I have now been in Guatemala for exactly three working weeks and four weekends. For those of you who are already getting somewhat bored by this blog, here is the executive summary: I am having a blast. It has been many a year since my feet have been so profoundly reunited with a pair of flip flops, or my stomach so challenged by local cuisine (perhaps more of this later). Guatemala is green, rugged, old and developing, poor and profound, confused, confusing, magical more often that not, dirty in the cities, hot in the valleys, very mild in Antigua and certainly quite chilly in the mountains and on the volcanoes (see blog about Volcano Pacaya climb). Moreover, it has been a while since I have seen such a number of smiling faces with such apparent lack of concern for the troubles of the world. My Spanish lessons are proceeding perhaps not with all due haste, since partying with 20-somethings, checking out all the bars in Antigua and spending weekends trekking across the country collectively somehow seem to adversely affect time available to learn Spanish. But from time to time (and I suspect increasingly so in the weeks to come) I am actually forced to string some coherent sentences together (beyond just ordering a beer from a random - typically gringo - barman), and so it is indeed that I am starting to surprise myself in what I am able to communicate. I do not however hold out for the ambassodorial post to central America just yet.

So, in summary I am well, my stomach has more or less settled down (having been locked in a trench-warfare like stalemate with my tastebuds), my back is holding up (some of you have expressed concern about this ) and - true to Ed's prediction - I have found Antigua very charming. I plan to spend another two weeks here learning Spanish, and will then set off heading south through central America, with a couple of spots in Guatemala which I want to still hit, and then off to Copan and the Bay Islands in Honduras. I still need to work on the exact route.

That said, I was very sad to have missed the Springboks last game against the All Blacks, but it feels good to talk rugby with anyone who cares to in this part of the world (of which there are, predictably, not too many). Also missing a hot Jozi - it seems to have been a very long winter this year.

I am going to create a few seperate 'theme' / 'location' type blogs so that they make sense with the photos, and you can pick and choose what to read. Of course, also leave your thoughts on the message board.