Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
End of Blog
My travels are ending early. I will be back in Canada on Friday. I hope you enjoyed my stories.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Bats and Fleas and Things in Trees
I last wrote in Coban, meaning I've done and seen a lot of things since... I guess I start from the beginning.
From Coban, I made my way by local bus to Lanquin. Sounds easy, except the bus station was printed in the wrong place in the Lonely Planet (typical). So I wandered through Coban asking person after person where the bus station was, and everyone would say something along the lines of "See where those people are standing over there? It's right there." So I would walk on over there, check to see if I was in the right place, and I would be told I should be another couple of blocks away. Then another couple of blocks. And another. Eventually, at the edge of town, I found myself ushered into what they call a microbus (usually about a 15-passenger van).
In Lanquin, I spent the afternoon chilling out and getting my bearings, made friends with an Aussie roommate named Jeremy, and then he and I set out for the Grutas de Lanquin (Lanquin Caves) around 5:00pm. This is a crazy series of caves with lots of cool formations to look at, and the piece de resistance: bats. Every evening at dusk thousands of bats fly out of the caves. We all took a seat near the entrance and watched for 30-40 minutes while more and more bats poured out overhead. It was so amazing and wild to see that many bats whizzing above you, and a little less amazing to have spent an hour beforehand wandering through caves trying not to slip on the huge amount of bat shit on the ground.
The other purpose of my visit to Lanquin was to explore the nearby Semuc Champey. This is quite cool, and worth looking up. There is a river running through the jungle until it plunges into the ground below a huge limestone bridge and surfaces again 300 metres later. Above the limestone are beautiful cascading pools of freshwater for swimming. My time spent in that park was gorgeous, and I would gladly go back again. Actually, I guess I could have if I weren't in need of border hopping to renew my visa. When Jeremy and I returned to the hostel after a fairly wild ride standing in the back of a pick-up truck (regular mode of transport in the area, it's outfitted with a big rack to hold onto), who did I find getting off a microbus but Itay! It seems he changed his plans before leaving Guatemala, and randomly turned up at the very same place I randomly ended up at. The typical travelling story.
If I had been considering staying longer in Lanquin to hang out with Itay, I definitely was not once I woke up the next morning. The previous day, after Semuc Champey, I found myself very itchy and covered in bites. They didn't seem like they could be bedbug bites (I've never had one myself, so I don't know how I'd react), but seemed strange for mosquito bites. However, I just resigned myself to the fact I had been bitten, perhaps by a pathetic species of mosquito, and went on to bed. When I woke up after my second night in Lanquin, there was no doubt that something was feasting on me while I slept. I was covered head-to-toe in hundreds of bites, many of which were in rows. One wise traveller told me, "Those are flea bites. That happened to me in Chile." Just great. And if I had any doubt about whether she was right, once I packed up my stuff and hopped on a bus to move on to the next town, I felt a little bite, looked down at my shoulder, and what did I find but a flea. That flea didn't make it, and I don't think any of its buddies managed the trip from Lanquin to Flores. [Aside: After two days of antihistamines, the flea bites are beginning to go down. I feel like a neglected dog or a cat. Does anyone have a spare flea collar?]
The bus trip to Flores took something near forever. I had to take a bus back to Coban, where naturally I had to find my way to some more remote bus station, then a bus to El Cruce, to Sayaxche, a little boat across a very little river there (about a 30-60 second crossing, the most hilarious required transport I think I have ever needed), and a final bus to Santa Elena/Flores. The trip was about eight hours in total, but never did I wait for a bus (or a boat). Every time I arrived somewhere, I was instantly ushered onto another mode of transport and my backpack grabbed and flung along with me. A country that doesn't operate on fixed schedules is my kind of a place to travel.
The reason for my trip to Flores was to visit Tikal. How could I possibly visit Guatemala without visiting the mother of Mayan ruins? In Flores, I was determined to stay at Los Amigos Hostel. Jeremy and Itay had both strongly recommended it, so the fact that the dormitories were full did not sway me. You rent hammocks for 20 quetzales per night? Alright, I'll stay in a hammock. According to the manager, I didn't look like the kind of person who would be willing to sleep in a hammock, but whether or not I was that kind of person before, I certainly am now. My two nights in Flores sleeping in a big, heavy, denim hammock were absolutely beautiful. The climate is warm there, so the temperature only gets a little cool right before sunrise, and there was a roof overhead to keep any potential rain off. What more could I ask for? Well, some means of shutting up the quail who live in the garden next to the hammocks would have been nice. Oddly, they squawk like mad from about 4:30am-6:00am, and then they give up. Why they need to squawk before the sun shows any sign of rising is beyond me.
The ruins of Tikal were incredible to visit. Unlike many other ancient ruins, these were built amidst the jungle. As I elected to tour the ruins without a guide, I spent most of my time there properly alone. Not just apart from other tourists, but with none in my sight. You walk through a well-beaten path in the jungle, see a few monkeys, maybe a toucan, hear countless birds, and then see a Mayan temple rise up behind the trees as you approach. The ruins were so peaceful to visit, and magnificent in their size. When you climb the higher temples, you can sit at the top, look out over endless rain forest, and see a few other temples poke out through the canopy of treetops. But what Tikal has in size, it lacks in detail. I'm sure I would have been made to understand much more with a guide rather than just a guidebook, but many of the hieroglyphs of Tikal are worn beyond recognition. For that, I'm glad I visited the ruins of Copan. They were much smaller, but looked as though the years had taken no toll.
After my second dreamy night in my wonderful Flores hammock, I have come to Belize. Sounds easy, but of course my bus broke down before it reached the border (so did my bus from Tikal back to Flores yesterday). So far, being here is quite nice. Granted, the prices for tourists are jacked up ridiculously, and a cheap bed is $10 per night, but there's something very comforting about seeing the Queen on my money again and about having gotten that money from the local Scotiabank. I love being away and exploring, but you can't beat the cozy feeling of familiarity when strange has become the norm.
Presently, I am in San Ignacio. It's a cute little town, and I've already walked through all of it and most of the town across the river as well. Tomorrow, the plan is to head to Belize City and to see about visiting a howler monkey sanctuary (maybe not in that order). From there I'll head out to Caye Caulker, where I will do my best to snorkel off the beaches and not pay a cent on diving, and then make my way down the coast and back into Guatemala. All in all, I think I should be in Belize roughly one week. I should be fun; I'm excited!
From Coban, I made my way by local bus to Lanquin. Sounds easy, except the bus station was printed in the wrong place in the Lonely Planet (typical). So I wandered through Coban asking person after person where the bus station was, and everyone would say something along the lines of "See where those people are standing over there? It's right there." So I would walk on over there, check to see if I was in the right place, and I would be told I should be another couple of blocks away. Then another couple of blocks. And another. Eventually, at the edge of town, I found myself ushered into what they call a microbus (usually about a 15-passenger van).
In Lanquin, I spent the afternoon chilling out and getting my bearings, made friends with an Aussie roommate named Jeremy, and then he and I set out for the Grutas de Lanquin (Lanquin Caves) around 5:00pm. This is a crazy series of caves with lots of cool formations to look at, and the piece de resistance: bats. Every evening at dusk thousands of bats fly out of the caves. We all took a seat near the entrance and watched for 30-40 minutes while more and more bats poured out overhead. It was so amazing and wild to see that many bats whizzing above you, and a little less amazing to have spent an hour beforehand wandering through caves trying not to slip on the huge amount of bat shit on the ground.
The other purpose of my visit to Lanquin was to explore the nearby Semuc Champey. This is quite cool, and worth looking up. There is a river running through the jungle until it plunges into the ground below a huge limestone bridge and surfaces again 300 metres later. Above the limestone are beautiful cascading pools of freshwater for swimming. My time spent in that park was gorgeous, and I would gladly go back again. Actually, I guess I could have if I weren't in need of border hopping to renew my visa. When Jeremy and I returned to the hostel after a fairly wild ride standing in the back of a pick-up truck (regular mode of transport in the area, it's outfitted with a big rack to hold onto), who did I find getting off a microbus but Itay! It seems he changed his plans before leaving Guatemala, and randomly turned up at the very same place I randomly ended up at. The typical travelling story.
If I had been considering staying longer in Lanquin to hang out with Itay, I definitely was not once I woke up the next morning. The previous day, after Semuc Champey, I found myself very itchy and covered in bites. They didn't seem like they could be bedbug bites (I've never had one myself, so I don't know how I'd react), but seemed strange for mosquito bites. However, I just resigned myself to the fact I had been bitten, perhaps by a pathetic species of mosquito, and went on to bed. When I woke up after my second night in Lanquin, there was no doubt that something was feasting on me while I slept. I was covered head-to-toe in hundreds of bites, many of which were in rows. One wise traveller told me, "Those are flea bites. That happened to me in Chile." Just great. And if I had any doubt about whether she was right, once I packed up my stuff and hopped on a bus to move on to the next town, I felt a little bite, looked down at my shoulder, and what did I find but a flea. That flea didn't make it, and I don't think any of its buddies managed the trip from Lanquin to Flores. [Aside: After two days of antihistamines, the flea bites are beginning to go down. I feel like a neglected dog or a cat. Does anyone have a spare flea collar?]
The bus trip to Flores took something near forever. I had to take a bus back to Coban, where naturally I had to find my way to some more remote bus station, then a bus to El Cruce, to Sayaxche, a little boat across a very little river there (about a 30-60 second crossing, the most hilarious required transport I think I have ever needed), and a final bus to Santa Elena/Flores. The trip was about eight hours in total, but never did I wait for a bus (or a boat). Every time I arrived somewhere, I was instantly ushered onto another mode of transport and my backpack grabbed and flung along with me. A country that doesn't operate on fixed schedules is my kind of a place to travel.
The reason for my trip to Flores was to visit Tikal. How could I possibly visit Guatemala without visiting the mother of Mayan ruins? In Flores, I was determined to stay at Los Amigos Hostel. Jeremy and Itay had both strongly recommended it, so the fact that the dormitories were full did not sway me. You rent hammocks for 20 quetzales per night? Alright, I'll stay in a hammock. According to the manager, I didn't look like the kind of person who would be willing to sleep in a hammock, but whether or not I was that kind of person before, I certainly am now. My two nights in Flores sleeping in a big, heavy, denim hammock were absolutely beautiful. The climate is warm there, so the temperature only gets a little cool right before sunrise, and there was a roof overhead to keep any potential rain off. What more could I ask for? Well, some means of shutting up the quail who live in the garden next to the hammocks would have been nice. Oddly, they squawk like mad from about 4:30am-6:00am, and then they give up. Why they need to squawk before the sun shows any sign of rising is beyond me.
The ruins of Tikal were incredible to visit. Unlike many other ancient ruins, these were built amidst the jungle. As I elected to tour the ruins without a guide, I spent most of my time there properly alone. Not just apart from other tourists, but with none in my sight. You walk through a well-beaten path in the jungle, see a few monkeys, maybe a toucan, hear countless birds, and then see a Mayan temple rise up behind the trees as you approach. The ruins were so peaceful to visit, and magnificent in their size. When you climb the higher temples, you can sit at the top, look out over endless rain forest, and see a few other temples poke out through the canopy of treetops. But what Tikal has in size, it lacks in detail. I'm sure I would have been made to understand much more with a guide rather than just a guidebook, but many of the hieroglyphs of Tikal are worn beyond recognition. For that, I'm glad I visited the ruins of Copan. They were much smaller, but looked as though the years had taken no toll.
After my second dreamy night in my wonderful Flores hammock, I have come to Belize. Sounds easy, but of course my bus broke down before it reached the border (so did my bus from Tikal back to Flores yesterday). So far, being here is quite nice. Granted, the prices for tourists are jacked up ridiculously, and a cheap bed is $10 per night, but there's something very comforting about seeing the Queen on my money again and about having gotten that money from the local Scotiabank. I love being away and exploring, but you can't beat the cozy feeling of familiarity when strange has become the norm.
Presently, I am in San Ignacio. It's a cute little town, and I've already walked through all of it and most of the town across the river as well. Tomorrow, the plan is to head to Belize City and to see about visiting a howler monkey sanctuary (maybe not in that order). From there I'll head out to Caye Caulker, where I will do my best to snorkel off the beaches and not pay a cent on diving, and then make my way down the coast and back into Guatemala. All in all, I think I should be in Belize roughly one week. I should be fun; I'm excited!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Shocking Showers
Not in the sense of being shocked by cold... more like with electricity. I haven't taken a picture of the water heaters here yet, but I'll have to do that soon. Quite honestly, they worry me; and apparently for good reason. Basically, the showerhead is an electric thing with a couple of rubber-coated wires coming out of it and going into the wall/ceiling. As the water passes through it, it is heated. Sadly, this means that the lowest-pressure showers are the hottest, but at least you don't have to take cold showers. I just took a shower at the hostel I checked into here in Coban, and the showerhead had an especially weird bit sticking out the front of it. In an effort to figure out what this weird bit was for, I touched the showerhead and got myself a mild electric shock. Safe, huh?
Before I got to know these water heaters for myself (Utila has only cold water showers because the water in that climate isn't ever actually cold), I heard stories from other travellers. One girl once stepped into the shower, turned on the water, and the showerhead burst into flames. This makes me wonder: how many deaths are related to these water heaters each year?
So, aside from showering, I've been beating myself up in all kinds of ways lately. After writing my last post, I did indeed go horseback riding. It was quite fun, but I still feel guilty because the horses were rather skinny. And naturally, after bouncing in a saddle for three hours and not being accustomed to this, I was left feeling fairly bruised.
My plan had been to leave San Pedro immediately after horseback riding, but I decided to get some lunch and stop by the bank to get some more cash first. It's a good thing I did, because the only bank in San Pedro would not work for me. I was told to go to Panajachel at the other end of the lake for a bank. Feeling tired and not in the mood to attempt to run all over the lake, I gave up and spent an extra night in San Pedro. This time allowed me to finally figure out where the locals eat on the streets, and to see an awesome jazz concert. I'm quite glad I got stuck.
Next morning, I took a lancha (passenger boat) over to Panajachel, got myself some cash, and made my way back to Santa Cruz. By this point, I had given up on hippie town (San Marcos) because it's relatively expensive and I didn't feel in the mood to pay someone to practice something I already know [fairly well]. So I just went straight for diving town. There the bed was cheap, the surroundings were amazing, the company was great, and the food was really expensive. I guess you can't always have it all. But I got my altitude specialty, and had a great time diving in the lake (there's an underwater tree, and an area where you can stick your hands into magma-heated mud). I also spent two nights sitting around a fire listening to music, chatting, and gazing up at the stars. I know nothing about astronomy, but you could see the Milky Way with the naked eye. Talk about awesome.
The bed at this hotel, La Iguana Perdida, was so cheap because it was an open-air dorm. There was a roof over our heads and some partial walls, but we were by no means in an enclosed space. It was really beautiful to sleep listening to the insects and birds, and it wasn't overly buggy. Admittedly, I am now covered in bites I cannot identify, but I expected I might have hated it the first night. Night number one I was awakened twice by a mosquito buzzing around my head looking for blood. Night number two I woke up at some point with a painfully swollen left eyelid. Beautiful. It was almost definitely due to some bug bite, but another thought occurred to me later today: Earlier that evening while rubbing on bug spray, I accidentally poked my left eye. Could my eyelid have swelled up because of that? And if DEET in the eye wasn't the problem, why did a bug then bite that very eye? It was full of DEET after all!
Now I am in Coban. That's more or less in the middle of Guatemala, and so far it's proven to be cool and rainy. I'm here to visit Semuc Champey and the caves at Lanquin. It took so long to get here from Lago de Atitlan (nine hours) that I decided to stop off here for a night before proceeding to Lanquin. Over the last nine hours my eyelid has gone from being swelled half-shut to looking fairly normal. Now if only my bright red nose's sunburn would fade...
Before I got to know these water heaters for myself (Utila has only cold water showers because the water in that climate isn't ever actually cold), I heard stories from other travellers. One girl once stepped into the shower, turned on the water, and the showerhead burst into flames. This makes me wonder: how many deaths are related to these water heaters each year?
So, aside from showering, I've been beating myself up in all kinds of ways lately. After writing my last post, I did indeed go horseback riding. It was quite fun, but I still feel guilty because the horses were rather skinny. And naturally, after bouncing in a saddle for three hours and not being accustomed to this, I was left feeling fairly bruised.
My plan had been to leave San Pedro immediately after horseback riding, but I decided to get some lunch and stop by the bank to get some more cash first. It's a good thing I did, because the only bank in San Pedro would not work for me. I was told to go to Panajachel at the other end of the lake for a bank. Feeling tired and not in the mood to attempt to run all over the lake, I gave up and spent an extra night in San Pedro. This time allowed me to finally figure out where the locals eat on the streets, and to see an awesome jazz concert. I'm quite glad I got stuck.
Next morning, I took a lancha (passenger boat) over to Panajachel, got myself some cash, and made my way back to Santa Cruz. By this point, I had given up on hippie town (San Marcos) because it's relatively expensive and I didn't feel in the mood to pay someone to practice something I already know [fairly well]. So I just went straight for diving town. There the bed was cheap, the surroundings were amazing, the company was great, and the food was really expensive. I guess you can't always have it all. But I got my altitude specialty, and had a great time diving in the lake (there's an underwater tree, and an area where you can stick your hands into magma-heated mud). I also spent two nights sitting around a fire listening to music, chatting, and gazing up at the stars. I know nothing about astronomy, but you could see the Milky Way with the naked eye. Talk about awesome.
The bed at this hotel, La Iguana Perdida, was so cheap because it was an open-air dorm. There was a roof over our heads and some partial walls, but we were by no means in an enclosed space. It was really beautiful to sleep listening to the insects and birds, and it wasn't overly buggy. Admittedly, I am now covered in bites I cannot identify, but I expected I might have hated it the first night. Night number one I was awakened twice by a mosquito buzzing around my head looking for blood. Night number two I woke up at some point with a painfully swollen left eyelid. Beautiful. It was almost definitely due to some bug bite, but another thought occurred to me later today: Earlier that evening while rubbing on bug spray, I accidentally poked my left eye. Could my eyelid have swelled up because of that? And if DEET in the eye wasn't the problem, why did a bug then bite that very eye? It was full of DEET after all!
Now I am in Coban. That's more or less in the middle of Guatemala, and so far it's proven to be cool and rainy. I'm here to visit Semuc Champey and the caves at Lanquin. It took so long to get here from Lago de Atitlan (nine hours) that I decided to stop off here for a night before proceeding to Lanquin. Over the last nine hours my eyelid has gone from being swelled half-shut to looking fairly normal. Now if only my bright red nose's sunburn would fade...
Monday, July 13, 2009
Reaching New Heights
I did it! Admittedly, it was an easier climb than Mount Kinabalu, but definitely a challenge for me. I have virtually no photos, so Itay will have to be responsible for supplying those. He strolled along singing while I puffed my way up the volcano and limped my way down (foolish feet!). However, unlike after Kinabalu I am still capable of walking because it was a much shorter climb.
It's pretty funny the prices tourists are charged here. It's not required to have a guide for Tajumulco, but having someone to lead you the right way is always nice. Itay found a local who charged a total of 100 Quetzales to take us up the volcano. It cost us a total of 34 Quetzales to take the bus to and from the entrance from Xela. This makes a total of Q84 each, while a tour booked from Xela would have been Q350-500. Slight difference... Anyway, it was a good climb, tough for those of us who are out of shape (and older than the guide and the other climber), and I'm quite happy I did it.
Since I am oh-so-slow, we didn't have enough time after climbing Tajumulco to get the bus to Lago de Atitlan. We ended up in Xela for the night, and spent it at Itay's homestay family from the week he was studying Spanish. They're a little nuts, but a true Guatemalan family and very kind. In the morning we got up early, accidentally took the bus all the way around the lake (there are much quicker ways to get here), and eventually made our way to San Pedro. On the way, I got to visit Maximon, the smoking god worshiped by Mayans, in Santiago Atitlan. You should look him up, he's pretty funny.
San Pedro La Laguna is a pretty weird town. There's a big divide here between locals and tourists. Locals belong in one area, tourists in another. A lot of locals are very kind and some of them will do anything to speak with you (one called me "princess" today), but if you wander into the local part of town, they're very hesitant to even speak to gringos (us white folk). However, I must say my Spanish is getting quite good. Naturally, it's far from perfect and there are lots of things I just don't know how to talk about, but the locals are very impressed. I'm glad I didn't spend the money on Spanish school.
Last night, a group of westerners congregated at Alegre Pub. This is a British-owned pub that serves up a big roast dinner every Sunday night. They had chicken, roast beef, and vegetarian options. I must say, it was completely amazing. Since it was my first day after Tajumulco, I was still fairly tired and slept a LOT last night. A total of 12-13 hours, I think. I'm staying at a wonderful place called Hotel Peneleu, which is costing me about $3.50 per night for a private room with two beds and ensuite. It has a great view of the lake (not from my own room though), and the owners are amazing. So the lie-in was nice to say the least.
Today has basically been a write-off, but I had a nice lunch and spent the afternoon wandering about collecting information and running errands. Tomorrow morning I'm going horseback riding for three hours and paying a grand $15 for it. Honestly, this is one of the most expensive places in town to go horseback riding with, but the horses are well cared for, it is locally owned, and I had the opportunity to chat with my guide, Salvador, for a while. I look forward to it.
Tomorrow afternoon, I might move on to San Marcos. It's a couple of towns over, and it's the hippie town with lots of yoga, Reiki, etc. I'll have to take a look around while I'm there to find out whether to park myself and practice yoga for a bit, or simply to move on to the next town and go diving. I'm excited to try diving in freshwater and at altitude, and the temperature will be much closer to what I can expect in Halifax in September. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!
Now I'm off to see if I can find an instruction manual for my second-hand dive computer. I know it has settings for various altitudes, but have to idea how to use it. ¡Buenas noches!
It's pretty funny the prices tourists are charged here. It's not required to have a guide for Tajumulco, but having someone to lead you the right way is always nice. Itay found a local who charged a total of 100 Quetzales to take us up the volcano. It cost us a total of 34 Quetzales to take the bus to and from the entrance from Xela. This makes a total of Q84 each, while a tour booked from Xela would have been Q350-500. Slight difference... Anyway, it was a good climb, tough for those of us who are out of shape (and older than the guide and the other climber), and I'm quite happy I did it.
Since I am oh-so-slow, we didn't have enough time after climbing Tajumulco to get the bus to Lago de Atitlan. We ended up in Xela for the night, and spent it at Itay's homestay family from the week he was studying Spanish. They're a little nuts, but a true Guatemalan family and very kind. In the morning we got up early, accidentally took the bus all the way around the lake (there are much quicker ways to get here), and eventually made our way to San Pedro. On the way, I got to visit Maximon, the smoking god worshiped by Mayans, in Santiago Atitlan. You should look him up, he's pretty funny.
San Pedro La Laguna is a pretty weird town. There's a big divide here between locals and tourists. Locals belong in one area, tourists in another. A lot of locals are very kind and some of them will do anything to speak with you (one called me "princess" today), but if you wander into the local part of town, they're very hesitant to even speak to gringos (us white folk). However, I must say my Spanish is getting quite good. Naturally, it's far from perfect and there are lots of things I just don't know how to talk about, but the locals are very impressed. I'm glad I didn't spend the money on Spanish school.
Last night, a group of westerners congregated at Alegre Pub. This is a British-owned pub that serves up a big roast dinner every Sunday night. They had chicken, roast beef, and vegetarian options. I must say, it was completely amazing. Since it was my first day after Tajumulco, I was still fairly tired and slept a LOT last night. A total of 12-13 hours, I think. I'm staying at a wonderful place called Hotel Peneleu, which is costing me about $3.50 per night for a private room with two beds and ensuite. It has a great view of the lake (not from my own room though), and the owners are amazing. So the lie-in was nice to say the least.
Today has basically been a write-off, but I had a nice lunch and spent the afternoon wandering about collecting information and running errands. Tomorrow morning I'm going horseback riding for three hours and paying a grand $15 for it. Honestly, this is one of the most expensive places in town to go horseback riding with, but the horses are well cared for, it is locally owned, and I had the opportunity to chat with my guide, Salvador, for a while. I look forward to it.
Tomorrow afternoon, I might move on to San Marcos. It's a couple of towns over, and it's the hippie town with lots of yoga, Reiki, etc. I'll have to take a look around while I'm there to find out whether to park myself and practice yoga for a bit, or simply to move on to the next town and go diving. I'm excited to try diving in freshwater and at altitude, and the temperature will be much closer to what I can expect in Halifax in September. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!
Now I'm off to see if I can find an instruction manual for my second-hand dive computer. I know it has settings for various altitudes, but have to idea how to use it. ¡Buenas noches!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Buying Gloves in July
Yep. Exactly as it sounds. I even had tourists and locals laughing at me in the street as I tried on a few pairs. But take note, there is a stand in the street selling wool gloves and toques.
I'm prepping for the Tajumulco climb that Itay and I hope to undertake tomorrow. The plan is to get up early, meet at the central park, bus it to Tajumulco, and I guess Itay has the rest of the plans after that. Something about having secured a place for us to leave our packs, meeting a guide, and somehow getting up this volcano.
Based on what I've heard and my experience with Mount Kinabalu, I know I'll be so cold at the summit that I will need thick woolen gloves. Rony, our guide last year, gave me his own gloves to wear because my hands were so painfully cold. And this time I'll be higher (though not by much). I'm also prepared with many, many layers of clothing, and a huge selection of food. I just need to find myself a hiking stick, and I'm set.
Nothing else new from here. I've had a lazy day spent mainly with my nose in a book. Yesterday was a little more interesting. In the afternoon, I walked about 3km to the main bus terminal to find some departure information. On my way through the market, I found a boy selling dyed chicks, and shortly thereafter a random man started yelling with excitement at the sight of such a white girl. Also next to the market/bus station is the zoological park. Entrance is free, so I thought I would check out which caged animals were on display to be gawked at. There were some exotic things like jaguars, monkeys, and a toucan, but there was also a surprising selection of domestic and typical animals. Sheep, pigeons, rabbits, etc. I could hardly stop laughing when I reached the pigeon cage.
I'm off now to find some semblance of order before my early-morning departure. The plan after Tajumulco is to head towards Lago de Atitlan. There are many towns surrounding this lake, including a party town, a hippie town, and a diving town. I think I might have to try them all out, so who knows how long I will be spending there. All the best, and I'll be in touch when I get to the lake!
I'm prepping for the Tajumulco climb that Itay and I hope to undertake tomorrow. The plan is to get up early, meet at the central park, bus it to Tajumulco, and I guess Itay has the rest of the plans after that. Something about having secured a place for us to leave our packs, meeting a guide, and somehow getting up this volcano.
Based on what I've heard and my experience with Mount Kinabalu, I know I'll be so cold at the summit that I will need thick woolen gloves. Rony, our guide last year, gave me his own gloves to wear because my hands were so painfully cold. And this time I'll be higher (though not by much). I'm also prepared with many, many layers of clothing, and a huge selection of food. I just need to find myself a hiking stick, and I'm set.
Nothing else new from here. I've had a lazy day spent mainly with my nose in a book. Yesterday was a little more interesting. In the afternoon, I walked about 3km to the main bus terminal to find some departure information. On my way through the market, I found a boy selling dyed chicks, and shortly thereafter a random man started yelling with excitement at the sight of such a white girl. Also next to the market/bus station is the zoological park. Entrance is free, so I thought I would check out which caged animals were on display to be gawked at. There were some exotic things like jaguars, monkeys, and a toucan, but there was also a surprising selection of domestic and typical animals. Sheep, pigeons, rabbits, etc. I could hardly stop laughing when I reached the pigeon cage.
I'm off now to find some semblance of order before my early-morning departure. The plan after Tajumulco is to head towards Lago de Atitlan. There are many towns surrounding this lake, including a party town, a hippie town, and a diving town. I think I might have to try them all out, so who knows how long I will be spending there. All the best, and I'll be in touch when I get to the lake!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Belly full of Rambutan
I found them, I found them! When I decided to make Central America my destination this summer rather than Indonesia, I was a little disappointed I wouldn't be able to feast on rambutan for four months. Clearly, I haven't had the same opportunity here as I would have in Indonesia, but I've discovered that there are rambutan plantations near here! (Rambutan is my favourite fruit as of last summer, by the way. It's a bit like a lychee.) It's still hard to find them, but after a week of noticing half a crushed rambutan peel here and half of one there, I've finally tracked some down. Of course, in a huge market there are probably only two rambutan sellers. It's sad, but I'm satisfied.
This morning was spent hiking up to Los Vahos with Itay. It's basically an hour's walk straight uphill, out of town from the central park to reach these hot springs. In this case, there are no pools of water to bathe in, but extremely hot and steamy saunas to sit in. One room was terribly hot, and the other not so bad. I could survive in the hot room for almost a minute before needing some cool air, and maybe two minutes in the cooler room. I don't think I have ever sweat so profusely and instantly in my life before.
Before taking off for Los Vahos this morning, I discovered a moderately disturbing thing. Someone stole my bikini. Please tell me, who would steal another woman's bikini? I had laid my cute and colourful Walmart bikini out in the dormroom to dry after visiting Las Fuentes Georginas the other day. Yesterday morning I spread it out on top of my bedcovers, and then didn't notice its absence until I wanted to pack it in my bag today. A bikini is such a person item to steal that I just can't get over it. That's like stealing another girl's panties to wear. Ugh! Fortunately, I am not swimsuitless due to this event. Knowing I would be spending most of my time in the water, I brought two bikinis and a one-piece with me on this trip, but not my favourite suit is gone. Alas! Maybe I'll start paying the extra $1-2 per night to have a single room so it will be less easy for people to swipe my stuff...
Plans for Tajumulco are being formulated. Itay plans a one-day climb because he's pressed for time, so I might join him on that to prevent freezing overnight in a tent at 4000m on the two-day climb. This will also allow for me to climb without carrying a heavy pack of tent parts, food, and other supplies. I will wind up with a more intense day of climbing, but climb itself is technically easy, it just becomes difficult when altitude and a 20-lb pack are added. We'll see how this goes.
Off I go now to pick up my laundry. Take care!
This morning was spent hiking up to Los Vahos with Itay. It's basically an hour's walk straight uphill, out of town from the central park to reach these hot springs. In this case, there are no pools of water to bathe in, but extremely hot and steamy saunas to sit in. One room was terribly hot, and the other not so bad. I could survive in the hot room for almost a minute before needing some cool air, and maybe two minutes in the cooler room. I don't think I have ever sweat so profusely and instantly in my life before.
Before taking off for Los Vahos this morning, I discovered a moderately disturbing thing. Someone stole my bikini. Please tell me, who would steal another woman's bikini? I had laid my cute and colourful Walmart bikini out in the dormroom to dry after visiting Las Fuentes Georginas the other day. Yesterday morning I spread it out on top of my bedcovers, and then didn't notice its absence until I wanted to pack it in my bag today. A bikini is such a person item to steal that I just can't get over it. That's like stealing another girl's panties to wear. Ugh! Fortunately, I am not swimsuitless due to this event. Knowing I would be spending most of my time in the water, I brought two bikinis and a one-piece with me on this trip, but not my favourite suit is gone. Alas! Maybe I'll start paying the extra $1-2 per night to have a single room so it will be less easy for people to swipe my stuff...
Plans for Tajumulco are being formulated. Itay plans a one-day climb because he's pressed for time, so I might join him on that to prevent freezing overnight in a tent at 4000m on the two-day climb. This will also allow for me to climb without carrying a heavy pack of tent parts, food, and other supplies. I will wind up with a more intense day of climbing, but climb itself is technically easy, it just becomes difficult when altitude and a 20-lb pack are added. We'll see how this goes.
Off I go now to pick up my laundry. Take care!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Waiting to Climb Tajumulco
It's a good thing I'm not on a schedule. I'm still here in Xela, mainly wasting my time lounging in cafes and reading (currently working on The Time Traveler's Wife, it's amazing). I've looked into Tajumulco Volcano a good deal, and I desperately want to do the climb. I'll need to get some warmer gear, but right now I just have to wait because no one else in the city wants to climb it. How on earth is it possible that I can be the only person in a city the size of St. John's that's packed with tourists who wants to climb this volcano? [Oh, I know. Everyone here studies Spanish Monday to Friday.] I visited every tour company I could find in town today and told them I'd love to go tomorrow. I have a feeling I might get to go on Saturday. Just two more days of waiting.
I've been enjoying myself here, but without paying to go stare at indigenous populations I've pretty much run out of affordable tour options. Yesterday was spent visiting the hot springs, Fuentes Georginas. I expected a warm pool of water; not something hot enough to boil a lobster. The setting was very relaxing, and high in the mountains so the air outside the springs was cool, but the water was extremely difficult to stay in. An awesome experience altogether.
The rest of my time since I arrived has been spent eating. There are all kinds of delicious things you can find from street vendors for $0.50-$1.00. I have no idea what any of them are called, but my current favourite is a type of cold salad served on a crispy tortilla. That one runs you about 50 cents.
Someone else is waiting for the free internet right now, so I must be on my way. All the best!
I've been enjoying myself here, but without paying to go stare at indigenous populations I've pretty much run out of affordable tour options. Yesterday was spent visiting the hot springs, Fuentes Georginas. I expected a warm pool of water; not something hot enough to boil a lobster. The setting was very relaxing, and high in the mountains so the air outside the springs was cool, but the water was extremely difficult to stay in. An awesome experience altogether.
The rest of my time since I arrived has been spent eating. There are all kinds of delicious things you can find from street vendors for $0.50-$1.00. I have no idea what any of them are called, but my current favourite is a type of cold salad served on a crispy tortilla. That one runs you about 50 cents.
Someone else is waiting for the free internet right now, so I must be on my way. All the best!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Xela-Mela
So, after exploring the market of Chichicastenango and exploring the surrounding area, Itay and I made our way to Quetzaltenango (aka Xela) this morning. He's a good guy, but I'm feeling fairly quickly dropped at the moment. We arrived in Xela, made our way to the Parque Central together, sat for a quick snack, and then he just kind of said "Okay, bye then!" once we walked down the street and he got to the Spanish school he wanted to check out. As we both intend to be in the same city for at least a couple of days, I figured we might plan to meet up again... Oh well! My fault for not chiming in.
I'm now staying at a nice hostel a few blocks from the city centre. I'm paying slightly more than I'd like to ($5 is my current ideal maximum and this is almost $7), but it happens to have free internet and breakfast is included. Not such a bad deal. Internet here is about as cheap as it comes in Guatemala, but since it turns out I have free access at the hostel, I'm now a bit lost as to what to do for the afternoon. I was going to go take my time on the net, wander town, see about volunteer options, and try to figure out what I want to do in the surrounding area in the next few days.
One of the main attractions of Xela for most people is Spanish lessons. People come here, take a week of private lessons with a Spanish teacher, and beef up their knowledge of Spanish. I, however, can't see the point of spending money on Spanish school considering my background in languages. I spent three years studying Spanish (albeit spread out and long ago), so I have a good grammatical base (French helps with that too). All I need is more volcabulary, and chatting with locals and sticking my nose in my dictionary is taking care of that. This leaves me feeling slightly left out in Xela because nearly all the travellers here are doing something I'm not. I definitely need to arrange some activities today.
From here, I expect I'll head to Lago de Atitlan. I'm [naturally] not fully decided on this yet, but it seems like a good plan. I also don't know how long I'll stay here depending on what I want to do. The highest point in Central America is right here next to me. It's Tajumulco Volcano, 4220 metres high according to my guidebook, and while I'd love to climb it, I don't know if I really can. It's steep, and I'm fairly terrified of the altitude sickness that I began to feel on my way up Mount Kinabalu last year. I'll have to talk to some more people and give it good consideration.
I'm out now. I hope you're all well (it wouldn't hurt to tell me)! Take care!
I'm now staying at a nice hostel a few blocks from the city centre. I'm paying slightly more than I'd like to ($5 is my current ideal maximum and this is almost $7), but it happens to have free internet and breakfast is included. Not such a bad deal. Internet here is about as cheap as it comes in Guatemala, but since it turns out I have free access at the hostel, I'm now a bit lost as to what to do for the afternoon. I was going to go take my time on the net, wander town, see about volunteer options, and try to figure out what I want to do in the surrounding area in the next few days.
One of the main attractions of Xela for most people is Spanish lessons. People come here, take a week of private lessons with a Spanish teacher, and beef up their knowledge of Spanish. I, however, can't see the point of spending money on Spanish school considering my background in languages. I spent three years studying Spanish (albeit spread out and long ago), so I have a good grammatical base (French helps with that too). All I need is more volcabulary, and chatting with locals and sticking my nose in my dictionary is taking care of that. This leaves me feeling slightly left out in Xela because nearly all the travellers here are doing something I'm not. I definitely need to arrange some activities today.
From here, I expect I'll head to Lago de Atitlan. I'm [naturally] not fully decided on this yet, but it seems like a good plan. I also don't know how long I'll stay here depending on what I want to do. The highest point in Central America is right here next to me. It's Tajumulco Volcano, 4220 metres high according to my guidebook, and while I'd love to climb it, I don't know if I really can. It's steep, and I'm fairly terrified of the altitude sickness that I began to feel on my way up Mount Kinabalu last year. I'll have to talk to some more people and give it good consideration.
I'm out now. I hope you're all well (it wouldn't hurt to tell me)! Take care!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Chicken Buses and Clingy Cats
Just a quick note, I think. This morning I left Antigua and made for Chichicastenango. Travel here was by ¨chicken bus¨. These are old school buses, retired from the United States, that have been given a new paint job and souped up with a bigger engine. They hardly stop for passengers to mount or dismount, and they certainly don't stop for any other traffic. You end up packed in like sardines, and on a good day someone probably will have brought some chickens on board with them (not today though).
Yesterday, I successfully climbed Pacaya Volcano. I was hoping to see some lava up close because that's what they advertise, but the volcano had a small eruption a few days before, so we weren't allowed too near the lava. All the same, it was hot, if you poked certain rocks with your hiking stick it might catch fire, and it was unbelieveably amazing. I guess I'll just have to try another volcano in the future to get closer to some real lava.
This morning, I made my way to Chichi for the market. Market days are Thursdays and Sundays, and people come here from all over to buy and sell. It was very cool; almost overwhelming because you just get lost in a maze of streets and stalls and everything looks the same. I'm not alone though. First thing this morning, Itay got onto the same bus as me and decided to come along to Chichi instead of going to Xela today. Itay and I met on the ride from San Pedro Sula to Copan Ruinas, and now everyone from that bus keeps running into one another. Welcome to solo travelling! (It really isn't so solo at all.)
Now, I've explored the market, people are starting to pack up their stalls to trek back home (that starts at about 4:00 pm), I've climbed up to an old Mayan ritual site, and here I am on the internet. There's a small cat roaming around in here, and it quickly made itself comfortable on my lap. Shame it kneads so much when it purrs.
Unlike most tourists, I'll be spending tonight here in Chichi. A lot of people come in just for the day, see the market, and take off again. I want to see what the town is like after everyone leaves. Then I'm headed to Quetzaltenango (Xela); probably late tomorrow morning. I haven't fully decided yet, but why should I decide? Travel here is easy, people don't try to rip you off much, and right now spending time with Itay (he's a guy from Israel, by the way) is quite nice. Off I go!
Yesterday, I successfully climbed Pacaya Volcano. I was hoping to see some lava up close because that's what they advertise, but the volcano had a small eruption a few days before, so we weren't allowed too near the lava. All the same, it was hot, if you poked certain rocks with your hiking stick it might catch fire, and it was unbelieveably amazing. I guess I'll just have to try another volcano in the future to get closer to some real lava.
This morning, I made my way to Chichi for the market. Market days are Thursdays and Sundays, and people come here from all over to buy and sell. It was very cool; almost overwhelming because you just get lost in a maze of streets and stalls and everything looks the same. I'm not alone though. First thing this morning, Itay got onto the same bus as me and decided to come along to Chichi instead of going to Xela today. Itay and I met on the ride from San Pedro Sula to Copan Ruinas, and now everyone from that bus keeps running into one another. Welcome to solo travelling! (It really isn't so solo at all.)
Now, I've explored the market, people are starting to pack up their stalls to trek back home (that starts at about 4:00 pm), I've climbed up to an old Mayan ritual site, and here I am on the internet. There's a small cat roaming around in here, and it quickly made itself comfortable on my lap. Shame it kneads so much when it purrs.
Unlike most tourists, I'll be spending tonight here in Chichi. A lot of people come in just for the day, see the market, and take off again. I want to see what the town is like after everyone leaves. Then I'm headed to Quetzaltenango (Xela); probably late tomorrow morning. I haven't fully decided yet, but why should I decide? Travel here is easy, people don't try to rip you off much, and right now spending time with Itay (he's a guy from Israel, by the way) is quite nice. Off I go!
Friday, July 3, 2009
¡Hola Antigua!
And I'm here. Safe in a country of minor swine flu problems, but no political turmoil. It turns out that passing the morning was easily done. I'm sure I went to sleep around 11:00 pm or something, but I didn't get up this morning until 10:00 am. I am now very well rested.
I got up this morning, packed up, and checked out of my room. Then I found myself some breakfast/the most amazing vegetable sandwich I have ever eaten. Maybe it just seemed so good because produce on Utila sucks and I've been lacking nutrients. Anyway, I still can't imagine anything nicer.
I went back to the hotel to await my bus. Naturally, I was expecting a 14-passenger van because that's what all the companies use for shuttle trips to Angitua. However, a sedan turned up with two other passengers in it. It was a very comfortable ride to Antigua, and crossing the border was a breeze. The stamp on my passport says it's good for 90 days, which makes me think I don't need to worry about renewal. However, I'll look further into that if it comes to when my Honduran visa would have expired and I'm still in Central America.
At this stage, I'm definitely not going to reenter Honduras (unless, of course, some miracle happens). But as long as I'm in Guatemala, I'm definitely going to check out some sights nearby. I'm still considering returning early, but I don't think it needs to be a full two months early... it could be a month and a half or something. Anyway, it sounds like I have more chance of having my belongings nicked at home than here in Guatemala.
Off I go now to chat with my dad, find some dinner, and figure out if I can get to Pacaya Volcano tomorrow. Tonnes of fun here in an untense country!
I got up this morning, packed up, and checked out of my room. Then I found myself some breakfast/the most amazing vegetable sandwich I have ever eaten. Maybe it just seemed so good because produce on Utila sucks and I've been lacking nutrients. Anyway, I still can't imagine anything nicer.
I went back to the hotel to await my bus. Naturally, I was expecting a 14-passenger van because that's what all the companies use for shuttle trips to Angitua. However, a sedan turned up with two other passengers in it. It was a very comfortable ride to Antigua, and crossing the border was a breeze. The stamp on my passport says it's good for 90 days, which makes me think I don't need to worry about renewal. However, I'll look further into that if it comes to when my Honduran visa would have expired and I'm still in Central America.
At this stage, I'm definitely not going to reenter Honduras (unless, of course, some miracle happens). But as long as I'm in Guatemala, I'm definitely going to check out some sights nearby. I'm still considering returning early, but I don't think it needs to be a full two months early... it could be a month and a half or something. Anyway, it sounds like I have more chance of having my belongings nicked at home than here in Guatemala.
Off I go now to chat with my dad, find some dinner, and figure out if I can get to Pacaya Volcano tomorrow. Tonnes of fun here in an untense country!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Slow and Steady Wins the Race (or so I hope)
Well, today has been good, though I won´t be leaving Copan Ruinas quite as soon as I had hoped. For some mysterious reason, NONE of the buses that leave Copan at 6:00 am are running tomorrow morning. So I´ll have to wait until noon to leave, and won´t arrive in Antigua until 6:00 pm (if everything goes smoothly). All I can do is cross my fingers and enjoy the ride. The only way I can cross the border earlier is by doing it alone on local buses rather than with a tour company. By myself I would be, well, alone, it would definitely take longer, and would probably cost the same; so there´s really no point.
I´m now bored out of my mind, it´s been pouring rain for a couple of hours (I wish I could deliver some of it to Utila), the television stations available here suck, and I have no idea what I´m going to do until noon tomorrow. I like journeys--I don´t mind being on a bus for six hours or more--but I don´t like to sit around waiting with nothing to do. Alas, I guess I´ll live.
While watching extremely boring television, I´m pretty sure I watched national news on every station that broadcasts it. Naturally, they all told me just about the same thing. One thing I learned just before giving up on the TV was that there will be a ¨March for Peace and Democracy¨ here in Copan Ruinas on Saturday morning. This is the same as all the other demonstrations that have been happening across the country. So, I´m quite happy that I should be crossing the border before I get stuck behind any more demonstrations while trying to travel.
Nothing else to report from here, for obvious reasons. I saw a small chicken flee the streets from the rain earlier. It ran into a clothing store for cover. I wonder how long it was allowed to stay in there for...?
I´m now bored out of my mind, it´s been pouring rain for a couple of hours (I wish I could deliver some of it to Utila), the television stations available here suck, and I have no idea what I´m going to do until noon tomorrow. I like journeys--I don´t mind being on a bus for six hours or more--but I don´t like to sit around waiting with nothing to do. Alas, I guess I´ll live.
While watching extremely boring television, I´m pretty sure I watched national news on every station that broadcasts it. Naturally, they all told me just about the same thing. One thing I learned just before giving up on the TV was that there will be a ¨March for Peace and Democracy¨ here in Copan Ruinas on Saturday morning. This is the same as all the other demonstrations that have been happening across the country. So, I´m quite happy that I should be crossing the border before I get stuck behind any more demonstrations while trying to travel.
Nothing else to report from here, for obvious reasons. I saw a small chicken flee the streets from the rain earlier. It ran into a clothing store for cover. I wonder how long it was allowed to stay in there for...?
Ruins and Plans (but no ruined plans)
So, still in Honduras. I thought all night, I think I might have debated what to do in my dreams, I laid in bed considering what to do this morning, and I mulled things over while I visited the Mayan ruins. I think I have a plan.
Before I get into that, I went to see the ruins this morning here at Copan. They were quite beautiful. I wound up going with a group of six missionaries who were working in Honduras, but their mission just closed down on Tuesday because of the political situation. Since there were so many of us together, we elected to hire a guide. Antonio was an awesome guide with impeccable English. He used to work in journalism, and is part Mayan, part Spanish. He told us that the ruins at Copan are the second-largest Mayan ruins after Tikal, in Guatemala. That seems surprising to me because I thought there were other bigger ones, but the guide probably knows best. In any case, it was great; I got to see macaws there, the national bird of Honduras. I might be missing out on bird-watching at the Lago de Yojoa, but at least I´ve seen some macaws.
Now the plans. I´m staying here in Copan Ruinas for one more night. It´s a beautiful, quiet town, and it´s right next to the Guatemalan border (which opened again at midnight last night). Tomorrow morning, I´ll be taking a shuttle directly from here to Antigua at 6:00 am. That should be a six-hour trip, and the border should still be open tomorrow so I can cross. I understand there are concerns about swine flu in Guatemala, but I will be extremely cautious.
I don´t mean to have everyone worrying about me, and I am considering returning early to Canada. As it stands, I´m meant to fly out of San Pedro Sula on August 31. Right now, I am absolutely not returning to that city. I intend to leave Honduras, and if I fly home it will probably be from Guatemala City or somewhere else depending on when I leave. I am being careful and taking the political situation very seriously. However, I know there´s a small possibility this will be smoothed over, and travel in neighboring countries will go back to normal. Keeping that in mind, I´m hesitant to jump ship right now. There´s a chance, though possibly a slim one, that Zelaya will be reinstated on Saturday. So I am going to stay on for a couple of days to see what happens, and then make a decision. Right now, if I wanted to hop on a plane, Saturday would be the soonest I´d be able to. I would need one day to travel to the city of departure, and another day to allow for the necessary hours spent trying to get through the airport (in San Pedro Sula, at least). I also don´t really want to plan major travel on this upcoming day of great interest. So I head to Antigua, I climb a volcano and read the news, and I figure out what to do.
Now I have eight and a half hours before curfew, and I´m not quite sure what to do with myself. Maybe I´ll see about visiting coffee plantations, or maybe... I don´t even know what else I can do here. I think it´s time to read my guidebook some more. Take care, know that I´m safe, and keep in touch!
Before I get into that, I went to see the ruins this morning here at Copan. They were quite beautiful. I wound up going with a group of six missionaries who were working in Honduras, but their mission just closed down on Tuesday because of the political situation. Since there were so many of us together, we elected to hire a guide. Antonio was an awesome guide with impeccable English. He used to work in journalism, and is part Mayan, part Spanish. He told us that the ruins at Copan are the second-largest Mayan ruins after Tikal, in Guatemala. That seems surprising to me because I thought there were other bigger ones, but the guide probably knows best. In any case, it was great; I got to see macaws there, the national bird of Honduras. I might be missing out on bird-watching at the Lago de Yojoa, but at least I´ve seen some macaws.
Now the plans. I´m staying here in Copan Ruinas for one more night. It´s a beautiful, quiet town, and it´s right next to the Guatemalan border (which opened again at midnight last night). Tomorrow morning, I´ll be taking a shuttle directly from here to Antigua at 6:00 am. That should be a six-hour trip, and the border should still be open tomorrow so I can cross. I understand there are concerns about swine flu in Guatemala, but I will be extremely cautious.
I don´t mean to have everyone worrying about me, and I am considering returning early to Canada. As it stands, I´m meant to fly out of San Pedro Sula on August 31. Right now, I am absolutely not returning to that city. I intend to leave Honduras, and if I fly home it will probably be from Guatemala City or somewhere else depending on when I leave. I am being careful and taking the political situation very seriously. However, I know there´s a small possibility this will be smoothed over, and travel in neighboring countries will go back to normal. Keeping that in mind, I´m hesitant to jump ship right now. There´s a chance, though possibly a slim one, that Zelaya will be reinstated on Saturday. So I am going to stay on for a couple of days to see what happens, and then make a decision. Right now, if I wanted to hop on a plane, Saturday would be the soonest I´d be able to. I would need one day to travel to the city of departure, and another day to allow for the necessary hours spent trying to get through the airport (in San Pedro Sula, at least). I also don´t really want to plan major travel on this upcoming day of great interest. So I head to Antigua, I climb a volcano and read the news, and I figure out what to do.
Now I have eight and a half hours before curfew, and I´m not quite sure what to do with myself. Maybe I´ll see about visiting coffee plantations, or maybe... I don´t even know what else I can do here. I think it´s time to read my guidebook some more. Take care, know that I´m safe, and keep in touch!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
From Utila to Copan Ruinas
After a boat, a minivan, two buses, a pick up, a local bus, and a chartered minivan, I´ve arrived in Copan Ruinas. The goal for the day was to get to Guatemala, and I´ve made it to the border. Not bad, I don´t think. The second bus was supposed to get me here, but the road was blocked. So I and seven other Canadians and Americans navigated our way through the country together.
Since I´m here next to Mayan ruins, I figure I´ll take tomorrow to visit them (the border is, after all, closed to all but pedestrian traffic). After that, I´ll figure out what I´m doing. Honestly, I don´t know. The situation here on the ground is not as it seems in the news. Yes, there is serious stuff going on, but since the majority of Hondurans are fairly poorly educated, no one knows what´s happening. Everyone I have met is just sitting back, waiting for the situation to resolve itself. While I see good reason to leave Honduras right now, I don´t feel the need to flee Central America. However, it´s something near impossible for me to do what my parents disapprove of, and my mother´s frantic emails are getting to me.
My time here on the internet is up. I´ll keep thinking about this tomorrow while I wander the ruins, and see if I can come up with a reasonable solution.
Since I´m here next to Mayan ruins, I figure I´ll take tomorrow to visit them (the border is, after all, closed to all but pedestrian traffic). After that, I´ll figure out what I´m doing. Honestly, I don´t know. The situation here on the ground is not as it seems in the news. Yes, there is serious stuff going on, but since the majority of Hondurans are fairly poorly educated, no one knows what´s happening. Everyone I have met is just sitting back, waiting for the situation to resolve itself. While I see good reason to leave Honduras right now, I don´t feel the need to flee Central America. However, it´s something near impossible for me to do what my parents disapprove of, and my mother´s frantic emails are getting to me.
My time here on the internet is up. I´ll keep thinking about this tomorrow while I wander the ruins, and see if I can come up with a reasonable solution.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Hoping to Sneak Across a Border
Well, Honduras is in a very interesting state right now. It's quite exciting, and I'm rather enjoying seeing how it evolves from within. I kind of like being in the middle of the action (sorry Mom and Dad, I know you don't appreciate that). In any case, as I understand, the ex-President wanted to make the country communist, he's currently in Nicaragua, and the Honduran-Nicaraguan border is closed to keep one country's military from storming into the other.
I was going to travel across Honduras, but now that there's a country-wide curfew of 9:00 pm and a bunch of roads have been blocked, that seems like more trouble than it's worth. So I'm thinking of darting up to Guatemala ASAP (tomorrow), and spending at least the next month out of Honduras. However, is it possible for me to cross that border or not? I can find no information about it online, and everyone seems to have a different opinion. I already purchased my boat ticket to leave Utila tomorrow morning, but I have no idea if I'm going to be able to go anywhere once I leave. Of course, it's also not possible to do much of anything on the island with the curfew. So... wish me luck in going to Guatemala tomorrow?
No other news here (I think that's about enough!). The mosquitoes have returned, so I'm ridiculously chewed up. I had forgotten how much more annoying they are than sand flies. Going to the Iguana Station and looking at the swamp lizards also didn't exactly help. Well, off I go to investigate the border situation. Aaaahhhh!
I was going to travel across Honduras, but now that there's a country-wide curfew of 9:00 pm and a bunch of roads have been blocked, that seems like more trouble than it's worth. So I'm thinking of darting up to Guatemala ASAP (tomorrow), and spending at least the next month out of Honduras. However, is it possible for me to cross that border or not? I can find no information about it online, and everyone seems to have a different opinion. I already purchased my boat ticket to leave Utila tomorrow morning, but I have no idea if I'm going to be able to go anywhere once I leave. Of course, it's also not possible to do much of anything on the island with the curfew. So... wish me luck in going to Guatemala tomorrow?
No other news here (I think that's about enough!). The mosquitoes have returned, so I'm ridiculously chewed up. I had forgotten how much more annoying they are than sand flies. Going to the Iguana Station and looking at the swamp lizards also didn't exactly help. Well, off I go to investigate the border situation. Aaaahhhh!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
A Less-Stable Honduras
So many days in a row I find myself in an internet cafe. At least it's much cooler today AND the air conditioning in this place has been fixed. Yesterday I just sat here mopping up my sweat for an hour.
Nothing new to report in my life, but Honduras certainly has a lot going on. I had a couple of lovely dives this morning, took a long nap this afternoon, and now I'm here checking up on the news about Honduras. Yes, there's been a military coup that the UN, the EU, and many countries disagree with. And yes, this certainly leaves room for riots. My intention is still to travel across Honduras, but I promise to be wary, to keep up with current affairs, and to change my plans as necessary. I intend to go only to small, out-of-the-way places, and nowhere near Tegucigalpa. No worries!
Time for me to plan how I'm going to get off this island, and where to stay at the Lago de Yojoa. I think birdwatching is next on my list... Birds don't have riots, do they?
Nothing new to report in my life, but Honduras certainly has a lot going on. I had a couple of lovely dives this morning, took a long nap this afternoon, and now I'm here checking up on the news about Honduras. Yes, there's been a military coup that the UN, the EU, and many countries disagree with. And yes, this certainly leaves room for riots. My intention is still to travel across Honduras, but I promise to be wary, to keep up with current affairs, and to change my plans as necessary. I intend to go only to small, out-of-the-way places, and nowhere near Tegucigalpa. No worries!
Time for me to plan how I'm going to get off this island, and where to stay at the Lago de Yojoa. I think birdwatching is next on my list... Birds don't have riots, do they?
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Status quo
It hasn't been long at all since my last post, but since I'm on the internet I figure I should write something more. I have done just about nothing since my last post. Honestly. I went for a bike ride as far as I could around the island (there's a big canal you can't get over, so really it's not that far), ate some food, had a pain in my stomach (presumably from eating too fast), took a nap, went to the weekly UDC barbeque to watch some snorkel tests, went to sleep, and woke up with a very bad stomach. Boo. After a day of convalescing, drinking pepto bismol, and somehow dragging myself out for a golf-cart tour of the island (Sara rented one), I'm now good as new. I don't really know what it was all about, just that many people here have been complaining of stomach cramps lately, so it seems something is going around. Alas, it's over with now.
I rode my bike to the other end of town to meet Sara yesterday, and then left it locked up on the side of the road when we took off in the golf cart. So this afternoon I wandered through town finally taking pictures of the place, and retrieved my bike. Picture taking has finally commenced! I know you would all love for me to add pictures to my blog, but I'm afraid I can never remember to bring the patch cord with me when I use the internet. Perhaps I'll get it right sometime soon. In the meanwhile, know that I'm taking pictures (even if I'm not in enough of them).
My plan was to leave Utila and head straight for Belize on either June 30 or July 1. However, the ferry to Belize runs only on Mondays, and I'm not prepared to leave the island tomorrow in order to catch it. So I think I'll be heading through Honduras over to Gracias and Celaque National Park first, and then probably doubling back to catch the ferry to Belize on the following Monday. Otherwise I'll just wander into Guatemala from Honduras and see about Belize later. I promise that whatever I do, you'll all be posted.
Lynn Anne, I miss your well-thought-out itineraries. I will manage on my own, as I have done in the past, but travelling with you really was such a pleasure. It takes me forever to figure out an itinerary for myself. I just want to have someone to bounce ideas off of, but no one else could care less about which way I circle Central America (understandably).
I'm off now to continue mopping up my sweat, and work my last shift at the UDC bar. All the best, and keep in touch.
I rode my bike to the other end of town to meet Sara yesterday, and then left it locked up on the side of the road when we took off in the golf cart. So this afternoon I wandered through town finally taking pictures of the place, and retrieved my bike. Picture taking has finally commenced! I know you would all love for me to add pictures to my blog, but I'm afraid I can never remember to bring the patch cord with me when I use the internet. Perhaps I'll get it right sometime soon. In the meanwhile, know that I'm taking pictures (even if I'm not in enough of them).
My plan was to leave Utila and head straight for Belize on either June 30 or July 1. However, the ferry to Belize runs only on Mondays, and I'm not prepared to leave the island tomorrow in order to catch it. So I think I'll be heading through Honduras over to Gracias and Celaque National Park first, and then probably doubling back to catch the ferry to Belize on the following Monday. Otherwise I'll just wander into Guatemala from Honduras and see about Belize later. I promise that whatever I do, you'll all be posted.
Lynn Anne, I miss your well-thought-out itineraries. I will manage on my own, as I have done in the past, but travelling with you really was such a pleasure. It takes me forever to figure out an itinerary for myself. I just want to have someone to bounce ideas off of, but no one else could care less about which way I circle Central America (understandably).
I'm off now to continue mopping up my sweat, and work my last shift at the UDC bar. All the best, and keep in touch.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Two Right Feet?
I discovered a strange thing last night. I've been through a few pairs of flip-flops since I got here. The ones that I brought with me (all the way from Malaysia!) eventually deteriorated and fell apart. After a few busy and barefoot days, I bought myself a new fabric-covered pair. They were lovely, but not meant to get wet, and quickly fell apart. Not surprisingly, they actually got caught on my bicycle when I was trying to dismount one day last week, and that's when one of them ripped in two. Uninterested in walking barefoot again, I discovered an open store while walking [barefoot] to dinner, and bought myself new rubber flip-flops. This was about a week ago.
I was pleased with the new flip-flops, but my left foot was getting badly rubbed by the strap and was pretty nicely ripped open by the next day. In an effort to let my foot heal, I gave up wearing any shoes for the following week. I would just carry them around with me in case I should feel the need to wear them at some point. Last night, I felt my scabs had turned into nice enough calluses that I should be ready to wear the sandals. They were alright for a while, but eventually started rubbing on my foot a bit, so I kicked them off at the bar. My roommates were there, and Gord asked, "What, are you going to try wearing them on the opposite feet to see if they fit better?" Not a bad idea!
So I slipped the uncomfortable left flip-flop onto my right foot, and discovered that the strap fit perfectly. Naturally, the sandal is cut to the shape of the left foot, but the strap is meant for a right foot. So my sandals are 3/4 right and 1/4 left. Brilliant. Only in a developing country would you get stuck with flip-flops like these. I did go back to the store today to hint around about asking for a new shoe, but the woman working there wasn't going to budge. She pretty much just barked at me. Alas, I will survive until I get to the mainland, and then I will find myself a properly comfortable pair.
Off now for a bike ride. Take care!
I was pleased with the new flip-flops, but my left foot was getting badly rubbed by the strap and was pretty nicely ripped open by the next day. In an effort to let my foot heal, I gave up wearing any shoes for the following week. I would just carry them around with me in case I should feel the need to wear them at some point. Last night, I felt my scabs had turned into nice enough calluses that I should be ready to wear the sandals. They were alright for a while, but eventually started rubbing on my foot a bit, so I kicked them off at the bar. My roommates were there, and Gord asked, "What, are you going to try wearing them on the opposite feet to see if they fit better?" Not a bad idea!
So I slipped the uncomfortable left flip-flop onto my right foot, and discovered that the strap fit perfectly. Naturally, the sandal is cut to the shape of the left foot, but the strap is meant for a right foot. So my sandals are 3/4 right and 1/4 left. Brilliant. Only in a developing country would you get stuck with flip-flops like these. I did go back to the store today to hint around about asking for a new shoe, but the woman working there wasn't going to budge. She pretty much just barked at me. Alas, I will survive until I get to the mainland, and then I will find myself a properly comfortable pair.
Off now for a bike ride. Take care!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Celebrating the 100th Dive
Today I went on my 100th dive. Divers in tropical climates have a particular way of celebrating this event. It is done naked. (Cold-water divers drink champagne after every hundredth dive.) So, I strapped on my fins, weight belt, scuba unit, and mask, and hopped in the water in my bikini. After descending, I went to a sandy patch, slipped out of my bikini under all the gear as gracefully as I could, and stuffed the swimsuit in my pocket. I must say, it was very liberating to dive in the nude, and about as chilly as expected. Swimming over the bubbles of other divers wasn't too bad either...
At the end of the dive, I went back to my sandy patch, slipped into my bikini bottoms, and removed my scuba unit in an attempt to tie my top back on without tying any hoses to myself. However, when I removed the unit, I had just breathed out and my regulator got twisted out of my mouth. I had a little scramble, retrieved the reg, and proceded to try and figure out how to get my suit back on with a tank that was trying to float away. Thankfully, Melanie (my fully-clad partner in crime) came to the rescue and held my tank so I could tie my top back on. All in all, it was a lovely dive, and I fortunately did not run into any divers who didn't know what I was up to.
Other news from here, not so much. And to be honest, I'm beginning to wonder if I should keep sharing since none of you will tell me what you're up to or let me know you're still alive. Are you ousting me for wanting to leave [safe?] Utila and go backpacking? Is silence your way of telling me not to do that? If so, it isn't working. And anyway, I'll have much better stories when I'm on the road. You all want that, don't you? Siobhan climbing volcanoes, Siobhan visiting Mayan ruins, Siobhan horseback riding or white-water rafting?
Well, planning for my upcoming travels is going along well. I've gotten lots of help with places I should visit, but I'm still trying to figure out a rough itinerary. Anyone who knows how I travel knows I'm essentially incapable of creating an itinerary. But good or bad, I'm trying. The question is, do I go from here into Guatemala, head south, and see the sights I want to see in Honduras on the way back? Or do I cover Honduras first to make sure I see what I know I want to see and then continue on? I'll be here until the end of June, so I still have a while to figure it out.
Now I'm off to the Iguana Station, unless I fall asleep first. There are lots of iguanas here on Utila, and that's a centre to learn more about them. People say it's fairly basic, but I like lizards so I'm quite excited to check it out. Actually, no one here can believe how excited I get every time I see an iguana. Lynn Anne would understand though. ¡Adios!
At the end of the dive, I went back to my sandy patch, slipped into my bikini bottoms, and removed my scuba unit in an attempt to tie my top back on without tying any hoses to myself. However, when I removed the unit, I had just breathed out and my regulator got twisted out of my mouth. I had a little scramble, retrieved the reg, and proceded to try and figure out how to get my suit back on with a tank that was trying to float away. Thankfully, Melanie (my fully-clad partner in crime) came to the rescue and held my tank so I could tie my top back on. All in all, it was a lovely dive, and I fortunately did not run into any divers who didn't know what I was up to.
Other news from here, not so much. And to be honest, I'm beginning to wonder if I should keep sharing since none of you will tell me what you're up to or let me know you're still alive. Are you ousting me for wanting to leave [safe?] Utila and go backpacking? Is silence your way of telling me not to do that? If so, it isn't working. And anyway, I'll have much better stories when I'm on the road. You all want that, don't you? Siobhan climbing volcanoes, Siobhan visiting Mayan ruins, Siobhan horseback riding or white-water rafting?
Well, planning for my upcoming travels is going along well. I've gotten lots of help with places I should visit, but I'm still trying to figure out a rough itinerary. Anyone who knows how I travel knows I'm essentially incapable of creating an itinerary. But good or bad, I'm trying. The question is, do I go from here into Guatemala, head south, and see the sights I want to see in Honduras on the way back? Or do I cover Honduras first to make sure I see what I know I want to see and then continue on? I'll be here until the end of June, so I still have a while to figure it out.
Now I'm off to the Iguana Station, unless I fall asleep first. There are lots of iguanas here on Utila, and that's a centre to learn more about them. People say it's fairly basic, but I like lizards so I'm quite excited to check it out. Actually, no one here can believe how excited I get every time I see an iguana. Lynn Anne would understand though. ¡Adios!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Deep Sea Exploring
Okay, well, that's what it felt like anyway. Last night there was a staff night dive to the wreck. There's a cargo ship that was intentionally sunk just outside the Utila bay, and that was my first time seeing it at night. It's a deep dive (30 metres), so almost no one goes to it after dark. We were given free reign to do whatever we felt like exploring this wreck last night. It was super fun, I got to take a look inside parts of it that I wouldn't normally get to see during the day, and it felt like I was at a wreck so deep in the sea that the sun couldn't shine there. I also saw this crazy little critter that looked JUST like a piece of coral, but was crawling around like a crab or something. Once I figure out who pointed that out to me in the dark, I'll find out more about it.
A couple of days ago we took a trip to Cayos Cochinos, the Hog Islands. This is a marine reserve close to the mainland, and it was super fun. Marine life was, naturally, pretty similiar to that on Utila, but it was super fun to explore some new sites. For once, I managed to find eels all by myself, and I was also shown an octopus who had squashed himself down into the coral. One of the sites we dove was a plane wreck from a drug plane that went down some time ago. You've got to love the fact that that happens so often here. Anyway, our trip to Cayos Cochinos was lovely. We did one dive, visited a small island of locals, had lunch, did a second dive, relaxed on another island, and made our way back to Utila. Of course, by this time the sea was getting quite rough, so our amazing Captain Errol was basically surfing the waves with the boat the whole way. It took a while, but it was an incredibly smooth ride considering the size of the swells.
I have now fully run out of partying steam, so I slink off to my apartment in the evening and try to disappear before anyone forces me out for the evening. I've been successful in this the past couple of nights, but don't know for how much longer I'll be able to manage. Leading up to my leaving Utila, there will be plenty of need for dinners out and nights on the town, so I might just have to accept that I'll rest up when I continue on my travels.
You might find evidence on facebook of something from the other night. Here in Utila, it is traditional for divemasters to have to pass one last test before it is considered official. Perhaps this is just the normal case of UDC holding higher training standards than PADI requires, or perhaps it's an excuse for mad partying. Anyway, it's called the Snorkel Test. Once all other tasks have been completed for divemaster training, the trainee is subjected to this test. It is done at a bar, and it involves a scuba mask, a snorkel with a funnel on it, and a lot of beer, rum, and soda mixed together. In my case, I asked for them to go light on the alcohol because I take antidepressants and didn't want them to be messed with. So I was fed about a litre of coke and two drops of rum. Normally, the subject of this test winds up so wasted they are eventually carried home. I, however, drank less than usual before the snorkel test so I would start out neither sober nor drunk, was given virtually no alcohol during the test, and had one more weak drink afterwards. What I find hilarious is that my snorkel test was done at the weekly UDC barbeque which is an all-you-can-drink event, so everyone ELSE got trashed, while I effectively remained sober. The next day I felt fine, but everyone else on the island seemed to be hurting. Like I said before, I don't fit in here (though it is fun).
Now, I am off. I'd love to hear from you guys back home... You know, I'm just saying... In the meantime, I'll be trying to figure out why the bank machines are not giving me any money. Oh my...
A couple of days ago we took a trip to Cayos Cochinos, the Hog Islands. This is a marine reserve close to the mainland, and it was super fun. Marine life was, naturally, pretty similiar to that on Utila, but it was super fun to explore some new sites. For once, I managed to find eels all by myself, and I was also shown an octopus who had squashed himself down into the coral. One of the sites we dove was a plane wreck from a drug plane that went down some time ago. You've got to love the fact that that happens so often here. Anyway, our trip to Cayos Cochinos was lovely. We did one dive, visited a small island of locals, had lunch, did a second dive, relaxed on another island, and made our way back to Utila. Of course, by this time the sea was getting quite rough, so our amazing Captain Errol was basically surfing the waves with the boat the whole way. It took a while, but it was an incredibly smooth ride considering the size of the swells.
I have now fully run out of partying steam, so I slink off to my apartment in the evening and try to disappear before anyone forces me out for the evening. I've been successful in this the past couple of nights, but don't know for how much longer I'll be able to manage. Leading up to my leaving Utila, there will be plenty of need for dinners out and nights on the town, so I might just have to accept that I'll rest up when I continue on my travels.
You might find evidence on facebook of something from the other night. Here in Utila, it is traditional for divemasters to have to pass one last test before it is considered official. Perhaps this is just the normal case of UDC holding higher training standards than PADI requires, or perhaps it's an excuse for mad partying. Anyway, it's called the Snorkel Test. Once all other tasks have been completed for divemaster training, the trainee is subjected to this test. It is done at a bar, and it involves a scuba mask, a snorkel with a funnel on it, and a lot of beer, rum, and soda mixed together. In my case, I asked for them to go light on the alcohol because I take antidepressants and didn't want them to be messed with. So I was fed about a litre of coke and two drops of rum. Normally, the subject of this test winds up so wasted they are eventually carried home. I, however, drank less than usual before the snorkel test so I would start out neither sober nor drunk, was given virtually no alcohol during the test, and had one more weak drink afterwards. What I find hilarious is that my snorkel test was done at the weekly UDC barbeque which is an all-you-can-drink event, so everyone ELSE got trashed, while I effectively remained sober. The next day I felt fine, but everyone else on the island seemed to be hurting. Like I said before, I don't fit in here (though it is fun).
Now, I am off. I'd love to hear from you guys back home... You know, I'm just saying... In the meantime, I'll be trying to figure out why the bank machines are not giving me any money. Oh my...
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