Travel E-mails
An archive of e-mails from my Centeral/South America trip.5/10/2006
Relaxing, Catching some sun, planning ahead
Greetings all!
Well, Here is e-mail #2. After arriving here a lot has been going on, Panajachel is a beautiful place but very touristy. So Far I've; Climbed a 1.5 kilometer volcano (it is inactive, and yes - that is 1.5 km high, making my total altitude at the top about 10 000 feet, or 3 km).. I've learned SOME spanish, but have a ton to learn yet (and I'm considering going to school for it, pretty cheap here and it would fast track my education), I went to the market in Chichicostanengo -- one of the biggest in the area -- it was blocks and blocks of market, everything you can imagine -- hand made clothes, bags, purses, wallets, blankets, food of all sorts, electronics, knick knacks, axes, macheties and so on... We took the Chicken Busses (semi-converted school busses that are the cheapest town to town transportation) which got backed 3 to a seat plus people filling the isle, was almost impossible to get out before the final stop. I've been meeting travelers from all around and picking up the 'word on the street', as well as partying a little. Life is very different here -- For the locals, day to day is pretty static; you haul your goods to the market, try to sell, as much as possible for as much cash as possible, then haul half of your load home... There are a lot of vendors here, selling necklaces, clothes, blankets and all sorts of things.
In the end, it's been quite good so far, very laid back and enjoyable -- no rain, only one cloudy day, stays at about 20-25 degrees C, gets cooler in the nights... Currently I'm staying with Murray - an old friend of mine, he has a place looking over the lake and outside of town. I sleep on a cot under the stars on his porch.. wake up to an incredible view of two volcanoes on the lake, and in the evenings listen to blues and jazz and just relax and chat. Soon I'm headed to Antigua where I will consider spanish school, then I have to figure out Peru and the Inca Trail. The trail is a 4-5 day hike to Machu Picchu, and is closed in January, so I have to either fast track it down there for a december trip, or hold off until Febuary... either way I go in the rainy season - which is a bit of a shame.
Anyhow, that's me thusfar. I appreciate the replies, sorry I'm no good at getting back to them.. I have a whole lot of nothing to do, and e-mail unfortunatley does not fall into that categorie.
Cheers! Hope everyone is well... and for those of you who havn't been down south, I would strongly consider coming here sometime in your future. It's prime vacation territory, even if a little dangerous in parts.
Adios Amigos!
Zac
Well, Here is e-mail #2. After arriving here a lot has been going on, Panajachel is a beautiful place but very touristy. So Far I've; Climbed a 1.5 kilometer volcano (it is inactive, and yes - that is 1.5 km high, making my total altitude at the top about 10 000 feet, or 3 km).. I've learned SOME spanish, but have a ton to learn yet (and I'm considering going to school for it, pretty cheap here and it would fast track my education), I went to the market in Chichicostanengo -- one of the biggest in the area -- it was blocks and blocks of market, everything you can imagine -- hand made clothes, bags, purses, wallets, blankets, food of all sorts, electronics, knick knacks, axes, macheties and so on... We took the Chicken Busses (semi-converted school busses that are the cheapest town to town transportation) which got backed 3 to a seat plus people filling the isle, was almost impossible to get out before the final stop. I've been meeting travelers from all around and picking up the 'word on the street', as well as partying a little. Life is very different here -- For the locals, day to day is pretty static; you haul your goods to the market, try to sell, as much as possible for as much cash as possible, then haul half of your load home... There are a lot of vendors here, selling necklaces, clothes, blankets and all sorts of things.
In the end, it's been quite good so far, very laid back and enjoyable -- no rain, only one cloudy day, stays at about 20-25 degrees C, gets cooler in the nights... Currently I'm staying with Murray - an old friend of mine, he has a place looking over the lake and outside of town. I sleep on a cot under the stars on his porch.. wake up to an incredible view of two volcanoes on the lake, and in the evenings listen to blues and jazz and just relax and chat. Soon I'm headed to Antigua where I will consider spanish school, then I have to figure out Peru and the Inca Trail. The trail is a 4-5 day hike to Machu Picchu, and is closed in January, so I have to either fast track it down there for a december trip, or hold off until Febuary... either way I go in the rainy season - which is a bit of a shame.
Anyhow, that's me thusfar. I appreciate the replies, sorry I'm no good at getting back to them.. I have a whole lot of nothing to do, and e-mail unfortunatley does not fall into that categorie.
Cheers! Hope everyone is well... and for those of you who havn't been down south, I would strongly consider coming here sometime in your future. It's prime vacation territory, even if a little dangerous in parts.
Adios Amigos!
Zac
# 1:13 PM 
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