Ok new update! im good at keeping everyone updated!

So decided to go to the beach this week instead of back for more spanish, i needed a little break. So the easiest way to get to monterrico was either to travel from Guate City or from Antigua, so we got on the chicken bus in Xela heading for the city then decided yes Antigua it is, as the buses wouldve taken about 8 hours in total on hot uncomfortable and with no guarantee there was one going that day. And im glad we did cus they are few and far between to Monterrico.
So we spent the night in a smelly hostel room and i met up with old friends and had a few to drink. Winston happened to be in the same hostel, he had checked in the day before and we thought he was in El Salvador so bit of a surprise to see him there. We went to an Irish bar here and took part in a pub quiz and came second but only lost by a few points...so disappointing, we couldve done with the money cus Kerry had 2 guiness cans and it cost her Q130. she nearly fell off her chair. thats 2 nights in a hostel in antigua or like 2 days food! shocking!

So we were told to be outside the travel office at 5am to catch the chicken bus. At 5:15 still no sign of anyone...finally just after 2 guys turned up and asked if we were going monterrico and to follow them. We walked to the bus terminal and the bus left at 5:30am. The bus was hilarious...it had dodgy gears which crunched and refused to go into gear sometimes, which made us wonder whether we´d make it. but we limped into town at 9am having had one of the 2 conductor guys staring at us the whole way...literally. We are a white spectacle to them i guess and must be rather mesmerising. he tried to talk to us but we were so tired and not really in the mood cus he was odd. its so cheap chicken bussing around and actually good fun at times.

So we checked into hotel El Delfin which was nice. we opted for a room near the sea. it was so hot in Monterrico. The hotel had a pool so bonus!!! The Pacific Ocean was incredible. Its so rough in Monterrico with about 15 foot waves. on our second day the waves came right up to the hotel and inside and people got washed out of the hammocks! The locals working in the hotel kept coming out in disbelief at how high and rough the waves were. Wouldve been a surfers paradise but only pro surfers!
So we decided to go out for lunch in one of the local comedors. One of the dogs, Luna, from the hotel decided she´d come with us. She started barking at a local dog then the local dog didnt like her and Luna got scared and hid behind us when we left the comedor. She also walked infront of a bike and got hit and yelped. Thats when we realised she is not used to being out of the hotel or beach. So we felt responsible. She came into the supermarket with us and went into the back room! we didnt know her name at this point! then i spotted the chicken bus coming hurtling down the road and shes pottering around in the middle so we call her and not knowing her name she ignored us. Chicken bus still speeding towards us i decided to run into the road and try to grab her but she moved and i thought the bus wasnt going to stop so i moved but it slowed down a bit and was the same 3 driver and conductors as earlier so this gave me enough time to run into the road and scare her out of the road. As soon as she moved i grabbed her collar and the bus continued but was a hairy moment. i think the only reason they stopped is cus the dog was with us, if not theyd have run her over. Damn dog! we took her back then and found out that she never leaves the hotel! but then she followed us everywhere except when we left!
The town itself was dead, no tourists, only locals but still dead. No wifi anywhere, internet in 2 places, small supermarkets, barely any vehicles, dogs and chickens wandering the streets...it was like a ghost town. We were gona stay until Saturday and decided to leave thursday afternoon instead on the only chicken bus of the day at 3pm. while we were there we spent half our time in the sea and half in the pool playing volley with an inflatable ball, which luna swam in and popped! luna drinks and swims tiny little circles in the pool. so cute. The sea was amazing. we risked the waves and stood teetering on the edge and Kerry got swept away twice. It takes your feet out. Yesterday i was having a photo taken and didnt notice a huge wave come in and i got swept about 5 meters on my arse! so powerful. i have photos of it! so i can now say i have been in the Pacific.
Wednesday morning we got up at 5am and went on a boat along the river which was relaxing, so much so that 2 rises before 5am took their toll and we were almost asleep! We waited by the river edge for the guy Eric to bring the boat around and when he appeared there was a guy on there bailing loads of water out! the boat was almost submerged! when they arrived 3 men bailed it! we didnt sink though, i think its from the rain night before! was funny. we saw lots of birds and mangrove swamps and locals fishing. Was nice. I was so out of it though that when we got back on land it took 10minutes before i realised we were back in Monterrico. I thought we were going to a nature reserve!!! We saw the sun rise too which was lovely. There was nothing to do in the evenings which made for a long night and several early nights! Wednesday night there was a powercut from 7pm which lasted until 10am Thursday morning! Really back to basics there. We woke up the first morning with a Crab in our room too on the shelf! then yesterday morning Kerry woke up with a crab inside her mosquito net! and when she packed a crab ran out of her bag. Ive yet to find any but i havent delved deep yet! could be on in there somewhere! Also got eaten alive by mosquitos so when i went to bed i had to use their net and i looked like i was dead in there! Kerry took a photo in between killing herself laughing!

Same guys on the chicken bus and he tried staring at us again but left half way through the journey thank god. Back in Antigua we decided to pay a bit more and stay at the Black Cat hostel as we know its nice and know the people there. Last night we sat at the bar and chatted to a welsh bloke, a drunk mancunian girl and a random bisexual guatemalan man who was hilarious. When black cat bar closed me and kerry went out with my new friend the barman Beto and 2 of his friends. We went to a bar overlooking a pretty old church ruin. Kerry left before me so I stayed with Beto and he dropped his friends off in a town outside Antigua then he dropped me back at the hostel. People here are lovely and always make sure you get home safe :)

Today Kerry came up with the quote of the day... She wanted to change into a lighter top cus its so hot. She moaned ahhh i have a black bra on and i want to wear a white top ahh its such a hassle. then she stopped and a second later goes i really have no real problems do i! thats all that she can find to moan about!

So its the end of the road for me and Kerry tomorrow. Tonight is our last night together. Its gona be so weird without her here as we have been together for 5 weeks now. She has just booked her shuttle into El Salvador and im staying in Antigua until Sunday then im going back to San Pedro to study Spanish, I have arranged the same teacher again which is good and a friend Massimo has already arranged to meet me sunday. so should be ok getting used to being on my own. Plan at the moment after San P is Costa Rica still but i have a plan B if that doesnt work out and instead Il go Belize and Mexico. Hope i do costa now though.

Ok ive babbled on enough so im gona sign off until next time! hope all is well in Ingleterra. x