Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
el salvador
august 28
There was a small but noisy group of Guatemalans on hand to say
goodbye as I entered El Salvador. The border was a big letdown: just a
narrow, muddy pathway lined with parked trucks. At least the trucks
weren't speeding. After the crew and I had had our papers stamped
and were allowed to enter this once war-torn country, I was forced to
zigzag through the obstacle course of filthy old vehicles, whose drivers
were dozing or smoking at the wheel or standing in groups talking. A
cacophonous scream of police, ambulance or fire brigade sirens—or
maybe all three—competed with the Central American folk music that
blared from the radios in the trucks. When I asked a local what the
story was with them, he told me there was a teachers' strike on, and
the truckies were out in support.
When I cleared the ruck of vehicles, a few kilometres down a
dilapidated road I ran past maybe the ugliest motel I have ever seen.
Rundown and ancient, it looked to me to be in danger of collapse. Out
the front was a hand-painted sign: 'Hotel California.
Banos Parqueo Y
TV Con Cable
(bath and cable TV ).' I'm sure it wasn't the Hotel Califor-
nia that the Eagles immortalised in their song.
It was a late night getting our Winnebagos over the border, which
really taxed the crew, who were up until 3 am. Katie and Chris are
absolutely bushed. This run is taking a toll on everyone, not just me.
The most difficult thing is that there are no days off, even when we are
sick. We are all putting in long hours, seven days a week. That's why it's
nice to get visitors from time to time to help out.
We're being escorted through El Salvador by the Red Cross and
the police, and, as in the other Central American countries, there are
the usual Red Cross presentations and media commitments. It gets
