Antigua, Volcan Pacaya

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Just our luck that the directo shuttle didn´t have the numbers to run to Antigua. So we were up at 5.30 to get the 6am shuttle to Coban. Getting up when the shuttle is due only assures you have a seat, so after an hour looping around the village we finally had enough people to leave. This hour wasn´t boring as we learnt a new Guatemalan game of which we think we were in a winning team. This game goes by the name of "How Many People can you fit in a Minivan" and by the time we had left there were people on people, people standing and even people hanging out the window (sorry no room for pics. You will just have to imagine). We didn´t think we were badly off having the side of the very back seat but as the van got more and more squashed, Matt was pushed off his seat to have a rough bumpy journey half sitting on a small metal bar.

We managed a smooth transition through to Antigua, a welcome relief for Matt. Antigua is a small touristy town very close to Guatemala City but it couldn´t be further from it in appearance. The cobble stoned streets, the buildings colonial style and colourful, and is surrounded by a backdrop of beautiful cone shaped volcanoes. This place is easy which is something we appreciate at the moment.

Today we had booked an early morning tour up to the Volcan Pacaya, the most active volcano in this area. Hearing first hand stories of muggings, we chose a tour that offered security escorts but we think this is perhaps only one safety consideration. We hiked almost to the summit through thick cloud to reach the entry to our volcanic experience. This was a crater with limited visibility so all you could see was a few metres of solidified rock frozen in an animated state of flow. In the distance we could here a loud hissing noise similar to an ocean blow hole (this was not water!).

Our guide led the way straight, onto the hardened lava where it felt like your normal rock hopping at first. Theres nothing like hot air rising from under your feet to change things and as the tapping of Matts stick started to sound hollow, our guide stopped us to point out a crack revealing red hot rock just below our feet (yes we were walking on a hardened layer above molten lava). Our guide was excited to see a vent had opened up on a small peak where yesterdays group had been standing. Leanne was happy watching from a distance but boys will be boys. Matt wanted a closer look and walked up to the flow. Fascinating to watch and after loosing half his stick with poking the flowing Lava, he decided it was best watched from a distance. When the volcano burps and it singes your hairs on your legs and eyelashes its quite convincing!

Great day and unique experience and one we would recommend but natures unpredictable.

So we escaped bandits and now we are back in Antigua and have booked on a bus to Lago Atitlan tomorrow morning.

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Photos

Lava under our Feet
Thats where the hot air was coming from....

Breakfast
Even the dog found a warm rock to lie on.

Toasted Codd
Ready to become a cyclist