we survived guatemala!!

In case you were wondering...Guatemala was a success. I did not get molested or decapitated by the drug lords. It really was one of the most amazing days ever!! Because of some really sketchy stories we heard right before, I maybe was expecting every van we saw to pull us over and rob/kill us but we made it in and out alive! It truly was such a fun day! And yes I got one more stamp in my passport :)

 The beautiful Guatemala!!

 

Outside Tikal at the Zip Lines...

So from San Ignacio (where we are staying) the Guatemala border is only about 20 minutes away. Once we got to the border...we payed our entrance fee, exchanged some belize money for guatemalan quetzales, and met Robert our driver for the day. And can I just say Robert had some pretty sweet rides for us to drive in. Definitely better then our precious purple chrysler town & country we've been using. AND we all had our own seat vs. cramming as many as we can in the van (which is secretly fun)! We then left for our 2 hour drive to the "Canopy" zip lines right outside Tikal National Park. The drive over was pretty great...there were a couple moments I was wondering why we were driving on the left side of the road or not on the road at all but that is just how they do it in Central America! There aren't ANY rules so all you can do is just enjoy the ride and say a little prayer to the man upstairs!

The zip lines were seriously incredible!! I had done some zip lines in Hawaii before but this was a completely different experience. Maybe a little more unorganized, but it was all part of the adventure! We had 4 guides who helped us through the 8 lines and showed us little tricks we could try but honestly I felt safe the entire time. I just kept thinking while I was flying through the sky that most likely never again will I be zip-lining through the jungle in GUATEMALA! We definitely saw some spider monkeys swinging around us too...then the monsoon rain started...which I have decided I love here! I mean we all don't get ready anyway and look like homeless men half the time so we have just learned to enjoy getting completely drenched everywhere we go! It really was SO fun. Definitely worth everything I spent for it!

 

The Zip Lines...yes that is me trying a move called the "Superman". I am so grateful it is zoomed out 

 

One of the road signs we passed on the way...leopard crossings are normal in Guatemala, who knew?!

After the zip lines, we had a meal that for real changed my life. These enchiladas weren't your average enchilada...they were different, Guatemalan style but ohhh they were AMAZING!! I may have gotten food poisoning from them but it was definitely worth it. Then it was Tikal time....we were running a little behind from the zip lines so in what would normally take 3-4 hours to hike we HAD to do in 2 and a half. So we were practically sprinting/speed-walking/slipping our way around the place but it was again, definitely worth it. These ruins were incredible...they were HUGE and were so well built.

Some of them honestly took my breath away when you think about the people that lived there and climbed these buildings daily! And the hike alone to the different temples was also pretty exhausting and imagining people back then having to do that all the time was crazy! But after climbing to the top of one, we realized why Tikal is so well known. It was one of the most beautiful moments in nature of my life. All you could see were miles and miles of jungle and mayan temples all around you. This view was absolutely breathtaking and I knew right then and there that this was only the beginning of traveling for me. Seeing something like that set something off in me that made want to see everything and appreciate so much more of what the world has to offer. Yes that was a little cheesy but its real. The only thing missing now is some cash flow...

 The incredible view!! Panoramic from Brenna...

Anyways, Guatemala was amazing. I am SO glad we decided to go. I would recommend it to everyone for sure if you like a little adventure. This week should be another exciting one....our plans always change as usual but I'll keep ya updated on our different projects for the week. I can't believe I am halfway done! Peace and Love!