GTG (Good to Go) in Guatemala

     We made it to our temporary final destination, Quetzaltenengo (Xela), Guatemala. Final, because its where we plan to stay put for awhile, temporary because, well,  nothing is final. We rolled into town with the plan to scope out a Spanish school to attend, and get out on a trek with Quetzaltrekkers, the group that we wanted to volunteer with. We settled on a school with a pretty large enrollment (25 students/week or so), but also great one on one instruction and fun daily after class activities. The trek we settled on was a three day hike from here to Lake Atitlan, and this was our first order of business.

     We were really excited to see how the QT operation worked and getting out on a hike we could see it from a clients perspective. At the pre hike meeting we met the guides, met the other hikers (11 total), got our gear and food and/or equipment that we were responsible for carrying. The guides were great, informative and friendly, and some of the clients proved to us that you will always have a challenge client on each trek. For the most part all of us clients got along great right of the bat. Good to go. 

    The next morning we met for breakfast at the office, packed up and hit the road to catch our "chicken bus"(which is what the call the buses that  they use for public transportation here). Up the road for about a half hour to our starting point. We waste no time going up at a pretty good pace. The first two hours or so were the most difficult of the day. The steep forest gave way to open farmland, and our higest elevation of htis hike at about 3600 meters. The higher elevation was definatley a challenge right away, but more level terrain helped to ease the heavy breathing. The rest of the day was spent rolling up and down the countryside and some pretty awesome views. By the late afternoon

we could no longer avoid the rain. A heavy downpour helped speed us along to our destination for the night, which was a small village and a friendly homestay. We got dry, got fed and got to bed.

  Day two was much of the same, exercise and dramatic views. Our second night was spent at the home of the friendliest of old dudes, Don Pedro. Here we had a home cooked meal, a fire pit and cold beers.

 

   Day three started at 3:00 am and a easy hike out of the village to a mirador (vista) of the lake and volcanos where we would get back into our  sleeping bags to watch the sunrise and have breakfast. Even though we had some storm clouds, and a thunderstorm in the distance, this was one of the best sunrises these eyes have ever taken in. After a few hours we made our way down to the lake by way of a network of locals trails through  their coffee farms. At the bottom of the trail, in the town of San Jose, we sat for a rest and a cup of some local joe. We then took a tuk-tuk a town over to San Pedro la Laguna where we spent a few hours relaxing and swimming in the lake. In the afternoon, we took a bus back over the mountains to Xela, unloaded our gear and said our goodbyes. A few more days of relaxing and exploring the city, then we begin Spanish school. Initial Guatemalan adventure is a success. 

At least 7 volcanos are visable from here.