A sad day as we leave the relative warmth and security of Playa Lucie .We even felt sorry for the poor street dog that adopted us , no more free feeds for him ( last fed with muslie and yoghurt ).

Tempus Fugit here in Playa Luces .A month has passed , people come and go. Playa Luces has been a great break , waking up to a warm , clear sky .It hasn’t rained or blown a gale in the last 4 weeks .Not bad for £7 a day .Soon it will be our time to push on to the States .Trouble is , at the moment , apart from the oil leak on the rear axle , things are starting to wear out .The battery charger refuses to charge ( except 2 amp when it feels like it ), the inverter (£7 from Aldi ) that had been doing such a sterling job now refuses to invert .The nice new battery from Australia set all the battery alarms off when it ceased to batteryize anything .So left with one hard working battery , no chance to charge anything , it will be on a wing and a prayer if we make it .So near to the end of this journey ,I am somewhat reluctant to spend money .Mind you , two nice new Odyssey batteries are about £150 cheaper in the US than the UK , mmmmmm perhaps buy them for Lizzybus II .( new bigger fridge £230 cheaper , compressor £90 cheaper ,petrol cooker £40 etc , etc , etc )

Having flashed out $320 on the credit card for the visas , photo and fingerprints are done the next day .The following day , dressed in best “Embassy outfit” (African Overlanders will understand ) we both of us attend the consulate for interviews .Personally ,I thought that we would have separate interviews in a private room ? Chatting to the nice US official , both of us together , through a bank type booth we are given the good news that we have secured our 6 month visas .Next day we collect the “Bad Boys” from the consulate . Big sigh of relief all around , we now have a degree of flexibility on our journey through the US .

Having said goodbye to our good friends we meander back to Tulum and our cheap beach camping .A chance then to do some Cenote diving ( Dos Ojos ) and get our dive computers serviced at a Suunto dealer ( very few and far between ).The diving was superb , an ambition we have harboured since we started diving .

And now it’s two countries to go !!! Borders in this part of the world are a breeze .turn up , Migration stamp us in for 180 days and off to Aduana ( Banjercito) for the Lizzybus .$200 deposit to ensure she leaves the country , payable in US$ on a card .we decide to forgo using the card as it runs out next month and we envisage a raft of problems getting the money back on an expired card .Cash handed over , permit is m$650 and our exit fee m$590 , so job done . Nothing to pay now on exit (paid on our credit card ).All very simple if a little time consuming .So Mexico , here we are .

The relentless march North and a chance to visit Tikal , Mayan Ruins on the Guatemala / Belize road did not disappoint . As is usual entrance fee is Q25 for a local and Q150 for us Gringo’s .Still it was worth the visit ,

All jobs completed and its back North to Flores . Our natural break is at Rio Dulce and a camp in the grounds of Bruno’s ( Hotel and Marina )Here they do magnificent full on chips ( great with our two day old spicy chilli ).Mixing it with the Sailing fraternity , attempts are made to seduce the Lizzybus crew with Siren calls to take up a nautical adventure next . A Czech couple(Jana and family ) to this end took us out on their sail boat .All I can say is thanks and I for one have been seduced .What to do next ?. Lizzybus II could be a Yacht !!!!

Second anniversary for the Lizzybus , we have now done ( In just over 4 years ) 100,000 miles on this journey . Still have a few more to go .

The beautiful “Gringo” city of Antigua , framed by volcanoes both dormant and active ( gulp ) will be our home while we sort out these problems .Camping at the tourist police headquarters for free , we celebrate on the Sunday , Guatemala Independence day .

Track down Bills , a quick check shows front wheel bearings need a tweak , pan hard rod bushes are kaput and front UJ has a bit of play .Parts sourced ( genuine Land Rover and GKN ) mean a price premium ( about double UK ) but confidence that after a few km they wont wear out .A day to fix , total price ? 970 q ( about £90 ) , labour is cheap .Looking at the quality of his rebuilds one was almost tempted to rent an apartment and get Lizzybus done .A few admiring glances of the roll cage , long range tank , gal chassis and corner protectors , caused agonising moments . If we broke her for spares out here we could make a fortune , we don’t have the heart , Lizzybus WILL make it around the world .

Things were progressing down the injector ( i.e. very expensive ) route , not one to listen to advice , a few e mails to the Land Rover forum and a chat with Bill ( old Land Rover expert in Guatemala ) convinced me my diagnosis was right , it’s the solenoid .Having almost removed the injector pump , it is re fixed and back to testing . On our free evenings ( everyone gone home ) I remove the solenoid plunger .Hey presto , she ran .So the problem was the power to the solenoid all the time .Repaired by running a new power supply , new rear axle input seal , new oil pressure switch and its job done after 4 days .Sounds dire , but we have been treated as celebrities by the LROC of San Salvador . Out in the day sight seeing , evening BBQ .The curse of Lizzybus caught up with us when the Rangie we where all in broke down . So , not just us then with electrical gremlins ! All in all ,a great time in ES, it has been fantastic and a privilege to have come here .The cost ? $100 for the parts , Labour FOC , thank you Land Rover Automotriz and an even bigger thanks to Jose Mario and all those at the LROCES for showing us such hospitality

Smug , or should I say Smeg ? Ok , smeg it is and I told you so !

Joy of joys , I love volcanoes .In this part of the world , you cant miss the big , towering , smoking beasties . We have been authorized ( with the BRILLIANT help of Jose Mario from the ES Land Rovers Club) to enter El Salvador from 1^st of September .From the vast size of South America it is difficult to re calculate distances when you can cross a country in a day ! We have to slow down or we will end up in Mexico way to early .

If you are following our adventures, this note is coming from Nicaragua .We pushed through Costa Rica in three days . Heresy , we hear you shout .Nothing wrong with Costa Rica , we even stayed at a brilliant hotel in San Isidro
Hotel Zima (N 9 22.669 W 83 42.173 ,  if you are over landing ,visit you will have a great reception ) , but in truth , the Lizzybus has sprung a leak from the back axle ( again ) and we want to get her fettled in El Salvador .Notwithstanding the repair , the weather is defiantly not conducive to camping .It rains a lot around here , of biblical proportions, so Hotels are the order of the day ( it was that wet we paid $60 for an apartment so we could have a dry night ) Costa Rica is so expensive we filled our tanks to the brim in Panama .It would have been nice if they had put diesel into the main tank and not petrol .Fortunately we noticed BEFORE we started the engine and saved a horrendous repair bill ( injector pump and injectors )So , back under the Lizzybus and time to get hands dirty , again . Shame we had to ditch the 50l of petrol ( would have kept the Coleman going for a year )which we didn’t have to pay for , it all got poured back into the garages main tank .

Back with the Lizzybus , we re-cross the Isthmus to Panama City .Vast metropolis that it is we will not be staying long .A chance then to visit the “cut” .Miraflors Locks was recommended , I had originally decided Gaytun Locks at Colon but Miraflores has a big Information centre .The centre and film are a major disappointment and at $8 each ( as opposed to $5 each to view only ) we should have gone to the other docks .When you view the docks , they are pretty impressive , but to get the full effect you need a “big ship” to pass through .Only a three hour wait then .Worth every minute .Ploughing on down the Pan American we have found a great little camp site with pool , internet , brilliant Rondoval , American run and all $10 per night ( as opposed to $40 for a cheap hotel! ).So the Lizzybus recommendation , if you travelling through , Camp at XS near Santa Clara ( N 08 23.326 W O8 06.612 ) , we will stay the extra day to sort out kit etc before we head for the Costa Rican border .The one thing we can say about Panama , hot , sticky , raining and very humid

Well , after a 40min flight ( costing $811 ) we touched down in Panama . Fixer , Boris had arranged a taxi to take us to the delightfully named port of Colon .Because of the debacle of the flight times a chance we thought to get Lizzybus back that day .Didn’t take into account this is Central America , she wouldn’t be unloaded until the following morning .So we can stay in our 5 star ( or do we take the $35 ) room .Ok , $35 later we are in the ar*se end of Colon , aircon room , big TV , ice machine .Next day Boris picked us up , attended all the paperwork and hey presto , we finally have Lizzybus back , parked outside the hotel and the promise from the armed guard “he would keep an eye out for her” .So it all worked .Boris , again another great find at $200 (sales3@everlogistics.net ) , only other fees was $80 at NAVES for the bill of lading and $68 port fees .