So the last week has been spent in Xela, Guatemala with Spanish lessons for 5hrs every morning. It’s been a tough week with the feeling of being back at school, complete with homework to do every night. That combined with me being sick for a week with a mixture of unpleasant things doesn’t help.

Back on track now though and I braved a day out of the town on Saturday. Firstly we hiked over to the next town for their Saturday produce markets and then caught a van out to the base of an extinct volcano whose crater is now a lake. The hike up to the rim of the crater and then the return trek down to the lake was extremely difficult. The altitude (2,712m) didn’t help the jelly legs after being sick and inactive for over a week but I made it. On the way down the volcano I flagged down a ute and we hitched a ride an hour back to town.

Riding in the back of a ute is pretty standard here with people using it as a normal mode of transport. I was laughing and telling Megan about when I was younger and Dad would pack people into the back of his van and we’d travel to weekend touch football games. A towel across the back window and a comfortable seat on some carpet and we would be on our way.

Saturday was also eventful because the town had some celebration to do with 35yrs of something so they made a 35m long cake for everyone and had a street parade. There was also a small earthquake in the morning which is apparently pretty normal but definitely my first.

It’s Sunday now and it’s Megan’s turn to be sick so we’re taking a slow day before going back to school tomorrow. Plans are to take Wednesday off and hike Santa Maria then possibly the weekend doing an overnight hike to the highest point in Central America, Volcan Tajumulco.