Possibly the coolest (and scariest) thing I´ve ever done!

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Hill climbing? Check. Mountain climbing? check. Temple climbing? Check. Pyramid climbing? Check.

Volcano climbing?..................... Aha, one thing missing off my activity list before I have some self-deserved lazy days!

The town where I am now (Antigua) has 3 volcanoes which you can see from the town centre, but none have been active recently. Volcan Pacaya is over an hours drive from Antigua, but it is the only one where you can see real, proper, scary, massively hot lava!

It takes an hour and a half (boo!) to hike up to where the volcanic rock is. There are little kids that hire out walking sticks and you really need them- I think my stick saved my life several times.

The volcanic rock was so weird. It was so sharp that if you slipped or fell it would tear your clothes (or skin!) to shreds. I was soooo scared. It also feels really weird to walk on as it is kind of hollow and brittle. I was convinced I was going to plunge through it to the lava beneath. In some places where there were gaps you could see the red hot lava underneath. If you stayed in the same place for too long you could feel the bottoms of your shoes getting really hot. It was sooooooo weird!

There was one really big lava flow and lots of smaller ones. It was so amazing. I couldn´t believe that we were able to get so close. If the wind blew towards you from where the lava was then it was nearly unbearably hot! At one point I was on a piece of rock and was so scared I didn´t want to move, but then it was so hot that I had to because I thought I was going to melt!

Anyway, I survived to tell the tale and I´m so glad I went! The walk down was much more fun than the way up as it was in the dark and our guide took us back a different way where we had to do big slidey leaps down volcanic sand. I know I've said this before, but I've definitely had enough activity for at least a week or 2! xxx

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Photos

Me and my stick!
I quite fancied myself as Little Bo Peep, but unfortunately there were no sheep.

Marsmallow fun!
Forgot to bring little sticks to roast the marshmallows on, so the end of my walking stick had to suffice!

Comments

[Matthew]

Volcano... schmolcano!
...and to think, you could've whiled away your days at home watching Trisha or This Morning!! It looks and sounds amazing out there... up there...!! Come back safely, but I guess you've some more dare-devil adventures and South American mountains to climb first... enjoy! Mx

[Hannah]

Am pleased you've got that one out of your system. Not sure my adventurous streak stretches as far as being burnt alive! Please look after yourself, I expect our welcoming committee to be in one piece. See you two months today!!! xxx

[jessica Bad egg Dyas]

Brave Big Sis
yum....marshmallows!!!!!! ( you look skinny- eat some more!)Wow that's really scary! I'm suprised your wierd little toe didn't melt off! HEEEE! go brave sister, GO!!!!!!!xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Chi]

volcanoes
ohhh I love volcanoes!!!!! :-))) keep going sophia... and heey just to make you feel like a geek again: I like your blog! :p