on the way to Samec Chempey, i jumped into a medium size shuttle bus that held 28 passengers. it was slow, stinky, hot, and very crowded. so for the 8 hour ride back to the city, i walked into the village and found another transport. this time, smaller, faster, and cooler.

when you’re on an 8 hour ride, you really get to know the passengers. i met this kid Dorus in Samuc Chempey. as we were drifting down the river in our tubes, this kid kept on saying “good life, good life!” we talked a lot and i found out he’s 21 years old and from Belgium. his parents were hippies so he started smoking marijuana at the age of 15 years old. smoked everyday and addicted. his life wasn’t moving forward so he worked, saved money, and took of on the road. this is his first trip away from home, and is into week 4 of 24 weeks. he stopped in antigua to learn spanish, speaks it very well, and is moving up and down country to country until he gets a flight back home out of panama. i praised him on his decision and told him that he made the right one. he’s an aspiring writer and when he gets back to Belgium, he told me he’s going to encourage his other friends that are addicted on drugs to take a road trip and find themselves. this kid found his new life and loves every minutes of it. he no longer has any urge to smoke marijuana and is so excited to see what lies ahead of him. what an awesome story. good luck my friend Dorus! we shall meet again.

we stop to use the bathroom. i seen a security guard with a loaded shotgun outside the door of the store. then i walked in and seen another security guard with a loaded shotgun guarding the liquor. i’m sure there are brave burglars that try to steal and i’m glad i wasn’t around for the shootout.

one month ago, i dropped my Maui Jim glasses. the lenses are made out of high quality glass so one cracked. i was bummed. i was just about to throw it away but decided to give it a shot to get repaired. sent it in to Maui Jim with the $10 processing fee.

1 week later, i get it back in the mail. i open it up and there are brand new glasses! i check the invoice and it was free!!!!

i truly believe that good customer service is the key to success. Maui Jim will succeed and now they have one more loyal customer. something to think about, something to learn about, and something to apply to your own business. i sure will.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Good morning 6:15am.
South shore coming up!
Ala Moana chest high and getting bigger this afternoon. Overhead by tomorrow.
Diamond Head 4′ by this evening.
Waikiki waist high and clean.
Trade winds at 20mph.
Little cloudy morning becoming super sunny.
Surfing all day.
Have a wonderful day!

gosh, it’s just been so beautiful here in hawaii for the past week. trade winds, clear blue sky, and good waves. perfect summer time enjoyment.

i was on the way down to west marine to buy some swim fins. on the way, my friend called me and asked if i could help her pick up a shelf to take to her house. i turned around and met her at goodwill where she bought the shelf. like hawaiian style, she was late. so i looked around in the goodwill store and came across something amazing! FINS!!!

i found a brand new pair of fins on the shelf. just what i was looking for!!!

i got it for only $6.99. score!!!

i had to go to west marine anyway to pick up something for the boat. then i looked how much the fins cost. yes, these are the exact same ones.

$68.95 plus tax so over $70!!! gosh, i was a very lucky shopper today. after i dropped off the shelf at my friends condo, she told me “thank you.” then i told her “o, thank you!”

i wouldn’t recommend riding a bicycle on the streets in guatemala city unless you are crazy. no rules and very fast cars. luckily i survived. but i was amazed by the things i saw. very very interesting.

there are barbed wires everywhere. barbed wires and shotguns? i guess you can say it’s a dangerous city.

there was a war not too long ago in guatemala. lots of businesses left, including the luxurious Ritz Carlton Hotel. yes, this was the Ritz Carlton in guatemala city.

now it is just a ghost hotel sitting on a side street. after i ate at a cafe nearby, i seen 8 teenagers sniffing glue and dealing drugs right on the corner. pretty crazy.

but finding amazing art like this is worth the risk. will i go back to guatemala city? probably not.

last, Warren Buffet is 84 years old and drinks 5 cokes a day. he’s not only one of the richest men in the world, he’s one of the smartest. i’ve been reading things on the internet about Mr. Buffet and i really like his business ethics and morals. going to pick up a book about this amazing man and hopefully inspire me to get rich and help the world. and starting from tomorrow, i’m going to drink 5 cokes a day!