It’s official: March 24th departure
After 1 1/2 hours on the phone w/ US Airways (I had credit w/ them. Otherwise, I would’ve just booked online) and the required use of my handy Spanish skills, my ticket is confirmed for a departure date of March 24th. I swear, I don’t know how that airline stays in business!! After going over the details of my dates, flight #s and everything, like 3 times, the agent that I spoke with had almost booked the ticket for the wrong dates! Agent: “Ok, you depart PIT on March 14th…”, Me: “What? No, March 24th”, Agent: “Ay, Disculpe Senora. Un momentito…”, Agent: “…returning June 21st…”, Me: “NO, EL 26 DE JUNIO…ES UN MARTES!…”, Agent: “Ay, Disculpe Senora…un momentito…” My Spanish must still kick some butt because the agent told me that I’d need a visa and a passport to get back into the U.S.! I’m about to go apply for a job at the US Airways call center in Mexico since they apparently need some more competent employees.
First stop: Guatemala. Dave is going to accompany me for the first 9 days. Goals: 1. To see at the very least one train engine, moving or not. Hoping to find 3 old steam engines at a switcher (?) (I’m not up on the railroad terminology) in Zacapa. If they’re still there it shouldn’t be too difficult in a town of 18k. 2. Climb volcano 3. See Mayan ruin 4. Eat lots of yummy local food 5. Locate nearby toilets quickly.
Yay, the countdown is on! 32 days…
Tags: Central America 2007, Guatemala, railroad
March 8th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
Have a great experience! Hopefully I’ll meet up with you before your return.
March 8th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
So does that mean you won’t be coming to my wedding? I suppose we’ll be even since I missed your confirmation.
March 11th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Hi there,
I came upon your blog on Bootsnall. What a great trip you have planned. We have been travelling in Central America and Mexico for the last 7 1/2 months. It is really a wonderful place. I have some suggestions for the things you list that you are interested in doing:
Hot Springs:
There are some hot springs called Xela (Quetzaltenango), Guatemala called Fuentes Georginas. They are really spectacular - tucked away in the crevice of mountains up around 8000 feet. Xela is also a great place for Spanish lessons and volunteering.
Rio Ducle area of Guatemala is also spectacular. We stayed in a place called Finca Tatin. It is in the middle of the jungle close to Livingston. You can hike in the jungle, swim in the river, visit the hot springs just a few minutes away, kayak, take a trip to one of the coolest waterfalls, go to Livingston, …. They have communal dinners every night which have been some of the best food I’ve had on this trip. I’d highly recommend staying here.
Monkeys - there are supposed to be a lot of Monkeys in Tikal, Guatemala. We haven’t made it there yet, but I’ve only heard great things about it.
My husband climbed Concepcion on Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua. It was a really tough 10 hour hike, but pretty neat. He also saw monkeys on this hike and a corral snake. Make sure you get a good guide - it makes all the difference.
We tried surfing in El Salvador. I’d highly recommend El Salvador. There are some really neat spots, hardly any tourists, and the most friendly people in Central America. We visited Perquin, Suchitoto, Alegria, beaches around La Libertad, Coatepeque and Juayua.
In Panama the highlight for us was San Blas islands. It is a bit pricey, but one of the coolest places we’ve been on our trip. we also went to Bocas, Boquete, Las Lajas, El Valle, Panama City and San Blas. El valle was also definitely worth a visit.
We didn’t care for Costa Rica. It is beautiful, but all of the other countries have most of the similar attractions (volcanos, cloud forests, great beaches, caribbean culture) and you pay a lot less and are surrounded by so many fewer gringo tourists. Most of the other countries are also more interesting, if you ask me. Especially Guatemala with its huge indigenous popoulation.
Sorry for all the ramblings. We’ve had the time of our life here in Central America and love to help other travelers out who are planning a similar trip. Let me know if you have any more questions about the places I’ve mentioned. Have fun!
-Allison
P.S. Here’s our blog with a lot of stories of where we have been.
http://blogs.bootsnall.com/TheBays
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:55 am
Qué tal Heather.
¿Cuánto tiempo te vas a quedar?
Fue una lástima que no nos pudimos ver antes que te vayas. El 31 de marzo Ed y yo nos vamos a Buenos Aires. Te prometí que si encontraba una muñeca te la traia, y es verdad. Asi que espero verte pronto.
Tengo miles de cosas que hacer, ni empecé a empacar todavia…
Pasala bien!
Besos, Romina
March 24th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Dear Heather,
Thinking of you. I have lots of friends praying that you have a wonderful and safe trip. Also, my guatemalan friends here are looking at you blog. Have fun,
March 26th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Hola Heather!
Como estas? How was the trip down there? I imagine this is around lunch time down there, what’s on the menu? How’s Dave liking it? I thought about you early Saturday- yep, was up either very early Saturday or very late on Friday (for a good cause though-math & science event for kids)- and thought about calling you as you were going on the plane but then I remembered your phone was off! well, I hope your having good weather and you two are off to a good start
I’m thinking about you and take care of yourselves!
un abrazo, Myriam