Remember I mentioned in the first entry that I didn't want to travel with Iberian airlines again? Well, it came back to haunt me (with a vengeance). The first flight was fine from London to Madrid. Now, on the second from Madrid to Guatemala I managed to get a great seat with stacks of legroom near the exit. It was about 2 hours into the flight, I had my legs stretched out, shoes off and totally relaxed and chuffed with myself for bagging such a great seat with no-one sat next to me. They had just served the meal and [View Full Entry]

---

---

Well, after a whole day yesterday of visiting the doctors and re-arranging flights, accomodation and school AGAIN i decided to take a day out of Antigua and go and chill at the beach at montericco. The shuttle picked me up from my house at 8am, a very civilised hour in this part of the world. Its a 2hr drive to montericco and the scenery along the way was stunning. Dusty Antigua and trashy outskirts eventually gave way to lush tropical volcanic forests and we drove right around Agua, the really big dormant volcano. It was absolutely gorgeous but my window didn't [View Full Entry]

---

---

geschreven op 8 mei 2005: Hola amigos, weer even een update vanuit Guatemala! Ik zal even beginnen waar ik de laatste keer ben geeindigd, inderdaad de overval, van vorige week dinsdag. Nou de volgende dag, woensdag, ik weer zoals altijd met mijn tasje de straat op! Ik moest namelijk een groot geld bedrag gaan pinnen voor de boeken die ik had besteld! Onderweg naar de pinautomaat, werd ik aangesproken door een Guatemalteekse jongen die aan me vroeg hoe laat het was. De eerste gedachte die in me opkwam was: "Je denkt toch zeker niet dat je mijn horloge kunt jatten, die [View Full Entry]

---

---

Sadly our timing has meant that we are visiting the lake during the rainy season, so we are unable to see to the other side nor the full glory of the volcanos that surround it. It does mean that the lake and its surrounding hillsides look very eerie, almost like a movie set... We opted to stay in Panajechel, as our accommodation is around $2 a night!!! The cheapest so far - however, it does mean that we have had to use an outside toilet and neither of us has been brave enough to venture into the shower (three days later [View Full Entry]

---

---

Ok, so I did resist for a while but ive been convinced by fellow travellers that this blogging thing is the way forward, so here i am. this is technically my second entry as i didnt get round to filling in everyones email addresses the first time as it took me the best part of an hour to find how to insert an @ sign!! i didnt know what it was in spanish so i couldnt ask! but you can all view my first entry whenever you like! there is a whole week of other events ill have to catch everyone [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hola! A funny few days in Guatemala since I last wrote! And an interesting turn in events... read on! As I mentioned, I was heading onto Lake Atitlan, which Aldous Huxley famously described as the most beautiful lake in the world. Surrounded by steep volcanoes and allegedly over 300m deep, it's certainly pretty stunning, but for me, Titicaca in Peru will never be surpassed. Sorry, Guatemala fans, just the personal opinion of a jaded old traveller, and based more on a emotional than visual level. But still, very lovely indeed! To try and tap into the spirituality of the place I [View Full Entry]

---

---

This weekend i went to Lake Atitlan. the school organised a shuttle from my house to Panachel, the main town on the lake. A couple of other students from the school were there so it seemed like it was going to work out well! It started out with me and three other girls from my school. Stephanie, Maureen and her friend Annie. I had booked a room at El Casa Del Mundo. ITs a gorgeous hotel right on the lake and its in a really peaceful position overlooking some volcanoes and 2 minutes walk from a tiny village called Jaibalito and [View Full Entry]

---

---

We both found it a little strange passing through Guatemala City as it feels like a long time since we have been in a busy city!! Apparently it is the murder capital of Central America - the direct shuttle bus out to Antigua was a very welcome sight!! Antigua is a really pretty, colourful town in spite of the number of times that it has been hit by earthquakes and rebuilt. Thankfully we didnt experience any tremors although there had been one the previous week. As a coincidence, a girl from the gym at home is currently studying Spanish here (Fifers [View Full Entry]

---

---

Had an eventful border crossing partly due to our lack of local money to exit Belize and partly to the inconsistenices of Guatemalan border officials!! We were joined on the bus by a local who persuaded us that his hotel was "very good price"and we should all stay there and ... the whole bus did!! Within minutes our arrival we were accosted by a guy from Essex(Steve) who hadnt spoken English or seen a Gringo for 3 weeks!! We couldnt shut him up or turn down his dinner invitation!! Several beers and much chat later - (including several references to a [View Full Entry]

---

---

Greetings again, this time from Antigua, Guatemala! Actually right now I'm in Guatemala City, somewhere which def wasn't on my itinerary. Am trying to sort out flights and the sheer incompetence of a particular Spanish airline has driven me to desperation, hence having to hang around in one of the world's most dangerous cities while they eat their lunch and prob take a little nap... ggrrrr!!! Anyway, onto nicer things... Since my last post have been doing some serious relaxing. If the Galapagos was Paradise on Earth, then Vilcabamba in the South of Ecuador must surely be the garden of [View Full Entry]

---

---