So Jeska and I last weekend went to a friend of the families in San Lucas Tolimon on Lago de Atitlan to meet him for the first time and check out his house he has been developing for the last two decades and it will BLOW YOUR MIND. we were not expecting to show up to our own private hobbit like guest house with a big tree growing out of it, private bathroom and orange trees in the front yard! We were spoiled and in great company. Rick is an amazing nice person, we had a drink or two and a joint and had ourselves some amazing conversations. His home , and his water tank area / second guest house were gorgeous and covered in Ivy with one of the largest avacodoe trees outside i have ever seen. Amazing (Asombroso). And to get there to this tranquil San Lucas was fun... we took a boat, then grabbed there local ride from Santiago to San Lucas AKA 20 people crammed in the back of a pick up truck with 5 small men standing on the back bumper. Jes and I did it like proes and had no `problem. All it took was to ask if the locals knew our friend Rick and sure enough he popped out of the Tienda where we asked. All the locals were told two gringo girls would be showing up, and it worked. I have some great photos but not being able to plug in my camera, unless i can attach a phone picture later :)
After San Lucas it was off to the Earth Lodge outside of Antigua, getting there made me feel so bad for Rick, he was kind enough to drop us off in Antigua before he picked up his friend Russell at the Guat City Airport, but unfortunately our van broke down (what do you expect ?!?!) and since he had to drop us off as welll he was super late picking up his friend, which was showing up from Mexico City, I really hope his friend is over it by now. I told Rick to blame the Gringos.
Earth Lodge was incredible, only pictures can tell,. after 3 days and two nights and the best food we have ever had at this amazing Avocadoe farm set atop a hillside with the most cinematic view of some intense volcanoes, we left with new friends and smiles. It was our friend Gary´s Birthday, who is such a sweet and kind sole who himself had so much fun! He felt at home and told the world about it later hoping to pass on its tranquil setting. Did i mention we got to hear and see the volcanoe going off constantly in the background? Incredible coming from someone who has never seen a volcanoe in her life. WINNING. It all worked out incredibly. But alas... the beginning of something was stirring in Jeska and I´s bellies, probably from the previous days in our separate home stays in San Pedro. Eating local, showering local, playing local.. means tummy p`roblems.
know if you could tell which substance was coming out of us as we would sit. I cant say how she is now as we parted ways.. but mine intensified once i left to the next destination. I hope she is better, mine was like instantaneous bathroom crying like pain as time went on. But once i left the bathroom i was fine. But obviously something isnt right. On to the Grapefruit Seed Extract Gary had given me, who learned his lesson much earlier in the trip. So I took him up on it. Hes super helpful and amazing, my upset tummy got the best of me sometimes and i showed my grumpy side. But as long as he knows he helped detain the grumpiness im happy. Its good to have helpful loving friends.
That being said i sucked it up and departed with Gary and Left Jeska to go back to her spanish learning in San Pedro. We went to Semuc Champey. The road to this magical place is so insane ansd very far away. After 8 hours of driving, we got to the end of the road, almost literally. Crammed in the back of 4X4 trucks and went another 40 mins down the worst road i have eveer been on. Only certtain
vehicles get down it thats for sure, what a trip. Once we arrived at our amazing hostal on the Cohabon River at the worlds end... we
breathed and took in the amazing rushing water sound around us that we couldnt quite see in the darkness. I must admit I do like travelling by myself often and doing things my own way, which my
friend got the hint of sometimes, therefore I did not do any tours.
I almost poisoned the limestone pools. I walked back and forth for 45 seconds which seemed like 2 hours debating can i make it? or do i turn the colour of the clear river and prey no one notices it. I panicked but held it together until i got to this bridge hut thing... to find out theres no out houses. I almost cried, so i ran behind a huge tree with half a second to spare. Whew. It got cloudy anyways and I had a whole days worth in paradice and wanted to start walking back down this trail before dark. So i hustled up and went. Halfway down the park trail, not even out of semuc yet... my stomach thundered again, with slopes on both sides of me. Are you fucking kidding!?!?! I found one trail that lead to the lookout that i thought for sure no one else would come up which was near the end of the day, and my world collapsed when of course Gary.s gigantic excited tour group came bustling up this trail... one after another after another. I was about to lose it, told him i gotta go see ya later and trotted down the trail. I had a small window where i saw no one, jumped off the trail, and preyed to god. After that i made it back fine. Got in my chill headspace, which i was so happy to be in and having a great time but my socialness was kinda gone due to my belly. But luckily gary had his extract and always a kind work to make me feel better ;) But i read in my hammock, wrote in my journal and had amazing family dinners. Success.
I knew two days later i would need to suffer the trip home from paradice, AKA Guatemala City to where I need to catch a bus to get my bum to El Salvador, which was today. So this morning, I pilled up huge, i took Charcoal, Gravol, Immodium, and 5 hours later at a pharmacy got some kinda antiseptic antidiarrhea medicine that topped it all off so i wouldnt have a problem with 15 other people in a van for almost 10 hours. It worked... but i knew something had to get fixed. So here I am, in Guat City at my wicked hostel where they walked with me to the clinic, got all my parts tested and tomorrow hopefully ill be fixed when the results come in. Knowing I am safe and surrounded by 15 pharmacies and like 2 hospitals, I ate a huge sub and lovced every second. I had a huge dorm all to m,yself and my own bathroom since no one else is on that floor right now. So I can relax. I am put back a day.. but it will be worth it. This parasite has got to F** off before the beaches. So I am actually super happy right now :) Could be worse! Happens to the best of us. I wish i could show you photos, this trip has been amazing. I have way more amazingness coming, beaching in El Salvador and checking out a small islandb efore boating to Nicaragua where I will be renting a motorcycle on Ometepe for one week before the decent into Costa Rica for the Grande Finale of a lifetime in Montezuma, Domincal and Uvita. Dont worry family, its small, relaxed, no traffic, perfect. Its the only way to do this island... unless your on a bicycle with huge legs, which i might have decent legs, but you all know i cant handle the bicycle for reasons known only to you ;) Ill gladly take a 125 cc'r anyday. Which should be fun compared to home, its funny that my bike at home is 4 X bigger then any bike here... but at home mine is so much smaller! first world problems... id feel guilty or embarrassed to ride my bike here ;( the things that make you realize how spoiled we are.
So I will be staying put for a day or two... with my book and long naps. The tough life.
I love you all.
If anyone hasnt said happy birthday to my amazing Grandmother who turned 38 Yesterday... you better do so :D
Ill be in touch when i can, as you know a desktop computer like i have right now is rare. xooxox.
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