I'm knackered. Every morning in Guatemala. Up before 6:30am. This time, 5:30am, ready and waiting for the packed (literally every seat) tour bus bound for Volcan Pacaya. Pacaya is Guatemala's most active volcano, and a must-do for anyone passing through Antigua. It was a long, sleepy, rocky drive through the Guatemalan countryside to the foot of the mountain before a steep, steeper and even steeper hike up to the volcano. It's phenomenal. I'd read Pacaya was...

So that's it! My 1100km route around Guatemala, all in one week, is over. Its been rushed, hectic, and thanks to my decision to go to Guatemala's most active volcano tomorrow, for every single morning I've been in Guatemala I would have been up before 6:30am. I'm knackered. But then again, I'm going to be home in a few days. Despite much preferring the idea of going on to Mexico, Cuba or even Trump's America. Much of the drive on from Rio Dulce was on the same ...

Currently in Rio Dulce, on a brief-stop on the long journey from Flores to Antigua. We've now left the Peten, on a highway notorious as a major drug-trafficking route - from the world's most murderous city, San Pedro Sula, Honduras, up to the jungles of the Mexico-Guatemala border, perfect narco territory. The ride has mostly been a game of chicken between my bladder and my sweat glands - thirsty cos of the heat, sweating loads, but not actually doing anything s...

For the sixth Guatemalan morning in a row I was up before 6:30 in the morning, this time to head to Tikal. Tikal. It really should be ranked as a world wonder. Tikal was the largest city state of the Mayan civilization and was inhabited for well over a thousand years since 300BC. Whilst Copan had impressive carvings, Tikal has impressive size. I went to Tikal on a tour organised by my hostel with a pair of Australian sisters, a Dutchman, an Austrian and a Swis...

Today was yet another long drive day, this time descending the mountains of Alta Verapaz into the Peten - Guatemala's northern jungle region. It was a strenuous hike at 6:30 in the morning, once again on rutted jungle tracks, with all my luggage but at least in the light, back to the main road to get a shuttle to Lanquin town. Once in Lanquin, I head a meager breakfast a packet of cookies and a pair of tortillas before a confusing mass of minivans descended on a...