My Guatemala guide

Not to mess with the gurus within travelguides, but this ain't no lonely planet (despite this photo from Belize showing nothing but tranquility) This planet is packed. There are people everywhere, in every "krik og krok" as you'd say in Norwegian, meaning in every corner and under every stone. There is an abundance of people all over this world, just waiting to meet you, so get out there, and greet them!

I have to say, the past three months have been the most jam-packed ever, something new has happenened every minute, and we were having a few drinks with some guys from the diving school in Utila and we're telling them about our experience. They were amazed by our bananapicking and pick-up-driving, showering in the backyard and way to much beans and tortillas. It nearly sounded surreal, but no, all so true.

If you ever go to Guatemala and region I have some tips for you:
- do a weeks Spanish course in Xela. I loved Xela. In the end I'm not sure because it just meant an end to the beans on the fincas, but it's a lovely big city you easy could spend a week in. There are some hot springs close by as well which are worth checking out.
- See Belize. Take a two-day-trip to Placencia a little way up the coast and you will experience the Beach. Purple Space Monkey Restaurant also have fantastic fish.
- Get your diving certificate in Utila. Utila Dive Centre was awesome, the instructors lovely, and if you happen to bump into Natasha (our instructor) you can't miss her, she says "bubbles, bubbles, bubbles" like the aquarium fish in Finding Nemo. Bubbles is in fact lifesaving in diving, you need to constantly blow bubbles while the regulator is out of your mouth (under water), as stopping to breathe is the most dangerous thing you could do.
- Stay at A Place to Stay hotel in Antigua. This cosy little backpackers is close to the bus terminal, but the reason why you should stay there is because Raul, the owner, would walk on fire for you, and that's before you've even agreed to stay at his hotel. I have never met such an helpful person, he's reliable and friendly and fixed us shuttles to Honduras and back to Guatemala City so we made our plane. Thanks, mate!
- Copan is slightly overrated. Nevertheless, it makes for a great stop on your way to Utila (you won't get there in one day anyway), so you might as well see it regardless!


That's it for now. If you decide to head to Central America, feel free to invite me along on the ride. Cheerio!

Home, bittersweet, home

I am running, no racing, with 150 other people towards the bus. The train got cancelled from Oslo to Skien on my way home, and NSB but up buses instead, but not nearly enough. I ran, with two backpacks, dutyfree shopping, bag, jacket, passport flying and knew I had to be on that bus before at least 100 of the other people. I started missing Guatemala before I even made, it would never have been a problem on the chicken buses there, they are never "full", but here, as I stormed in the door and grabbed a seat, waved good bye to about 90 people left on the sidewalk, I realized Norway and Guatemala just ain't the same.

It was good to be home, no doubt about that. I didn't have to worry my mum would cook me beans for breakfast. There was hot water in the shower, the toilet was flushing, but still, culture shock from the life we have been living the past three months.

Thanks for following the blog, I have a few photos up now, and there will be more in the weeks to come as I get them from the other people I travelled with. So check it again in a while, and you never now, suddenly I'll be on way again. To where? Who know. Doing what? Time will tell. Will it be fun? Without doubt! Take care!

Ever played rock, paper, scissors...

...12 metres under the surface? Sara and me passed our PADI Open Water course on Thursday and it was absolutely amazing. The whole diving experience was just great, kind of surreal and so much different from normal snorkelling, so now I just have to go back to the amazing places I have been snorkelling (or dorkelling as the people at the dive centre has labelled it) and check out the scenery from below.

Our Honduras holiday is soon over, but we have had a fantastic time. Utila is definitively to recommend when it comes to diving and most of the people we met was only going there on a holiday and ended up staying weeks, months or even years. We probably had to if our place tickets (and my insurance) runs out on Tuesday.

This is Sara at the Copan ruins. We haven't quite figured out if the stone head looks a bit like her, but cute is it anyway.

Have a fantastic time!

Paradise, Awesome, Diverse, Incredible...

...It's not the official abbreviation of PADI, but it's true anyway. We started our PADI Open Water diving course yesterday, and today have been the craziest day in my life, it has been tough, it has been long, I nearly did not pass the controlled emergency swim ascent, but we have been down to 12 metres, it has been like an aquarium, and life is just great. I need a pizza and a beer now, have a lovely night!

This is Sara and me on the diving dock after we passed the diving course, pretty happy, I have to say!
XOX