Utila, Honduras

Technically, Utila is not part of my trip. I came with Marcela, Denise and Dad (el viejo) to SCUBA dive. Denise and Dad completed their PADI Open Water Certification, so now they are open water fish. I did my advanced open water and got to dive at night and a ship wreck. Marcela, who is our family´s expert fish, got a specialty in buoyancy control. We had a fantastic time underwater. A good chunk of the Pineda family is now amphibious :-)

The trip was a taste of the backpacker (mochilero) culture as we heard more English than Spanish on this island and your average SCUBA instructor has more likely than not been to all continents except Antarctica and I am sure that some of them have been there too.

I stayed a couple of days after my family left to go to Sun Jam and try to see whale sharks. Sun Jam was a rave at a cay off the coast of Utila that happens once a year. It was some party... On the small boat there (cayuco), I met some cute Quebecois with a fondness for singing Cat Stevens songs. The mochileros are a colorful bunch. The party rocked and was filmed by Entertainment television. I was there by coincidence. It just happened to be the weekend after our dive trip. I am looking forward to more unforeseen adventures!

On the two days I was by myself in Utila, I met several interesting people who were doing trips around the world after graduate school or taking time off work to do extended service projects abroad. Traveling was our common bond and we were very open to meet each other and share stories. I am now anxious to begin my big trip. I feel that I won't be alone and that the people I will meet will give me glimpses at of worlds that I would not normally be exposed to. Exciting eh?

Unfortunately, the whale sharks are not around right now. hmmm, maybe I´ll just have to come back to Utila.