Roatan III (July 24)

Remaining in a state of sickness from the bad food I must have eaten yesterday, I tossed and turned throughout the night, moving to the other’s bed to have my own for the rest of the morning after they left for the early ferry. I could only continually tell myself, “This is not a relapse—just an unrelated sickness that will soon pass.”

Feeling quite not hungry, I spent the time between our checkout and our taxi to the ferry in the hotel lobby. When I asked the man working the front desk where the internet café was, he set up a computer for me in the lobby to use instead, and then used the opportunity to advance the business of his new hotel. He did such a good job of this in our conversation that I don’t hesitate to promote the hotel for anyone planning a trip to Roatan. Inexpensive, air-conditioned, free purified water, fifty feet from the Caribbean Sea, and excellent service.

To save money on our taxi ride five of us shared a small taxi. As the biggest person, I was lucky enough to have the front seat and the best leg circulation when we reached the docks.

The two-hour ferry from Roatan to Ceiba costs about $25. Surprisingly, however, the company, despite having a monopoly on the traffic, does not profit because the boat guzzles too much gas and ticket prices cannot successfully be raised any higher. One possible solution I considered is subsidies from the Island of Roatan for the passenger ferry company. This would lower the ticket price, encouraging more travelers to visit Roatan more frequently, which would further boost Roatan’s economy. Furthermore, increased revenue would allow the ferry company to invest in a more efficient boat.

As the ferry was full and we weren’t the first ones to get on it, all the seats were taken. To compensate, however, the staff opened a small side door leading to the stern shortly after we embarked. Standing by the captain’s box in the strong breeze and wearing my shades, I could only think about the song “I’m on a Boat” by Lonely Island. One of the most interesting aspects of the ferry ride, however, were countless schools of flying fish, always surfacing as the boat passed and cruising above the water for tens of meters before diving back in. The water was quite calm, and a very deep blue color.

From La Ceiba to Olanchito, we were lucky to have a comfortable, mostly empty bus, and I was beginning to feel hungry again. Going out to eat in Olanchito after we returned, we were surprised to see the restaurant filled with a group of Americans. We found that they were here on a mission trip from Louisiana, but could not help but be annoyed by the fact that they had just arrived in the country. “Do you like beans?” they repeatedly asked with excitement. “We used to,” we replied.