I thought the photo would make you laugh.We stopped at this very famous market town yesterday to be let loose for 2 hours on our way back to Antigua. My mum and I spent the first week of our holiday in Tanzania this year laughing at people wearing these hats.. 'I mean really, i know you are on safari but do you really have to look like you have just stepped off the set of Out of Africa! I had mentioned to Jo that I needed to find a looser hat.. my hair is constantly flat and you know what I'm like about my hair! strolling along we came across a stall with these so i thought I'd try it for the laugh! Appartently it looks good but at least it is alittle different adorned with guatemalan little dolls! I think the term 'completely lost the plot is appropriate, at least i won't get sun stroke! in true style jo and I seemed to pick up lots of bits and pieces while most of the boys came back empty handed. Give me bags and jewellery and how can i refuse! It was a funny sensation to have people bumping into you at chest level! everyone being about 2 feet smaller than us women and men alike.

The lake was very chilled for a couple of days. Tuesday morning Jo and I headed to the harbour to ask about timetables etc. Before we knew it we were already on a boat to Santiago di Atilan, appartently the jewel of the lake but to be honest besides the interesting sea of lilac which greeted us around the market area there wasn't a whole lot to see. The real bonus was our warm cinamon loaf which we devoured straight from the oven. Wednesday we decided abit of serious activity was called for. Although we are out and about all the time we are not doing any real serious excerise and with cinamon rolls becoming the norm for breakfast we need to keep moving abit! Jo and I walked 5 miles over to the next village alittle along by the lake and diverted to the road when the path dissappeared! Probably not the most sensible idea to do it at midday. I only realised my back was completely soaked when i took my bag off to get some water. We tried to bargain to get a boat ride back , but not very successfully i think. Our bargaining power was abit weak as it was just the two of us but after negiotating Marcos agreed to ferry us back to Panachel for the heify sum of $4 each. We decided to head over to San Pedro so we conveniently dropped us at another boat..a friend by all accounts. At a bargain of $2 we set off only realising later that it wasn't quuite a direct service. Echo's of my parents warning ' you get nothing for nothing in this life' rang in my head! San Pedro is the offical drop out opt out and smoke your way through life stop. We bumped into a nice calm Yoga teacher who encouraged us to join him for a class the following morning but all in all it was quiet. Everyone must of been having a siesta in preparation for a heavy night!

We're back in Antigua gathering some more people and heading off in the morning again. I can't believe it's been 3 weeks already but you know I think i can stick this life for a little longer yet. I'll leave you with this image. This morning i got up at 9 as the girls had left at 5.30 to go climb the volcano that I already did. I strolled to a coffee shop nearby, sat in the courtyard, read the paper and munched my way happily through a very healthy granola and yogurt followed by a not so healthy cinamon roll and thought I am lucky I am. As you all know waking up to sunshine does you so much good.

Hondurus awaits tomorrow. I think the pace is going to pick up slighly as there seem to be alot of 5.30 starts on our Itinerary.

Adios Guatemala XX