Getting there

Jenny and I wanted to go somewhere warm during winter for our honeymoon. It had to coincide with her 2 week-long spring break, so we chose the Honduran Island of Utila. It is in the Caribbean, about 500 km south of Cancun. It took 24 hours to fly there. When we finally landed in the coastal town of La Ceiba, in an old boat of a plane, a tractor came to meet us.

A big storm for the 3 days prior to our arrival stopped the ferries from running, so we had to stay overnight on the mainland before heading to the island. La Ceiba didn't have too much going for it, so we were glad that we didn't have to spend more time there than necessary. Seeing as how nobody was able to travel to the island for a few days, the Monday morning ferry was going to be very busy. We got there by 7:30 to get our tickets for the 9:30 ferry. While we were waiting, the Utila Princess pulled up to let off all of the passengers from the island, including a guy on a stretcher and an IV. There was quite a mix of traveller's -- backpackers, hippies, retirees, middle-aged divers, Hondurans -- but one guy in particular stood out. He was around 50 years old, tall, skinny, big curly grey hair and beard, wearing a short-sleeved button-down shirt (undone), shorts, bare feet, sunglasses, a cigarette, and a stethoscope. I told Jenny to check out the hippy with the stethoscope when he started yelling at the ferry workers, asking them if they contacted the medical clinic to get the guy on the stretcher some more oxygen. Turns out the hippy is Utila's main doctor -- Dr. John. I just missed getting a picture of Dr. John riding away in the back of a beat-up old Toyota pickup, his patient strapped down in the bed with his feet hanging off the tailgate. Welcome to Honduras.

Looking towards the mainland harbour from the back of the ferry.

Jenny getting ready for some serious relaxing.

View from the back of the smaller Utila Princess.

Coming out of the harbour, we came up and over a couple of HUGE waves. As the boat crested the waves and dropped down the other side, most of the 100 people on the boat would scream their heads off. It wasn't like that for the whole hour-long trip, but there were many green faces by the time we pulled into port on the Island. We actually lucked out and got onto this smaller boat earlier than most other people waiting at the dock. The larger Utila Princess was going to be delayed because the propeller was falling off the drive shaft. Welcome to Honduras.

This is the craziness at the dock on Utila when the Princess arrives twice a day. This is also where scuba instructors from the dozen or so shops try to lure travelers to their dive shop. Notice City Hall on the right and the taxi truck on the left.