Guatever...

"There is no solution because there is no problem"  -Marcel Duchamp-

Kate and Bren enjoyed their relaxing time in the quaint island town of Flores.  They went swimming off the dock, caught a boat across the lake to a look out, and played Farkel with their new Canadian friends, Mason and Brit. Bren and Kate also went to a nearby national park to do some zip lining. There was also a nature walk with sky bridges at the same park.  So why not?  They started off into the jungle crossing a couple low sky bridges to get the feel for it.  As they started to hike up the steep trail Kate started going crazy.  Mentally, she was all there but somehow she managed to make angry a swarm of black flying insects.  The bugs started biting her all over, their favorite thing to do was get stuck in her hair.  Kate began to flail all her extremities and rip off her clothes.  Bren decided it was a good idea to leave the area so he instructed Kate to continue fighting the bugs as she ran up the trail.  Bren was gracious enough to hold her daypack as she fought the beasts.  After the battle, all seemed to be safe but for the rest of the hike any hint of a flying insect sent shivers down their spines.  Kate found some deceased insects that night in her hair as she showered.

Kate and Bren decided to leave Flores in style so they spent the extra money ($5 more each) not to ride a chicken bus out of town.  They were headed half way down the country and decided that they would like their own seats for the nine hour bus ride.  They arrived in the dark at Lanquin.  Thankfully the Zephyr hostel had room since they have not been making reservations anywhere they go.  However, they did have to sleep in the noisy, smokey loft above the bar.  There were no doors and three other beds in the loft.  The first night a cat decided to eat a hole in Kates bag in order to get to some tortiallas.

They woke up bright and early on Thanksgiving day.  Kate and Bren had made plans to go on a tour of some caves and natural pools.  They hopped in the back of a truck with four other guys from all over the world and rode along the winding mountain road picking up locals along the way, standing the entire time.  When they arrived at their destination everyone stripped down to their bathing suits and prepared for the rope swing into the river.  It was not just a rope that you swing on, it was a literal swing that one would sit on then awkwardly try to jump off when the guide yelled jump.  Next it was into the cave.  The guide insisted that no one should wear shoes.  Even though the rocks are sharp, you have to swim and climb, and you can not see.  But not knowing those things everyone on the tour remained barefoot.  A short hike brought them all to the mouth of the cave.  Thankfully Kate and Bren were on a guided tour which provided the latest technology and safety gear.  They were given one candle each.  Then they waded into the cave, obviously there was a river flowing through the cave because that is how they are formed.  The crazy tour then lead them deeper into the cave.  They reached a pool of water that needed to be crossed.  The guide told everyone there were rocks so be careful when swimming.  Holding their candles above their heads, trying not to use their feet for fear of sharp rocks, they doggy paddled with one arm.  Kate and Bren climbed a few ladders and swam through a few more pools before they reached an underground waterfall.  Now these Guatemalans know how much white people love stupid dangerous adventures because there was a rope leading up the waterfall.  It was an optional climb but Kate and Bren did it anyway.  Not thinking about the water pounding down into your face, or the wet rope, and definetly not considering they were in a dark cave with sharp slippery rocks at least (hopefully) four hours from a hospital.  Everyone managed to scramble up the waterfall, only a few scrapes and bruises along the way.  Deeper into the cave the guide showed them a "deep" pool and a cliff to jump off into it.  Bren was foolish enough to attempt.  He survived.  That was the farthest into the cave the tour lead, so they turned around to make their way out.  Swimming through the pools, down the waterfall, all while trying to keep at least one candle lit (so the others could be relit).  On their way back through the cave there was a crack big enough for a person in the rocks.  Water was flowing through the hole so no one could see, anything on the other side of the crack.  With a few words of instructions our guide slipped through the crack leaving everyone hoping that they would make it through as well.  Everyone made it, as all the people on the tour huddled  together waiting for who knows what they began discussing how this tour would not be legal very many places in the world.  Then when their guide came back they continued out of the cave. The sunlight never felt so nice.

Even though the adventures Kate and Bren had endured so far would have been worthy of the $25 it cost for the tour, it was not over.  Next the guide led us to a bridge to jump off.  Bren jumped off along with some of the other boys.  They had a quick lunch then hiked up a very steep trail to a lookout above Semuc Champey. Semuc Champey is a national park located in the mountains.  The hightlight of the national park is at the bottom of a valley where the river runs partially through a tunnel and partially through a series of pools and waterfalls.  Arguably the most beautiful place seen so far by Kate and Bren.  The guide led us to the big waterfall at the site, which of course we were going to jump off of.  The guide claimed it was 20 meters high, but Bren as well as many of the others thought it was more like 14 meters or 45 feet.  Whatever the height, all of the boys threw their bodies off.  Surprisingly everyone survived yet again.  Kate was kind enough not to jump off in order to take photos of all the guys, and preserve her life. You are welcome mom.  The guide still had some aces up his sleeve.  Everyone jumped off  (yes even Kate) a smaller safer cliff.  There was a natural waterslide which the guide safely pushed eveyone down.  The guide then led us to the last thing on the tour, a rock wall.  It was not very inpressive, but the guide instructed everyone to tilt their faces up so they could swim under the rocks where there was a space just big enough for your face, and the vital thing called air.  Snaking our way through, while keeping their heads above water, until the guide said take a breath and swim for a little bit until you get out.  Hmm that is descriptive.  Hopefully his estimate of the time it takes to get above water is better than the estimate of the waterfall height.  But yet again everyone trusted the guide and swam safely to saftey.  Job well done.  Everyone felt a little closer after all the near death experiences of the day.  There were many crazy sketchy events that took place that day which everyone escaped without serious injury.  However in the morning while Bren was walking to the rope swing he stepped on a sharp rock which punctured his foot.  It was pretty deep and bleeding quite a bit, so with his medical knowledge he put on a sock and went ahead with the rest of the day.  Kate was kind enough once they returned to the hostel to rinse  out a few sand particles.  It is still healing but does not seem to be infected.

Nine hour bus ride to Antigua...and here they are.

cheers,
B and K