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http://vocaroo.com/i/s16ipbstLctv

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Starting Point: Panama City, Panama

Stopping Point 1: Yaviza, Panama

Stopping Point 2: Panama City, Panama

Ending Point: Greensboro, NC, USA

Today is the final day of the road trip. Panama City to Yaviza is about nine hours there-and-back, but my flight home leaves at 3:10 PM. Therefore, I'll have to once again get up at 4 AM and hit the road immediately. One-way to Yaviza from PC is 4.5 hours, and it's an extremely empty drive. There are no notable towns on the Pan-Am. through the Darién Province until you get to Yaviza. Even then, Yaviza is only known to those on the Pan-Am. because it's the end of the road. However, that is reason enough to come to this village of 1,600 inhabitants. It's more than just the end of the road; it's the end of an epic journey spanning multiple countries and cultures. That's the reason people come here; for the journey. I should arrive in Yaviza at around 8:30 AM, and I plan on spending about an hour in town. I'll depart for Panama City at 9:30 AM, and should be back at around 2 PM. From there, I'll meet-up with whoever I've arranged to sell my car to. This is one of the unique things about traveling the Pan-Am.; you buy your car at the beginning of the trip, and sell it at the end. I plan on selling my car for around 1,000 Panamanian Balboas (equivalent to $1,000). I'll then get a taxi to Tocumen International Airport, use $542 of my new-found cash to buy a plane ticket back to Greensboro, and reflect upon what I had done over the past week.

Un Resumen de Mi Día: Yaviza es muy pequeña, pero significó mucho para mí para llegar allí. Vendí mi coche por $ 1,000; Ya lo echo. Mi vuelo a casa fue largo, pero Dormí mejor que he tenido nunca.

Yaviza

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Starting Point: Managua, Nicaragua

Ending Point: Panama City, Panama

This will undoubtedly be the hardest day. The unfortunate part of trying to do the northern Pan-Am. in seven days is that you'll have to make some absolutely grueling drives. Today, I will be on the road for 17.5 hours from Managua to Panama City. I could break it up more, but I want to minimize the amount of driving on day seven to avoid any conflicts in missing my flight back to Greensboro. Unfortunately, I will have to drive straight through the Costa Rican capital of San José. However, Panama City is the last major city on the northern Pan-Am., which is one of the minor reasons I chose it as today's destination. However, there are many other reasons. Panama City is the capital of Panama, the home of the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. It has a population of around 880,000. Panama is a democracy currently headed by President Juan Carlos Verela. Unfortunately, much like Managua, I won't be able to see much of the city. This time, it's due to the fact that I'll be arriving after an extremely long drive, and I have to use all my available time on day seven getting to Yaviza and back. However, if I did have the time, I would spend it at Panamá Viejo, the first Spanish city founded on the American Pacific coast. After I'm done there, I would have gone to Museo del Canal Interoceánico, the museum that commemorates the building of the Panama Canal. Since I've got such a long drive, I decided to splurge on the hotel; I will be staying at BlueBay City Panamá, and every review I have read sings its praises. I plan on leaving Managua at 4 AM, putting me in Panama City by 9:30 PM.

Un Resumen de Mi Día: Estoy muy cansado después de mi viaje. Yo estaría enfadado porque no voy a ser capaz de recorrer San José o la Ciudad de Panamá, pero estoy demasiado cansado para cuidar

Panama City Skyline

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Made via RoadTrippers

White Flag - Laredo, TX

1 - Monterrey, MX

2 - Ciudad Valles, MX

3 - Mexico City, MX,

4 - Ixtepec, MX

5 - Guatemala City, Guatemala

6 - San Salvador, El Salvador

7 - Managua, Nicaragua

8 - Panama City, Panama

Bottom Right Corner - Yaviza, Panama (could not place waypoint)

Checkered Flag - Panama City, Panama

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Starting Point: Guatemala City, Guatemala

Stopping Point 1: San Salvador, El Salvador

Ending Point: Managua, Nicaragua

Today I'll be making multiple stops for the first time since day one. I'll leave Guatemala City at roughly 7 AM and travel three-and-a-half hours across the border to San Salvador, El Salvador. San Salvador is the capital of El Salvador and the largest city in the country with a population of around 567,000. El Salvador is a democracy currently headed by President Salvador Sanchez Cerén I'm stopping in San Salvador because it is the most important political, cultural, educational, and financial center in the country and one of the largest urban centers in the Central American isthmus. Due to the area's proneness to earthquakes, there is very little colonial architecture in San Salvador. I will be spending my two-hour stop in San Salvador at La Plaza Gerardo Barrios, a large park located in the heart of the city. The reason I've decided to do this is because, thus far on the trip, I've spent very little time outside. The park has also been home to many political rallies and demonstrations. After a few hours in the park, I'll hit the road again and drive eight hours to Managua, Nicaragua. Nicaragua is a democracy currently headed by President Daniel Ortega. Managua is the capital of Nicaragua and has a population of around 2.1 million people. Unfortunately, due to the extensive driving I have to do on day six, once I check into my hotel, Art Hotel Managua, I'll immediately be going to bed. This is a shame, as Managua is a fantastically cultured city with some very unique geography. If I did have time to see the town, I would most likely visit the four lagoons within the city limits (Tiscapa, Asososca, Nejapa, and Acahualinca). On the bright side, Art Hotel Managua has fantastic reviews across the board, and is fairly affordable.

Un Resumen de Mi Día: La Plaza Gerardo Barrios es enorme; estoy triste que no vi todo eso. Estoy cansado de conducir y frustrado que yo no llegué a ver Managua.

La Plaza Gerardo Barrios

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Currencies and Exchange Rates (USD-to-Local)

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Currencies and Exchange Rates (USD-to-Local)

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Mexico: Mexican Peso, 1 USD = 15.375 MXN

Guatemala: Guatemalan Quetzals, 1 USD = 7.75 GTQ

El Salvador: El Salvador uses US Dollars as their official currency

Nicaragua: Nicaraguan Córdoba, 1 USD = 27 NIO

Costa Rica: Costa Rican Colón, 1 USD = 530.88 CRC

Panama: Panamanian Balboa, 1 USD = 1 PAB

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Starting Point: Ixtepec, Oaxaca, Mexico

Ending Point: Guatemala City, Guatemala

Another long day today, and my first border crossing in the Golf (I crossed the US-MEX border on a bus). I'll leave Ixtepec at around 7 AM and drive twelve-and-a-half hours to Guatemala City. Accounting for the time change (GC is one hour behind Ixtepec), I should arrive at around 6:30 PM. Guatemala City is the capital of Guatemala with a population of around 4,500,000 in the metropolitan area and boast an excellent culture, which is the reason I am stopping there. This is my only touristic stop in Guatemala, so I'll be trying to see as much as I can. After checking into my hotel, Dai Nonni Hotel, I will take a visit to Guatemala City's El Mercado Central, a market located under the city center where you can find just about anything you may need (fresh produce, meats, pottery, clothing, and even pirated CDs). I'll most likely get my meal from there, paying for it in the official currency (Guatemalan Quetzals). I hope to gain an understanding of the Guatemalan culture by visiting the market. Guatemala City is also home to the Guatemalan government, currently headed by President Otto Pérez Molina. I won't be out for long in Guatemala City after such a long drive, but I think I'll get a nice feel for the culture at the market. After a few hours of browsing the stores, I'll return to Dai Nonni Hotel, which is unique compared to the locations I had stayed before. While the word "hotel" is in the name, Dai Nonni is really more of a bed-and-breakfast. The building is a family-home that has been renovated into a hotel, and all the reviews claim that the staff is extremely friendly.

Un Resumen de Mi Día: Yo disfruté el Mercado Central; Pasé dos horas dando vueltas antes de comprar mi cena.

El Mercado Central

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Starting Point: Mexico City, MX
Ending Point: Ixtepec, Oaxaca, MX

I'm making a pretty radical change in environment today, going from a city of 19,000,000 to one of 25,000. Ixtepec is a small-city in the state of Oaxaca; it's a ten-hour drive from Mexico City following the Pan-Am. There won't be much sight-seeing today, as I chose Ixtepec to meet my distance requirement. However, it will be nice to feel the small-town vibe again after the sensory overload that is Mexico City. Hopefully, Ixtepec will give me a more authentic idea of life in the first country on my trip. Ixtepec has a significant indigenous population (about 20%) and many speak an indigenous language and follow indigenous traditions. The indigenous population is largely Zapotec. I'm not expecting much out of my accommodations here, Hotel Regente Ixtepec, as not only did I choose with budget in mind, but also because hotels are somewhat sparse in this region. I looked into staying at a hostel, or even with a native family, but I could not find anything of the sort. I'll look around the town and see what I can find, but today is mostly about making progress.

Un Resumen de Mi Día: Esto ciudad es mucho menor que la Ciudad de México, pero lo es agradable tener un poco de paz.

Ixtepec

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Starting Point: Ciudad Valles, S.L.P, MX

Ending Point: Mexico City, MX

Today marks the first day I'll actually spend seeing the sights. After filling my tank with gas, I'll leave Ciudad Valles at roughly 10 AM and drive eight hours to the Mexican capital (Mexico City), arriving at 6 PM. I'll check in to the Hotel Sevilla, and then go out and see the town. Mexico City is the largest city in Mexico with a population of over 19,000,000. Since I won't have much time to sight-see, I'll be focusing on el centro histórico, the area where the Spaniards first began building the modern Mexico City. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to the National Palace, home of the Mexican president, currently Enrique Peña Nieto. El Centro Histórico is also home to the largest cathedral in the Americas: the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral. The Cathedral is over 440 years-old, dating back to the Spanish rule of Mexico. The historical center is also home to the main office of el Nacional Monte de Piedad, the national pawnshop. The shop is non-profit, and has been open since 1792. After finishing my visit to the historical center, I'll have a meal at El Gnomo, a small family-owned restaurant offering traditional food at fair prices. After finishing my meal, I'll return to my hotel. Hotel Sevilla is far from five star, but the reviews list it as cheap and agreeable, as well as conveniently located near a bus stop.

Un Resumen de Mi Día: Mi coche fue largo, ¡pero Ciudad de México es fantastico! Mi comida fui fantástica.Estoy muy entusiasmado para mañana.

Metropolitan Cathedral

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Starting Point: Greensboro, North Carolina

Stopping Point 1: Laredo, TX

Stopping Point 2: Monterrey, NL, Mexico

Ending Point: Ciudad Valles, S.L.P, Mexico

I will start day one off early and end it late, leaving from Piedmont-Triad International Airport at 7:21 AM. After a seven-hour flight, and a connection through Dallas-Fort Worth, I will land in Laredo, TX, at 1:30 PM (accounting for the one-hour time change). Laredo is the official start of the Pan-Am., so it's very important I start off there. However, I will not linger in Laredo; at 2 PM, I'll board a bus going from Laredo, TX, to Monterrey, NL, MX. Monterrey is the capital of the Mexican state Nuevo León. The bus ride will be four-hours, so I'll arrive in Monterrey at 6 PM. I have already located and made arrangements to purchase a car in Monterrey: a 1990 Volkswagen Golf. I assume the transaction will take about an hour, so I'll be leaving Monterrey by 7 PM and driving seven-hours to my last stop on Day 1: Ciudad Valles, S.L.P, Mexico. The reason I chose this city is because it's the minimum distance I had to drive to meet my daily requirement (at least ten hours). Once there, I'll check in to the Hotel Spa Taninul for a one-night stay. The reviews for the Hotel Spa aren't fantastic, but the rate is cheap, and that's very important to my budget.

Un Resumen de Mi Día: Yo tuve un día largo, pero estoy muy satisfecho de haber comenzado el viaje.

Ciudad Valles

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Total Amount: $3,200

Plane Ticket 1 (Greensboro to Laredo): $430

Bus Ticket (Laredo to Monterrey): $30

Car: $1,441 ($21,188 Mexican Pesos (MXN)

Gas: $452

Hotel Spa Taninul (Ciudad Valles): $32 ($492 MXN)

Hotel Sevilla (Mexico City): $23 ($354 MXN)

Hotel Regente Ixtepec (Ixtepec/Juchitan de Zaragoza): $30 ($462 MXN)

Dai Nonni Hotel (Guatemala City): $50 (Q387 Guatemalan Quetzals)

Art Hotel Managua (Managua): $43 (C$1,161 Nicaraguan Córdoba)

BlueBay City Panama (Panama City): $86 (86 Panamanian Balboas)

Total Hotel Cost: $264

Remaining Money: $11

Money Earned from Selling Car: $1,000 (1,000 Panamanian Balboas)

Remaining Money: $11

Plane Ticket 2 (Panama City to Greensboro): $572 (572 Panamanian Balboas)

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The Pan-American Highway (known as the Inter-American Highway in Central America) is a system of highways (covering around 30,000 miles) that covers the entire length of the American continents. While there are routes beginning in the Arctic Circle and ending at the southern-tip of South America, the official route stretches from Laredo, TX, to Buenos Aires, Argentina. However, as I mentioned earlier, the road is split between Panama and Colombia at the Darién Gap, forming a northern half and a southern half. The Pan-Am. is known worldwide for connecting the arts and cultures of over twenty countries; to quote Jack Silverstein, "[the Pan-American Highway is] a system so vast, so incomplete, and so incomprehensible it is not so much a road as it is the idea of Pan-Americanism itself."

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Before I begin, I must make the necessary preparations to travel the Pan-American Highway. These include locating and purchasing a car, buying plane tickets, acquiring a bus ticket, figuring out how many hours I will need to drive per day, and arranging a buyer for my car in Panama City (the final destination for my trip). I'll need two plane tickets, one bus ticket, and one car. According to my route calculator, I have eighty-one hours of driving ahead of me, so I'll need to average around eleven hours a day.

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The official route of the Pan-American Highway stretches from Laredo, TX, to Buenos Aires, Argentina. However, the highway is split in Panama at the Darién Gap; an almost impenetrable sixty-mile stretch of rainforest. This Padlet records a trip of the entire northern half of the highway, covering 3,211 miles in seven days from Laredo, TX, to Yaviza, Panama, in a 1990 VW Golf. My main six stops are the following: Mexico City, Guatemala City, San Salvador, Managua, Panama City, and Yaviza. My first five significant stops are all capital cities, contributing to my goal to at least pass through every capital city of the countries I travel in, and the last significant point is the end-of-the-road for the northern Pan-Am.