Quetzaltenango, Guatemala... Sun 19th June

Quetzaltenango. Try saying that after a few caipiriñas... OK, so I think Guatemala is officially my favourite place so far. The country is stunning, the people are delicious (in manner alone, unfortunately. They are a little challenged in the looks department...) and the whole place is so bloody quirky. Example: queuing in the supermarket for groceries (I have REALLY slipped into this budget travel lark, making my own butties for lunch and everything) and there's a bloke there at the front promoting a new cleaning product by playing the most bizarre selection of music at TOP volume. Banarama, Hazel Dean, Donna Summer, Queen; was like a cross between a gay disco and a cheesy wedding. Naturally I was in my element...

Birthday was excellent, ended up staying in Guatemala City. Went clubbing and showed those Guat boys how to work the dancefloor to a bit of Britney, then on Sunday (my actual birthday) I blotted out the hangover and the horror of being one step closer to 30 by checking into the Marriott. Until you have roughed it for a few weeks you will NEVER understand the joy of a quilt... Needless to say, used EVERY facilty and left with a bagful of Marriott cosmetics... On to Antigua, where I climbed an active volcano. One of the coolest things I have ever done. Sounds daft, but it looked like the pictures of volcanoes you used to draw when you were a kid; imposing black cone, loads of smoke, lava, the works. We went right down into the crater at the foot and the side of the thing actually erupted whilst we were there. Glowing red rocks flying down the mountain and landing just 50 feet in front of us. Was incredible! Still on the go, at the moment in above mentioned town (too many letters in it to type it again and to be honest, I´m not entirely sure of the spelling..). Rode the back of a pickup truck to some hot springs today. Pick up trucks are, it seems, THE way to travel in Guat. You can just hail them and jump in the back. In one the other day and it started raining, so the driver got out and gave us a huge plastic sheet to cover ourselves with. Primitive, but effective. Spring pools weren´t that hot, but there was red hot water flowing into them, which was great. Trekked back down through the cloud forrest, which was ace. Bit like being in a real life horror movie - deserted mountain roads, eerie clouds and mist, chainsaw wielding maniacs, girls in bra and panties running into the woods. OK, not the last two but you get the picture.

Have sent the next set of piccies back to UK so will let you know when uploaded (chrsit, I can hear the collective groan from here...)

Later peeps

John xx

PS) My backpack weighs an amazing 13 kilos. What was that I said in an earlier entry about me being the one who wouldn´t be able to travel light...? x