Good news: We all made it through the trek alive! Even the crew members of the metaphorical ¨sinking row boat¨ (Mariya, Abbie, Callie…)
On the first day we walked from dawn till dusk, and beyond. Night-hiking through foggy jungles with our headlamps was fun, however crossing over a raging river via two ¨bridges¨ consisting of a few unsteady logs was not. To depict how confident of the bridges we were: many of us were scanning the waters below for rocks to hold onto once we fell in.
Looking back on it though, it was a good moment for our group–facing our fears together, and reaching out for Jacob and Charlotte’s hands, waiting to welcome us to safety at the end of each bridge.
All of that made the steep uphills and toe-crunching downhills of the next two days a piece of cake, and the food (even the Fud, and especially the pasta) taste better than anything we’ve ever eaten. We also slept a lot, with the exception of the last day, when we got up at 5am to see the sunrise over Lake Atitlan, one of the most beautiful sights we’ve ever seen.
For the last week we have been getting the break we deserve in San Marcos, land of relaxation and spiritual healing. Everyone’s been doing their own thing–some yoga, and mediation, some massage class, and Mayan calendar readings…all spending a lot of time hanging out at our hostel together and indulging ourselves in awesome meals.
We are preparing to leave in a couple days for a town even more remote than Pasac, and possibly with more physical labor awaiting us than the trek. That is provided we can make it around the mudslides dotting the area…Whatever happens, we know the group will continue to have amazing experiences and keep up our collective positive attitude.
We all miss and love everyone back at home SO MUCH!
Hard to believe, but we’re already a month into the trip.
Hasta (pretty) pronto everyone!
sending good vibes your way,
Mariya and Bjorn
