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Published: March 30th 2010
Sheryl & Tula
Tula is the mum in our host Guatemalan family.We've both graduated from Spanish school! Our graduation consisted of us preparing a little speech to give to the rest of the school. Luckily that week there weren't too many students, we were still a little nervous though.
Although we've had a fantastic time in San Pedro and certainly clocked up a few experiences (I've not even told you about the black spiders and the huge orange one on the last night) we're happy to be moving on and getting a little closer to the beach again.
So, the journey. We were so prepared. We had money, food, water, tissues, no stomach issues of any merit.. we were ready for the 10.5 hr journey to Copan in Honduras. The first leg to Antigua was fine, a bit bumpy and slightly scary due to the silly fast speeds and crazy overtaking, but we're getting used to that. The second leg however, was a bit different. Firstly we nearly missed it because the guy told us we had two hours in Antigua rather than 45 mins, luckily we didn't believe him and headed back early only to see them loading our bags on to a micro van. Deep breaths. Then there
was the two unscheduled pick ups in Guatemala City, with the three hour traffic jam. Then the driver stopping on the side of the highway, grabbing his paper and running off, crossing the road, down a bit and in to the bushes.
Seriously now, what is it with people running out of cars in to bushes in Guatemala.
Anyway, after a much needed leg stretch and another offer from me to drive (which didn't go down all that well) another guy appeared from.. yes the bushes.. jumped in and started the rest of the journey. What amazed us was that just around the corner was a 'service station' of sorts. If they'd stopped there we could've had toilets and drinks etc..
So another 2 hrs later (we are now 5 hrs in to a journey with no toilet break) the guy finally stops. Steve and I buy a bottle of pop and go and join the toilet queue. The driver starts shouting over to us to hurry up. Well, he can just go hurry himself up!
So after a power wee and a gallop back to the bus we hurtle down the road knowing we have
another 2 hr drive to the border. The driver.. and this is the bit where things started going a little bit wrong, pulled in to a shopping centre, parked up and let two girls sitting in the front leisurely go to the shops.
The guy next to me nearly exploded
. When the two girls returned with a KFC I thought there was going to be a riot.
Well, we were back on the road, running two hours late, driving through scary roads, tired.. what else could happen. Oh yeah, of course, a guy in a car wants to turn left before we do so he shoots his gun three times in the air just to let us know. At this point there was nothing left to do apart from laugh.
We got to the border, we get a stamp from Guatemala to say we left, I personally think it should say 'I went to Guatemala and survived the crazy bus journeys'.
Anyway, we are here, in Copan, in the Hotel Iguana Azul. The hotel is beautiful, clean, clean and clean. I've had the best shower I've had in weeks and the nicest nights sleep since leaving home (no need for the washing line/mozzie net combo).
We're going to go and get some breakfast now and have a much needed lazy day.
Love you and miss you. Wish you could come for a bus journey with us. ;o)
S&S xx
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Gwen
non-member comment
Hi Sheryl and Steve
Hi Sheryl and Steve, loving your blogs. That ride sounds like it was a real endurance test - and pretty scary! I suppose you have to take the rough with the smooth though when you're travelling. Glad you arrived safely at the other end. Till later - Gwen (your Mum's second cousin).