It's getting hot in here!

What a weekend! I traveled to Antigua Guatemala with three of my friends. We left Sat. morning and had quite a ride on the way there. The driver of our chicken bus was the wildest, most experienced, daring driver I have ever ridden with. Instead of waiting in the construction lines, he would simply bypass everyone who was waiting patiently and pull up to the front of the line. At one point, the ayudante got out of the bus and went and talked to the guys that were blocking up off, I’m pretty sure that he slipped him some money because the next thing we know, there are orange flags waving and three buses that were ‘on the line’ took off in the beginning of a race kind of way! We were taking corners at speeds that I wouldn’t dare to go in my little car. I’m not sure how we didn’t roll but it was like we were on a 3 hour roller coaster. You had to hold onto the bar in front of you. Otherwise, you would have ended up in the lap of the Guatemalan sitting next to you! By the time we got to Antigua (in only 3 ½ hours) we found a hotel and headed to lunch. Our goal for the weekend was to climb Pacaya and just relax. Luckily, we were successful in both goals and I am now home safely in Xela.

Pacaya was one of the coolest things I have ever seen. I have always been fascinated with volcanoes but I never thought I would be this close to actually lava. We hiked 3km up to the base of the volcano and when we finally crested the hill, we saw the lave for the first time. We were still a little ways from it, but we could already feel the heat! We climbed down to it and I was so close to it that the soles of my shoes started getting tacky. It was absolutely incredible!

Other news in Central America…not much. We only have 4 full weeks of school left and two weeks that consist of three days each so we are getting closer to the end of the school year. As of right now, I have the next couple weekends planned because my mother and step-father are coming! I have been so blessed to have family come down and visit! We are going to Lago de Atilan next weekend (the deepest, most beautiful lake in Central America) and then off to Tikal the following weekend! I will keep everyone updated as things happen! Let me know where you will be this summer so I can come by and tell you other stories as I travel around the states!

Until then!

Playlist:
Steady as She Goes by The Raconteurs
A Change would Do You Good by Sheryl Crow
These Days by Rascal Flats
Gotas De Agua Dulce by Juanes
Everybody's Free (to wear sunscreen) by Baz Luhrmann