Central America summary

It might take a while but a map should appear showing our route through Central America.

 

 

Some stats:

Distance ridden 3574km

Elevation gained 43490m

Average distance ridden excluding rest days 76km (further than America or Mexico)

59 days in total

7 countries visited

8 days when it rained

8 punctures 

Some comments:

Firstly there is no getting away from the fact that the Central American countries are hot. At times this was quite challenging. It meant we stayed in hotels much more often than camping in order to be able to shower, wash clothes and make use of A/C. It also meant that we were drank crazy amounts of fluids. This was a lot easier in Costa Rica and Panamá where the tap water is potable.

Secondly there is great variety from country to country. The country that was the most different to the rest was Belize. The language, the culture, the food and the vibe were a huge contrast and we really enjoyed our time there. 

We found it fascinating to see how things changed from country to country. The most obvious change was probably in the typical foods we ate. For example, we had just got used to enjoying beans and rice every day in Costa Rica (gallo pinto - named because it resembles a speckled rooster) and then we crossed into Panamá and it vanished. But there were other things as well, for instance, in many countries small motorbikes are widespread as a means of transport and we would see lots everywhere but in Panamá they are noticeably absent. We don't know why. Another noticeable difference is in the population density. El Salvador is very densely populated and consequently there were grocery stores and places to eat everywhere. On the other hand the west of Panamá is sparsely populated with fewer shops and eating options. A final difference is in the cost of living in each country. We spent the least per day in Nicaragua (£22) and the most per day in Belize (£60!).

The people we have met along the way have been incredibly friendly. As with everywhere else on the tour, the interactions we have are what make each place special. We have particularly enjoyed keeping in touch with people via WhatsApp. Folk like Elder the truck driver from the Nicaragua border, Francisco who kept in touch with us though Panamá and let us stay at his holiday villa and Edith who gave us a flag from her cafe. 

In contrast to Mexico where we had 4 months and got to know the country a bit we have felt that we haven't scratched the surface of these 7 countries. However, they are all much smaller than Mexico and the sense of making progress as we passed from one to the next was great.

All in all it is a brilliant part of the world that we have really loved. But equally, we are really excited to be on our way to Colombia.