Being in Guatemala and deciding what to do next

After a few undecided days, my mind made itself up pretty easily about what I'm going to do with the next couple of months. My next flight currently leaves Panama City for Ecuador on 30th June, and I'm going to try to catch it if I can. If I can't, I'll push the date back, but only by a week or so. I've met so many people that are coming north from South America, and although Central America is great for beaches, diving, wildlife and jungles, they've all said that all the really great things about their trips happened in South America. Since I have to be home by November at the latest due to impending birth of niece or nephew number two, and because my funds may only take me as far as September or October, any time I spend in Central America is cutting down my South America time.

I've also decided, after much heart wrenching, not to go to Cuba. I know deep down that this is a decision I may live to regret, but the flight, the visa and the expense of being a tourist there would mean a 5 day trip would come to about 600 pounds. I've also heard lots of not so great stories about the hassle that solo Western women get there, and I just can't be bothered with facing it anymore. Like India, I think I will wait until I can go there with the protection of a male.

Incidentally, although I am aware that there is such a thing as swine flu, you don't hear about it at all here. I've met lots of people that were in Mexico during the 'worst' part of it, and they said that it wasn't actually that bad. Many only heard about it at all because people that had seen the press coverage in England were calling them to check they were still alive...

Anyway, what have I been doing since Flores... Well, I've pretty much been in paradise for the last 4 days. Semuc Champey is in the middle of Guatemala, it takes hours to get to on a dirt road, and there's nothing there but scenery, but it is possibly the most idyllic place I've ever stayed in. Semuc Champey itself is called the 8th wonder of the world here. It's a series of pools formed by a limestone bridge that grew over a section of the river in a really deep valley. Ok, so nature was never my strong point and I've explained it badly, but it was incredibly beautiful, and that's all you really need to know. We went swimming in the fresh water pools, went tubing down a bit of the river, went into some cool caves that you had to swim through... I could have stayed there for weeks.

We were all staying at El Retiro in Lanquin, about an hour's drive on bumpy mountain road from Semuc Champey, which hands down wins the award for best hostel I've ever stayed in. It's on a hill going down to the river, which you can swim in, hammocks abound, the people are great... If they charged 25 pounds a night I'd still have stayed there, but as it is I payed 25 quetzales (a bit less than 2 pounds) to stay in the hammock room and get woken up by the hostel's cow mooing right next to us in the morning.

I really didn't want to leave, but had to, so here I am in Antigua, which is easily the most touristy and developed place in Guatemala. It reminds me of Oaxaca, and San Cristobal de las Casas in Mexico, but also of Luang Prabang in Laos and Siem Reap in Cambodia: every poor country has one perfect colonial city where everything works and you can get pizza.

I'm only here until tomorrow, sorting things out today and not really doing very much. I watched Pulp Fiction over breakfast in the hostel today, and I might read in a hammock later on if I can find the energy. Yesterday was a really big day - I climbed a live volcano! Volcanoes are everywhere in Central America, but Pacaya is still very much alive, and has actual lava running down the side of it. It took an hour and a half of hellish uphill walking followed by climbing over hot volcanic rock to get to the lava, but it was worth it to be able to say that I've roasted marshmallows in lava at the top of a volcano and lived to tell the tale. I know this is a rather stupid thing to write, but I had no idea that it was going to be so hot up there; I felt like I had spent an hour in an oven by the time we left. I was wearing my white Primark trainers, which is all i have in terms of feet coverage, and my poor little feet were very very hot by the end of it all. I'm just pleased that my 2.50 pounds bought me enough rubber to stop the soles melting, which is apparently relatively common.