Days 12-13, Tikal - Guatemala

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Crossing the border into Guatemala was as uneventful as can be, although getting off a bus in the middle of nowhere to catch a different one in "ten minutes" to take us on the final leg to Tikal was slightly unnerving.

On catching the next bus, our language limitations became apparent - emergency crash course in Spanish ASAP necessary, and we ran out of local currency when trying to enter Tikal Park.... Luckily lots of people appear to make this mistake, as there was a money changer opposite the entrance (exchange rate surprisingly good considering!) and our driver had just about enough patience to wait until we had got our tickets!!

Arriving at Jaguar Inn about 3pm, the park was all very quiet - a bonus to travelling during the low season - and they let us book our room and sunrise tour at the prepay only rate (phew!)

The room is a little bungalow, surrounded by jungle and we took a walk to Crocodile Pool, where we didn't see crocodiles, just lots of men fishing! Everywhere you can hear birds and insects and howler monkeys, very very cool!!

This morning we woke up at 3.45am for a sunrise tour, which the guide explained is more of a jungle awakening tour, as the mists in rainy season make it impossible to actually see the sun in the morning! Trekking through the pitch black into the Tikal ruins, we climbed temple 4, the largest in the Mayan city, to watch dawn break before a tour of the site. It was pretty difficult to be awake and alert so early in the morning but definitely worth the effort!

After breaking for breakfast and much needed coffee, we returned back to the ruins to investigate more of the site on our own. It was so quiet it was like discovering the acropolis for the first time! Rumbles of thunder should have warned us, but having been so lucky with the weather so far we were caught in a full on, proper traditional rainy season downpour. Turns out my boots are incredibly waterproof - once the water is in, its in!

Tonight we are in Flores, a lovely town on an island in Lago De Peten Itza before heading to Semuc Champey tomorrow morning!

(pictures to follow)

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