In Acapulco we made sure to stop and see the famous cliff divers at La Quebrada. It was an impressive sight to behold.
Hasta Luego Melissa, Hola Celeste
By Steven Shoppman in
March 29, 2009 – 7:17 am
It is a hard road out there. Nearly everyone has cracked at some point, including me and Bouey. We have had a handful that vowed a desire to finish the expedition with us, we have had a handful that realized quickly this was not for them. Being part of the crew is not like traveling, it is not like vacation, it is a job…without pay, other than the experience of a lifetime. And it is a seriously difficult job. Each day we get out there deal with police checkpoints, crossing international borders, driving on terrible roads. Often a day that was supposed to take 5 hours turns into ten, and since the last 7 months since Melissa joined have all been in Spanish speaking countries, it is up to either Melissa or I to translate everything that happens. After an exhausting 12 hour day, most would want to take a shower and go to bed, but all of us have to keep after it, writing blogs, planning the next segment, or cooking dinner in the dark while setting up camp. Month after month we are all far away from home, I don’t think any of us would trade the experience, but when things happen at home, bad or good, we are not there to be with our friends and family.
For the last 7 months, Melissa has endured a longer stay as part of the crew than anyone else to date, and for over a month, she has been the only girl with 5 ridiculous boys giving her a hard time every day. With all of the trials and tribulations The World by Road has to offer, she has put up with it, but the time has come for us to say goodbye. After 7 months, Melissa is not quitting, but unfortunately needs to head back to Atlanta to take care of some things. However, her strength has officially earned her the award for the most time on the crew. Luckily enough for us unruly boys, another woman has joined on to keep us in line. Her name is Celeste Tenuta, from Denver, Colorado. She joined us in Puerto Vallarta and will be making the journey up to Alaska to finish the expedition with us. Does she know what she is getting herself into? I am sure Melissa can give her a few pointers.
The Ultimate Relaxation Destination
By Steve Bouey in
March 28, 2009 – 1:13 am
Being on the road for two years can take its toll on you from time to time. Sitting in a truck for several hours a day can wreak havoc on your body. Rebels, roadblocks, customs agents, shipping companies and border guards can all easily elevate stress levels. Bedding down in a different place nearly every single night can throw a wrench in your sleep patterns and being away from friends and family for such a long duration can make you homesick and depressed. All of our positive experiences and encounters throughout the course of the expedition significantly outweigh the not so glamorous ones, however, the bottom line is that the expedition can at times be a roller coaster ride of energy levels and emotions. It is not that often that we are able to completely remove ourselves from all of the sensory input that surrounds us every day and unwind and totally relax.
Fortunately for The World by Road crew, the staff at El Chante Hotel and Spa did an amazing job of helping us to forget some of the stresses of the road and allow us all to relax in style. Situated on the shores of Lago Chapala about an hour outside of Guadalajara and designed and managed with the intention of helping to ease the tension from both your mind and your body, El Chante is the answer to escaping whatever stresses life happens to be throwing your way. It does not matter if you are coming from half way around the world or simply just up the road in Guadalajara, El Chante is definitely well worth the visit.
El Chante combines both comfort and style
This boutique hotel has all of the amenities one could possibly imagine and no expense has been spared to ensure that your stay is a unique experience. From the spacious and luxurious rooms to the well manicured gardens to the relaxing thermal pools, the layout of the hotel is designed with comfort and tranquility in mind and the ambiance is hard to match anywhere else. El Chante definitely goes out of the way to look out for your comfort and little touches such as plush bathrobes, fuzzy slippers, fresh fruit baskets and shower mats rolled up with bows around them in the rooms place this hotel in a class above other five star accommodations.
The rooms are so luxurious it can be hard to leave
If the rooms at El Chante are not enough to set your mind at ease, there is a laundry list of top notch spa services and spiritual healing therapies to ensure that you will walk away from your visit a new person. During our stay at the spa, we were fortunate enough to experience the custom built temazcal, a traditional type of sweat lodge. The temazcal experience starts with a ceremony intended to help you clear your mind and leave all of your troubling thoughts and emotions behind. Once you enter the temazcal, you take and physical and mental journey all while sweating out harmful toxins with the aid of traditional herbs and medicines. The temazcal was like no other sweat lodge we have ever been in and after two hours in the heat and steam… that’s right, two full hours… all of us emerged from the experience a little different from when we started and believe it or not, it was a positive change.
Bouey and Melissa cleanse some evil spirits before entering the temazcal
If the intensity of the temazcal does not seem like your idea of rest and relaxation do not worry. El Chante has a plethora of other traditional and cutting edge spa treatments that can be custom tailored to address any of your ailments. The staff at El Chante are trained in massage techniques from all over the globe and their healing touch combined with a pre massage sauna and a dip in the naturally healing thermal waters filtering through the spa make for and incredibly therapeutic experience. During my hot stone massage with Paola, I was so relaxed that I actually fell asleep halfway through the treatment. Daily yoga classes invigorate your spirit and strengthen your body and the goal of any stay at El Chante is to experience serenity, harmony and ultimately, rebirth.
Just looking at one of the massage rooms can be relaxing
Alleviating two years spent in the driver’s seat
El Chante was just what the doctor (holistic or traditional) ordered for the World by Road and it was an oasis on a sometimes tiring road. I can safely say that the entire crew left the hotel feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. The friendliness of the staff and their dedication to your well being… from the therapies and treatments to the excellent food and service, make El Chante not just one of the most exclusive hotel spas in the region but in the entire world.
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Photo of the Week (Special Edition): Mustaches = Bigotes
By Craig Johnson in
March 28, 2009 – 12:01 am
So… we noticed that a big part of Latin-American culture was for the adult males to sport mustaches. What better way for us to spend our final month in Latin-America and Mexico in particular then for all the caballeros on the crew to grow them. Here we are showing the overwhelmingly successful results of our efforts. On this night at our campfire on the beach in Nexpa, Mexico, I was informed that mustaches are called “bigotes” in Spanish.
River Cave Adventure, Ian Anderson Style
By Nels Thoreson in
March 27, 2009 – 3:06 pm
Some of the most interesting things we’ve done recently have come completely out of nowhere. Such was the case when we entered Belmopan, Belize. Nothing at all was set up. We had some food in the back of the trucks, but it was getting late, and we had no place to sleep. Camping was an option, but there wasn’t any campsites in any of our guidebooks. Then we saw the sign, “Ian Anderson’s Cave Branch Adventure Company and Jungle Lodge.â€Â We turned in to ask about camping and ended up being graciously accommodated with their bunkhouse and given a complimentary tubing tour the following day. Things were looking up.
We walked up and saw a lot of new construction to add to the already beautiful structures. A building near the entrance will someday be a great welcome, and the pool and hot tub bar combo that is in the works looks like it’ll be a great place to relax.
The true beauty of the place, however, is how it is one with nature. One feels as though they are truly a part of the jungle. The estate sits on privately owned 58,000 acres of land, beneath a 100 foot rainforest canopy, alongside the Caves Branch river, and finds its place within the jungle and amongst the wildlife.
The variety of lodging also adds in the experience. The roofs are thatched, just like in Maya tradition, and you’re out of luck if you’re looking for a light switch or an outlet. The lodging has no electricity or lights, for they’re all lit by kerosene lamps. Lodging options include: Jungle Tree House, Jungle Suite, Jungle Bungalow, Jungle Cabana, the Bunkhouse, and camping.
The adventure part of the company, however, is what separates it from the rest. Again, what we thought would be a day on a lazy river turned into a river cave adventure. Our lazy river lasted about 200 yards before we entered the cave, from there we had to turn our head lamps on, watch our step, hike, climb, and float. We would get out our tubes, hike and then climb to ancient Maya Ceremonial centers. When we all turned our lights off it was total darkness, and just like the Maya’s heard, the river’s noise seemed to be voices. We then saw their ancient pottery, artifacts, altars, tools used for blood letting, and were pointed in the direction where actual footprints still remain of the ancient people. The experience was intense, and to top it off we ended the river cave adventure with some cliff jumping. This, however is not all they have to offer. Besides cave expeditions you can choose from jungle expeditions, jungle mountains biking, Mayan Ruins Tours, and “Ian’s Bad Ass Expeditions.â€
The unexpected, yet again, brought us another great adventure. Uncertainty has really been working out for us. The adventure continues.
The start of the hike in our River Cave Adventure
First climb into ancient Maya Ceremonial Chambers
Crew looking over a 100-foot rock face in the Chamber
The start to our float/hike out of the caves
Cameraman Bouey, with all the equipment in the dry bag
CLIFF JUMPING FOOTAGE
Nels Thoreson Jump
Steven Shoppman Jump
Craig Johnson Jump
Steel Jones Flip
Welcome Home Party
By Steven Shoppman in
March 26, 2009 – 8:51 pm
We are at Coffee Groundz in Houston. Â Just arrived. Â We will be here all afternoon and will be showing off our videos and photos this evening at 7pm. Â Everyone is invited.
Coffee Groundz is at:
2503 Bagby
Houston, TX 77006
And we thought we have been to remote places.
By Steven Shoppman in
March 25, 2009 – 12:04 pm
I came across this article recently about the most remote town on the planet. Â In the middle of the pacific on an old trading outpost, there lies a small community 2300km from any other inhabited place…in all directions, surrounded by sea. Â Since there has already been a little writeup, I will just lead you there. Â These people lead a different life than all of us. Crazy stuff.
Joined At The Hips
By Nels Thoreson in
March 24, 2009 – 3:06 pm
24/7 means 24/7, that’s just how it is on the road. Our crew, by far, spends more time together than most spouses do. We eat together, spend the day together, work together, drive together, do activities together, and sleep in the same vicinity together. It is how it has to be. Yes, it takes it toll, but we need each other, that is for sure. My fellow crew members are adventurous, talented, and dedicated, but most importantly, they’re pretty stellar humans.
Fearless leader Steven Shoppman is one of a kind. His patience is beyond tested each and every day, for each day is modified utter madness, but he takes it in stride. I’ve seen him patiently and civilly handle an inefficient, long and illogical Honduras border crossing. He was running around, sweating, photocopying this and that, all while trying to communicate with people that weren’t highly educated. Most would go insane, but he came back to the trucks, with a smile, and said, “Let’s Go.â€Â His idea to embark on something with this magnitude is genius, and his pioneering will go down someday as legend. He’s also a heck of a chef, and is fluent in computer code.
Stephen Bouey is the other leader that makes up the Steve duo. Through education, travel and work experience his mind always analyzing and logically assessing situations. Many countries could benefit from a Bouey consulting appointment. Leaving behind the suit and tie, and the steady 9 to 5 takes a lot of guts, and that is exactly what Bouey has. He also says the wittiest, funniest one liners I’ve ever heard. Mustached Bouey cracks me up every day. He also is a Triathlon athlete, and I’ve witnessed him eat one of the hottest habenero peppers in the world.
Melissa Terry is a warrior. She is the lone woman currently on the crew, and I give her a whole bunch of credit. Dealing with five dudes has to be beyond difficult, but she’s a really tough chick, and handles it more than well. She’s also a great writer, and does a great job translating in all the Spanish speaking countries. She hails from Atlanta, has spent a lot of time north of the United States border in Canada, and thoroughly enjoys cutting up vegetables with a large, sharp knife.
Craig Johnson has taken on the roll of production coordinator more than admirably. His ability to set up accommodations and activities has been incredible from scuba diving, to eco-retreats, to ocean-side villas; he’s done it all. His picture taking, with his shock-proof, waterproof camera, has also been a great visual for many blogs. He’s a comforting soul that I’m lucky to be a crew member with. Craig eats the craziest food I’ve ever seen, enjoys a good run, and gets really excited when he hears or sees water.
Steel Jones rounds out the cast of characters in this crew. He also is a behind-the-scenes guy researching towns, accommodations and our future driving routes. His talents are endless. He can break dance, do hand-stands for hours, wear the craziest stuff and make it look good, and if you could bottle up energy he’d be a millionaire. Steel’s sense of humor makes him hilarious, and a great guy to be around. He was the mascot for the University of Colorado, is rocking a sweet Fumanchu, and has a bottomless pit for a stomach.
These are the people I share the road with. People from all walks of life, coming together to explore the world in a different light. I respect and admire them. They’re co-workers, cohabitants, and co-pilots , but I’m lucky enough to call them my friends.
Photo of the Week: Little Drummer Boy
By Craig Johnson in
March 23, 2009 – 12:01 am
After an early dinner in Veracruz, the Steves, Nels, and I happened upon a lengthy flag ceremony in the square directly outside the restaurant. It featured retired and current sailors of the Mexican Navy, local high school students carrying out the flag ritual, and the high school band performing a song that must be titled “Veracruz.” The highlight for us was the very young boy seemingly out of place with his camoflauge fatigues, pouting face, and random drum beats.
Livin’ the dream in Belize!
By Melissa Terry in
March 21, 2009 – 8:28 pm
Belize is awesome. It is an especially awesome English-speaking nation coming from all Spanish-speaking nations for seven months. We entered through the only border crossing from Guatemala, simply known as “The Western Border”–They like to keep things…well let’s just say…succinct in Belize. The Western Border was more like a crazy space/time continuum threshold, where we had just entered a much more up-to-date version of any varying sort of Caribbean island than anywhere in Central America. The Kriole accent that had all of a sudden surrounded us was thick and entirely exotic, but if need be can always be put aside for the ever-more boring formality of “British English”. We were all longing to hear the language we call our own, but given the amount of time we’ve spent with Spanish, we didn’t know what to do with it…for the first few hours, maybe even first full day, we literally couldn’t believe our eyes or ears and the very fact that we were actually, full-on communicating with the locals was too much to handle at first.
Belizean border. Hello, English!
The whole country only consists of roughly 320,000 and for it’s size, makes it one of the least densely populated countries in the world. We quickly found our two favorite places among this tiny and quaint little gem: Hopkins and Placencia. Hopkins is a small fishing village comprised mostly of Garifuna, a group of people, who, like typical Belizeans are of mixed ancestry but also maintain their own language, music and food. Hopkins is sleepy by day but full of life at night and well worth exploring every aspect. Placencia, while not too terribly much larger in size or even population, has had more of a tourism boom but low key none-the-less in comparison to other Caribbean destinations.  It’s a small town where locals and tourists alike mingle at the many beachfront bars and restaurants.  Veronique at Caribbean Travel and Tours set us up with three amazing places to stay around town to really get a feel for the local vibe.  Nels and I were right in the middle of town staying at The Yellow House; Bouey, Steel and Craig were right on the beach with pool access at Mirasol; and Steve and Zsofi were just at the edge of town in their cosy cabana called The Village Inn.Â
Besides being unbelievably hospitable, one of the main draws for tourists to Placencia is the diving. On our third and final day we were fortunate enough–with many many thanks to Splash Dive Shop–to go diving where divers world-wide only may dream of going–the great Belize Barrier Reef.
Many, many thanks to Splash Dive Shop in Placencia, Belize for taking us out on the two most spectacular dives of our journey! Placencia is located on the mid-Southern coast of the country making it a perfect jumping off point for experiencing the Belize Barrier Reef, and some of the most sought after diving on the planet. The reef is a 300 kilometer stretch of the larger Mesoamerican reef system. This reef system, which is the second longest in the world next to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, has not even been entirely researched but it is already known to be teeming with over 500 species of fish and invertebrates, 70 species of hard coral and 36 species of soft coral–all of which extremely colorful and vibrant.  With Whale Shark season right around the corner, we had our fingers crossed but unfortunately we were too early.  We did see a lone dolphin swim right by us on our wall dive (just that, a 30 meter upright wall of reef several kilometers long!), and a really graceful and super-cute sea turtle on our second dive that our dive master with his keen eye spotted from 20 meters away.  Then there were the endless colorful corals.Â
Like all of our dives, this one too required an early start meeting up at 7am –Everything was pretty much set to go, we just needed to meet the boat but unlike the rest of our dives we were taken to the dive sight in style. Once we reached the dock, a few of us even walked right past the sport-fishing boat completely assuming that would not be our transport. With that being said, the hour and fifteen minute trip both to and fro the dive sight were unbelievably comfortable.
Our crew on our ride.
