Volunteers
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Honduras Travel Instructions
(some items are specific to a St. Paul, MN departure)
Pertinent items to know prior to your departure
The organization is called Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH). The U.S.-based fund-raising organization that supports the efforts of NPH is called Friends of the Orphans. Rancho Sante Fe is the name of the Honduras site. It is located one-hour’s drive north of the capital Tegucigalpa, and is out in the countryside amongst rolling hills at 3500 feet elevation. It looks a bit like Colorado with the pine trees and hills.
Travel arrangements
We have been arranging our travel with Patty Anderson, who is a private travel agent and has been wonderfully helpful. Her email address is panderson99@earthlink.net. Her phone number is 952-937-2092. We typically fly from Minneapolis/St. Paul to either Houston (via Continental) or Miami (American), and then change planes for the direct flight from there to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Each leg of the two flights is 2 ½ to 3 hours. The time zone is the same as Central time. Here is some other information that Patty gave to those who went recently regarding further travel info:
Important items
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Passports
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Money for the luggage fee (see below) and most important is the $40 USD to leave the country!
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Reusable water bottle
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Dopp Kit necessities such as toothpaste/brush, sunscreen, bug spray, purell & so forth
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Mosquito Net for Bed
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Towels & Wash Cloths
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Clothing - swim suit, shorts, t-shirts, collared golf shirts (for boys/men), one pair nice pants (khakis), tennis shoes and sandals
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Camera
Luggage information
You are allowed one piece of luggage for no charge. The second piece is $25 and a third piece is $100. Each bag can not weigh more than 50 pounds. If the weight exceeds 50 pounds an additional $50 will be charged per bag. The size of the bag can not exceed 62 total inches.
Transportation
We will be transported from the airport in Tegucigalpa to the ranch by van or bus provided by NPH. There is a great running path through the 2000-acre Ranch and some good swimming in the creek and large water reservoir on the property.
Immunizations
Regarding immunizations, a prudent one is Hepatitis A (food-borne source). Check with your primary care physician to confirm. You can go to the International Travel Clinic at Regions Hospital (651-221-3456), or Abbot-NW Hospital (612-863-5336) and meet with them and hear their general recommendations about travel to Honduras. That is where we went before the first time we traveled there, and we all took malaria prevention pills, etc. However, the part of Honduras we are in is not in a malarial zone and our family never takes any preventative shots or pills now, nor do others who go to our site from other parts of the U.S. If in doubt, obtain your own travel clinic consultation and follow their speific recommendations. It is good to have an antibiotic prescription with you if you get “traveler’s diarrhea” (Zithromax is currently recommended), and there is a clinic and pharmacy on the Ranch property that is available 24/7. Bottled water is provided for us throughout our stay, and the food is very edible and provided to us. Lots of chicken, beans, rice, eggs are served. Snack bars are good to have one handand can be bought in Tegucigalpa - to avoid weighing down your luggage.
Further items to bring
Jeans, T-shirts, shorts, swimming suit, collared “golf” shirt, one pair nice pants (i.e. khakis), running/gym shoes, sandals, towel, washcloth, mosquito net for bed (Outdoor sporting goods stores have them), Dopp kit with toothbrush, etc., PASSPORT (!), camera, sunsreen, bugspray, and a bottle of sanitizer (i.e. Purell). Bring a reusable, plastic water bottle (very important).
Do not bring anything valuable to avoid any temptation for someone to steal something. The children there are wonderful, but just to be sure…
A small amount of money for a souvenir may be nice if we go to a market. Also, there is an airport tax of $40 (U.S.) per person to be paid at the Honduras airport to leave the country, so please have that available. Although NPH will not request any formal funds for the food, transportation, or lodging provided during our stay there, there are costs to our being there, and if you could consider a $250 donation for a week’s stay there (or $50/day if only a few days), it would help their efforts.
To make a tax-deductible donation, visit the Donate section