Fresh volcanic eruption and last minute mayhem

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Our final destination in Guatemala is Antigua, near Guatemala City. The town where we started our trip 6 weeks ago.

In Lanquin we walk chatting with some local schoolkids on their way to school til we find a tuk-tuk to take us to our shuttle. We're squashed in for 8 hours, and are really onto the busy roads by the time we head back into the belching modern capital, Guatemala City ('Guate'). Loads of cars, banana trucks, buses, all spewing fumes, fast food franchises and broken down outer suburbs. Then we're out the other side and into the quaint tourist town of Antigua, and we're back at the posada where we spent our first night in Guatemala. In this town surrounded by volcanoes, its a clear night and Volcan Agua stands out over the town with the new moon.

Next day we're up early for our booked trip to Volcan Pacaya. Only a few days ago they resumed trips to the volcano after the eruption on 27 May that closed Guatemala City airport just before we arrived. The bus is meant to pick us up at 6, but doesn't show up. A quick phone call confirms that the bus has left without us as they've missed us in the count, and a guy turns up to rush us in a car to catch up with the bus.

When we reach Volcan Pacaya, about 35km away, there are great views of the other volcanoes as our local guide, Paco, leads us up the mountain. As we walk our shoes crunch over layers of small volcanic rocks, and when we find workers moving the rocks Paco explains that we're walking on fresh rubble from the eruption, and somewhere beneath is the concrete track. They have a mammoth task ahead of them. As we climb higher on the mountain, progressively the vegetation is disappearing. Then we reach a point where there are only the skeletons of trees and no live vegetation or wildlife. Paco says this was lush forest full of birdlife before the eruption, and the land around it was productive farmland. It only took 1 hour and 5 minutes to complete the devastation. One journalist died in the eruption, and Paco tells a sad tale of his own experience. He lost his house and crops, and thought he had lost his wife and kids as well. He located his wife and after hours his kids were found alive, blackened and without clothes, with just the whites of their eyes showing. He was a very relieved man.

We pass the mangled remains of small concrete and iron shelters along the way, testament to the violence of the eruption. As we walk up to the red line of danger, there are good views of fumeroles and old lava flows. There used to be a river of lava, but that got covered in the eruption. Its pretty unstable ahead of us and we have to stick together as Paco is keen to get us back in one piece. The top of the mountain and crater reveal themselves periodically and we can see smoke billowing out. Its a pretty barren place and after hearing stories of the eruption we're not keen to hang around for too long.

As we descend we see workers in the blackened fields, already preparing for replanting. The villagers have received new iron rooves from the government, but they have to rebuild their lives again in the shadow of the volcano. Hopefully our tourist dollars and donations will go some way to helping the families affected.

Back in Antigua we head out for a final look around the town. The market is totally overhelming with so many beautiful ceations and bright colours but no space in our bags for any purchases. We grab a bite to eat while a shower of rain passes and as we emerge onto the streets a rainbow appears over the bustle of workers heading home at the end of the day. Its going to be a relaxed night before our flight to the States tomorrow.

Back in our posada we phone the friend from Monterrico who was storing the box of our surplus luggage and was arranging to get it on a shuttle to us. He says the box is not on the shuttle and there is no other shuttle until tomorrow - after we fly out of the country. It's a 1.5 hour drive to Monterrico from Antigua and we speak to Carlos, our posada owner, about the options. By now its 7:30pm and we have a shuttle arriving at 7am to take us to the airport. Carlos could drive us to Monterrico and back to pick up the parcel, but he doesn't think it is safe to drive that road in the dark at night. The best option is to leave at 4am, still in the dark, but safer than tonight. We head to bed, alarms set. So much for a relaxed final night.

So at 4 in the morning Keith and Carlos set out for Monterrico, with Tessa (still in her curlers) locking the door behind them, under instructions to open up for deliveries at particular times in the morning. I, of course, am sensibly resting so I will be in top form for our upcoming conference. The first hour of Keith's trip is quite tense, with no road lighting, no other traffic and no houses to be seen. The tension is slightly relieved by magic views of lava flowing down Volcan Fuego in the darkness. The road is all downhill to Monterrico and with dawn breaking they arrive on schedule despite having to negotiate slips and coastal flooding. Its a quick parcel pickup, then back uphill to meet the airport shuttle. Its going to be tight timing, and by the time the shuttle driver turns up for the pickup, Tessa and I are outside the posada with the bags, but no sign of Keith! Tessa attempts to explain the situation in halting Spanish as the other passengers peer out the windows. Luckily the by now grumpy driver agrees to do another pickup then return. Five minutes later and he's back and still no sign of Keith! Aaargh! We smile and place the bags in the shuttle, unsure of the next move, when suddenly there's Keith and Carlos leaping out of the car, cardboard box in hand. Phew! Off to the airport - farewell Guatemala!

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Photos

Antigua
Volcan Agua hiding beneath a cap of cloud

A land of volcanoes
Volcan Pacaya's neighbours Fuego, Acatenango and Agua

A chilling tale of Volcan Pacaya
Paco tells of his children missing on the mountain in the eruption

Fields on the slope of Volcan Pacaya
Preparing the soil again after the eruption

Traffic, Guatemala City
Go the guy on the bike!