Day 12 Panajachel

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Mon 15th Guatemala
We awoke early & packed our stuff. We loaded the collectivo & settled in for the long drive to Panajachel. The journey was uneventful. At the border I avoided the $27 Mexican Departure tax by simple saying "yo regresso" " I return" to the border official. Uffe & I had some fried chicken from a road side stall at the crossing while we were trying to change our pesos to quetzales. He was very ill for days afterwards, I was fine. The rest of the guys got a bug later but it did not effect me. We got another collectivo on the Guatemalan side, this guy tied the backpacks very precariously so we helped with the tying to ensure the packs arrived with us.
We stopped for coffee in Huehuetenango, a small town in the western highlands of Guatemala. That was the first thing I noticed about was how hilly the country was. It seemed a little poorer compared to Mexico but it was really beautiful. With all the conifir trees & hills its seemed more like Europe than Central America. The rugged green reminded me of Croatia a little.

We drove all day and the 3 volcanoes San Pedro, Atitlan, & Toliman that surround Lake Atitlan were getting bigger as the winding road neared them. They hills were drapped with clouds, then wind cleared them & the sun was bursting through all the time. We arrived at 7pm had dinner & went to bed early as we were tired.

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Photos

Border Crossing
Welcome to Guatemala