I just spent ten hours in a large van traveling from Xela to Coban on good Friday. And, because, it was a holiday, we dealt with traffic and processions again. Luckily I was in very good, amusing company and we shared the bonding experience of being stuck on our butts on windy back roads for so long. A 35ish Israeli man and woman, a middle-aged Guatemalan expat residing in Boca Raton, Florida, a middle-aged Mexican guy, a young, blonde pilot from Holland, and a cool chica, my age, with dreads, from Denmark, that’s who.
We didn’t arrive in the small town of Lanquin until 10:30pm – 3.5 hours past due. When I walked into Zephyr Lodge, the supposedly new, cool hostel to stay in town, the room I’d reserved (for only $7/night) had accidentally been given away. The receptionist kindly gave me his bed instead, but that mattress just happened to be above the bar/reception and there just happened to be a crazy party going on that night. I would have joined had I been in that kind of mood, but all I wanted to do was sleep. I managed to get 5 hours and somehow wake up with energy.
After riding for 2 minutes in a bus with a group of people going on the tour of caves and pools, I decided to hop off and explore on my own instead. No offense, but who goes to tropical paradise only to turn on loud, tinny music, tuning out cicadas and rain drops, and fill a bus with screaming giggles, smoking and general hung-overness, doing exactly what they could do in their dorm rooms?
I’m so glad I made the decision to split. Company makes all the difference, and I’m happier to have my own. I had the tour bus drop me off at the pools, while the other group continued on to do the caves first. I climbed the steep incline up El Mirador for a breathtaking view of the aqua limestone pools, collectively known as Semuc Champey.
On the way down, I befriended a 35ish Italian lady and ran into her and her two Guatemalan friends again at the pools 10 minutes later. At the pools, I heard my name, and turned to see another new acquaintance – Eswin, the Guatemalan/Boca Ratonian from the van-ride yesterday. And there was Sil, the pilot, too, and Juan, the Mexican. They have added two new guys to the group – Israles, this time 20 something guys in the army. Did I care to join them for tubing and caving? Why not?
As I was following behind them to the tubing location, I heard my name, again! And there behind me were Elizabeth and Scott, the couple from Australia who lived with me at my first host family the first week in Antigua! We’ve kept in touch and so I knew they were also in Semuc this weekend, but they hadn’t managed to book rooms in Languin and it was pure coincidence to run into them. I wish I’d had time to hang out, but I was about to loose my new group and Elizabeth and Scott were headed to the pools after just doing the caves – opposite schedules.
Tubing, I could almost have been on Guadelupe River in Texas. Those big, light grey, hole-filled, volcanic rocks exist in abundance here. Eswin trying to scare me by telling me to watch out for the alligators. Yeah right. The tubing was so relaxing and our guide was full of happy-go-lucky young enthusiasm.
We arrived undercover for lunch just in time for the regular afternoon downpour to hit in full-force. I was so happy to have a salad for lunch. Raw greens are hard to come by in Guatemalan family house-holds, so it seems.
The caves came next. We walked through mud and rain to the entrance in our swimsuits. Dirt didn’t much matter, we would be wading and swimming through underwater rivers. A new guide distributed candles and we lit up and went in.
Stalagmites and stalactites looked us up and down and I saw them as beards, bones, baleen, ribs, and teeth. It was an interesting experience being the only chica in a group of 6 men in a macho country. I put up with it. Sil said at the end that he expected me to scream at least once. I’ve never been that type. Rather, I thoroughly enjoyed the suspense, adventure, depths, climbs and physicality of exploring underground and underwater. We all did I think. Bats squeaking and candles spluttering. The air, upon reemergence into light, felt warm and humid like walking into a bathroom post-shower.
Gathering our belongings back at the office, I heard my name called for the third time that day. It was Locka! The Danish girl with dreads. She was just arriving as we were leaving, but it was nice to exchange smiles and well-wishes again.
The gang and I crammed into a truck. Well, I was not crampt actually, since I got the front seat, naturally, until the driver’s friend loaded in in the middle front seat. We all reunited at 8pm for dinner at Zephyer lodge and talked for a couple more hours over very good food. Vegitable curry and a mojito for me (only my second drink in Guatemala). Cinnamon rolls to split. Conversation in Spanish. It was a great day for practicing. Sil amazes me. Coming from Holland, he grew up learning 4 languages. Spanish is his 5th, and he is learning it for fun as I am. He has only had 40 hours of lessons, and is so good at pronunciation and communicating already. Tonight, of course, the hostel is chill, relaxed, sans a raging party atmosphere. Everyone but me and the Israelis are leaving early in the morning so we say our “good byes” and “hope to see you agains” by 10:00.