Guatemala—

2019-08-01: This was an unpublished, unfinished post. Hopefully will fix in the future.

Arrived in Antigua after a wet ride. Stayed at A Place To Stay for one night. Free pancake breakfast. Super empty. Went to Jungle party. Stayed for 3 nights. First night, go out, La Sala, hickeys from the girl from Michigan. Get shut down by the guy from New York. Get lost in the streets of Antigua.

Saturday night. Walk up to the cross.

Sunday night. Spend the evening in the loft playing Ukulele. (-1). Go out to town for a little while.

Monday night. First night at Eluvia. Meet Taka. Meet Erick. Meet Australia couple who work with deaf people.

Wednesday of first week. Get my tattoo started.

Friday of that week. Celebrate Australia couple doing well. Start party at

Saturday.

Sunday. Long wait dinner at Japanese place. Teach Erick English.

Monday, 2nd week. Go out with Benjamin to Terrace. Meet local who we think is gay. Meet Erin.

Wednesday, 2nd week. Meet Mike, Alana and Coli.

Friday, 3rd week. Go out and start at Terrace. Salsa dancing with young German girl who I find out has a boyfriend. Multiple hamburgers at 3am at the only joint in town.

Monday, 3rd week, receive package for $270 USD. Phone arrives broken. Moral of the story. Order Apple Products new, every single time.

Wednesday, 3rd week, Try

Highlights of my time at Eluvia:

• Sitting at the Internet Cafe talking to Milton.

• Cafe Gordo and Pollo every day

Walk around with Ben around town to take photos.

Get sick before leaving for Lake Atitlan.

Spending time with the Colombian. Taking me out for cheap dinners and lunches. Beers before him leaving.

Take the Tuesday shuttle to Lake Atitlan. Stay at Hostel Fe, meet up with everyone from the homestay. Ugly 8 room dorm I stayed in, smelled everytime someone flushed.

First night, 5 pounds of alitas and some poutine. Tuk tuk through the little roads. Hot pools with Mike, Alana, Coli and Nicole. Doing the Haka for the German boys before they leave. Not remembering the rest of the night.

Second day - walking around the island. Not remembering anything at all the next night.

Third day - Staying at Mr. Mullets. Kicking ass at pool.

Friday - Stayed at Paco Real on San Marcos.

Saturday - Horse riding tour. Skinny dipping in the lake.

Sunday - Chichicastenango markets, buying heaps of shit, chicken bus there and back. Most delicious chicken dinner, red wine marinade.

Monday - Leaving at 5am, tuk-tuk to shuttle from San Juan to Antigua. Switching to the crappiest shuttle and going to Semuc Champey. Staying at El Retiro. Talking about working on cruise ships as deck hands.

Tuesday - Most awesome day yet. Candlelight caving - candle in the headband, swimming in deep water, waterfall pushing, jumping into pools. Tubing down the river.

Wednesday - Missing out on Shuttle to Flores. Then 30 min left, finding out there is one. Getting to Flores and getting scammed but not falling for it. Private room with Caroline, Kate and Nancy.

Thursday - Tikal Sunrise tour. Waking up at 2:30am, rude tour guide at the start. Meeting the security guard who fought in the civil war against the rebels in the mountains. Going up Temple 4 and not seeing any sunset.

Friday - Woke up for 6am bus to Rio Dulce. Decided to skip because there was no point. Sat in the humid heat inside the whole day. Went for a walk around. Got crunk. Played beer pong and giant Jenga at the soundproof bar. Played around with Nancy in the bathroom.

Saturday - Taxi wasn’t waiting, rang up the company and someone picked me up and took me to the Bus Stop across the bridge. Took bus, changed at some point. Talked and introduced myself to the Newcastle marine biologists students. Had lunch in last Guatemalan town. Got off at San Pedro Sula. Waiting so damn look in ATM lines, only to keep jumping in between them. 5:00pm departure for La Ceiba. Meeting Honduran native with African background on bus. Arriving in La Ceiba and going to Banana Republic, a pretty shit hostel.

Sunday - Wake up early, taxi to the docs. Delicious breakfast. Sick feeling on ferry across to Utila. Playing 31 and swimming with the Germans. Finally arriving at Utila and straight to Deep Blue to meet Tex, Chris and Kat. Tuesday start, argh. Stay at Rubi’s inn, expensive $24 USD a night room. Meet the two american chicas at the dock, first time ever going to a third world country. One is going to work for Boeing as a civil engineer. Dinner at ??

Monday - Hire bicycle for $25 USD a week. Free weed from Mozzie. (-1). Whacked up Treetopia Bar. Open Mic night.

Tuesday - Wake up with super dry mouth and cold at 6am. Sleep until 10am. Have delicious breakfast at Captain Morgans. Get rid of my shit San Pedro jandals and replace them with Honduran branded sandals. Do free diving theory from 2pm till 5pm. Rule number 1) Dive with buddy, number 2) Never hyperventilate 3) Never have snorkel in mouth, only at breath up. Longest wait for alitas at Underwater Vision.

Wednesday - First free diving session with Apnea Total. Out by the wreck, reach 10-11m. 1 minute breath hold. 1 hour kayak out to “private beach” with the marine biologists. Spreading the Ukulele vibe. Last night out with the English fellas, with Germans, Juan, Kristoff and Meiltz in town. Early night because of free diving next day.

Thursday - Second and final free diving with Chris. Out in choppy water near beach on other side, only drifting buoys out in the ocean. Made a PB of 12m, but still had trouble equalising. Safety checks. Look for place to start open water, Underwater Vision started that afternoon. Fitting chores in 2 hours to be abale to make it to first Open Water class. 3 and a half hours of interesting but tedious PADI videos. Skidrow challenge with guys from Pirate Bay Inn. (-1). Realised it was late and had to go home.

Friday - 6am wake up to pack from Pirate Bay Inn and switch from my aircon room for another at Underwater vision. First confined water dive, novel experience using SCUBA gear and breathing underwater. 11am till 6pm out in 2m deep water. Expensive and kinda average (foodwise) dinner at La Picante with the class. Getting baked with my Jewish roommate Shy.

Saturday - First 2 open water training dive. Walked with Beryen down to the bars, eventually gathered a crew of lads to do the Skidrow challenge. 2nd time. Took a tuk tuk home.

Sunday - Second 2 open water training dives. 18m depth. Evening hangi with nice Mozzi who gave me the free weed. Chasing down van on bicycle. Lamb and dirt.

Monday - First 3 advanced water training dives. Deep, drift, then a night dive. Flip cup with people from the hostel.

Tuesday - Last 2 advanced open water training dives. Flip cup. Tequila Tuesdays. Space cookies.

Wednesday - Waking up at 1:30pm. Feeling crap all day.

Thursday - First two fun dives. Wreck diving. Catching up with Nicole. Another night for me in.

Friday - Delicious food at Foo King Wok. Massive night. 1st open mic experience at Treetanic on the Ukulele. Lads making a ruckus at the beach party. Wet feet dancing, tops off. Dancing with the beautiful Chilean. 5:30am bedtime.

Saturday - Boring ass booze crooze. Too tired to party onwards. Fall asleep at 9pm.

Sunday - Wake up at 2am. Chatting to the partiers from the beach party at 5:30am, be a nice bastard and buy some of them beer. 14m PB free immersion with Chris and Kat.

Monday - 17m PB free immersion, hit the weight at the bottom. Lost it mentally after that, just didn’t want to push myself more. Last dusk exploring of the island. Dinner at the Foo King Wok. (-1). Drinking and buzzing away at Tranquilas. (-1). Losing my 2nd credit card and wallet.

Tuesday - Not getting any sleep at all. Most luxurious coach I have taken, at 375 lim from La Ceiba to San Pedro Sula. Last night with Mick and Alana, at La Hamaca hostel. Learnt how to play Cooncan 500 and played it with mature English-Aussie guy and Quebec chica that works here.

Wednesday - Last balliadas for breakfast with Mick. Getting ripped off by the taxi driver. San Pedro international airport.

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