Tim Version: * Appreciated the tranquility in El Retiro in Lanquin, while exploring the local bat filled caves. * Took a day trip to Semuc Champey and did dark cave tours involving swimming, jumped from a bridge, tubed, hiked, and chilled in limestone tourquiose pools! The stop, slow down, and just appreciate the beauty version: I found my bus to Lanquin, decided to catch the earliest bus there at around 6:30 (it was a Sunday), and on the bus bumped into my friend George from Antigua along with a female friend of his! Awesome luck and provided some good morning conversation [View Full Entry]

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Tim Version: * Tried to leave Antigua for Coban on the 1st, found life totally shut down! Got there on the second though... * Spend some time in net cafes and caught a movie, stayed in my worst ever hotel, and enjoyed the cheap but brilliant street food. The version that is still creeped out by that druggie tryin to break into my room...: For Coban I had to enter the dreaded *da da daaaaa scary music* Guatemala City... doh. The areas for both my buses I know are dodgy too. This time though, being sick and having worked out how [View Full Entry]

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Tim Version: * Got to stay with a local chica for a few days in the leadup to New Years Eve. * Got sick but partied in a snot filled way through to the New Year! Almost lost an eye to the fireworks but thats normal here and a whole lot of drunken fun. The snot filled coughing not so socially acceptable but socially accepted version: On the way back, the Guatemalan girl and an Irishman she knew with us too were all so wrecked, bad time to be driving! Still she managed, and we made a few "revive and survive" [View Full Entry]

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Tim Version: * Decided I'd head to the beach at Monterrico, but met a NZ guy on the bus and ended up at a Surf and Music festival on the beach! * Drank, danced and Psytrance raved the night away, finally passing out tired and sleepness to a beautiful morning sunrise on the beach! location: unknown The version that has forgotten the name of the beach... but somewhere near Monterrico: From Antigua I set out for Monterrico, needing some salt water and sand time again. On the way however I met a New Zealander who I found out was heading to [View Full Entry]

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Tim Version: * Returned to Antigua for Christmas at Jungle Party Hostel and enjoyed the colourful Antigua christmas time. * Reeeally enjoyed a good Christmas dinner at the hostel and Christmas lunch at a nice little restaurant - but no presents. Kind of refreshing! * Climbed Pacaya, a very active volcano, got to walk over lava, and toast marshmallows in it! Oh, and had the best fun haggling with kids for sticks... The version that really loved a gringo filled Christmas, and seeing REAL ACTIVE LAVA!!: Arriving back in Antigua man the streets were busy, but in a very good way. [View Full Entry]

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Tim Version: * Went to Quetzaltenango to find what everybody loved about the place so much. * Trekked to a beautiful hot natural sauna in a litte old hotel, and found why people love to live in Quetzaltenango... I think... maybe? The version that felt rushed on paper, but plenty of time in reality: A good few hours from Chichicastenango is Quetzaltenango, though you will never hear that name as everyone calls it by its traditional name of Xela, pronounced "Chela". Ask for a bus to Quetzaltenango and you may like me just get blank looks. Arriving at the bus terminal [View Full Entry]

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Tim Version: * Took the beautiful trip to Chichicastenango from my lakeside paradise, set for some party time. * Experienced the festival of Saint Thomas in all its incredible fireworked and fine food glory! The version that should have lost an eye with all those fireworks going off: After my delicious very early Pancake breakfast in San Marcos, I hopped an early morning Lancha to Panajachel. The views from the boat early in the morning with the mist on the lake is picturesce (I can't spell that...) beyond belief. Its just awesome. The water is all calm, people are quieter and [View Full Entry]

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Tim Version: * Traveled to Lago de Atitlan and stayed in partying drunk San Pedro, then chilled yoga wind-chime filled San Marcos. * Loved kicking back relaxing, swimming in finally some clean water, and just generally soaking up the good life. The version that once again reminded me how sadly water addicted I am...: Lago De Atitlan, playground of the rich, chill out spot of the same, also known for partying, drugs, alcohol, yoga, the sound of windchimes and lots of original Mayan people and dialects. Really it is a little of everything and it lives up to all those reputations! [View Full Entry]

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Tim Version: * Went through Guatemala City, found it to be dull and dodgy as the books say, but it was only a bus change so no biggie! * Completed my mission of finding a good hostel for Christmas and NYE, checked out Antigua just a little and found it very damn comfortable. The version on the hunt for a little piece of back home: As usual my timing for when I wanted to catch a bus didn't coincide even closer with the easier buses, so I left Rio Dulce on one heading out of town and switch at the same [View Full Entry]

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Tim Version: * Double bussed again to Rio Dulce, found the main side to be hectic and dodgy so stayed on the more beautiful quiet side at an incredible hostel. * Visited the local fort, but didn't feel like river voyaging so was done and ready for Antigua quick. The water loving version: An apparently very beautiful place, I made Rio Dulce my destination and headed off. Upon reaching it, it feels like an end of the line port town, which I guess is partially because it used to be! Along the main street are loads of people trying to hawk [View Full Entry]

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