San Pedro, Chi Chi & Lake Atitlan

Eventually got out of Antigua and headed north to Lake Atitlan in a shuttle bus (anything to avoid the lunatic chicken buses who make it a rule to only overtake on corners).

Had to stop a couple of times on the way up so that they could finish the road...which meant sitting on the side of the road. Of course the entrepreneurial Guatemalans always seem to come out of the woodwork at any opportunity to sell anything from hot fudge to chickens!


To say that drugs are freely available in San Pedro is like saying it´s easy to get a pint of Guinness in Dublin! That said it is a beautiful sleepy town on the volanic lake Atitlan and we got a gorgeous rooftop room in a hostel with a view on to the lake.









On Sunday we headed up to Chi Chi which has the largest market in Guatemala twice a week. It was pretty chaotic and the bargaining was hilarious...the street was full of pigs, chickens, beautiful illuminous textiles and materials.









Monday we started spanish school, which is $60 a week for one on one tuition in beautiful gardens looking on to the lake. Dave´s loving it...not! Well, he´s definitely trying more than I thought he would...he´s back in our room diligently doing his homework now! Headed out canoeing on the lake yesterday which was ok, heading in to rainy season here so it completely clouded over. The Caribbean it ain´t!

Antigua & Volcan Pacaya

Antigua is like a larger, prettier version of Paraty in Brazil (MT you spoiled Antigua on me...). Serious amounts of backpackers and probably a little too pretty, we arrived after an overnight bus from Flores. Took us 5 hours before we got into our room in the hostel, so wasn´t exactly feeling top of the world, but they had lots of comforts we haven´t seen in a while like cappucinos & beauty salons (very important at this stage of the trip!)

Climbed a volcano an hour from Antigua called Pacaya, which was definitely the closest I have ever been to lava...no problems letting hundreds of goofy westerners up there, there have been loads of accidents.

Another chicken bus back took 3 hours cause the bus had to go at 10mph. The cyclists were beating us but it was definitely worth it.

Ended up on a big session on Saturday night in Antigua and then back to an after party with a Kiwi, Israeli and American...the music was so bad in the nightclub (nightclub = somebody´s house converted with candles). Hilarious!

The land of chicken buses - Guatemala

Week 2 in Guatemala, despite every random person carrying at least a machete or even better a hand gun, we have managed to do quite well...despite the beach withdrawal symptoms Dave is having.

We crossed the border from Belize to Guatemala and headed straight to Flores. Stayed in Hostel Los Amigos, where we got a beautiful mezzanine cabin bedroom looking down in to the hostel. The prices were at least half of what they were in Belize, which was quite sweet considering I had been reprimanded a few times for my spendthrift abilities in Caye Caulker. Met a great crew in the hostel in Flores and spent a couple of nights hanging out, drinking in the hostel bar and laughing with the great Scots we met.

Had to get up at 4.30am to get a 5 o´clock bus to Tikal which is a huge Mayan ruin set in the jungle. Yup, thought it would be yawn-tastic too but definitely one of the highlights in Guatemala. Apocolypto is definitely designed around Tikal. Being there at 6.30 in the morning is surreal cause you´re they´re when all the jungle animals wake up; howler monkeys, toucans, parrots, crocodiles...it´s nuts!


So we scaled all the Tikal ruins, which were mind blowing...then legged it outta there after lunch cause it was full of tour groups.

The next couple of days were spent jumping off the pier in to the lake in Flores at sunset (sweet!)

Sorry, this is supposed to make you jealous!

Easter Sunday, lying on the beach in Tulum...spent a few days on this amazing beach. There are Mayan ruins here too and thousands of Mexicans bringing everything to the beach including the kitchen sink. It was divine though...

As I´ve just started this blog (yes, I have been really lazy about it!) some of this will be a little backwards, but I have promised to keep some people in the loop so this should have all ya need (maybe just a little all over the shop...that´s my life now anyway!)