border guards.  

So I handed this paper and my passport to the clerk. She looked through the passport: no entry stamp. I guess I had assumed this was done or that the paper served as such. She said it would cost me $29 and that I'd have to wait because she needed to contact some office and was also taking care of these other people who were sitting down in the waiting area.  

Other people came and went and got taken care of. I didn't know if I was being punished or what, but I knew this was partly my fault and that I would just have to be patient. So maybe an hour later I was on my way again. Guys approached me to offer assistance (for what, I don't know), but I shooed them away. Went through Guatemala customs without a hitch. Got hassled by taxi drivers on the other side. Almost caved, but I can't stand the hard sell, so I walked, heading to the bus stop.  

I walked uphill, and uphill some more. Damn those taxi drivers: if they hadn't been such a hard sell, I wouldn't have to work like this. It was a long steep hill; I think they use these mountains as border control: between the height, steepness, and nearly impassable jungle, it discourages regular people from just crossing over.  

So I made it up the hill, but where's the bus stop? There's a gazebo, that looks like a bus stop, but there are no signs indicating such, and no one around. I spot a gas station about a quarter mile away. As I get near the station, an older woman is walking toward me; I stop her and ask her about buses: she says there's nothing until tomorrow.  

I'm not going to stay in this half-horse border town. So I hop into a van going to the next town going in the direction of Quetzaltenango (otherwise known as Xela, shay-la). I get to Malacatan (70,000 pop), about 7 mi, at about 10:30am. I start asking about how to get to Xela, about 40 mi. I'm in a central parking area for all the vans servicing everywhere within about a 15 mi radius, I guess, and nobody knows of a way to get to Xela (which is southeast) from here today. But I can go south, then east. Okay, let's go. Had to wait about 30 min while the driver tried to fill the van.  
 













 
So I get into a van that's going to Tecun Uman, which is right across the border from Hidalgo, the border crossing which it was recommended to stay away from. So I spend all this time running around, only to end up right where I should have gone in the first place. Guess there's a reason it's a busier crossing than the other one, even though it's twice as far from Tapachula. Maybe if you're in a private vehicle, the other is easier.  


Anyway, we didn't go all the way to Tucan Uman; we went to a small shopping center where lots of other vans came and went. Waited around another 30 min or so, then left for Coatepeque around 1pm. There were ten of us, in a fourteen person van. The driver kept making stops, packing in more people. Eventually there were 21 adults and six children stuffed into this thing for the ten mile, one hour ride.  

 

 
Upon arrival in Coatepeque, I made a few enquiries about going on to Xela, another 25 mi : nada.  
 
I'm hot, I'm tired, I stink. Even if I got to Xela today, there's very little chance that I could get to Guatemala City today, another 100 mi. So here I'm staying for the night.  

 



I walked up and down a few streets looking for accommodations, hopefully in a better part of town (never did find that, if it exists). Ended up in this so-so place: internet (slow) and TV (80 channels), fan, no hot water, no closet, no windows - only screens; a bargain at only $10. I showered, changed, and went looking for dinner.  

I went back to the area where all the buses and vans stop, asked several people about a bus to Xela or Guate (Guatemala City): no one knows anything; one jerk said the bus came by about 3 to 4 AM! I'm sure he was going to be waiting for me to rob me. Hope he had a long wait!  

 

 
Started walking down this one road that leads out of town: nothing much down that way, except for this nice little mall. Everything was closed. It is New Year's Day, after all.  

 
 
 


 
 
So I went down the other main street (where all the local buses and vans are): nothing up that way.  

 


 
 Lastly, because there weren't very many streets in that area on my map, I went up in the opposite direction. Turns out it's the main road into town. It's also cleaner here. I guess everything else (the mess from New Year's Eve celebrations - lots of small fireworks everywhere - I think they spend more money on this than on Christmas) will be cleaned up after the weekend.  

 
 
Saw a couple of okay restaurants, but they were a little noisy. Then I found this mini mall. I walked around. Went by this nice little arcade. Then I saw the banana split: not exactly dinner, but it's been a long time since I had a banana split! Especially at $2. I indulged.  

 
 


 
 
Then I walked down another hall and found the food court. The kids were having a ball. I was still a little hungry, so I ordered the junior cheeseburgers and a coke ($1 ea).  

 
 



 
This stand by the front entrance to the mall was booming when I went in and was still booming when I left. Must be really good local fare.  





 
 
Walked back to my hotel. Did a little on the internet. Went to bed with the fan on low. Had to turn it off and get under the sheet later on!