So, Lake Atitlan - possibly the most chilled out place on the planet (alongside Caye Caulker)

We arrived at this beautiful lake mid afternoon after driving around Antigua for an hour trying to leave the city. But then after faffing for 3 hours and Loust having to empty all his stuff out of the van we didnt get onto the boat to get across to San Pedro till dusk. A storm had come in for the hour long boat ride so we got absolutely soaked, bashing our heads against the roof of the boat with the rain coming in horizontally - it was an adventure!! The boat then docked miles from the hotel and so we got even more soaked running through rivers in the streets to our hotel. After nice hot showers (thank god) to warm up it was rime to hit the bars for Matts b-day. We went out intending to do a bar crawl - problem was lots were shut because of leaks from the storms! We ended up in an irish/sports bar of all places. There was a challenge to drink 6 long island ice teas and then the 7th one was free. Matt and Steve decided to take up this challenge - hilarious! Both were sick, Steve all over the mirror and sink, and then, in his drunk state decided he would get some toilet roll and get on his hands and knees and try and clean it up. Most of it went on his knees. Matt at least made it to the toilet but then decided, after locking the door, to have a quick nap. We had to poke him with a broom under the door to wake him and then help him undo the lock. Brilliant! They both made it back to bed but not without a lot of help. Loust ended up putting Steve in a random room because the door was open and he didn't want him being sick in his.

Danni and Ian decided to carry on the party late into the night and found themselves locked out of the hotel and, after much deliberating as to whether it would be easier to sleep in a boat or under a table in a nearby café, had to climb up onto the 1st floor balcony using some left over scaffolding!

Lake Atitlan was beautiful - everyday we swam in the lake, chilled out, watched the odd movie in a very cool bar called the Buddah bar, and ate really healthily. It was a proper hippy retreat. Alot of time was spent in hammocks.

Sadly, we all went our separate ways after this but it was a cool ending point of Team Ultimate Death. Ian went home, Melissa, Steve and Whitey went south and we kidnapped Bryan and took him to San Cristobal with us.

San cristobal was a really nice colonial town just like Antigua. It had lovely churches and colourful architecture. We spent a lot of time just walking around and gazing at the amazing colourful markets. We also spent a lot of time bargaining with little kids on the streets selling friendships bracelets. Some of them just don't give up.


After San Cristobal it was an overnight bus journey to Mazunte on the Pacific coast. This was my favourite beach on the trip so far. There was a beautiful point where you could watch sunset, wicked (but pretty massive) waves to swim in and it was hot. We stayed right on the beach and in the evenings ate under stars close to the waters edge. At high tide big waves would wash against you feet.

All three of us took a surfing lesson at the next beach along - San Augustanillo. I hate to say Danni caught the most waves but we all managed to stand up. The next day we all had another go but i was given a shorter board (because the surf teacher thought I was such a pro!) which made it a bit trickier and so i got thrown about and have a few scrapes and grazes. I am now totally hooked though, there is nothing better. I can't wait to get to Sydney to surf as much as i can. To see the pics check out:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2161460&l=4e945&id=199708745

After Mazunte we went to Oaxaca, which for Danni was possibly the worst journey we have done. We decided to take a mini-bus because it was the same price but faster as it could take the mountain roads. Unfortunately we got sat at the back, the mountain roads are really windy and the driver was a maniac (as they all are here) and so Danni, who gets car sick at the best of times, spent the entire journey urging and desperately trying not to be sick. Luckily she made it!
Oaxaca is the 3rd biggest city in Mexico and its lovely because it doesn't feel like it. We spent our time looking round museums, shopping, sight seeing and drinking coffee in the plazas - pretty cool.
Next it was a 7 hour bus to Mexico city, followed by an 8 hour overnight bus ride to Guadalajara.

We really liked Guadalajara, which is Mexico's second biggest city. Its actually very European, it felt like we could be in Seville. It has a beautiful cathedral in the centre and lots of palaces and other beautiful buildings all centred around some lovely big plazas, where we sat and had coffee and wrote postcards! There was also the most beautiful fountains which were lit up at night and the water spurted up in time to music which was played out over the plazas! We only spent a day and a morning there (the morning of my b-day) and then in the afternoon we got a bus and then another bus to San Blas, which is a chilled little surfer town on the west coast. It's great because not many tourists come here and the ones that do are mainly Mexican. It's the school holidays at the moment so in the evening there are loads of families all out in the main square and its really lively. The first evening we went for a nice meal and then for some drinks for my birthday. Then yesterday we spent the day surfing and sunbathing on the beach which has perfect waves for practicing in because they are not too big, so its not so tiring getting back out to catch the next one. In the evening we got tacos at what we have decided is our favorite taco place so far, and then sat in the main square where we met a really nice Mexican guy who then took us to the local night club. There was a live local band there playing banda. The band consisted mostly of brass - 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 3 clarinets some very loud drums and a tuba playing songs at double time! It was wicked. Then people started dancing- it was comedy, very cool, but really it looked like couples just bouncing around double time and sweating! Ask us to show you when we get back!
Today we chilled on the beach again and I got a surf lesson from the nice Mexican guy whilst Danni sunbathed and then did a bit of surfing too. Next stop Mazatlan and then the Copper Canyon - bigger than the Grand Canyon.