The Wanderings of busman7

definition: morning, tomorrow but in Guatemalan time you are never sure if mañana is really mañana or some other mañana. My neighbour has a friend who is supposedly the friend of the owner of a local chicken bus company and last Friday he said he would set up a meeting for me mañana, still waiting but down here that is the way things work / I am sure mañana will arrive, maybe even mañana.

Took the bus to Escuintla then on to Palin yesterday, found the importer but the market for buses has softened so he was not buying, however ran into a guy who was interested, well, might be,  maybe,  probably. Got to see some interesting country and amazing how the temps change from warm to hot in a half hour bus ride down the volcano then drop again on the way up the other side. Met my teacher’s uncle who owns a private school in Palin, checked out the town & had lunch at the market, good lunch for 2 only 38Q ($3.75). Took a long walk through Escuintla on the way back & never saw a tourist all day. The more I see of this area the better it looks.

So the bus deal is in a holding pattern waiting a couple people to check around & get back to me, when?        Mañana!!

One good thing did come out of the day (never a dull day in Guatemala) as during our conversations it came out that my teacher is opening his own school after Semana Santa, one we are at is lacking a bit on the management side (owner has too many projects). Bottom line is after hearing my experiences and qualifications he offered me a job teaching English as a second language to Spanish students. Upon reflection that would be the perfect way to keep out of trouble here for a few hrs a week while meeting new interesting people and making a couple Q on the side.

Would be a really great way to be the perpetual Spanish student, living in a climate of perpetual spring while teaching English to pay for it. What more could any one ask of life!

antigua-076.jpgHave been back in Antigua for a month, only seems like last week. Been living on Latin American time & haven’t accomplished all I set out to but still have another month, well there is Semana Santa & this & that to do so really only a few days. Have located a bus importer over in Palin so going to see him next week & the way things usually work the owner I am to meet will likely be around within a day or two. The trip to Palin will take me over the other side of the volcano down to the Pacific Slope to Escuinlta a distance of about 30km with at least a 15oF rise in temp.

Also my real estate lady will be back Apr 1st so will be able to check the outlying pueblo’s for a nice cheap place to live on the bus route as parking in Antigua is limited (to put it nicely) so lots to keep me occupied, one more week of Spanish lessons & I will have the basics covered & is just a matter of practise.

The stories I am hearing from back in Ontario are just sickening with the inept politicians misjudging people & blowing by-elections leaving no opposition at Queens Park so the fool in charge is talking about harmonising the PST & GST creating more tax. Harper apparently twiddling his thumbs at a loss as what to do. This makes leaving paradise a form of exile to hell, to wind up the school portion of the business, after the court case with the school board that they have been putting off for 3 years as they know they are in the wrong but just doing what governments do best, putting it to the little guy.

In light of the reluctance to return have decided to take the scenic route back instead of merely jumping on a plane in Guate City will take the airport shuttle in but go to the bus station instead then grab the bus to Rio Dulce spend the night then take the collectivo boat in the morning to Livingston on the Caribbean coast, spend the night then the morning ferry to Punta Gorda Belize. From there it’s a 7 hr chicken bus ride to  Belize City or might luck out & find a water taxi & do the trip in 1 1/2 hrs, the next day hop on the AA flight to Miami & on to YYZ & Exile until can get a chance to drive my bus to Antigua some time in July.

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antigua-104.jpgThink I have found a sensible if slow way to post pics but it is a work in progress; On the right of blog under picture scroll down th blogroll click on Picasa Albums & it should take you ... [Continue reading this entry]

My 6 month trip with the objectives of a) evaluating possible locations to retire in Central America, b) discover Cuba, c) a trial run for my RTW in Sept (now depending on the strength of ... [Continue reading this entry]

antigua-105.jpgJust a final thought on why Cuba is so messed up & then I shall leave that subject to the "experts" on TA. A very nice couple from Quebec staying at my casa in Habana who had been ... [Continue reading this entry]