The Road to Coban

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After ensuring we were on a bus to Coban Guatemala and not Copan Honduras (small difference - big error to put right!) we started the 5 hour journey to Coban. Our main reason to come here before we head to Antigua city is Semuc Champey and Languin. the former is a series of waterfalls and natural swimming pools and the latter a series of caves full of bats which fly out in the evening and obscure the sky.

Only 8 of us in a 13 seater microbus as they call a minibus so relatively comfortable and cost only 12 quid each so although more than the local chicken buses definitely worth it. Made a crossing on a really weird ferry. Wooden and flat so the bus drove on then the ferry was powered by two men sitting either side of the ferry inside a 44 gallon oil drum with an outboard motor.

Saw the most amazing mountain ranges and went through tiny villages which all seemed to be doing their washing or selling their wares in the markets. When we stopped for a rest break in one town we were startled to see a rich looking woman being accompanied to the bank with an armed guard with a pump action shotgun. She was clearly carrying the biggest wedge of notes under her arm!

Only slight trauma was when we passed through a tiny very busy town and another truck drove into us - luckily we were going slow so they caught from the middle of the bus backwards. Thankfully no one hurt but what ensued could not have been further away from the same in London. No exchanging of addresses here but a long debate between the two drivers while they discussed the damage which the other driver finally after much denial agreed was his fault. During this time the whole village and I mean the whole village crowded around the bus looking at the damage tutting, backing the local man etc etc!

We were only 20 mins from Coban so an hour or so later we are in our hotel Pasado de Don Antonio which we are delighted was a much cheaper rate to turn up than we had spotted online! Even better only staying two nights and once we were in our room off the hotel courtyard a polite travel agent approached us and arranged our trip for Semuc Champey tomorrow and our direct tickets to Antigua for Monday morning so we were sorted (well bar getting the beers in!) within 30 mins! BTW we did have to buy the beers and menthols through an iron bar fronted shop but get this on a stocking up mode we bought 4 large cans of gallo beer, 4 packets of menthols and some water for 8quid-happy happy days!

love to you all and more soon.

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Photos

Ferry Crossing
Crossing the water by ferry before we hit the mountain region

Views of the mountains
Can never get bored on the bus with views like this