One hell of a long day!

Like all my Guatemalan mornings, I was up before 7am, weakly downing an Americano coffee and munching on a chicken empanada. I checked out of my San Pedro party hostel as early as possible before taking the next boat, packed with locals in fact, bound for Panajachel.

In Panajachel it was a bet stress trying to find my shuttle to Lanquin, and even when I found the minibus with Lanquin written on it, it took a phone call to convince the travel agent lady that I was actually supposed to be on it…

Ugh..

What followed was a long, twisty drive through the gorgeous Guatemalan highlands. We passed endless corn fields as the highway twisted and turned, lurching between pine forest covered mountains. Other than a stop to get some cheesy tortillas and a spanking new McDonalds in nearby city of Coban it was a straight, 10 hour drive through the snaking mountain scenery, stuck behind the occasional logging truck and passing many kids playing with machetes.

It's really interesting when you get to scythe through a country like this. Because my earphones have finally given up the ghost instead of being transported to my own little world of Kings of Leon and Kaleo I got to properly see Guatemala. From the burning plastic dumped at the side of narrow mountain highways, clogged with logging trucks, to the intricate, bizarrely colourful churches and mile after mile of corn plantations, Guatemala is one of the most interesting countries I've ever travelled in. It has a well preserved indigenous culture and endless gorgeous scenery.

I'm now in the Alta Verapaz region of Guatemala, the northern highlands, and they feel much more tropical than the area south around Antigua and Atitlan. It's also much remoter, with tourists only very recently discovering this area, although there are still many English speaking locals - much more than I've seen in any other country in the region.

The adventure was far from over when we arrived at Lanquin. You see, it turns out its another hour and half from Lanquin to the hostel!

My hostel is only 8 months old and is set right out in the wilderness down a mud path that you have to get a local Mayan to walk you down with a torch to get it, as you slip and slide, and get covered in mud - all in the pitch black. I wasn't expecting a jungle hike at the end of this long drive day, and I was barely functioning when I arrived. Luckily, a cold beer and some rice sorted me out!

This place has been ranked as among the beautiful in Guatemala - so sure as heck excited, for when the sun comes up!

Vamos!