The Not So Graceful Arrival Into Guatemala City

I felt a lump forming in my throat and tears threatening to run from my eyes as I put my books and iPad into my backpack on the side of the highway. Because I didn't have the gumption (or the Spanish skills) to ask the driver if it would be possible to drop me off close to Zona 1 where my hostel was located I just waited patiently for the stop in Guatemala City. 

We just seemed to keep getting further from the centre, and I was starting to become more angry with myself for not having put more effort into my Spanish. The driver had this entire conversation with another passenger so I thought maybe he had made special arrangements to drop him off when we pulled over in a weird place. I did however ask the driver if that was the only stop in the city and he said no. He must have not had a clue what I was on about...

Because there I was on the wrong side of the highway twenty some-odd kilometres from the city centre. Thankfully I had Tompers with me so I wasn't completely alone in the dark......

As I saw it there was only one thing to do, start walking. So that is what I did. The sun had only just set so it wasn't quite completely dark yet, but I knew I wouldn't have a lot of time and I had a lot of ground to cover. I could also hear my best friend's voice in my head telling me how dangerous Guatemala City is, and I was going to be robbed, kidnapped, raped or worse..... murdered. Causing the tears to threaten once again. I finally came to a pedestrian overpass, this was the last time I let myself feel sorry for myself. There was nothing more I could do now than just keep walking, keep my wits about me, and keep an eye out for a chicken bus or collectivo heading into the city. With new resolve I pulled up my panties and quickened my pace, after all I intentionally travel with my 40L backpack for exactly this purpose.

Up ahead on the corner I saw a taxi letting some people out! I caught up to him and asked him "Cuánto cuesta.... por .... zona uno?" ... he just laughed to himself, shook his head and said "mucho gusto" then drove off. I took this to mean there was no way he was driving into the city. The next taxi told me 80Q which when the bus ticket there was only 100Q I just could not rationalize paying that for a taxi. I decided I shall keep walking until the price goes down, or I get scared.

After walking for over a half hour I decided it was time to get serious about catching a chicken bus or collectivo. I had seen the slums we drove through and I did not like the idea of walking through them one bit. At this point it is proper dark out and my shadow in the street lights has made me nervous more than once.

Suddenly the traffic had slowed to a crawl and I walked past a chicken bus and I thought fuck it I could just ask if they are going into the city. At this point believe it or not I was still not passed the exit to bypass the city all together.  So I turned around and asked and they said no. At this point the window of the new pickup truck just in front of me rolls down and in perfect English I hear...

"Do you need a ride"

The Struggle

I'm actually sitting in the rain in a hostel in the middle of the mountain is Guatemala as I write this. They have no wifi so what else is a girl to do? I'm definitely struggling with writing. 

There was something so liberating about parting ways with my travel friends. Don't get me wrong I love them and enjoyed travelling with them, I was just ready to be on my own again. There is something so freeing about not having to worry about anyone other than Tompers. He's pretty low maintenance like. They were probably so happy to go on their own way and not have to deal with my insane diet.

Since I left Canada I have been glutined at least a half dozen times, I'm so terrified of eating in restaurants now. It is literally THE most frustrating thing on earth. I can not tell you how many times I've wanted to just enjoy a cold beer especially as we were spending our time on the beaches. 

I should mention I'm also sitting here tonight quite hungry because I haven't eaten much today and I am terrified to order anything and there are no stores to walk to.. looks like protein powder for dinner for this girl again. I have to admit I have started to get used to feeling hungry all the time.

She Thinks Belize is a Third World Country

I've gotst all the monies in the worlds... She says as she asks me if I think they will give us more wine.  That is the question... 

I love that this turn of events has us sitting with an empty seat between us at the back of the plane. The flight attendant asked us if we had been cut off and that was why we were asking her, we haven't been and turns out we can have more wine. Happy Days! 

A hilarious revelation also came to light, my dear paranoid friend informed me that she already has her money belt on. She is so paranoid someone is going to rob her she brought a decoy bank card. *insert hysterical laughing face here* She says and I quote "I'm prepared for my robbery" I should also mention that she already explained to me her action plan to save her swim suits in the event of a robbery...

This is what I'm dealing with. She's trying to shove glutinous crackers in my face.. And apparently we are headed to a third world country... Jaysus, Mary & Joseph.... 

Day two is off without a hitch... 

"As soon as we start going down they are going to cut you off from that thing anyways"

Snowflakes & Delayed Flights

After a stressful day of finishing up all the bits, I found myself sitting at the airport drinking wine with my dear friend waiting for our flight to depart. After a series of events, she ended up on the same flight with me after all. So here we are bound for Calgary through a snowstorm. 

Turns out going through airport security with climbing chalk and protein powder wasn't nearly as bad as bringing the nail clippers, sunscreen, and razor cartridges. Two out of three made it through and it's not like I really wear sunscreen anyway.

Leaving home is alway tough. I'm always worried while I'm gone me ma might finally decide to kill my pup pup. So I always say goodbye to him with a lump in my throat and tears threatening to run from my eyes. It is even more soul crushing now because he can't hear me tell him how much I love him.

This trip is a new sort of anomaly for me. I have virtually no plans and really don't even know what I want to do while I'm travelling. I can sort of see the end goal as getting to Europe for at least a few weeks before returning to Canada but everything is very much up in the air.

The pack pack I swore I would not take on another trip is packed full yet again. This time with my day pack inside it, weighing a total of 27 pounds. I'm trying to blame the protein powder but who really knows at this point. I thought I had streamlined my packing down to such an art, when I found myself still trying to cram the last bits into my pack I was frustrated and annoyed with myself. The dreams of travelling in twenty litres seem so far off. 

I'm most indifferent to this adventure because all I can think about is climbing rocks. All I want to do is be better, and become stronger. Yet here I am flying off to a land that has very little information about climbing listed online. And my Spanish is still shockingly bad.

I guess this means it is time to be on. In a constant state of putting myself out there and reaching out to make new friends. This should be an interesting shift in my travel life. I'm definitely ready for a clean break. 

Here is to dawn patrol and morning runs, early nights and tropical rainstorms... 

Day one, one hundred and eighty some odd days to go.

Life is grand