29 Jan--Utila Arrival -- Part 1

Sat, 29 Jan. there were torrential downpours ALL night long... it was unbelieveable. still raining in the morning, but not hard. woke up to find NO water, .....anywhere ... including the toilet! you get what you pay for :). the taxi driver stopped at the ATM for us. hey, we are in Hondurian civilization: Burger King, Pizza Hut, Baskin Robbins, Dunkin Donuts, and Popeyes! and the ATM was right next to Dunkin Donuts. i had a French Cruller and enjoyed every bite of it! did not see any cops in there .... :) got to the dock and the skies did not look friendly ... this part of Honduras is mountainous too! i was pleased to see a large catamaran fully enclosed. the Utila Princess. we boarded, the seas were really rough. the guy was passing out plastic bags to people who thought they might be sick. it was like a roller coaster ... i realized that the catamaran was enclosed for a very good reason. i loved it, actually took a little nap. i am lucky i don't get motion sickness. the island of Utila is 11 miles from LaCeiba, it was a 1 hr ride .... my destination!!!!!!!!!!!!! yeahhhhh. and by the time we arrived, the sun was shining. three nights and two+ days of travel, and i've finally arrived, and i'm happy now! and come to think of it, why not travel while it is raining? Trish met me at the dock and we took a little golf cart taxi to my new home for the next month. i will be volunteering for BICA; you can check out their web page at www.bicautila.org. The Bay Islands Conservation Association (BICA) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization founded in 1991 by the people living in the Bay Islands in order to initiate and coordinate efforts in protecting the Islands’ fragile natural resources. BICA’s operation and projects are funded through the support of local individuals, businesses and national and international agencies. BICA Utila has been instrumental in initiating many conservation projects: management of the Turtle Harbour Wildlife Refuge and Marine Reserve; protection of sea turtles; protection of coral reefs through installation of buoys; first garbage collection on the island; beach cleaning; environmental education in local schools; developing codes of conduct for divers; monitoring whale sharks. but, BICA’s main job is, and has always been, to work with the local community to protect their small piece of paradise so that future generations will be able to enjoy it and make a living from its resources. this is a picture of the Visitor Center, the home of BICA, and my new home. side view, our dormitory building is around back. front of the house. nice, huh? here are some photos of my room with ONLY 3 beds; and at the moment i am alone. shared bath, with nice tile. and, oh in case you were wondering ... no hot water here either :) and the kitchen that is shared with another room for 2 people. this building was just finished in the late summer of 2010. it's really nice, screens on the windows and ceiling fans. i haven't put up my 'safety net' yet, not really a way to put it up, and since the walls are in such pristine condition, i wouldn't dare pound a nail into them! and the best part of my new home is: ..... Gato Gordo ...spanish for large cat ! Trish said the only thing he loves more than attention, is food. that is obvious! he is a lover and a cuddler ... i'm in heaven! has a strong resemblance to Mango and Munchkins from Madi's.