10 Realizations

1) Chicken Buses aren’t for chickens. – Seriously, there are no chickens on these buses. If you can’t take whipping around mountain roads at high speeds, then these old-school American buses aren’t your best bet for getting around Guatemala. We had our first experience on our way to Chichicastenango last weekend, and honestly, I’m not excited about taking another this weekend to Xela (Quetzaltenango).

2) I can actually tan. - After thinking for the past years I’ve become allergic to sunlight, I am actually getting something resembling a tan during the past couple of weeks in Guatemala. I think Brian is a little jealous because he remains pasty despite spending more time in the sun.

3) Hot water is a luxury we miss! – In Chichi, we decided to splurge and stay in the nicest place in town for a change. It was a much needed break from the basically camping lifestyle we’ve maintained in San Pedro. I heard Brian shout from the bathroom, “I’m washing my hands with hot water!” with a hint of amazement in his voice. I immediately grabbed my two dirtiest shirts and proceeded to wash them in the sink until they had reached a clean unseen since our arrival.

4) There are places in Guatemala where you don’t listen to dogs bark all night. – Guatemalans definitely do not spay or neuter their pets, meaning stray animals roam the streets at all hours of the night, sometimes barking or meowing profusely (we later learned this type of meowing that sounds like a cat dying is actually mating noises). I didn’t realize how much of a problem it was until we stayed at the nice hotel in Chichi and didn’t hear a peep all night. Wow, that place was totally worth the money!

5) Bartering is hard work! – Chichi is known for its huge market on Sundays where even the streets, not just the plaza, fill up with stands. Brian and I decided this was where we were going to get most of our souvenir/gift shopping done, so we hit the markets hard. Let’s just say we were both exhausted after only a few hours of haggling with merchants and turning down wandering peddlers. Only after this experience did the “Quiere pan” lady not bother me quite so much in San Pedro.

6) Pana is actually a cool town with electricity! – You might know from a previous post that our only experience in Panajachel was without electricity. We decided to give it another try the night before heading to Chichi, and we are very glad we did. Pana is a completely different, bustling, and inviting town when it has power. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay this time, especially since this is a bigger town than San Pedro with more options.

7) It’s winter here. – No matter how hot I get during the day, there’s no getting past the chilly nights. I made sure to buy a hat at market last weekend.

8 ) Leg muscles are vital. – After having to walk up and down the hill of San Pedro every day, and squatting over sketchy toilet seats, one sure does start to be thankful for thigh muscles.

9) I actually packed quite well for this trip! – There are a few things we brought that have come in handy more than once. A) Collapsible cup. We use the cups to share beverages, drink free pure water available at hotels, and to help rinse our toothbrushes since we can’t use the tap. B) Medicine. Immodium, pepto, and decongestants (for flights/mountain rides) have all been worth every penny. C) Multi-tool. I’ve used my multi-tool to peel fruit, clean my nails, and open our liter bottles of Gallo. D) Scotch tape. I’ve used scotch tape to tape things in my journal, post notes around the dorms, and to fix torn money that wouldn’t be accepted otherwise.

10) It’s amazing how so little can help someone so much. – We bought 10 tortillas yesterday for 2 Quetzales, after which we were informed our money would help feed a little boy or girl for 3 days. We get about 7.5 Quetzales for every US dollar – you do the math.