Album #3 – Mexico to Panama

Mathieu looking for a ride to Oaxaca just outside Mexico City.

After waiting only 20 minutes we got our first ride to Oaxaca with Laeticia and Javier. Just before splitting ways, they kindly shared the rests of some delicious Chiles en Nogada they had cooked to celebrate Mexico’s independence day the previous day!

Not only did they offer us food but they also gave Roro this crazy sweatshirt!
#FlyingPomPom #Swag

Our second ride on the way to Oaxaca at the back of a pickup truck. #NotMuchSpaceButMuchLove

Celebrating our arrival in Oaxaca with a casual butbump.

In Oaxaca, we were lucky enough to stay at Natalie’s. She founded Peers, a collaborative economy network that grew to 250 k members in only one year!

Meet Don Pedro on the guitar, aka the Friday Fever!

For artistic purposes only – Contact Roro regarding copyrights issues.

Mat getting run over by a bike / Roro’s left ear just hanging there (top right hand corner).

Monte Alban – Those Zapotec people were serious about their houses!

We drove from Oaxaca to Cacahuatlan with Elmer and Oscar. Not necessarily a smiley dude on pictures, but certainly a funny one in real life!

Elmer’s latest purchase – a rotten pick-up truck towed to Guatemala all the way from… Minnesota (US)! Quite a ride, ey? Bit of a stretch especially, when you get mugged off $1,500 on the way by an armed gang.

Roro and Ivan just having a good laugh in Cacahuatlan with our Couchsurfing hosts Ameht and Astrid.

Just chilling at a local traditional chocolate factory when Mat thought it’d be a good idea to eat Ivan’s chocolate. Ivan obviously flipped. Luckily Math escaped the wrath. #CloseOne #DontEatMySugar #SharingBrosMostOfTheTime

We eventually made it to Guatemala after a day in Cacahuatlan. Funkiest border control ever! Quick photo shoot with the whole border crew with Alizée playing full blast in the background! (cf: http://bit.ly/1mz73N5)

We had barely left our friends from the border control, that we met Emilio, a keen French student at the Alliance Française. He drove us to Tecun Uman where we spent the night.

We spend our first night in Guatemala at the Tecun Uman fire station. Such a warm welcome, such a great night! They obviously fell in love with Mat’s shirt.

In the morning we were picked up by Juan José. A couple of minutes later, we realised that he had that massive (loaded) gun sitting on his lap! – “Just for protection you know”

On our way to Salvador! We crossed Guatemala in just one day in this nice blue truck. It rained like hell, the widescreen wipers weren’t working, the truck broke a couple of times but we eventually made it. #OurDriverWasAnExpert

Our night at the border Guatemala/El Salvador, second night in a fire station. Byron warmly welcomed us and offered us some space on his floor. Great insights on how to join the local fire brigade in Guatemala. #VivaLosBomberos! #FeelAtHome #DontForgetYourHelmet

The following morning we just had to walk through the border, and there we were, in El Salador. It seems like we were quite excited. #DontForgetTheStamp #Selfie

Would that be a new Bro?

Just another ride at the back of a truck. The end is near! Our Salvadorian friend here was a big fan of ice-skating, yes, ice-skating! He very kindly took us to San Jose, Costa Rica. #LiveForTheMountains #LoveTheSnow

Once we got in San Jose we wanted to know how students felt about trust on the internet and how strong the feeling of community was in this country. Ivan brilliantly turned into a professional interviewer. They (almost) understood all of his questions.

After a tough day of hitchhiking towards the Panamanian border, we were about to sleep on the street, when Jorge, the local grocery shop owner, offered us a room in his house. “We’re sleeping at a local’s, oh yeah!” #Nightcapt #BigSmile

Seems like luck was on our side on our way to Panama. As we were hitchhiking, the Gibbons family took us for a ride which turned into a one-night stay at their astonishingly amazing house. #PoolParty

Oh yeah, we forgot to tell you, Val (the mum) is a great cook. She baked us some homemade pancakes in the morning. We all thank her grand mother who gave her the recipe.

Here is the family, don’t they look super nice with those three blond-headed kids?

Please meet Valery, she drove us down to the Panamanian border with her friend Patty. To thank them, Roro played them “Stand by me”. Ivan did his best to offer Patty a dance.

Here is the latest and most original home we could find: a container. Very spacious and comfortable, you should definitely try it once!

5h hitchhiking under the Panamanian sun… Don’t forget the sunblock.

… Break time – Roro jamming with a driver that had also stopped there.

We finally found a ride, awesome… #DontLetHimOut

…but when the driver parked, he rolled on Roro’s guitar smashing it… RIP, old bean! You’ve been a great companion.

We stopped in Coronado, one-hour away from Panama City to enjoy the Panamanian coast for one day. #NeverWithoutMyMosquitoNet  

Mat, just modeling, you know…

After a 20-min surf session the waves were too big and Mat’s board broke in half. Hope luck will come back around, enough with breaking stuff!

Panama City here we are! Thanks to Ian who hosted us for two days in his house before taking us to the city. #SunInTheFace #OpenYourEyes