actually i didnt want to post any english versions of my travel anymore since it means a lot of extra work. wasnt it just easier for everyone, if you (non-german speakers) would learn some german, rather than letting me sweat hear in the guatemalian internet cafe, he he.
okay. you dont like this idea very much, do you?
then here it goes...
THE PREPARATION
whenever i went on a trip in the past i usually had a lot of time to prepare my trip very detailed, like reading the guidebook upfront, making up my own itinerary and so on. that was when i lived in ireland. the irish day consisted more or less of going to work, meeting friends and having a few pints in the numerous pubs. now that i am back home there wasnt really time for any preparations. i booked the tickets two weeks in advance and packed my backpack on the same day i left. one can say i stood halfway at my homeplace while the second half of my body was already in central america.
THE TRAVEL STARTS
as usually my plane sets off from berlin airport. but this time i have chosen amsterdam as stopover for a few hours, cause i havent been to amsterdam yet. right. my plane was supposed to leave at 06.00 AM friday morning, but as there was that hurricane over europes sky many flights heve been canceled - and so was mine. afterthat i went to the information desk and they put me on a list for a later flight. luckily i had like 5 hours stopover on amsterdam airport there was enough time to get my connecting flight to cancun airport, mexico.
FINALLY ARRIVED IN CENTRAL AMERICA
after all the trouble with the canceled flight i finally arrived on cancun airport. i jumped on the bus to playa del carmen where i was supposed to meet my three mexican friends. (i know them from the golf resort in minnesota where i worked, about three years ago, they used to be my work colleagues) i only had one phone number of them. (as you can see i didnt plan my trip very well, should have collected their phone numbers when i was still in germany...) on the same night i tried to call them but couldnt get any connection, probably used the wrong prefix, or whatsoever. next day i gave it another try, still couldnt build up a connection. i quickly decided to leave cancun area as i am not that crazy about the whole beach thing. meanwhile i wrote them an email where i asked for more contact details - which they promptly replied. and so i hope i can meet them at the end of my trip, as i am leaving central america from cancun airport.
SOUTHERN MEXICO
the first overnight long haul bus brought me strait to a place called palenque in southern mexico. here i spent like a day, just visiting the nearby maya ruins, located on a hill, the mayas those days could easily overlook the whole surrounding area. if i liked the site? yeah, i 'd say so. yet, i cannot compare with any other maya ruins i think they will be one of the more intersting sites. good view, clean, but not to clean, not to perfect, relaxing place. i even met a german craftsman (carpenter) who is following the strict rules of his profession. in germany there is a special costum for carpenters, saying if you choose to follow the custom for the time of three years you are not allowed to get closer to your home place like 50km or so, you are not supposed to take money for your work but accomodation and food anly and you have to wear your traditional dress every day, no matter the weather conditions. so this poor guy was standing there, in the mexican midday heat, wearing thick and heavy german craftsmen clothing. i told you this story because i have been to many places but never met any of those guys. for this reason i found it interseting to tell...
SAN CHRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS
from palenque i made my way to san christobal, located in the mountains, on 2.120 m elevation. as always in the mountains extreme climate was to expect, hot during the day, cold at night. san christobal is a wonderful town, one could easily compare it with cuzco except for the missing inka ruins around. but like cuzco the town is clean, friendly, good restaurants, good infrastructure in general, independent cinemas, sidewalks (not as often seen in latin america!). in that hostel i lived in i met this american guy, richard. when i was mentioning that i like to play tennis back home in germany, he told me about a tennis court in town. from this moment on i consider san christobal as my winter trainingscamp. the remaining days until i left we played tennis several hours. this, too, makes a trip pleasant, i 'd say, cause other people were looking at us like 'why the hell would you come all the way to mexico just to play tennis...' well, who cares (as sleepman gordan always used to say).
THE DEPENDENT TRAVELER
then leaving san christobal i was heading to the mexican border entering guatemala. i was sitting in this ordinary bus, not alone, but surrounded by like 10 dutch people, and only 10 dutch people. noone else was with us. then they made jokes like they could need some more guys in their group since the women would outnumber the men. i am very flexible and so i told them, yes, i would like to join you for a few days. so this was it. said and done. without any complications they adopted me. i have to say that this dutch group had booked this trip back in holland. for this reason they were not flexible in terms of time and place, all the hotels and stuff was booked already. still i joined them, wanted to make this new experience, also found it quiet funny to travel as a organized group travel. after all, i split up with them a couple of days later as they were moving to fast from place to place, some kind of race it seemed to me. well, they hadnt any choice - dependent travelers. but i am sure they really enjoy their holidays. it was a funny group, singing in the bus the whole time...
EL GITARRERO
very different to all my other travels before this time my guitar joins me on my trip. i bought this guitar some 20 years ago but havent used for like 15 years probably. now i thought there is probably no better place to learn to play guitar than on a trip through latin america. and, what a surprise, i keep on practicing nearly everyday. for example in that hostal in san christobal, thx to richard, daniel and that canadian girl i learnt a few tricks and songs. also i kept practicing in the bus together with the dutch group. when i look back to my previous travels, of course i feel like i should have taken the guitar with me at anytime... well, its never too late.
right, my english speaking folks. i gonna finish here. tomorrow i gonna climb a volcano and i really have to get some things done before.
bye
Sascha,
nice hearing from you again. Still like the way you travel, a guitar, sounds good. I'm looking forward for the next post, hopely in english because that suits me best. But the german I can read as well.
Tip ever thought of using an online translating machine to make it easier?
For me I've got some good news too, I'm going on a five month trip to south- and middle-America. With my girlfrient we fly to Lima begin march and in august we're flying back from San Jose (Costa Rica) When I have a site, I will mail the adress.
Enjoy your travelling.
Joris.