In hindsight thinking that it might be a VERY good idea to turn around and walk back into Honduras,
(a country which at this time had literally just gone through the inauguration for a president that apparently nobody voted for, or liked and the death count during their "peaceful protests" was a number no one could say for certain. Last I had read when cancelling my climbing adventure outside the capital city Tegucigalpa (don't worry I still have absolutely no idea how to pronounce that, but it is so fun to try, go ahead try it out loud right now at least four times, remember they speak Spanish in Honduras) 35 people had been killed in the streets, but this was a number being reported by the country who had also claimed a mere 7 people had been killed in total since this election. Anyway enough about Honduras politics I just get a bit emotional about it because well, I really just wanted to be one of the few people who braved entering this mysterious country. I have since found out from people who are actually from Honduras they aren't exactly all that welcoming to foreigners.)
would have actually been the most ridiculous thing to do. That being said, it does not change how I felt. In all my travels over the past five years of going it alone most of the time, I have rarely had that feeling that something could and possibly would go very wrong if I didn't get myself out of that situation imminently. I actually felt more concerned than when I was dropped off twenty some-odd kilometres outside Guatemala City, or that time I walked in the dark past termini station in Rome. I have kept myself out of trouble all these years by following my spidey-senses as I like to call them. Sometimes I listen to Tompers, but his ideas are always terribly boring, and usually involve not going out in the first place. Lazy bear.
What was this situation you are probably wondering, believe it or not it was the entry into the Nicaragua. I had already been stamped out of Honduras and there for in no mans land, however the bus company I was with had taken my passport from me after I had gotten it stamped. This was meant to expedite our entry into Nicaragua as the bus assistant had also already collected the boarder fees from everyone on the bus in advance of the arrival at the boarder. Now you should probably know I'm that girl that carries her passport in her hand through airport security because I don't like the idea of it going through an box where I can no longer see it and it is not in my possession. This is my weird irrational travel fear.
So there I am now being asked to come outside of the building with this man so he can ask me some questions. Obviously this has something to do with me being Canadian and not from Central America like everyone else on the bus that day. He has a photocopy of my passport (which is still not in my possession) and a blank sheet of paper. After asking me if I would prefer English or Spanish for the second time he starts asking me all of the questions that are on those boarder entry customs sheets. Which might I add I already filled out properly and gave to the bus assistant with my money for the boarder entry.
It's very odd but at this point I have now been asked if I am single or married so many times I'm tempted to lie and say yes I am married would that allow me to enter your country. Then this man is on about my job. What do I do for a living. I explain I am unemployed and do not have a job. This is not a sufficient answer clearly so he asks me again. I tell him I'm a server, he does not understand. I tell him I work in a restaurant, still nothing. I say just put that I am in hospitality, ohh you work at the hospital. Sure I say why not. No I am not a doctor.
"How much cash do you have on you right now?"
"I beg your pardon"
"How much cash, American dollars do you have"
"No sé"
"How much?"
"I don't know like thirty dollars maybe in change in multiple different countries currencies, cause change is like leeches and it just clings to you and you can never seem to spend it, I'm pretty sure it's worthless though, and it's in my backpack not on my person. I don't have a habit of carrying a bunch of change in my non existent pockets" maybe I'm getting just a little bit frustrated at this point, but seriously.
"Do you have a credit card, you're American right you all have them"
"Actually as you can see by the photocopy of my CANADIAN passport I am in fact a Canadian, and frankly I do not think it is any of your business"
"What is on your credit card?"
"Pardon me?"
"What is on your credit card?"
"I don't know like a $5 booking fee for the hostel I'm staying at in Managua tonight if I get there"
"No. What is limit, how much can you charge to your card"
"I don't understand why that is important"
"How much?"
"Like $2000" At this point I'm pretty sure this guy is going to rob me. Why are we outside the building around the back where no one can see me except some homeless guy that has been following me around asking me for money, he also does not realize that I can not carry money in the pockets I don't have.
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