Tikal

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After surviving the harrowing drive back to pavement from Barton Creek Outpost, I spent my last night in Belize in a campground near San Ignacio. Once again, I was their only guest. This has become a recurring theme on this trip. I fear that this relative isolation will cost me even more of the marbles that I need to keep going.

It was a 30 minute drive to the border that took two hours to cross. I think I got through the money-changing, immigration, customs, and fumigation business pretty smoothly this time but I'm pretty sure I got ripped on the toll bridge due to being confused about how much the new money was worth. I hate borders.

I made good time in spite of the border nonsense. The road into the Guatemalan interior turned out to be in great shape other than a few construction zones that didn't cause a significant delay. I stopped for pizza in El Remate and made it to Tikal by early afternoon. I set up my tent in the spacious campground where, once again, I had the whole plae to myself. I entered the ruins early the following morning at 7:00 AM when the gates opened.

Tikal is one of those places that exceeds the hype. I stood around quietly dumbfounded as the mist in the jungle dissapated to reveal the pyramids. I didn't do a tour and I'm glad for that even though I didn't learn as much as I might have. I can read all about it later in a book. It was enough, for now, to wander and wonder.

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Comments

[Richamundo]

Just want to say hey!
Hey!

[CJ]

Incredible! Thanks for sharing your journey with us :)

[Garmen & Women Group]

Still Plannin' to 'do' "Central America"?
"Gray Finders" (LG) - Hey QM, she asked if you were on your way back? Back . . .? ? Several additional scenic & historic Central American countries exist between English-speaking Belize at the far north end, Panama way down at the south end, and some beautiful National Parks in Costa Rica in between, if of interest. If you are really feeling brave and make it that far, check and see if the Darien Pass (& any new extension of the "Pan American Highway") is open to cross into northern Colombia after the "Bridge of the Americas" over the Panama Canal. Be REAL CAREFUL there though. Your blogs are fun, keep it up! Thanks for sharing. It will be interesting to see how far you get into geographic Central America . . . and maybe beyond. Keep safe. Enjoy the people, scenery, history, and cultures!!