Countries: Guatemala
Distance from Yam: 614.5km
Transport: Buses, buses, buses
I’m beginning my Travel Tales from a bus that’s currently zooming through Guatemala. I’ve been told the buses are bad but so far they are just a little crammed + always take longer than the people say. The first day of travel was crazy but I’m hoping it calms down for the rest of the trip.
Day 1
We were up till 12:30 sorting + packing things then awake at 4:30 to head off. There were more tears (of course) as well as me somehow getting water on my phone during my panic to wash up so having to take it travelling in a little pot filled with rice. When we stepped outside we saw the kids had written C + G on the wall which broke me even more as well as the fact Mercedes came and gave us pupusas + cried with us before we headed up to the bus stop to begin 6 weeks of travel. I was a wreck on the bus but luckily Giselle was there to comfort me before we both journaled for almost the entire journey. Once we reached Santa Rosa it was off to Texaco for the free bathroom before another bus, this time a small one where we were sat at the back. I have to admit that I was dead on my feet that day. I don’t remember where we got off but I purchased an orange juice to soothe my pain + it was back on another little bus, this one fit with 3 babies. The journey was slow at first as we were stuck in traffic which was one of the most uncomfortable I’ve ever been: swear dripping down my face, a baby next to me + feeling so exhausted I kept dropping to sleep then hitting my face on the seat in front – niceeee. I also strained myself + my trousers with beetroot (woo) + in general felt like a mess. The baby kept touching my top so I turned around + somehow made friends with it + so it sat there and held my hand for almost an hour of our journey. Due to having no phone I was left to sleep + think about all we were leaving behind (sadness) before we finally reached Copan. Amazingly, Megan + Rachel’s bus came in at the same time so we all headed up to Iguana Azul (highly reccomend) then tried to plan the next days travel. I let my parents know we’d be heading to Guatemala + we went out for some lovely baleadas then licuados (apple, strawbeerry + orange😍) before souviner shopping. I got a beautiful blue Honduras top that matches Giselle (because we’re practically twins now) + a bracelet before we headed back, shattered. It was time for a very early night after Giselle helped me remove the rice from the charging port of my phone – I always knew her earrings could come in useful! Thankfully my phone is fine except a very tiny water mark in one corner, which will hopefully dry out once i get some heat on it.
^a very happy, tired Giselle shopping – the only photo I have from that day
I’m now writing from a little spot in the jungle, beautiful though heaving with mosquitos!
Day 2
Again, we awoke before 5, threw on clothes + headed down the street to find a bus. A little one took us to the border where we stamped out and in then it was back on a bus. Giselle + I discussed food (obviously, our fave topic) + again I almost fell asleep but we were at our next destination. Thankfully, the next bus was a coach fitted with a bearable toilet + playing incredible old British tunes I could jam out to. Giselle + I bought heaps of snacks so I enjoyed some banana pancakes + lots of water whilst we had loo access. Then we transferred to a much smaller bus for over 2 hours where Rachel, Giselle + I annoyed people with our loud singing before arriving in the “terminal” and getting a “taxi” (someone’s truck) to the plaza/mall. Well. If we thought we had money problems in Honduras – at first I was the only one who could take out money + I could only extract 1,000Q so Megan + I also changed dollars whilst Giselle sprinted off to find some food, as we’d survived the whole day on snacks. Then we were running through the mall, me with 2 backpacks, Giselle with tacos, trying to get out + find a taxi. This one was more legit + we told him “rápido, pero con cuidado” as we raced to the bus terminal, only to find out the last bus was 30 minutes later than we thought. We proceeded to be insulted in Mayan by the bus men (thanks guys) + used the crummy loo before heading on a bus with a gringo who sounded like Andy from Shawshank Redemption, though turned out te to be not so friendly. That bus was slightly depressing, as we bumped down a mountain path in the dark: exhausted, running off little sleep, food + fluids but finally we were here: Lanquín. A man convienced us his hostel was very cheap (we had seen it online previously) and, picking up Rachel’s bag, took us to a truck that looked like it was from the 2nd world war which was apparently a free “shuttle”. We didn’t have much to lose so we jumped in + tried to cling on as we were bumped around. Our room is like a treehouse, rather open to the elements (+ mosquitos) but super cool + after some chill time we hit the hay. Well, we attempted to hit the hay, but the mosquito nets were giving everyone a challenge (we all freaked out) expect Meggie the pro. In the end I gave up + curled up in a ball under the majority of the net for a peaceful nights sleep.
Day 3
After some intensive travelling we decided a rest day was much needed. I was up 1st, as always, and journaled whilst waiting for the girls to arise. We all chilled, took advantage of the WiFi for a while then eventually decided we should head into the small town for food + water (as this hostel charges a lot for that – what kind of hostel charges for water?!) where we purchased tamales for 1Q (3L) + bread from the handy bakery. Then we walked around, trying to find a decent place for dinner which ended up being a comedor. Once back at the hotel we headed up to the pool area which is pretty insane with views over the surrounding mountains/jungle. Here we hung out in the sun for much too long (cue all of us looking a little pink by the end) before getting ready to head back down into the town for an incredible Plato Típico of: beans, cheese, plantain, egg + tortillas which was like a lovely taste from home. We finished the evening with amazing ice creams and relaxing in the communal area.
Below: me, happy in a hammock
We are on a little bus, leaving Lanquin. Although I really loved our time here, we had big problems with the people and it is not with a sad heart that I’m on this bus. Let me explain…
Day 4
This was the day we were planning to go to Semuc Champey, however Meggie has got rather sick in the night which meant we were treated to another chill day in our hostel. Rachel, Giselle + I videocalled family/friends before more pool side chilling. We had to go on a supply trip to the town where we purchased ice cream then decided to head river tubing. Once all of us + the rubber rings were safe in the ‘tuk tuk’ (mototaxi) we made our way down to the murky river where Felix got us into the chilly water. Tubing was such a strangely relaxing experience (apart from when I hit into a few trees) + we had a lot of fun going down the “rapids” where Giselle was barely in her ring as we’d been told there were rocks below + to lift up our bums. Once safe back on dry land we stocked up on bread (basically what we survive off) + went out in our wet clothes + socks to the same comedor for the same plato tipico. In the evening we played Jenga where the blocks had dares on which saw me hugging the bartender, some funky dances + a selfie with a poor Dutch couple amongst the weirdness of the night.
Due to the unforeseen situation of Meggie being sick, we had to ask the hostel if we could stay another night. Rachel originally asked a woman + was given the answer that we could only stay if we booked a tour with the hotel so later we all went to ask but this time the answer was straight no, as supposedly a large group from Orlando were coming. A little sad, we said okay then started to look online where there were spaces in Vista Verde, the hostel we were in. The guy had told us there were absolutely none so we cheekily booked one then showed him, upon he still said there were none however there would be a fee to Megan if we cancelled so we demanded the money back. It all sounds stupid but we are sure the reason they didn’t want us was that we didn’t spend enough money, unlike other guests who would buy their overpriced water + food – + also because we are 4 young girls. The guy was extremely rude + told us the conversation was done + he didn’t wanna speak anymore, even though he hadn’t explained anything. Whilst the girls looked for more accomodation, I videocalled the boys in Teguc + explained what happened in loud, angry Spanish so the guy could hear. I mentioned the fact I’d write bad things online, that it was because we were girls + that this place effectively sucked. The guy then went back to our table + said yes, we could stay, but it was slightly more expensive. At this point we didn’t even care, it was done – though they didn’t have change when we went to pay the next day!
Day 5
Semuc Champay. We walked into town in the early morning to meet Felix and were put in the back of a truck where we met an absolutely lovel couple from Switzerland who we got chatting to on the bumpy road to Semuc. Once the truck arrived our tour guide, Pepe, told us to throw our things in a locker as we were going caving. We had roughly 5 minutes to prepare before we were walking up steep steps to the cave entrance where our candles were all lighted. Then, we began our descent into the darkness, and rather chilly water. At some points the rocks got fewer and the water deeper which saw us swimming with one hand clutching the candle out of the water, or hanging onto the ropes that sling their way through the cave like vines. We climbed up ladders (extremely difficult with a candle + GoPro), were carried under a waterfall, watched Pepe jump from wall to wall like a little monkey and slid down rocks until after 1km we reached a dark room. Pepe clambered up the steep rocks like it was completely normal and stuck candles in the walls, then did an impressive jump into the deep pool. He asked who wanted to jump + originally we all said no because this was the part we were the most scared about. However, when he turned to us + said “hey; it’s now or never” I handed over my candle + attempted to prepare myself mentally. The hardest part was definitely getting up to the jump as Pepe had to pull us up one part then when I reached the “platform” (rock) to jump off I slipped and the only thing that kept me up was his strong arm that wrapped around me – thanks Pepe! He counted down, I took a deep breath, screamed and found myself falling in the dark into the pool. It was pretty incredible and after that thrill we had to navigate our way back through the cave doing more swimming, slides and at one point falling through a small hole – it was probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever done! Then we were taken to a rope swing where you had to sit in a chair + push yourself off. I was super scared as I got seated then flew through the air and tried to hang onto the rope for as long as possible – resulting in some minor rope burn as well as all the scratches I’d picked up from the cave. Next it was time to walk to the waterfall, which was stunning, to watch Pepe do a huge jump in from the top and snap some pics. Our last activity before lunch was to go to the bridge and see who wanted to jump off. Of us, only the brave Megan decided to, as I felt I’d done enough crazy stuff before lunch for one day! Luckily we were a small group which really did make the day go a lot smoother. Lunch saw us eating our “picnic” of tomatos inbetween bread and cucumber before we got ready to hike! El Mirador was a short, but intense, hike and though I started well Meggie felt really bad at the back so I waited for her and we proudly crossed the finish line last – woo! The view of the blue waters of Semuc from above is absolutely stunning and we admired this for ages until it was time to trek down towards the pools. Apparently we weren’t allowed to wear t-shirts as it was a “natural area” but we had lots of fun splashing around. Giselle, Megan + I climbed up onto a rock + decided to all jump in together for a cute picture which resulted in me landing on a rock on the way down (good job, Charlotte) which really freakin’ hurt but has given me a rather beautiful cut on my foot. At least it wasn’t more serious!
^for those who are interested: a picture of my beautiful foot
Pepe came + found us + asked if we wanted to do some more jumps + exploring + though, after the incident of my stupidity, I wasn’t feeling it we went anyway. First se were taken to a small pool where he lowered us into the water + I started to realise these extra activities were probably just a way for him to get free touches on us – niceee. This was made even more obvious when we were made to swim 2 at a time into a tiny cave. When we swam in, me with Rachel, I went 1st + I felt his arms around me then suddenly he was pressed up behind me. Gross, I know. We swam for a little through the cave then he pushed us under the water + out. Due to the completely craziness of the day Rachel freaked out a little but I got her calm + navigated our way over the slippery rocks as I tried to lead her to the safety of land. Pepe came + found us + actually was pretty helpful at getting us to shore before accompanying me back to the pool. Here is where I begin my strange fate with a Guatemalan, whilst Giselle + Meggie were off taking pictures. I gusss it’s because I’d been speaking to him in Spanish all day but we jumped and swam back through the pools, and he even asked to see one of my dives. I then got told he wanted to show me the river which saw us going under the safety rope (sorry parents!) + him sitting me on a rock so he could redo the jump off the waterfall. By this point the rain was falling heavily and I really liked sitting on the top of a waterfall, looking down the river, so thanks Pepe. He clambered back up and we did a few more jumps into pools whilst chatting. It was actually sort of interesting to find out he was 22 + didn’t want to go to uni because he liked climbing around like a monkey more though was having English classes – although his teacher can’t actually speak English, only write it. Finally I was reunited with the 2 girls + watched him jump off a tree before he actually took some decent pictures, before asking if I wanted to go dancing + drinking with him that night. Thanks Pepe, but no thanks. We had an enjoyable truck ride back before going back to the comedor for one last time where I had beef, rice, beans + my 1st veggies on holiday – woo! It was then time to meet the biker from Belgium who would be in our dorm + pack up to get back on the road. What a day!
^Above, the moment where my foot smashed a rock and below, me explaining to Rachel that yes, my foot was now broken (broma)
I’m writing to you from another bus (of course, what else?) as we head out of Flores. I absolutely loved this cute little island and though I suffered some sickness, we had a fun time! Now we go onwards and upwards, on The Road to Mexico..
Day 6
After the craziness of finding a bus the day before, we were hassled even more about accomodation in Flores and the fact that people would lie to us so we’d be better to buy the ticket with the guys in Lanquin. Though I love Central America, it’s extremely hard to feel like you can trust anyone here. We decided not to buy anything more, especially since every time we do buy something no one seems to have change because they want us to pay more and headed on our way. It felt like we were travelling with a band – 2 younger singers in front, the long-haired drummer + lanky guitarist behind them the chunky manager sitting in back though it turns out they didn’t know each other. That travel day was extremely tough because we all felt mega rough, had limited supplies of bread left and were suffering with the humidity. It was a good 9 hours of bus time in the end, which if it doesn’t sound fun, I invite you to try.
We arrived on Flores in the evening, which turned out to be an island – everything in this 6 weeks surprised me seeing as I hadn’t looked up much (anything except Mexico). It has streets filled with colourful buildings, a bunch of souviner stands and beautiful views over the lake. The first night our bus woman (another person from the same company) was actually really useful because she walked into the hostel she recommended and when he said 50Q a night she immediately went “no, 40” so I gusss there’s that. However, the dorm we were in was full of mould and barely gave us enough room to breath, and not just because it was extremely stuffy. We also were met with more mosquitos and I’m building up an impressive number of bites on my body. One of the best parts about Flores is that right on the bridge on the way in there are these huge food stalls filled with the most delicious treats: tacos, empinadas, tosadas with whatever toppings you want, cake + fresh fruit juices served from gigantic barrels. I should also mention the fact it’s mega cheap (we’d roughly spend £1-£2 on food a night) + the lakeside vibes are perfect. After nearly sweating to death, I eventually fell asleep.
^1st use of a washing machine for a veeery long time
Day 7
This was the day we decided to wake up at 4 in the morning to hit up Tikal. These are the largest Mayan ruins in Central America and are truly a wonder to see. After a rather lengthy bus where I tried to catch some much needed beauty sleep, we were finally at the entrance. I then got to enjoy the pain of realising I wasn’t sure where my passport was (no worries, turns out the hotel had it) but thankfully I always carry my residency so this I was able to use for entry. As we didn’t want to pay extra for a tour we set off, using Megan’s guide book as our soul source of information. The huge rocks rise from the ground in the heart of the jungle and it’s crazy to think just how long they’ve been standing there and that this once was the heart of a civilisation. The tallest ruin was a struggle to get up as it was a lot of steep stairs but the view was 100% worth it, though the intenseness of the midday sun was less fun. As we headed back to get the bus we thought we were going to be late which saw me running off through the jungle – a good way to end the day! We mainly slept on the way back but the rain was coming in (well, we are travelling during rainy season) so we hid in the hostel whilst the storm passed, giving me time to videocall El. After more food from the stalls (chicken empanada + juice for me) Megan went to the hostel feeling sick + the rest of us went souviner shopping which meant I purchased a drug rug!! Mine is light blue, of course, and I can’t wait to be in a cooler location so I can wear it! Then we went back to the food stalls for more delcious food including cake though the slice was so big it sort of hurt to eat.
Weekly Review:
Most treasured moment: getting to sit in a pool + just admiring the beauty of the surrounding mountains
Worst moment: being hassled to the point where I felt like crying + saying “I don’t know who to trust here” as we were fed a bunch of lies, like the fact we’d be trafficked if we arrived in Flores without accomodation (which turned out not to be true, obviously) – would point out that it’s still totally worth visiting this part of the world
We are very similar in lots of ways (attitudes, sense of humour and the fact we’re both pretty chilled) – enough so that the whole school believes we’re sisters, aaaaay! However the ways we’re different really do compliment each other. For example, I’m slightly more extroverted so Giselle feels more comfortable in social situations with me (her words, not mine) and the ways I stress aren’t the ways Giselle stresses. She’s a much better cook than I’ll ever be so the evenings when she’s in the kitchen see us eating better food and when Giselle cleans, she really cleans. 
What’s Giselle taken from me? Surprisingly, lots of things. My music taste for one (it’s always 80s time in our house, wooo!) as well as my love for journaling. At the start of the year she did briefly run with me and I did get her to read a couple of books (slight struggle with this one) but these habits didn’t quite last. We’re still different in lots of ways but our similarities have really grown over the past 10 month, which isn’t surprising seeing as we spend 95% of our time together. 
Something Giselle probably doesn’t know (surprise, buddy) is that she’s really helped me. On the surface it may seem Giselle became a lot more like me, and whilst that’s true to an extent I learnt some really valuable life lessons through her. Firstly, I say yes a lot more now. Whereas before I wouldn’t ask if we could do something, I’d just assume the answer was no, with Giselle I saw that the answerwill always be no if you don’t ask. Always. So, you may as well ask! I was shown the more adventurous side of myself, that becomes okay with hitchhiking (in moderation), that is willing to try a lot more new things + that isn’t afraid to ask for pictures of cool things. Of course, I’m still Charlotte. The things that use to make me uncomfortable still do, but no where near to the same extent. I was shown how to be a really good teacher + doing nivelación with Giselle was such a joy + we always had so much fun. So thanks buddy, because the year wouldn’t be the same without you at my side💙
We’ve of course had some hard times. There was that one night of homesickness when we lost power for the first time and we both wanted to be in the UK. At times when I’ve been sick I’ve sobbed uncontrollably in Giselle’s arms. We’ve been stuck in La Esperanza at 9 o’clock with a power cut, being surrounded by creepy men in the dark. There’s also been the inevitable travelling nightmares – being stuck in places, having to change plans and only having each other. But for all the bad times, we’ve been blessed with joyful ones too, and these by far outweigh the bad ones. I’ve had to shower Giselle using a bucket and pila water (and what a bonding experience that was!), she’s given me a makeover and we even had a couples getaway to Amapala💙
Throughout this entire year, I’ve had one person continually by my side. That I’ve completely relied on. That I trust in completely. Giselle is more than just my project partner. She’s truly one of my best buds, and if you think I’m just saying this because it sounds cute, I should point out she’ll be spending 10 days in my house this summer. Not only will she be celebrating another birthday with me (hopefully better than your 18th with our incredible pancakes + opening presents in your sleeping bag), but we’ll be celebrating my 19th by seeing George Ezra together then going to DeBriefing together! I cannot thank Project enough for whatever skill they used to match us or fate, if skill was nothing to do with it.
From a crisp sandwich and a scotch egg (who is trying not to cry too much) in a little blue house in Yamaranguila,
help charlotte help honduras 