Though we didn´t have much time in Guatemala (unscheduled visit) we packed in quite a bit of action while we were there. We fell in love with Antigua (and its coffee), hiked an active volcano, stood so close to flowing lava that the heat would burn your skin, and probably best of all we walked… alone… through the great ruins of Tikal.

Guatemala is a place we are sure to visit again. The culture and people are as vibrant as the fabrics they make. We could have spent days wondering through the markets and had our packs been a little bigger they would be stuffed with the finest cloth we have ever seen. As with Honduras the people of Guatemala were nicer to us than we deserve.

But as with most things, it´s not all cherries. Lindsey almost died in a hotel shower and while this does make a great story, it wasn´t much fun at the time. We couldn’t get out of Panajachel fast enough. It embodies all of the things we hate about traveling, the “Oh honey look! A local“ kind of town. Which made us feel cheap for being there like we had paid for an amusement park ride with real natives and everything. It could have been us in a funk but regardless it will not be on our route when we return. Good bye Guatemala, we barley knew thee…

Favorite moments:

• Hiking Pacaya
• Poking lava with a stick
• Walking the streets of Antigua
• Discovering Tikal
• Breakfast at Hostel 5
• Glorious Guatemalan Coffee
• Stunning handicrafts
• Mango Ice Cream
• New Friends

Not so great:

• Panajachel
• Deadly Hotels (Santa Rita)
• Being hounded to buy the stunning handicrafts
• Broken down buses in the middle of nowhere

Total Money Spent Per Person: $210

Average Per Day Costs Per Person:

• Lodging: $6
• Food: $9.50
• Transportation: $7.50
• Misc: $7.00 (Beer, Trips to the store, Park entrance, Guide Fees, etc.)

Total Average Per Day, Per Person: $30.00

Number of Days: 7