home sweet bloody home

So I'm back in the UK now. Have been for a week but I've had some sort of Guatemalan bird flu ever since I left Central America so I've been bed ridden since I got back.

Last few days in Guatemala involved more sun, sand and turtle hunting with some kayaking and drinking thrown in for good measure. It was a great experience and I'd love to go back - or in fact just be there right now!

My trip from Guatemala to San Salvador involved getting up at 4am to trundle of in the dark to the bank of the mangrove river to hopefully catch a boat. This eventually turned up and 'whisked' ahem, put-putted me to Papaturro, then I hopped on a chicken bus to Chiquimillia and onto another bus to the border - each leg taking over an hour. At the border I was asked why I didn't have a stamp in my passport to say that I had entered Guatemala. Central America have recently introduced a one stamp fits all kind of visa for all the countries but it was looking like Guatemala had forgotten this. I was being looked at very suspiciously and they were using Spanish words that I just hadn't required in Hawaii ('eggs' being the most useful word there). This was taking uncomfortably long and other people were passing through no problem. Feeling of edginess doesn't help when you are taller, blonder, whiter and more female than everyone else around. Not that I'm saying I'm extraordinarily feminine of course. Anyway turns out desk monkey hadn't looked through my passport properly and I was sent on my way. Walked over the border to El Salvador where immediately things felt more civilised. Can't really explain why though. Another bus to Sonsonate led me to my final bus to San Salvador. Jumped off that bus when I saw something I recognised (namely the space where that bit of hillside slid down and buried people in 2001) as being near my aunt's house and got a taxi driver to do the rest. I felt safe the whole way and barely needed to speak never mind know fluent Spanish. Took 8 hours though :(

Had a lovely pedicure the next day where I experienced my second tremor - and again didn't realise what it was. This time thought that the beauty parlour was made of flimsy material and that someone was getting a vigourous massage! Again, the truth made more sense.

So I'm back and it all seems so long ago already. Where shall I go next..........