The Panama Canal

 As it says on the tin Miraflores lock Panama one of the three locks on the Panama Canal

                                                Thats me

                                        A container ship going through the lock

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                         A London car container going through the lock

                                     Beware of the crocodiles gulp!!!

 Panama is a city of contrasts, by the harbour there a shiny new apartment blocks, yet as you get towards the outskirts you find areas like this.

   We are now at the half way point of the trip we have just taken our bikes to the Airport, they get flown to Bogota tomorrow, and we follow them on a later flight to Columbia. The first half of the trip has been fantastic, people will tell you that these places we are travelling are dangerous, but we have only ever met people who are very friendly and welcoming. Don't believe the hype.

Crossing the Banana bridge into Panama

                Gary molesting me, we've been away for a long time.

 The Banana bridge divides Costa Rica on on side and Panama on the other, we have to ride our bikes across, in between the trucks, cars and people.

                           The border is a bit of a shanty town.

                                      Bill picks up a bolt on the bridge.

The old Banana railway bridge

Nicaragua to Costa Rica

 The hotel in Granada Nicaragua. We had a guy watching the bikes all night.

 Leaving Nicaragua and entering Costa Rica, our longest border crossing, seven hours in 35 degrees with 95% humidity. It was a long day.

                 Pete and Rhonda knocking up some lunch at the border.

 This our reward for a long day at the border. The hotel has mud baths and natural hot baths, this is not a holiday its an adventure!!!

 Celebrating independence from the Spanish, in a local village.

 Volcan Arenal a active volcano we are staying in a town just below it. Its raining, see its not all fun.

Entering Costa Rica, the richest country of Central America, the Costa Ricans are supposed to be the happiest people on the planet. It has no army which is good, it saves you being stopped all the time at road blocks. Next stop Panama, then we are half way through the trip, it is going very fast.

 Twisted Tanya's a cocktail bar in Copan 2 for 1 cocktails between 3 and 6pm oh dear.

                A view from the upstairs bar at Twisted Tanya's bar

                           Richard and Bill enjoying some Nachos

                           Travelling over dirt roads in Nicaragua

        Pete changing money at the Nicaraguan border, she nearly had him!

 The road to Granada in Nicaragua our 6th country, we are crossing into another country every few days now.

Into our fifth country Honduras

                              Leaving Guatemala a volcano in the background

                                              Welcome to Honduras

 We are staying in a small town called Copan, which is a small town to serve the Copan Mayan ruins. This is a view from the hotel.

                                           Breakfast on the lawn.

                  More Mayan ruins, note the umberella it rains a lot in these parts.

                               Four of the guys in a Tuc Tuc.

A Shaman service and Antigua.

                                           A Shaman blessing ground

                                           The Shaman blessing our trip.

 You make a wish with the white candle then she places it on the fire to send our wishes to the Gods, I think!

                                  A young girl at the roadside selling a basket.

          Antigua we are stopping here for two nights, we head into Honduras tomorrow.

                                               The church in Antigua.

Guatemala our 4th country

                            The border at Guatemala, our 4th country.

 Drew, Mark and myself on the lake side Atitlan, in the distance an active volcano.

      A tuc tuc, if you look closely its called Janet after my beloved.              

         The hotel at Atitlan, another dump, Globebusters keep finding them.

                                             Overlooking Atitlan.

   Mark in the market at Chichicastenango, the biggest market in Central America.

                               The chicken stall, no salmonella here honest!

                                     A local lady selling embroidered sheets.

                                   Even the children work in the market.