Road back to civilization - Dan Rodgerson

12 people in the back of a pick up truck

my buddy...

The morning I left

Hugs and thanks to Norma and her family.

The same trip in reverse. 4 am. 12 people three rows of four in the back of a truck. This time was a bit different because it was cold and rainy.

The woman’s group of the town gave me a Honduras shirt so I would not forget them.

When I got to Puerto Lempira, the first thing I wanted and needed was bread. I wandered down to the port, no boats. Found my way to the airport. No flights until the following day. I had a day to kill.


La moskitia felt a little like gilligans island just without maryann and ginger. Well, also without the ocean or the professor making contraptions out of coconuts. On second thought, it was nothing like gilligans island.

Took a shower, got a hot meal. Took the lap top to the restaurant. A sales rep from cannon was having dinner with a client. It seemed awkward. They saw that I was alone and asked me to join them. The awkward couple were my entertainment for the night. Dinner and few beers and some colorful conversation.

As I walked through town, I felt like Jason Bourne.

The next morning I made my way to the airport. Terrified I boarded the plane and took my same seat as before. As the pilots started the engine, a man stood up and wanted to pray. I thought great, anything that may help! The direct translation of a phrase of his prayer was “we pray that we do not get destroyed in the air” I thought….the air? What about the ground! I bit my toungue and did not interrupt. I figured god knew what he meant and that he understands Spanish.

A few people in the jungle jokingly said that God did not understand the language and prayers of moskito. This is why their lives were so difficult. I told them I would relay the message. The prayer on the plane really should have had a calming effect but It actually made thing worse.

I warned the guy next to me that I did not like to fly. He said nobody likes to fly. He did not want to talk. Bumpy flight but arrived in la cieba in one piece. I got out of the airport in a hurry, like the airport was on fire.

Back to chicken busses, and my guide book. Three things I want to do before I leave. visit ruins, a waterfall and climb a volcano. Problem is, I learned from the colorful couple, there were no volcanoes in Honduras. They did however tell me about some caves on the way to la esparanza.

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The river - Dan Rodgerson

I thought I reached the end of the earth but I was wrong. Today we went for a ride/ journey up river to the fields and plantations where they grow rice, beans, bananas and this strange patato called ucca.

We went by canoe and saw about 10 other canoes heading to the fields as well. It was up river about 5 miles which took a few hours. Coming back took much shorter but we were loaded down with potato's and fire wood.

I am very intrigued by the Cayuga which is the hollowed out canoe. The take a huge piece of mahogany and whittle it down to make the boats. They are strong and heavy. Grandmothers going up river though rapids with babies, dogs and chickens.

We dropped three of the boys at the plantation and headed up stream to visit an indigenous village more remote and rustic than here

I am not feeling well. I have had sore glands for three days now, sneezing and runny nose. I hope it is nothing serious. A few people have asked about my health. About 50 mosquito bites, a spider bite and I break out into hives about once per day. The lack of food makes me a bit weak and I have been trying to keep up with their lifestyle. It is demanding. Nothing serious.
Going to crash early again and hopefully sleep off this crud.

Going to try and help with the culinary water project tomorrow. The government paid a contractor to provide a large water tower. The company did half the job and left town.


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arrival to mocoron - Dan Rodgerson

Just chilling in the front yard

The uninvited guest in my room

Getting water from the river

Another unwanted guest

Many people have tried to create a time machine. This is an easy way to go back a hundred years. There are about 2000 people in mocoron and three houses have power. Norma has a solar system on her compound and the other two are diesel generators. Nobody including Norma has running water. Each morning, the woman of the tribe head to the river to carry water on their head back to their homes. I tried it and it is not easy

Norma is a master fund raiser and has done amazing things for this small community From her efforts they have built a small medical clinic a church, two schools and important bridge and a community building that I am sleeping in. She has been trying to gauge how I can help and we are both not so sure. She is really fixated on making sure the people can be self sufficient and not just giving them things. If any school church group or club has any interest in helping there are hundreds of needs. A group of single mothers have banned together and live together and they and desperately looking for things like sewing machines or materials so they can make and sell bread.

They wanted me to bring a message back to the states that there are many strong women here looking for men. Seriously.

Life is simple the livestock nearly live with the families and the weekly soccer game is the highlight for entertainment. Normas asked to day if I knew anyone who had a series of age appropriate bible stories with pictures and activities for children that she can give to the local churches.

They are treating me like some dignitary and it kinda feels weird.

I needed to go to the river to bathe before church. I had a long shirt and some jeans. I went to church today and the church was in worse shape than most stables in the states. Here they do not speak Spanish regularity but most understand it. In la moskitia, there are four different tribal languages. At church, the preacher saw me come in and gave bits and pieces of the sermon in Spanish so I would understand.

Have met many people very timid at first but warm up quickly. The diet is rice and beans. I have been here for two days and already looking for something else. Want to catch fish to eat and I am not really fond of fish but it sounds good at this point.

In regards to the town, I am staying in the Hilton. Nice bed with a mosquito net. There were a few holes in my net and I got tagged several times. I got my sheet our from my pack and wraped myself in it with a small hole to breathe. Normas step daughters who is 14 helped me install another net today. I asked for some tape or needle and tread so I could sew up my net. She disappeared and came back with another one that had no holes. After we installed it, I learned it was the one from her bed.

When chloe got her new ipod for Christmas, I told her that santa needed her old one to work out and ski with. I have been traveling with this old ipiod and gave it to Anna. She acted as if I had given her a vehicle or something. She is a sweetheart and looking to come and study in the states. So mom, if you have a room available, I think it would be a great experience for everyone.

After church the town gathered for a meal. The idea is that people donate food and your buy it to help the church. Norma made me a plate with rice some weird patato and armadillo. (cost was thirty cents) The armadillo was actually pretty good but I could not get over the hoof on my plate. I took a few bites and a local dog got real lucky.

When a cow or pig gets killed for food, the don’t have regrigerators to keep the meat cool, so it all needs to get eaten within 48 hours. They announce throughout town when then plan to butcher so hopefully they can sell the remainder. Rumor is there is one going down today. I would pay about $100 for a fat steak right now.

The river is the lifeblood of the town. The drink from it, fish from it, wash in it, and it is the primary mode of transportation. Oh I forgot they play it in.

I spent several hours just walking the streets and talking to the locals. The are humble. I almost lost sight of the purpose of my trip. Aubin helped me put that back into perspective.

There is only very slow internet connection that a group from texas came and installed. I was showing a few of the locals pictures of my daughters and on my face book was a few pictures of them ice skating. They have never seen that before. I needed to explain how to freeze water, put knives on your feet and skate around. Sounded kinda stupid. They are amused by the most simple things like taking a picture of them on a digital camera and looking at themselves.

Since most do not have power, the nights are lit by candles or simply going to bed early. I have been in bed by 730 the past few nights.

It rains a lot here. When it is raining outside, everything inside gets moist and damp. If it continues to rain, the roads here will be worse and I may have to wait a few days for the road to dry before I can leave.

The sounds of the jungle are unique and hard to explain. Hundreds of unique birds, howls in the background, coupled with the sounds of lifestock, rain, the river and of course the kids playing.

It is 7:30 now and it is raining. The woman are bringing water from the creek and the fires are burning for breakfast. Let me guess….beans and tortillas. The first thing you need to do when you wake is put on insect repellant.

I noticed bat poop in my room when I first got here. It was the same that we used to see in whaley lake when we were kids. Brooklyn, a friend of the family found the source of the poop. Should not kill bats he says because they eat the mosquitoes. He laughed when I said we need to make sure they don’t eat the Moskitos.

This is where laundry gets done. On these rocks

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Time Machine - Dan Rodgerson

Many people have tried to create a time machine. This is an easy way to go back a hundred years. There are about 2000 people in mocoron and three houses have power. Norma has a solar system on her compound and the other two are diesel generators. Nobody including Norma has running water. Each morning, the woman of the tribe head to the river to carry water on their head back to their homes. I tried it and it is not easy.






Norma is a master fund raiser and has done amazing things for this small community From her efforts they have built a small medical clinic a church, two school and important bridge and a community building that I am sleeping in. She has been trying to gauge how I can help and we are both not so sure. She is really fixated on making sure the people can be self sufficient and not just giving them things. If any school church group or club has any interest in helping there are hundreds of needs. A group of single mothers have banned together and live together and they and desperately looking for things like sewing machines or materials so they can make and sell bread.


They wanted me to bring a message back to the states that there are many strong women here looking for men. Seriously.
Life is simple the livestock nearly live with the families and the weekly soccer game I the highlight for entertainment. Normas asked to day if I knew anyone who had a series of age appropriate bible stories with pictures and activities for children that she can give to the local churches.
They are treating me like some dignitary and it kinda feels weird.
I needed to go to the river to bathe before church. I had a long shirt and some jeans. I went to church today and the church was in worse shape than most stables in the states. Here they do not speak Spanish regularity but most understand it. In la moskitia, there are four different tribal languages. At church, the preacher saw me come in and gave bits and pieces of the sermon in Spanish so I would understand.
Have met many people very timid at first but warm up quickly. The diet is rice and beans. I have been here for two days and already looking for something else. Want to catch fish to eat and I am not really fond of fish but it sounds good at this point.
In regards to the town, I am staying in the Hilton. Nice bed with a mosquito net. There were a few holes in my net and I got tagged several times. I got my sheet our from my pack and wraped myself in it with a small hole to breathe. Normas step daughters who is 14 helped me install another net today. I asked for some tape or needle and tread so I could sew up my net. She disappeared and came back with another one that had no holes. After we installed it, I learned it was the one from her bed.
When chloe got her new ipod for Christmas, I told her that santa needed her old one to work out and ski with. I have been traveling with this old ipiod and gave it to Anna. She acted as if I had given her a vehicle or something. She is a sweetheart and looking to come and study in the states. So mom, if you have a room available, I think it would be a great experience for everyone.
After church the town gathered for a meal. The idea is that people donate food and your buy it to help the church. Norma made me a plate with rice some weird patato and armadillo. (cost was thirty cents) The armadillo was actually pretty good but I could not get over the hoof on my plate. I took a few bites and a local dog got real lucky.
When a cow or pig gets killed for food, the don’t have regrigerators to keep the meat cool, so it all needs to get eaten within 48 hours. They announce throughout town when then plan to butcher so hopefully they can sell the remainder. Rumor is there is one going down today. I would pay about $100 for a fat ass steak right now.

The river is the lifeblood of the town. The drink from it, fish from it, wash in it, and it is the primary mode of transportation. Oh I forgot they play it in.
I spent several hours just walking the streets and talking to the locals. The are humble. I almost lost sight of the purpose of my trip. Aubin helped me put that back into perspective.
There is only very slow internet connection that a group from texas came and installed. I was showing a few of the locals pictures of my daughters and on my face book was a few pictures of them ice skating. They have never seen that before. I needed to explain how to freeze water, put knives on your feet and skate around. Sounded kinda stupid. They are amused by the most simple things like taking a picture of them on a digital camera and looking at themselves.
Since most do not have power, the nights are lit by candles or simply going to bed early. I have been in bed by 730 the past few nights.
It rains a lot here. When it is raining outside, everything inside gets moist and damp. If it continues to rain, the roads here will be worse and I may have to wait a few days for the road to dry before I can leave.
The sounds of the jungle are unique and hard to explain. Hundreds of unique birds, howls in the background, coupled with the sounds of lifestock, rain, the river and of course the kids playing.
It is 7:30 now and it is raining. The woman are bringing water from the creek and the fires are burning for breakfast. Let me guess….beans and tortillas. The first thing you need to do when you wake is put on insect repellant.
I noticed bat poop in my room when I first got here. It was the same that we used to see in whaley lake when we were kids. Brooklyn, a friend of the family found the source of the poop. Should not kill bats he says because they eat the mosquitoes. He laughed when I said we need to make sure they don’t eat the Moskitos.

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Going deeper - Dan Rodgerson

Hollowed out wooden canoes.

The road to Mocoron

Plane landed safely. The mountains and jungles were beautiful but it was hard to enjoy them being terrified.

Got into Puerto Lempira and I am always suspicious of new friends but these guys were legit. They were from Mocoron and wanted to make sure I made it safely.

Got a bite to eat and the parrot in the photo was just wandering the floor of the cafe.

I figured that I would be there for a few hours and drank nearly a half gallon of water. The truck pulled up ready to take me 80 miles deep into the jungle. There were 11 people in the truck. They built three rows of benches in the back of a truck. The road was very rough and washed out in several places.

Many of you will not believe this next part but every word is true.

About an hour into the trip I had to pee so bad! That half gallon of water coupled with the bumpy roads was literally painful. I could not ask he driver to stop the truck.

I thought....I have a water bottle in my bag. I lasted another half hour in pain and cramped up then discreetly pulled the water bottle from my bag. I placed my thermal shirt on my lap and went the southern way out of my pants. I looked around one last time, scratched my head with one hand as a diversion and Nealy filled the entire water bottle. Then I was left with another problem. What to do with a bottle of urine? I put on the cap and slid it between the seats. Would they think it was lemonade? Gatorade?

The truck finally got stuck in the mud. We needed to get out and push. I slid the bottle under the truck and we rolled away. So I have a bottle of my urine in a bottle on a back road of the jungle in an altitude cycle bottle. Sorry troy.

After about 4 hours I was told we were half way there.

Look close, you may see the bottle

This is another shot of the airport. I will look for a cargo ship on my way back

This is the truck we rode in the back of...in the rain...at 5 miles per hour....for 60 miles.

The bird from the cafe

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The night in Tela - Dan Rodgerson

The hotel on the hill was $25 American a night. It was expensive but had an amazing view, hammocks on the balcony, and hot water. I had not taken a shower in three days.
Still disappointed and confused, I dropped off my laundry and walked down by the beach. It was a bit dark and rainy. I noticed there were three little kids following me; I was not sure why. I turned a corner, and they were still behind me. I finally realized why. I was drinking a Fanta soda in a glass bottle, and they were waiting for me to throw it away so they could dig the bottle out of the trash to recycle it.

I went to have dinner and bumped into a six pack of gringos. The cafe was crowded so I invited them to join me. Three men from Ireland came to help build houses. Two men from England were teaching English to the locals. And the sixth person was a tattooed girl with several facial piercings from the States. Of course, the one that looked like a clown was American.
Conversation was lively but hard to understand with such thick accents. The single guy from Ireland told a story of a woman who came up to him in a club the previous night. She was anxious to introduce him to her daughter. After a few dances, they parted and the mother approached him looking for payment. She was pimping her own daughter.

I enjoyed my time with them but was preoccupied with the thought of whether this would be my last night abroad or not. I walked home and was approached by a woman who asked for about $10 American for "services". I immediately left.

Early the next morning, I took a bus to San Pedro to see if I could catch a flight. I received a call from a municipality who wanted to schedule an interview. The bus driver left me on the side of the road and pointed toward the airport. I put out my thumb and was picked up by the first truck. I booked a ticket to Miami.

I planned to crash at my buddies’ place in Fort Lauderdale, but he was not returning from Miami until the following night. So, I found a cheap hotel in Fort Lauderdale. I was tempted to ask if they had hot water. I was without a car in South Florida and figured if I could navigate my way through four third world countries I could get around on the Broward County bus system. I was wrong. I found my way to a mall to buy a charger for my phone. When she said it would cost $20 I literally asked, "Is that the best you can do?" I was conditioned to Central/South American haggling!

I had made it back to the States and was still disappointed and depressed. I nearly had a meltdown the following day in Deerfield Beach and navigated my way back to the airport to meet my buddy.

The goal of the trip was to spend time with the Moskito Indians and hopefully forget about my life's dramas. I did not meet that goal. I did, however, meet some amazing people. I swam with rays off the coast of Belize, traveled through jungles and mountain villages, and most importantly really connected with many of the locals in regard to their lives, values, cultures, and traditions.

I really feel that when we meet our Maker, (however you define that) He/She/It will ask a series of questions. Did you visit foreign lands? Walk on the Great Wall of China? Learn about other people’s values and culture? Did you try to walk in the shoes of the less fortunate? Did you surf on the coast of Costa Rica? Hopefully Maker does not ask if you maintained employment.
Being there felt good, natural, and warm—until the realities of my life crept back in.
I feel that my purpose or mission is not done here. I will be going back. There are several chapters of my guide book that have not been opened, and several unstamped pages of my passport.

I think I am addicted to this type of travel. I caught the travel bug, and hopefully that was the only thing I caught while I was there.

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10/19/2100

Random thoughts... Dan Rodgerson

I spent the night in Tulum and loved it. I did not really interact with anyone until I was leaving and sitting at the bus stop. I noticed that most backpackers had covers over their packs. I asked a wise ass girl from Ireland “why”, and she condescendingly responded, “Because we are close to the RAIN forest.” I smiled and thought, “Does she shave her armpits?”

When you meet fellow travelers out here the first question is always, “Where are you from?” The second question is, “How long have you been out?” And the third question is, “Where are you going?” So, in the interest of time, people will greet by answering the questions without being asked. My response is, “Utah, four days, and La Moskitia”. This trip really seems like much longer than four days. When I tell people I am going to Moskita, their responses are concerning: "wild", "brave", "jungle", "rough", etc.

The weather has been about 75 degrees. Actually, that is unseasonably cold, but I think I have followed a cold front through (puddles everywhere).

Backpackers are very cool people. They are much different than tourists. Weathered, a bit dirty, and always quick to strike up a conversation for any insight about where to go and where not to go.

I was very relaxed in Tulum and loved walking the city streets at night: no fear at all. I realize that sounds stupid for a gringo with $300 bucks in his pocket. This country has many similarities to my time spent in Uruguay: smells of fruit, tortillas, and burning garbage.

Since I had an hour to kill in the morning, I offered to help a young man make tortillas. I don't think that I helped much, but he was amused.

To be down here is like walking into Disneyland....sensory overload.

On the bus from Tulum I met two guys who became running buddies for the next two days: Jimmy and Martin from Denmark. Traveling in groups is much safer and cheaper.

I spent 8 hours on a bus Tuesday. The first bus I took at the airport had air, TV, and total luxury. The second bus didn’t have TV, but it still had air. Then, the third bus....literally an old school bus from the seventies. I think it was the bus from the Partridge family.

I have been thinking that I wish my girls were here to experience this. Chloe would love it, and Aubin would bitch the entire time but secretly enjoy herself.

I watched a young family on the bus traveling with a 3 year old. The child was so content just playing with his mother for three hours. He was quite a contrast to the family on the bus at the airport from Illinois whose child squealed like a pig every three and a half minutes for attention. The Nintendo DS and DVD player were not enough to keep him amused. I wanted to stuff him into my backpack.

Helmets are required here on motorcycles, but apparently riding a family of 5 on a 1980 Honda Passport 70cc scooter is legal. Hmm Maybe that is why helmets are required.

I have been stressed about money and time. I am totally blowing my budget. Yes, it is possible to live here for $20 per day, but not with busses, taxis, internet, etc. My more realistic new budget is about $40 a day. So, I set a new goal as well: no more than 5 hours a day on a bus!
The nights have been a bit chilly. I did not expect that.

I need to lose some gear. My bag is so heavy.

We missed the bus at the border of Chetsumal. Our new friend from Ireland showed us where the other bus terminal was. It was a hot day now, and I was carrying a heavy bag 20 blocks in a border town.

I really don't mind when the kids beg for money. It just really bothers me when they touch and hang on.

I had my morning coffee and was thinking...should I really be drinking something that acts like a laxative? Especially if I am getting on a bus for 4 hours, I considered.

Long ride into Belize City. It is a scary place, and we arrived late. Three white guys with backpacks on the worst side of town. Horrible situation to be in; I was terrified. People offered us weed, coke, girls, and even little boys (okay, maybe better my girls are not here).

We finally found a cheap hotel: about $35 for the three of us. We had a private room with private bath and hot water (you need to ask about the hot water). Isabella’s Guest House. The three of us did the math by first converting to our own currency then dividing by three. The lady from the hotel highly suggested we NOT go out at night, but we had to get something to eat.

We took a cab and found a good restaurant. We had a few beers and local food. In the cab the driver once again offered us any and everything. I was going to ask for a monkey, but I was afraid he might have one. We were all exhausted from the day’s travel and crashed by ten.
Amazing how the world watched Obama take office. I had no idea. Jimmy, my running buddy, said that when the US sneezes, the world gets sick: sad.

I need to exchange money.

It is a simple life here. Many houses do not have front doors. There are homes made of cardboard, scraps of sheet metal, and even some shacks on stilts over swamp land. I know is sounds cliché after that description, but they are happy people.

I am now in an area not without any Americans: feels kinda good.

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Had a long day but finally sitting in a cafe in Tulum Mexico.

Dad needed to work early and dropped me off a few hours before the flight. I routed through Charlotte and landed in Cancun about 3:30. I took the bus to Playa del Carmen and then another bus to Tulum.

Tulum is a very cool little town at the base of some amazing ruins.

I walked into my first hostel today and quickly turned and walked right out. I figured that I would rather pay the $25 bucks for my own room than bunk with 30 hippies. That was one of the first things that I learned down here: Hippieville. Granted, I love the lifestyle, but the idea of not bathing for a week or so, combined with the dreads..... I will have to pass. No amount of incense will cover the smell of urine, body odor, and weed.

There are certain levels of hippies. The first are the wannabe hippies who live in the suburbs, may have a small stash of weed somewhere, and say they believe in peace and love— but don’t really practice it. We can call this level of hippies Democrats. :)

It’s time for me to get on the road again. I will write more tonight.

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Lessons Learned... - Dan Rodgerson

I am thinking that I may need to change career paths completely. Repo man comes to the top of the list. That is an industry that will be flourishing in the next year. I don’t really like being shot at. Maybe just continue dealing real estate. “Danny Day Care” was another suggestion as a local day care closed its doors. “Curriculum Writing by June” (my mother) even occurred to me.

I had a great conversation with my dad with inspiring words like, “You are only limited by your fears.” “You are well-educated and articulate, and you will rebound just fine.” My mother asked, "How are you at selling used cars?”

Another day….no passport.

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