Guatemala´s Highlands

So our days in San Pedro were pretty much all about, Great Friends (we had a cool group of 8 amigos from Antigua), Budha Bar,

Zoo-La, great Indian, Asian & Middle Eastern Food,

Partying @ Freedom Bar, swimming and suntanning. We ended up there for about 6 nights I think, which is way longer than intended but it is a place where you can easily get trapped. Dave & I did manage to escape on our last full day there however for a walk (which ended up as hitch) around to San Marcos, stopping of at this great little Mirador for some fantastic views of the lake. San Marcos was really beautiful, with crystal clear water and great viewsand we had a great day checking out some of the town's fine bars and restaurants before hitching a ride home and spending 1 last night in Freedom.

We were up early the next morning to head back to Antigua for Lilla's last night in Latin America before she took off to London a little early to start a serious life again. It was just the four of us in the end (Lil, Dave, Johnny Boy & I), but as what has now become the standard, John couldn't quite make it out of bed in time for the early bus and rocked into Antigua some 8 hours later. We were back at the BC for our final night and although we had plans to hit up the BVSC again, Lil & I opted for a nice romantic dinner just the 2 of us and a great bottle of champagne before joing the rest of the crew at the local Thursday night hotspot, which pretty much ended in all the shenanigans that San Pedro offered.

I saw Lilla off at the airport the following morning very early before making my way towards Lanquin & Semuc Champey. The boys were supposedly on my tail, but I had a hunch that they were going to be atleast a day behind, so after almost 12 hours in transport, I pulled the chair to the river, jumped in for a swim and grabbed a cerveza to sooth my thirst. I spent the next morning also by that river, awaiting the arrival of my amigos before Dave rolled in at about 1:30 that afternoon, John last seen drinking Sambuca at 1 the afternoon priror, still sleepless. I introduced him to the shed and we grabbed some lunch and a few rounds of Uno before trying to hit the caves in Lanquin without enough people, which just meant more cards and lounging.

The shed (a hammock filled, open walled, tin room which was our abode at El Retiro) got us up quite early with some nasty sun light shining straight into our eyes, but El Retiro offered enough of nothing to do in the morning to keep us occupied whilst we awaited old Johnny boy to arrive. He hadn't showed by cave time, but this time there was enough people so we headed there to check the cool formations & bats, before inner tubing down the river back to El Retiro and to our complete surprise (we had pretty much given up on him), John was actually there awaiting! Some dinner and a few not so happy hour specials and off to bed, ready for another big day in Semuc Champey.

We shot off at 9, hoarded like cattle in the back of a pick-up and after 30 minutes of gruelling uncomfortableness finally arrived. We hit the Miradoe first for some great views of the river and pools before shooting down to the pools for a dip or 2, some lunch and some further refreshing in the amazingly turquoise, beautiful waters. Just after lunch time we hit the infamous SC Caves, a little crazier than the caves in Lanquin, you have to swim through a lot of it, with a candle in your hand to lead the way and nothing to hang on to. It wasn't too long until John gave up on the whole candle idea and just tried to keep his head above water. There were some jumps, slides and climbs, but we had plenty of fun, then we headed out to the bridge that runs over the main river for some 9-11m tumbles!

Us and some Vikings headed out for some dinner last night in town (we got over El Retiro's pricey vegi options), before heading home for some more hysterical shithead and an earlyish nights sleep before our trip Tikal way this morning. Stuck in Coban with not a hell of a lot to do at the moment but wait for our bus, John actually made it up and left with us on time this morning, also seems as if he will be joining us in Belize and Mexico, loose........

Photos not co-operating again (surprise) but will get there soon

Islands to Ruins

So Vegemite kept us powering through our final fun filled days in paradise, I finished up with 2 of my best dives of all time on Thursday before we spent Friday down on the beach and back at Foster's for a final fit of shenanigans.

We trooped hard all day Saturday after a way too early ferry ride from Roatan to La Ceiba, but our destination was Copan Ruinas and after 14 hungover hours of transportation we finally made it. A very tranquil night was had in what is now the very popular and extremely touristy town of Copan Ruinas, 1 km down the road from the actual ruins which we hit first thing the next morning. It was really good being back in Copan and to check out the new tunnels under the ruins as well as the museum which was closed when I was there some 8 years ago.

Shoot back to Copan and jump on a bus for Guatemala . The usual border craziness on the way and another stamp in the passport, bringing me up to country number 17 (this trip). Have really had an awesome time in Honduras, so good to be back after so long, it was like finishing what was cut short in 98 thanks to Mitch. We spent a night in Guatemala City, a big stinky place with not much to do but we hit Zona Viva for some dinner and drinks. We had to change some flights around in the morning (for like the 10 th time) before we could continue our journey Davewards to Antigua .

From the last email that we received from Dave, all we could figure out that Hot Chips were Sold Out and he was staying in a room with a view, whatever the hell that was supposed to mean. But we rocked up to the Black Cat and sure enough he was there awaiting. The four days following this encounter was pretty much spent at various bars, pubs and discos catching up on old times and taking the piss out of anything that moved.

Antigua is still a really cool place, it has definitely left it's alternative, hippy feel to it though and has become so much more gringo than I ever thought could be possible, but these things happen. We had a good time there nonetheless and enjoyed exchanging stories from around the globe. Other than chin wag and raise glasses, we climbed to the top of a Volcano to feel the intesnity of its lava flowing path. We were lucky enough to then spend the evening with the legends of the Buena Vista Social Club. 2 of the original Cuban guys now live in Antigua (exiled from Cuba) and they rocked the place big time! Off to an After Party till wee hours of the morning before heading home to snooze.

Our last day in Antigua was very lazy (as are most in this part of the world) but we made up for it in the evening when a group of about 8 headed out for Happy Hour, Pizza and craziness that saw me home late and falling from my second story Bunk Bed even later. Dave & Lilla thought it was rather funny, but I didn't seem to think so when I was awoken several hours later with multiple saw limbs. We jumped on the early bus headed for Pana, before ferrying across the lake to San Pedro where we lazed about in the arvo before chilling out at Budha's with several cervezas and Hooker Pipes. Loads of flavour and fun!

Finally some promised Roatan shots!

Lilla & I teach the locals how to swim

lots of drinking before dancing

So did carina & this guy!

West End Sunse

our west end kittens

the jetty crew

the famous jetty, we didn't leave it often

look at that tan line

Pete, our local vegie neighbour

hammock colapse action

da bombbomb

the snorkelling is almost as good as the beach

perfect

strolling along west bay

Not a bad view from the restaurant

This is how happy I get when I find some good seafood!

Just another day at the iguana farm

Crazy animals

Why didn't anyone tell me there were 1000 iguanas around me!?

Hello there

The beach paradise we crashed by scooter

whoops

Isn't it beautiful

Pretty active round these parts

I love 2 shower with monkeys!

Lil pretending she can burn rubber like me

Another brilliant view from Roatan

Who remembers the streets of Copan ever being this busy!? You should see Antigua!

King Rabbit the 18th keeps his eyes on the prize

What's Cooking?

The New King of Copan

Tha famous ball court of death

Intricacy plus

Lilla gets friendly with a rock star!

The Mayans must have been about views

The King

New Age Security Methods

Is anyone there?

Spooky stuff

Ruined churches

Destroyed

Quacked

Communal Laundry in the Old Capital

Volcan Pacaya

lots of hot as shit lava

and there's lots more