The border crossing was incredibly easy and a relief , since I had been nervous about this moment for quite a long time. At the Mexican side I handed over my passport and received my exit stamp, then went over the border where many other tiny boys offered their help and asked for any coins I was not able to exchange. As I walk across I ask them why they are not in school at that time, and as a response I get a laugh and a ´vacaciones´, which leaves me a little more relaxed. On the Guatemalan side my tiny guide leads me to an office where I receive my entry stamp, pay his dues with some leftover pesos and continue on to find a colectivo.
This is the point in my trip where I really began to trust strangers and get out of my mind the thought that everyone out there is out to get you. Most people I have met on the trip have gone out of their way to try and help and a little faith on the human race goes a long way. I had done my research and knew I could find a bus to Quetzaltenango but at this moment I had no idea how. One of the colectivos asked me where I was going, I told them ´Xela´ ( the name locally used for Quetzaltenango) and he invited me to jump in and go to another city where a bus would be waiting. Not having another choice I jumped in and 20 minutes later was dropped off in the middle of a street where bus drivers are screaming the names of different destinations and the brightly colored school buses are getting filled with people. One of the driver instructs me that I need to get on the bus to San Marcos and points out which way I need to go. When I get to the bus, my huge bag is taken off my back and thrown on top of the bus along with other bags and several sacks of potatoes and other vegetables and huge baskets made of banana leaves. I get on the bus and share my seat with a young girl dressed in traditional clothing.
The bus ride was supposed to be about 1 hour, but after a blocking in one of the roads through the mountain the ride ended up taking over two hours. We arrived at a huge bus terminal in San Marcos where several school buses one brighter and more decorated than the other were waiting to be filled before departing to their destinations. My bus had not even stopped and my bag had been handed over to someone who took it and threw it on top of the bus heading to Xela, and all I had to do was lift my hand when I heard ´Xela´being yelled by the other bus driver. I asked if I had time to use the restroom and ran to the nearest baño where I paid a few Quetzales to use some toilet paper. Running back I got on the bus and made my way to my first destination in Guatemala.
The bus station in Quetzaltenango is the craziest bus station I have ever been to. There are people screaming everywhere, buses being loaded and unloaded at top speed, a busy market right next to it, people coming and going and Me, the lost traveler not knowing where to go next. So I ask for some directions on how to get a colectivo to town, walk across the market and get on another screaming van. When I get to my stop my bag is placed on the floor, there are people coming in and out of the colectivo and as I am coming down from the van I step on my metal water bottle that had come off my bag. The bottle rolls and so does my foot as I fly into the air, my flip-flop is launched one way and I fall really hard on my butt, landing between the van and the side-walk. It takes me a few seconds to register what just happened when I am given a hand, and stand up picking up my bag, water bottle and putting on my sandal as people stare at me like I am the strangest thing they have ever seen. I strap the bag to my body and continue my walk towards the hostel already feeling the large bruise that would take over my left butt cheek.
I arrive at the Black Cat hostel in Xela and make my way to my room exhausted from the trip that began many hours before back in Mexico. I am ready to lay down in my bed when I am surprised by a familiar face. Eve, who had stayed at the hostel I worked in Puerto walks into the room full of energy and invites me to go at that exact moment to Fuentes Georginas. These are hot water springs outside the town of Xela and even though I was tired I could not miss the opportunity to join a friend on a nice day trip. On the way to the fuentes Eve explained to me that the next morning she would be leaving on a two day hike to Tajumulco, the volcano that marks the highest point in all of Central America. This could not be a better coincidence, I had been looking to do that hike and she was doing it with the Quetzaltrekkers, a group of volunteers who lead hikes and all of the money goes to street children in Guatemala. It is an amazing group and before coming on this journey I had thought of volunteering with them. There would be a meeting that night and I could still sign up.
Fuentes Georginas are beautiful hot springs located at the side of the mountain and separated into three different pools, the highest being the warmer and the lowest the cooler of the three. We rested in the warm pools until a school group full of kids with curious eyes invaded the pools and stared at us trying to understand who we were. After a few smiles and hellos we began to teach some of the children how to float and later played my favorite water game: Marco Polo. These children were so happy to be there and playing around, they had the biggest smiles and were so excited to learn to float and play a new game. I loved hanging around with the kids and teaching them new things, but it was time for them to go and same for Eve and I.
I asked a nice couple to give us a ride into town and they were happy to give us a lift and tell us about Xela while listening to Guatemalan music. They dropped us off near the meeting and we walked the rest of the way through the small cobblestone streets to Casa Argentina. At the hostel we met the volunteers and the rest of the people joining us on the hike. We were informed that we were leaving at 5 am and everyone had to carry either food, or parts of tents, their own equipment and 5 liters of water. Some for cooking and some for drinking. That night we borrowed whatever equipment we needed and went home to pack our bags for an early night of sleep.
At 5 in the morning we met with the group and under the dark sky climbed with all of our gear onto the back of a pickup truck. It was a cold morning and the freezing wind was felt really harsh on our faces, but as I looked around all I could see were smiles. We were all so excited and nervous at the same time, knowing that we had a difficult climb ahead of us, but looking forward to standing at the highest point in Central America. We got off the truck at the very familiar bus station in Xela, which looked a little more calm at such an early time and where the first buses where getting ready to leave. We took the first bus out of town and stopped in San Marcos where we had breakfast. I stuck with the veggie option which included beans, rice, tortilla while those who opted for the meat got a nice serving of chicken soup bones and other parts included. The higlight of the breakfast was the delicious tea that was served and warmed up my frozen body. After breakfast we got on another chicken bus that dropped us off at the bottom of the mountain. From there we began our slow but steady climb. I am not in the best shape of my life, but I am consider myself to be a reasonably fit person and assumed I would be fine on that hike. In all honestly I probably would have loved it if it wasn´t for the gigantic backpack that I had to carry. It was a tough climb and we had a pretty big group of 18 people with different abilities, so we were spread out throughout the mountain, taking a few breaks, drinking lots of water and moving a slow pace because of the altitude. It was a beautiful climb, especially the change of scenery from the bottom of the mountain to the top, from the greenish vegetation to the tall trees, colorfull flowers and the more rocky top of the volcano. We took a lunch break which consisted of delicous salads, PB & J, and guacamole and chips on top of a green hill overlooking the beautiful view of the valley bellow us. After lunch we continue our climb and at the end of the day we were nearly at the top of the volcano, but would set up camp here and climb the summit in the morning.
Camp was set up and we had 3 tents we would share. We set up our sleeping bags, took off sweaty clothes and changed into warm ones that would help us survive the cold night. That night the awesome Quetzaltrekkers volunteers prepared us a delicious pasta and after our meal, a little bit of talking we went to bed since we would be getting up at 4 the next morning. It was a really cold night, but I was very bundled up and I think I slept pretty well, but all I remember was that when we were woken up... I had already been awake and trying to fall back asleep. That morning we packed our bags with a mat and sleeping bag, and with our warm clothes on and the headlamps continued the climb to the top. This was such an amazing hike, it felt wonderful to be up so early, climbing in the dark and this morning the hike felt much easier, as if my legs had gotten used to walking uphill and my body comfortable with the altitude. I was towards the front of the group, and looking back I could see, shaping the sides of the volcano, a line of headlamps moving through the darkness. It was a beautiful sight, seeing just the lights and in the distance the lights of the cities could also be seen filling the emptiness of the valley. As we got to the top it got more rocky and the the ground even started to feel like sand, a glittery sand that would shine like diamonds every time I looked down and flashed my headlamp on its grains. It was an incredibly magical last few yards to the top and being at the top was a great feeling. When we got there it was still dark and not much could be seen except for the far away city lights, so we began to get ready for one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen. I set up my mat and got inside my sleeping bag, wrapping it all over my body to keep myself warm and sat down waiting for the sun. That wait was the coldest time of my life, I honestly have never been so cold and there was nothing that I could do, but sit on my hands and hope that they would not fall out. But it was worth the wait and as the sun was rising the most beautiful colors were taking over the sky and the surrounding volcanoes began to take shape in the horizon and it was clear as far as our eyes could see. It felt amazing being up there for sunrise and just taking in the power of nature and feeling infinitely alive.
At the top we ate delicious cookies baked by the children that benefit from all the donations made for the trek and climbed down to camp after taking a few pictures. At camp we ate oatmeal overlooking the valley and all laughed together about our amazing experience. We packed our camp and started our much easier and quick hike down the volcano. That night our group met together to celebrate our accomplish and spend some time with the great people we had just met. It was so great to make new friends during a great climb, friends that I would continue to travel with and run into in the future.
Xela was a great city and I loved all of the nature, culture and small streets and bars that I visited while there. It was my first experience of all of the wonders that Guatemala has to offer, and it was an amazing one.
*¨All Photos are a courtesy of Eve since I did not have a working camerca at that time.
