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Written by Keith Rhoades
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Tuesday, 05 April 2005 |
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Hi...well, I though after climbing that volcano I would fall asleep....I could not sleep at all last night. But I kept thinking of Volcan Pacaya and how it nearly made me cry and I had to laugh....I was like one of those girls on The Great Race when they get hysterical cuz they can't go on. AT any rate, I didn’t sleep very well. While yesterday may have been the hardest day...today was the scariest. I caught the 8 am bus for Panajachel on Lake Atitlan. The next 3 hours proved to be hell...it was the steepest, windiest, narrowest road I have been on....which wouldn’t have been so bad except that the bus driver was crazy.... swerving, speeding, the brakes squealing and I swore the bus was going to tip over any moment. I am so serious....I really and truly was scared something bad was going to happen and I started thing...I don’t have any contact information on me if I die..They wont know whom to call, and I even started praying.... that catholic in me came out!!! Thankfully I did not get sick but my arms were soar from holding on so tight. We arrived in Panajachel and it was beautiful...the lake, the 3 or 4 volcanoes that surround it, the native Mayan people selling their wares. Absolutely gorgeous....it did capture my heart. I went to the reserve and hike alone which was kind of scary....monkeys, a butterfly farm, and then some sort of wild boar chased me for a while...but I got a great pic!!!! It is unnerving to hike alone in the jungle. I then met two Australians and hung out with them and had dinner and am about to head back to my room. I have to admit...tonight I feel pretty tired, run down, sore, achy and I am concerned about the cuts on my hand from falling down the volcano...I keep it clean and put antibiotic cream on it but the one looks like it might be infected and is very painful...so I am going to keep a close eye on it. Tomorrow I am going to Chichistanango which is in my 1000 place to see before you die book. It is one of the largest markets in Central America....so I hope to do a lot of my shopping there. The market is only on Thursday and Sunday so I kind of have to do it tomorrow!
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