Volcan Pacaya

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Friday's trip was to a macademia nut plantation. That makes it sound quite organised and grand, which it wasn't. Around 400 rather dusty macademia trees, some piles of unshelled nuts, a grading ladder to size them from big to small, a few clucking hens and little else besides a little shop selling macademia oil, cream, butter, cookies, macademias coated in white and dark chocolate and - you guessed it - macademias! Still not cheap, even here. However, well worth seeing how these tasty nuts grow, and the crowded chicken bus ride there and back was as entertaining as always.

And on Saturday we climbed Volcan Pacaya. About a 3.5 km climb, initially through a steep wooded area which provided some welcome shade. On the early part of the track we were followed by 4 youngsters leading saddled horses, offering us a ride to the top. As we slowly trudged onwards and upwards, the horses followed us ever more closely, a bit like equine vultures. By halfway two had dropped back, scenting easier prey lower down the slope, but we still had two faithfuls who hung on for a while longer. Towards the top, the trees and vegetation ended and we emerged on a desolate black lunar-like landscape of jumbled old lava flows, fissures, huge rocks, and lava chips and dust underfoot. With no shade trees it was hot, but well worth it for the truly spectacular views. We picked up rocks which had embedded mineral crystals, and some which still smelled strongly of sulphur. We could (almost) see the Pacific coast, and could see where the coastal clouds began. Excellent views of the other three volcanoes surrounding Antigua, one of which (Volcan Fuego) is still live, and erupted while we were there. A huge cloud of smoke and ash appeared from Fuego's crater, some miles away, and several seconds later we heard its distinctive throaty rumble. We couldn't go on to Pacaya's crater, as this volcano is also alive and kicking, continually smoking and belching out hot sulphurous gases. Our guide said that it used to be possible to reach the crater before the last major eruption (4 yrs ago), but not since then. Pacaya is 2,500 metres high (around 8,000 ft) so plenty high enough to see if we were going to suffer from altitude sickness (thankfully, no) or shortage of breath (oh, yes!). It used to be even higher until the last eruption blew it's top off.

So, unfortunately no photos of red-hot lava this time, but a few showing just how active volcanoes abound in a line from Mexico, through Guatemala and on to Honduras and Nicaragua.

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