Quick update from the Mayan mountains, just outside a town called Lanquin.

Well, we´ve climbed out the jungle and have almost stopped sweating. Don´t get me wrong, the woolies haven´t exactly come out and cold showers are still very muich the order of the day, but it´s a lot more pleasant up here. And we´ve even seen rain. Only a short burst, but when it rains in Guatemala, it means it - dinner was downhill last night and we had to wade there with water running a third of the way up my calves / Claire´s knees.

The mountain scenary is glorious. Very green, very lush, a real change from what we´ve seen so far. Which helped on the journey up here in that it distracted us from our minibus driver´s antics. Anyone who get a powerslide out of a minibus with 16 people and their packs on board deserves respect, but also possibly sectioning.

The reason for being up here, other than the temperature, is Semuc Champey. We went out to the park yesterday to swim in the natural limestone pools, repel halfway down waterfalls before jumping the rest, swim thorugh caves with a candle (you may be beginning to spot the lack of a formal health and safety inspectorate in Guatemala) and tube down the river. Again, have a peak at the photos, but again they´re not going to do it justice. Suffice it say though, we slept very well last night.

Finally chilling out for a bit today. Given our hostel is a collection of palm-thatched huts on a river bank this isn´t such a chore. Dodging the hostel´s pet cow whilst doing your washing just keeps things interesting.

Next stop is Antigua, where we may invest in a Spanish course... my slightly rubber face and lots of gesturing it seems can only get us so far. I need a new range of insults / cries for help after 20 of us did 40mph down a dirt track standing in the back of a makeshift Bedford Rascal pickup truck yesterday. When in Rome.