After 7 hours of driving fast and smooth dirt roads then good tarmac we finally arrived in the capital. A hotel was found and we proceeded to the disco. Fortunately there'd just been a ladies only male stripper show on so it was packed with wicked dorises which are a major feature of Honduras. Sadly most of them left by midnight and we had to be happy with just a few dances.

During the day we walked around the centre and checked out the market area which is always a good place to meet people and watch the madness of daily life in central america. As we walked around people look at us as though we're from another planet but the shock quickly wears off and they smile and say 'hola'.

On Sunday the new president, Maduro, was inaugurated. We intended to see the parade in the morning but didn't wake up until we heard the 21 gun salute and fighter planes overhead possibly due to too many 'Salva Vida' beers the night before. Leaving the capital, we headed east towards the Nicaraguan border and found a camp site down a rocky side track.

We set off late after doing some essential landy maintenance, greasing the propshafts after the river crossings and finally fixing a big rattle underneath the car, and the border post was closed for lunch. Once things were open the Honduran formalities were straightforward but we hit problems on the Nicaraguan side when they said that Landrovers aren't allowed in the country and we have to be escorted by a customs official to the Costa Rican border the same day. We'd heard this from two germans we'd met in Flores, Guatemala who were taking an old landy to Panama but thought that it can't be true. The reason is a bit unclear but it seems that Landrover did something very dodgy and the government got upset. We were innocent victims and feeling very disappointed but charming the wicked customs doris and having a bit of a laugh with her colleagues eased the way and they did the paperwork and let us in.