Trekking on vulcano Acatenango to see vulcano Fuego erupting

It was something between silly and stupid when I decided to do the vulcano trekking after released from hospital just a week ago. But hey, I wasn’t thinking. 🤷🏼‍♀️😅 I wish I would have been thinking clearly when they told you can rent a horse to take you up. I didn’t have the money with me, but Juan had and I’m pretty sure he would have loned to me. 😁 I’m in such way lucky, that I have been trekking so much, that I don’t have any need to prove anything -there is only the minor thing: sometimes I don’t think. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Juan... I don’t know how it happend, but in hostel I was telling him (almost in extase) about the vulcano trekking. He haven’t heard about it before -or atleast not been told with such inner fire. (Remember that I had carried this disappointment of missed active vulcano trekking already a week and now had had courage to arrange everything again with quite extra money for recheduling my flights etc.) Juan had been so kind, that he had showed me everything that there was to see in Guatemala City (which meant we had been already walking some 15 km together) so maybe it was only natural, that we continued 16 km together in higher altitudes. Anyhow, now I felt totally comfortable to use his money for my horse -if I just would have thought that in time. 😆 But it wasn’t a one-way-road -I also felt totally responsible whether he had drinken enough and whether he had enough snacks and warm chlothes... 😅

Have to say 1000 m elevation in 4.5 hours as convalescent was not a picnic. I have done the same elevation before even in higher altitudes, but when being healthy and well acclimatised. It was all worth it when I first time heard the eruption. It sounded like a thunder. And when that sound was finally combined to the smoke and flying stones... Well, stones is maybe an understatement. Your eyes could hardly separate the people half way getting there, but you could clearly see the stones that were spit by the vulcano, even though it was double that far. 😱The views were spectacular and beatiful, as long as you didn’t mind the vulcanic dust that tried to get into your each and every hole... 😳😬🙄

Even though I was the one suggesting us to do the vulcano trekking, Juan quite easily took the control of arrangements, as he is fluent in Spanish. It was funny how I suddenly considered him as a local, although he is absolutely pure Yankee, even though his heritage is half Mexican half El Salvador. But in Northern El Salvador, from where his father is from, the Mayan heritage is strong. They are the tall ones with green eyes, the same types that often were rulers in Guatemala’s and Mexico’s Mayan cities. And Juan has that Mayan look. As a summary, I’m pretty sure he is a descendant of some deceased Mayan King, although his father hasn’t revealed it to him yet. Yes, I know, sounds like a teenage girl’s novel. 😃 But I allow that to myself. 😌 The slightly negative site of this was that I totally lost any talent I ever had to manage my staff in Spanish and just followed him smiling. Easy travelling. 👌🏻😃

Our campsite on vulcano Acatenango had very nice views facing vulcano Fuego and when the evening came, the sunset was one of the most beautiful ones and vulcano Fuego had one more surprice for us. In darkness we could see the burning red lava, which was totally amazing. So as the night came we were having our dinner at the campfire -and of course having hot chocolate and grilled marshmallows as dessert.

As always in high altitudes, the night was cold. I even saw tiny snow flakes at the night time. I anyhow managed almost not freezing when sleeping in our tents, but as the sleeping bags were prepared just for summer temperatures I had some extra on me. Certainly starting from silk bodice, merino wool long sleeves underwear with merino wool socks and boxers. Then in upperbody silk knitting, hoodie and guilted jacket and wrapping my lower body with my trusted Burberry pashmina wool scatf (which works really well also as blanket in flights). And then having inside sleeping bag one blanket folded under me and one on me. I say it was a process to get out to pee and see those snow flakes. 😅

The next day we were all so impressed, that on our way down the time was just flying. We were all amazed and so happy what we have experienced. The way down though had also its challenges. There was quite a much vulcanic loose soil in the path and some made the way down sliding, some running. But I must said there you saw the difference of proper hiking shoes. I was so happy mine gripped even to the loose soil and let me just walk firm and safely my way down. Got to love those shoes! 🥾❤️

And to the who are now worried: I recovered from the total uncapabability to use Spanish when our paths with the descendant of Mayan Ruler separated. I haven’t have change to rechallenge, so I actually can’t accuse him for sure about my symptoms. But I hope to get my rechallenge next summer when travelling to California. Until then I would say only my symptoms were (most) probably related. 😄

Now I’m already on my way to Panama where I have decided to pamper myself a bit. It will include luxorious hotel with Spa and Gym and probably also massage, yoga, etc. 😌

The Art of Smuggling 😁 and Las Coloradas

Smugling is too easy business to start... In this trip I started it in Las Coloradas in Yucatan Mexico. Because there were stupid rules. And they were wrong.

We had a nice group in that tour, but Jasmin was absolutely the sparkling light of that trip. Such a gem, I would say now that we know better. 💎 She has a nice camera, but not systems camera or professional level. But well, like everywhere, also in Mexico you can find people who are facinated about the rules and feel empovered to be the one supervise those. But. A strong BUT. They have no idea why those rules are made and what they actually mean. So they had a rule that professional cameras are not allowed to the pink lake, where you could also see flamingos and which was also a production site of salt. Fine. But a common camera is just a camera even though it is not a phone.

Of course I suggested to J that we would smugle the camera in, in my bag, under my BH:s (as we had changed into bikinis) and J creating needed hassle. She is beatiful, so she easily gets the attention needed, but I wasn’t sure if she would have the thing needed for intentional, dishonest hassle. But she managed well and we got some pics also into her camera. Although the security came nagging that we should keep it in the bag, but hey -some nagging vs. getting the beatiful pics you want and has right to.

I don’t how J’s smugling career has developed, but as I love to have fruits with me everywhere, I have returned to the food products. Just like already in Australia, when I by accident had that half fermented pizza in my bag. Well, it was pure accident and forgiven, but when arriving to Guatemala my intention was to do it knowing. Well, actually I just ended up into that situation again as I had one banana and one apple on my hand bag. My intention was again eat those in plane, but they offered a meal. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Only when filling in the form to enter the country I remembered those. And decided to keep my dear fruits. Everything went well until I noticed they will put all luggage through X-ray. Evidently I’m not yet as hard and cold smugler as I pretend as it made me to take an U-turn. And destroying all evidents by eating those. And for nothing. As when I arrived to X-ray, she checked my passport, said ”Oh, Finlandia!” and showed me just to walk without X-ray. 🤦🏼‍♀️ 

So much stress for nothing. Guatemalan prison was a bit too big deterrent for me, but I should still remember that life will always work out. Although, few weeks in Guatemalan prison would most certainly taken my Spanish to next level. 😆

Belize, my peak to Caribean

First I was surpriced, that would I really spend any more of my time at tourist oriented beaches. But after all I didn’t have the energy to change already paid Belize to vulcanos in Antigua.

It was a nice surprice that the plane to Belize was so tiny, that the service was most certainly personal.

But already at customs I somehow ended up into argumentation. 🙈 It all started nicely him asking where is Finland located and me explaining Santa Claus is my neighbour. That led into temperature discussion explaining that yes, now it’s cold, even -20 degrees, but at summertime it is warm 20 degrees. And there we were -he just couldn’t agree 20 degrees is warm. Said it is cold. Someone else would probably agreed, especially in customs and imigration, but I kept my opinion. 20 is warm and what they have is hot.

Athmosphere is clearly Caribian and people here have totally different pace in everything. With my temper I get fustrated a lot. 😂 But I’m definitely happy to be here: water is cristal clear, the sea is more gentle and I have spent hours just floating and also swimming few kilometers every day in sea. Sophie’s Guest Rooms is one of the rare ones who have their own beach and a sunset view.

Even though this place clearly is living from tourism, no one is pushing me to bye anything like in Puerta Vallarta. Athmosphere is totally different than anywhere in Europe -it’s Caribean. Even Latin rythms sound here different. Everybody are either just coming from Flores (Guatemala) or heading there so there are quite many familiar faces around you. 🤗 I love this even though this is greatly based on sea, sailing, diving, snorkling and watersports. And sunsets. Those are most beatiful I have seen during this trip. No filters needed. 👌🏻 Maybe that’s why practically the whole island gathers to piers to sit and admire at the time of sunsets.

I would like to say that nightlife is Ok, but I was probably pampered in Antigua with that world class DJ Jay, so now listening this local DJ is pure tortutre. 🙉🙊 (My dear Danish and Dutch brothers agree with this.) So, no videos. 😅 Except underwater. ☝🏻 After my ears are finally ok, I had a nice dive with sharks. 🦈 First I felt a bit fooled as they knew I had postponed my dive days, so that the weather was good for this shark point and then on the boat they assumed we might not see sharks due to the rough sea. But luckily they had well working punch for our way back, so this Finnish Lady was quite happy after all. And yes, we anyhow saw few sharks. But as my computer is still not working, those videos and photos will wait for a while to be published. 😃

Antigua -the way I lived it

Travelling alone can certainly be lonely every now and then -even though you very rarely are alone. You actually need to arrange the alone time, if you wish such. And you definitely meet people you wouldn’t meet anywhere else in your life. You have room for new friends in totally different way. And people are taking care of each other in totally different level. (I should diminish my ”totally” using, but I’m just so impressed of these people I have been honoured to meet.)

The morning I noticed I need to get to hospital (6 am) a girl, total stranger from same room, came to ask me if I was feeling well. After I explained to her she answered: ”Ok, I’ll take my staff and let’s find out what is the main hospital to take you.” And have to say, I was still quite pale and without any strength in my muscles when returning from hospital. Then Uri came to my help even though we had just changed names before. He saw how crushed I was and made just a perfect suggestion. He changed his travelling plans (only because of me) and took me to the Spa with his motorbike. He was even promising I could ride if I felt strong enough. It was a temptating idea, but more I was just testing if he would be man enough to sit behind a woman driver. 😜 I’m a true biker in my heart, but this was still already a second time in my life when I just enjoyed the otherone driving and taking care of me. (Yes, first time was in Nusa Penida, when I had used all my power in Kelingking.)

Santa Teresita Hotsprings and Spa worked well for my condition. The massage was amazing, so relaxing, and their sauna was hot, private and even had a birch whick (although not from birch). I was a bit worried when I got diziness during the thermal circulation treatment -knowing I was still in total physical recovery and should only rest. But Uri took so good care of me, that for a small moment (even though they say you haven’t seen Guatemala in case you haven’t done vulcanos) I felt that I was rather there healing on his arms than trekking active vulcano. I’m grateful of that moment, although now again I have difficulties to remember that those vulcanic stones have been there for 23 000 years and will probably stay a couple of more waiting for me to arrive.

After all treatments we were watching the beatiful sunset and were heading back to Antigua. I say, the big mistake was the choise of taking women voice to our navigator. 🤨 The instructions were truly misleading and we kind of got lost few times before I started navigating and overruling her turn _now_ with my _now_. 😁 But you know me and the thing I have with slightly dark alleys... 😍 Even though the streets and alleys seemed a bit suspicious, I trust the best option was just to continue driving and hope better neighborhoods would follow. 😅😳 And after you have been taken so good care for the whole day, you won’t questioning his choises and decisions. I got some extra trust from the fact that he had explored Guatemala by bike already ten years ago (when it was really dangerous) and just scared a robber with a machete away by without hesitation taking two machetes from his own bag ready to have the fight. Ok, there he was lucky, 🙏🏻 that he had just bought those two to souveniers to his friend. 😅 But it made the robber to run without checking who is the real badass. 😂

But well, we found a nice (not take-your-mother-here type nice, but anyway 😝) local restaurant and got known with the whole family. Uri made a lot, that we got familiar with them and got their trust. The son was even thrown out of living room (their only room) as I needed to add some chlothes before continueing our ride. So even though they were really nice people, I must admit I was all the time following closest each and every person approaching me or the restaurant. 🧐🤷🏼‍♀️

Well, this was maybe again those not the most wise decisions, to explore Guatemala City sub urbs at late evening, but I loved the way it showed me the true colours of Guatemala. ❤️ And the dinner we ate there in local restaurant was delicious. 😌

And I’m still taken how good care I was taken by a stranger the moment I needed it most. ❤️

Ladies, take your medication ❤️

Well, it didn’t take so long before I found my professional aspect. Unfortunately not so pleasant way.

Nowadays there is a of lot talk like 30 is new 20 and 40 is new 30. And followed for that how 40 years old woman can surely have their firstborn. Yes, maybe so, but biology has planned, that women would get their first born shortly after first periods. And at your fourties it is already preparing for the coming menopause. The hormone production is already leaning on that direction. And it has it symptoms, like hot flushes.

Don’t get me wrong, I most certainly want each and every child have their rights to childhood. This is not a write about childrens rights, just about accepting your body as it is. Your age, hormones, skin... I’m surpriced how many even in my friends are using botox to hide aging. Taking care of your body with healthy life style is one thing, but using nervous toxines just because of look... And on the other hand not taking medication for those real symptoms, which are affecting also other people around you. I have heard it feels like you would like to sleep into a freezer. Well, happend to me lately, that I was too understanding for other’s symptoms. I was suggesting already when entering the hotel room, that I would take some other bed than that closest to the aircondition. But for some reason it didn’t get support. And it was requested to kept on every night. So I dressed my dear merino wool underwear, but was still freezing. And got cold really badly. I ended up into hospital with tacycardia and so weak condition (over one night) that they medicated me directly i.v. So few days in hospital -because of some else’s hot flushes. I’m so disappointed and angry to myself, that I didn’t defence my own wellbeing. So there won’t be any cool pics or stories about trekking into active vulcano or diving in vulcanic lake. And as my flights are already scheluded ahead, I totally missed those experiences, which would have been totally new and mind blowing to me. To get those I need to bye new flight tickets to Guatemala some other year. Even though I spent all too much time in hospital and recovering, I falled in love to Guatemala. Or maybe it was just the angel that was sent to me when needing him most. ❤️

But Ladies, not starting the medication don’t make the symptoms disappear. It won’t make them less tolerable if you pretend those are not there. But it will make other people living with you crazy. You can say my opinion reflects from my profession in medical industry, but after this experience I so totally understand men changing middle age woman to half younger. After being in hospital just because some one don’t accept the changes they are going through, I would have also concluded that the relationship is not good for me.

Playa Las Animas, lovely beach

For the last day in Puerto Vallarta J had a great idea to spend that on close by Playa Las Animas beach. Although I missed girls already before the bus there. Well, we had agreed to see at bus station at 11, but received a message, that let’s see already 10:30, so I run like crazy to the bus station, but was still delayed. As I couldn’t see them and reach by phone I assumed they were already on their way and took the next bus. (You can’t trust you would receive all sent messages, at least not in time.) But they were even more late and as such took the 11 o’clock bus after all. So we met only on the beach. 😄 After all they were more devoted to the beach by checking also the close by uninhabited beach.

When arriving to Boca de Tomathan from where a boat taxi would take to Playa Las Animas I was immediately asked ”Have you been there before?” The only correct answer is ”Yes”. I hadn’t, but with this answer he continued: ”How much did you pay back then?” I knew the pricing so answered 50 for return ticket. ”Oh, but nowadays its 100 one way...” From my face he saw, that I wouldn’t take that for an answer, so he showed me from where I could get more reasonable price, but without suncover on the boat. Well, it was 10 min boat trip, so I felt safe to stay that time in direct sun.

While walking to the other pier I met a nice couple J&P from San Fransisco. They obviously seemed more wealthy as a woman was requesting them 500 for a return ticket -and 200 extra if I will join. Not a change! I continued to the pier and J&P followed. I was looking to the sea and yes, a boat almost leaving returned. The local men sitting in that boat suggested me to join them to Playa Las Animas where they were heading. And yes, 100 for return. And yes, 300 for three persons. I winked my eye and said to P: ”You own me a beer.” ”Or even two”, he answered.

We arrived safely to Plays Las Animas, but skeptical me didn’t allow us to pay more than 200 now -the rest after return.

We planned to hike to the close by waterfall, but now we were adviced, that for that we should have taken the next beach. 🤷🏼‍♀️ On the other hand we also heard that it could be reached through the jungle, but I have lately seen so many waterfalls, that I decided just to stay by the beach. And even went swimming as the currents didn’t seem as strong as in Puerta Vallerta. Or atleast there were no warning flags 😁 and I assumed I could atleast reach the long pier or one of those many boats full of tourists. And loved it! Pacific is almost as refreshing to swim as my dear Baltic Sea. 😉🌊💙

We sat in one of those beach restaurants and as I don’t drink beer P kindly offered me a diet cola. As we sat there one of those men that had taken us to the boat came by selling piece of jewelleries. He told us, that the boat driver was the restaurateur’s son and as such, we could also have our return later -he would just call his son. Well, we kept our plan and so did our driver. I saw he had checked his watch carefully when we said we would like to stay for two hours. And never before in Mexico (or even after): our driver was 15 min early in the pier waiting for us.

I had been concentrating only to the sea and photographing, so I was quite happy when J&P arrived to pier bringing two tacos, nachos and guagamole in a dogy bag. I probably needed salt already. When you can’t travel with your parents, adopt ones and they will assure you won’t get headache from too much sun. 😉😎

Not only our driver was early, but when I had paid our missing 100 to him and P without knowing that offered another one, he refused. Just said, that I already paid it. Sooo lovely experience after fooling taxi drivers in turistic areas. ❤️

I was thinking this all in a bus on my way back to Puerta Vallarta. This is the most turistic area I have seen in Mexico and as such you don’t see so much poverty in here. But dogy bag is always a must when travelling in not so wealthy countries. Restaurant portions are always way too big and there are always someone on the streets missing their daily meal... I only ate those nachos and guagamole, so when leaving the bus as last person I showed the tacos to the driver and he was happy to take those as his afternoon snack. ☺️ Money well spent J&P. 😉

But now it will be jungle, vulcanos and trekking in Guatemala for a while... I will miss the sea already. But we will meet soon again in beautiful Belize.

P.S. You know my weak point for souvenirs is piece of jewelleris, so yes, I bought something from the man that had so kindly taken us into their boat. Lovely pink bracelet, turtle earrings and medallion, all in silver. The suggested price was 200+400, but I got those in 193 pesos. It was all the cash I had with me. 🙈🤷🏼‍♀️

Sun and beach life

Sayulita and Puerta Vallarta have been nice beach breaks for my travelling. As I told you, I lost common language and all communication with my computer, so I haven’t had any other option than just have vacation. I still haven’t found such a vizard who would get my computer to communicate again, but I keep my hopes high and hope to find such from Mexico City. Although my experience is that computers are extremely stubborn species. As such, not even DELL’s official support line had any advice for my situation. Luckily my studies are fast, so no stress from those, but I’m not used to just sit by pool without doing anyyhing, so I’m close to critical level of fustration.

My Spanish is slowly getting back to me. Most of the time I get correct answers when I ask directions and I’m usually also happy with my meals. At least I have managed to avoid fish, seafood and anaphylactic shock. I would say that is already something. 😃

Sometimes I still face the language barrier. I’m pretty sure that was the case when I kindly asked some more body lotion from the cleaning lady of my hotel. That was the first time such request have been refused from me. I took her no as no, but then started afterwards thinking the way she had done it. A bit laughing... And now I’m pretty sure my body language ”body lotion” was her ”body massage”. So I just need to be happy how kindly she refused. And accept the fact that I made her thinking, that Ringos ask just anything from anybody. 🙈