Lies the border told me

We set out from San Jose yesterday morning. We didn't get a particularily early start because we thought we were only travelling about 4 hours to Liberia. When we got to Liberia, Charles wouldn't believe we should get off so we ended up continuing up and over the border into Nicaragua. We figured that getting there at 3.30 with the first town only 36kms over the border, we should have plenty of time. We didn't figure on a couple of things the major one being the fact that the border people seem determined to be obstinant and play with the people crossing the border. We all lined up outside one window and watched for over half an hour while 4 officials laughed and joked together inside. Then one got up and came to a different window than the line was from. As soon as the line moved over, another guy came and opened the first window causing a rush on it. As soon as the lines had been reconfigured, another window opened. The ensuing rushing about seemed to really please them.

By the time we got past this little power play, it was getting on for 5 o'clock. We were then accosted by the border shitheads who started jerking us around...

Lies the border told us:

1) The bank had to close early (but my friend will be happy to change your money)
2) (by a uniformed guard at the bank) The bank machine you can see is not available (but again, my friend will be happy to rip you off and change your money)
3) The last bus has already left (but I can take you in a taxi for $40)
4) (after we had found out from a woman in uniform where the local buses were). The local buses are not allowed to take foriegners (but I have a taxi)
5) That local bus you see is an express and will not stop before Managua (which we would arrive in quite late at night and we had very little local money because of 1 and 2... and p.s ...I have a taxi)

We did make it onto a local bus and went to the next town for $2 each and got an ATM, a hotel and supper by 7.30. Note to self...try to cross borders earlier in the day.

We are now in Granada which is a beautiful old city that was apparently important in the very early days of colonialism here. We are going to make a run for Honduras tomorrow. Charles is insisting we keep up the pace so we can get to Guatemala City within the first week then make our way back to San Jose more slowly. It appears that we may be doing a lot of it on crowded old school buses. This is apparently where our school buses come when they die. Heaven on earth (at least for the old yellow buses).