Around The World In 80 Waves

From Tilapa I get going quickly driving past countless sugar cane fields and one giant refinery, which is billowing smoke and smells of caramel, as I head away from the coast towards a village which has been recommended by a few people in the mountains.

On the way I see a delightful scene of four guys hacking to bits with machetes a cow which has been hit and killed by something on the road, followed imediately by a lad who can only have been about 10 years old trying to run down the road with one of its legs over his shoulders. No chance of any horse meat in that then!

Guatemala is Central Americas most mountainous country and I have to push the car hard as we climb the epic scenery.

I even manage to bump us across a landslide which has part blocked the road without incident.

Thankfully (and somewhat miraculously given the behaviour of other road users!) I arrive at Panajachel well before sunset and get settled into a cheap place very close to the Lake. I make use of my mosquito net for the first time because I am sure this place will be rife with them after dark and then go into town to check out this popular stop on the traveller circuit. 

I find a decent bar with wifi to catch up on my blog and other admin, but soon pass that up to chat with a lovely Finnish lady I met called Taru.

We get chatting after I explain my sister is currently working in Finland and I spend the rest of the evening getting the lowdown on things to do in the area and Guatemala in general because Taru has been here a few weeks already.

It isn’t a late night because I feel like I have been running on empty for a few days so head back to my room and the sanctuary of my mosquito net.