Thursday 19th June 2025 Chinandega to Guasaule and back to Chinandega
Because we were in a relatively posh hotel, well for us it was, we decided to have the breakfast that we had paid for, hence, bikes already queuing at the door at 5:45 for a 6 start. Me being me was straight in there, while the guy was setting up, only having a coffee, then some cereal, toast, had the full breakfast before he was meant to open, my thoughts we had paid for it so having it at a time that suits us.

On the bikes by 06:15, border crossing day, Bingo has had a shave, I have combed my flowing grey locks, trying to look the best we can, truth be told the kit could do with a proper wash, though I think my shorts may fall apart if I put them through that. Heading towards Guasaule on the Honduras side, then a little bit further in, if the crossing goes well.

Good run out of Chinandega, only 40 odd miles to the border, always like to get there as early as possible, so both putting on the speed a bit, working the legs and eating up the miles, easy riding. Back into the rural countryside now, paddy fields and sugar beet the main crop, with pigs, chickens, goats and what not foraging around the road side, farmers on horseback, some pulling trailers, even seen a couple of oxen pulling a trailer, that looked difficult. Did make us feel a bit guilty here we are pedalling through their country for fun, while they seem to be working so hard to eek out a living, everyone we passed had a smile and a wave though, incredibly humbling, but so nice to reach out and give them a high five as we go past. Nice view of Volcan Casita, the top shrouded in mist, eerily looking like smoke erupting, or just my vivid imagination again, worth a little stop for a few pictures. Then needed another stop before the border, because I had forgot to fill up my water bottles this morning, more concerned with pinching a slice of toast when the guy was not looking, so a little stop soft drink and a big bottle of water, completely frozen, breakdown in my Spanish again, just asked for it cold! no worries, strapped it to my bike, it will thaw in 10 minutes.

On we push, you know when you are getting close to the border, the lorry’s start to build up and the street venders appear out of woods, starts getting a bit crazy, as we cycle through the lorries and ignore the vendors, just keep going, the border / immigration guys soon stop you. Eventually they did , sent us through the Nicaragua side, all done in 15 mins great, now a mystery tour of where to go now, followed a guy on a touring motorbike, through the no-man’s land, then into Honduras immigration control. As normal queued in the big long snake thing, like waiting at the bacon counter in the Co-op, Bingo goes on to a cubicle I go to another, same old rigmarole, where you staying, how long etc, etc, then pay the guy $3, he stamps my passport and waves me through, Bingo still at his counter, bit of a problem with his Russian visa, he mouths to me, wait another 10 minutes, then it goes pear shaped, what do you mean I cant come in? Allegedly we now need a visa to enter Honduras! I could have gone and entered the country legally, was outside changing money over to Honduras Lempira, went back in the hall, Bingo called me over, they took my passport off me again, then went and had a little conversation behind closed doors, then cancelled my entry stamp, with hardly a word spoken, just said you need a visa.

So we go back to the Nicaragua side and spend a couple of hours going back through the place we have just came from, with all the same charges, not the best border crossing I have ever experienced, up there with the worst.

Just as we were pushing the bikes through the masses of traffic and people trying to get a place to have a moment and go through the options, got news, that our brother Steven has fallen off his bike and is in William Harvey Hospital ICU, that really puts it into perspective, just having a problem at a border pales into insignificance, spent the next hour or so, trying to get as much information as possible, obviously difficult from here and just as difficult back home by all accounts, really impressed with how the family pulled together all doing their bit to piece together what actually happened, so nice to know the people at home are pulling out all the stops, thank you so much, from Bingo and Gringo.

Being a couple of bus w* on the way back to Chinandega, place where we started from this morning, not great, but hey ho tomorrow’s another day, sod James Bond.

Definitely in the wrong side of town tonight, not the best of places, but made do with a pizza and a few beers in the room, while we try and re-route and catch up on Steve’s injuries, as we are 7 hours behind Steve’s updates went quiet, so gave us time to put in to action plan B, when we know what it is. Seems there may be a plan B boat from a little town Potosí to La Unión El Salvador, Bingo is on the case, I am sorting a route out to Potosi, have the plan sorted in a few minutes, boat journey booked and a route sorted.

Bit of a crazy day to say the least, get well soon Steve, we will have more updates in the morning, but for now good night.