Arriving into Guatemala & a week in Antigua

Arriving into Guatemala City Airport at 6am was like an assault on very tired senses. We cleared immigration and customs fairly quickly and it was much like any other airport,

but walking out into arrivals was a new experience. There were so many people stood 5 people deep behind barriers waiting to greet a loved one, and they all carried balloons and flowers and sparkly things. It was intense. We were craning our necks to see someone carrying a sign with my name on it as I had pre-arranged a transfer to our hostel, but there was no-one that we could see. It was clear that with so many people around we could easily miss our ride and after nearly an hour of waiting (and searching), we contacted the hostel on using the free Airport WiFi over Whatsapp and soon a taxi appeared for us. Travelling is definitely made so much easier with smart phones and the availability of WiFi in most countries, I have lost track of how many times my phone has gotten us out of a jam and of course it allows us to keep in touch with friends and family in a way that wouldn't have been possible 10 years ago. The world feels so much smaller now.

We quickly hit the hay when we got to our accommodation and woke up 24 hours later, unfortunately when we woke up Garry was unwell. He had picked up a bit of a sniffle that developed into a nasty cold over the next day and had to take to his bed again. Thankfully we did get a chance to explore the city a bit that first day or so before Gaz was forced to rest and recuperate.

We only stayed for a about 3 days in Guatemala City, mainly because it's not really a place that tourists are encouraged to stay. There are numerous blogs online that will advise that the city isn't a safe place and that there isn't much to see. I guess like most cities there are areas that you would be cautious of going to, and you probably wouldn't walk around much at night, but we didn't feel unsafe or unwelcome in Guatemala city. In fact, by walking around the place we were able to see a lot of the architecture, churches and monuments and really get a feel for the centre of the city. Most travellers pick up a transfer from the airport to Antigua de Guatemala, a beautiful historic town a few hours away, or they stay in the city for 1 night before moving on, but we like to take our time and do things our own way, and I have to say a few days in the city was a good experience.

We did a bit of research online (while Gaz was feeling poorly) and found a small minivan transfer to Antigua de Guatemala that we could afford (some of the transfers were fairly expensive so you do need to keep looking and comparing prices to get the best deal). The minibus transfers in Guatemala are the recommended way to get around this country. You can take the colourful chicken buses and they are very cheap compared, but they are rarely direct requiring several changes, not comfortable (they are ex-US school buses) and your luggage is usually strapped to the roof and it is apparently common for luggage or possessions to go walkies. The minibus transfers are far from luxury, and often not that comfortable, but they are definitely a safer and more direct option. Our transfer from Guatemala City was supposed to take about 3 hrs to get to Antigua, but the traffic getting out of the city was awful and it turns out that this is pretty normal. We actually got there in 4.5hrs but we quickly found our hostel just a couple of blocks from the main square, a cute colourful place with private rooms and a rooftop kitchen and communal area with a view over the town and a wonderful little friendly dog called Luna.

Volcan de Fuego erupting to wish me Good Morning!

The first morning I woke early and left the still fairly groggy Gaz to sleep. It was 7am and the hostel was silent. I decided to go upstairs, make a coffee and catch up on some of my blogging. I was in the kitchen making my drink and I heard a loud sound, but it seemed like it was a long way away - I assumed a car had backfired a few streets away, or something like that. I wandered over to the edge of the rooftop to take in the morning view, and it was only then that I realised the sound I had heard was a volcano erupting! There are several volcanoes surrounding the town, and one of them had a mushroom cloud building above it. I subsequently learned that Volcan de Fuego erupts regularly throughout the day and the smoke is a common sight. In 2018 the volcano had a big eruption that tragically killed 300 local villagers, and since that point there have been small eruptions happening very frequently, sometimes hourly. It is thought that the small frequent eruptions allow the pressure to be released and in doing so may prevent a much larger event. To see it though is something special. That morning, in the early light, to see a volcano erupt for the first time was a special moment and I was desperate to share it with someone, but no-one was awake. So I grabbed my phone and took a photo before the smoke cleared :-)

The town of Antigua is a major destination for backpackers, mainly due to it's picturesque streets of colourful buildings, and the points of historic interest like the old monastery and convent that can be found 'just around the corner' and in the shadow of the incredible volcanoes that line the landscape surrounding the town. There are restaurants and cafes in abundance, and a number of plazas that are the hub of activity in the early evening with people selling their textiles and souvenirs or street food vendors offering bags of sliced melon and pineapple. The warm and vibrant culture is everywhere, from the tuk tuk taxis to the ice cream sellers, to the fruit and vegetable markets and the traditional clothing that the older men and women wear. Guatemala feels alive here and really gets under your skin. its such a great town to explore, and every day you find something new to see. We spent about 5 days here and we could have stayed longer.

The hostel was a small quiet place, fairly comfortable but for the odd unpleasant damp fusty smell in our room that was definitely worse when it had been closed up for the day! It wasn't so bad that we complained, but enough to make you frown a few times a day. Interestingly, I know that if it was the UK, I would have complained and asked to be moved, but when backpacking I think you learn to accept a lot. To be honest we have stayed in (and will continue to stay in) some pretty rough accommodation. I like to say that as long as we have a private room and there is running water and a hot shower that we'll be ok, but in truth hot water is definitely not guaranteed, and even a flushing toilet is something you appreciate when it just doesn't! As long as I feel safe and secure (even if the door doesn't actually lock) and I have some way of using the toilet and washing I will make do. It's so amusing to me to think about the different standards I would expect and accept in the UK, compared to our budget travel. And then quite humbling to consider the harsh reality for so many people in the countries we are visiting where they would appreciate any kind of door to give them some privacy, and the idea of indoor plumbing is simply a dream concept. I think this type of travel forces you to step out of the bubble it is so easy to cocoon ourselves in, and makes a person more resilient and much more consciously aware and respectful of the other humans on this planet, which can only be a good thing.

While in Antigua we wanted to get out in the incredible landscape and after a little research we booked an ATV trip up Volcan Pacaya, a volcano that has been pretty active over the last century but has not erupted in very recent years.

On the ATVs we were able to drive to the volcano on local roads, waving at local families as we passed through the hillside villages, before off-roading on the lava fields which was pretty crazy. We had a great time. You had to be pretty confident and attack the terrain, which was quite challenging in some parts and I can't deny that I went from being very nervous to being over confident within about 30 minutes (almost coming off at one point as I attempted to drive one handed and film using my phone at the same time! I put my phone away after that adrenaline spike). One of the other people in the group came off his ATV 3 times, and one of the guides hit a rock with his ATV and went straight over the handle bars. I was amazed that everyone walked away with just scrapes and bruises. We all walked away covered in fine black dust from the lava fields, so I was sporting a fine 6 o'clock shadow.

Gaz was more adventurous than me on his ATV (of course!) and took off on his own across the side of the volcano, wheel spinning and sending dust clouds everywhere. In places the lava dust was deep and fine and it took an expert to get the ATVs out when they got stuck. I was pleased they were with us.

This trip was not really about the volcano, it was definitely all about the ATV off roading and it was good fun. The guide was even joking about the volcano saying that "it's just a baby one" (it didn't look that small when you're driving up it for an hour! lol).

Before long our time in Antigua had come to an end and we took a tourist shuttle to Lake Atitlan.

We knew that the next place we were staying in didn't have any kitchen facilities, it was basically just a room with bathroom and a terrace, but as we have a micro cooker, we intended to use that (in the room if necessary) to make a few meals, but we needed to buy a gas canister. While in Guatemala city we had searched so many shops and not had found any, but luckily we came upon a small camping/hiking shop in Antigua near the main square and were able to pick up a small can of gas before our shuttle departed.

The shuttle was packed with people and bags and fairly uncomfortable, but the journey was beautiful, heading through the highlands of Guatemala, and finally snaking down to the Lake through local villages and towns with views of the lake that were simply incredible.

We arrived in San Pedro La Laguna to find a bustling main street with so much life. Tuk Tuk drivers were beeping and cutting in front of us trying to convince us to let them take us to our accommodation, but we decided to walk with our packs exploring the mural covered alleyways and colourful back streets that were full of guest houses, small restaurants and cafes.

After about 1km of following our location dot on google maps, we arrived at a block of apartments. We managed to communicate in Spanglish with a lovely Spanish lady that welcomed us and were shown to our simple but comfortable room. From the building terrace you could see over the rooftops to the landscape hills around the lake and see the volcanos in the distance. With Christmas day very soon upon us, we were looking forward to the week ahead.