Cheap Travel in Tourist Destinations

I am currently a content traveler in Copan Ruinas. Even though this is a tourist town, and the general prices are very high, I have found ways to subvert the hand of gentrification and live cheaply. I have found good priced places to eat, a cheap bed, and free recreation. I am spending far under $10 a day.

Daily expenses:

Bed- $1.75
Breakfast- $1.50
Lunch- $1.70
Dinner- $2.00
Internet- $.80
Random expense- $1

Daily total- $7.75
Weekly total- somewhat less than $56

This total would be way higher if I utilized the tourist resources that line the main streets of this town. If I were to eat in the tourist restaurants – all the restaurants in the town center – I would be dropping at least three to six dollars per meal. It took me nearly a week to locate two local eating houses on the outskirts of town, where I can get a cheap meal for a dollar or two. I also usually prepare for myself one meal a day, which consists of fruit, vegetables, and peanut butter or muesli. It all, my food expenditures round out to the averages above. As I am working here for a month, I have taken up residence in an apartment rather than a hotel. This has saved me a big chunk of money, as the cheapest hostel bed in this town goes for $4 a night.

It was a bit of a chore to find a place to eat in Copan Ruinas. All of the many restaurants that line the cobblestone streets of the downtown area are priced far beyond what I can afford. But I have learned that on the outskirts of most every established tourist town are places where the locals eat cheaply. It took some time of walking and asking people – of keeping my eyes open and my ear to the ground – to find the two cheap restaurants that I have been eating at. One of these eating houses does not even have a sign or anything advertising it as a restaurant. For more information on where to eat cheaply in Copan please go to Vagabond Fieldnotes Copan (will post tomorrow!).

I am satisfied, well-fed, and smiling. Semana Santa is almost over, I suppose I did not go to El Salvador. I looked at a map to realize that I would have to travel 60km in the wrong direction just to get to a place where I could catch a bus to the border. Travel during Semana Santa can also be a little crowded. The buses stopped running on Wednesday and will be packed to their fullest capacity during the weekend, as people are returning home from the holiday. Giving this, I did not wake up any morning this week with a taste for the journey. I would have only been in El Salvador for a few days anyway. Maybe next time. I am content in Copan. Sometimes just walking around relaxing is just as interesting as traveling like a mad-man. I think I just wanted to go to El Salvador to say that I have been there anyway. Three days is not justice to any country on this globe. I would rather take my time, than run with my head down.

The Good Friday celebration here in Honduras was interesting anyway. I kind of just liked walking around lazily, writing a few lines here and there, and leisurely snacking on muesli throughout the day. There were festivities, and lots to write about.

This was a good week. Nothing to do, but whatever I wanted.

I have to return to work on Monday for another week. I am ready to get a moving. Andy is coming south to Guatemala and I am going north as soon as my rent expires at the end of the month.

The plan is to meet somewhere in the middle.

A world wide cat and mouse chase may soon come to fruition. I may soon meet the Hobo Traveler.

Photographs from Honduras

Wade from Vagabond Journey.com
Copan Ruinas, Honduras
March 22, 2008