“Just so you know, Guatemalan trails only go up hill.” My mountain bike guide Branden was kidding of course, but I wasn’t so sure. I was gasping for air at the top of a very large incline. I only knew this would be an interesting day.
Rio Dulce "Sweet River"
From the jungles of Tikal we took a 4-hour shuttle ride and short boat trip to reach our next destination - The Kangaroo Hotel on the Rio Dulce. Rio Dulce is an interesting place; downstream from Lake Izabal in eastern Guatemala, ultimately connecting to the Caribbean Ocean. This makes it a tropical storm safe haven for yacht owners who seek protection for their boats in the off-season.
Sunrise in Tikal
“Tikal is the center of the universe,” my friend Steve Whitesell told me. Steve has travelled this part of the world before and I have learned to trust him with his advice. Already his insights have lead us to Lake Atitlan and Rio Dulce, which we loved. I was going to give him the benefit of the doubt on Tikal, so off we went.
Heather and the Volcano
Hi I’m Heather and I am doing a guest post on my Dad and Kelly’s blog.
As soon as my flight was booked to visit my dad and Kelly in Guatemala, I began researching the highlights and attractions of what to do there. The volcano hikes captured my attention immediately. Since I’m currently in the middle of a huge life transition – moving from Chicago to Denver – and I don’t have a so-called ‘home’, meeting up with them for 10 days was perfect timing. The opportunity to experience a monumental physical challenge was also a challenge I was ready for.
Guatemala: Antigua and Lake Atitlan
After spending a month in Mexico, for some reason, arriving in Guatemala felt like we had finally started our journey around the world; Mexico had seemed like more of a vacation. We were lucky to have Scott’s daughter Heather join us for 10 days on this leg of our trip. What a joy to have her there to share that part of the world with us.