Xela

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We get up early for the 8.30 bus to Quetzaltenango, chicken bus as expected but not a long journey. We arrive by lunch time. We get dropped at some random crossroads out of town so a taxi takes us to the hostel in the book. They only have one dorm which turns out to be the weirdest dorm ever. 22 beds, only 2 of which are bunks, the others are a random array of singles and doubles. It´s more like a commune where a suicide pact might take place. My bed is in the middle of the room and touching 3 others in a square formation! There is also a TV in one of the alcoves, because 22 people can always decide on one channel to watch!!!!
We have read that this is many people´s favourite town in Guatemala so wander around. We find not one thing of interest so start drinking beer. We then try and find a shuttle to El Salvador as we want some beach time. They do not exist from here, but we are offered one to Guat City for $30 then told we could get the tika bus to San Salvador for another $30! So we decide we will make up our own route on the chicken buses using the lonely planet map, as not even a local can tell us how to do it...
The rest of the day is quite dull as the town has nothing to offer so we find some chilean wine and rush back to get full rights to the dorm TV. 3 bottles of red wine later we are ready to sleep in what is also the coldest dorm ever as the door doesn´t shut! Early start tomorrow.

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