The Lost World

Alex, Juan, and I caught a 6am bus that was slightly late and packed and only minutes after leaving we hit a roadblock. Guatemalan protesters had cut down trees and were blocking the road, we were told they’d be a slight delay so we sat tight and tried to take sneaky pics through the windscreen. That was until a dozen guys in balaclavas armed with machetes started marching up the road towards us. The lone police car did a runner and we were a little worried. Turned out they were only handing out leaflets and when they turned round and were all wearing tiny rucksacks they looked like little kids trick or treating, was actually quite funny.
Once we were let past, it was quite a long journey until the breakfast stop where we discovered everyone else was on a jungle adventure, also. Was a fab buffet breakfast, expensive at 5 bucks but just what we needed.
After a few more hours clunking through the jungle on a dirt road, I thought we were just being dumped but were taken to the immigration office where after a bit of ug ug uging we paid a few dollars and got our passports stamped. Then it was off to a boat.... it was a beautiful boat ride and pretty fast. Strange thinking we were actually traveling between to countries.. where actually were we?
When we hit the other side it was an hour wait for our connecting bus. Then it was on to the immigration office to enter.... no ug ug uging this time, plain and simple.... we give them money and they´ll stamp our passports.
The bus we had was a ratty clunker - half the windows were smashed and the seats were extremely bumpy, add that to the fact the journey was 3hrs by dirt track through the middle of nowhere and you can imagine my discomfort.
Eventually a cheery old fuck got on and told us they were no cashpoints in town and refused to take us to the hostel we wanted to go to it annoyed me a tad.
The three of us managed to sort some money and found the hostel. A little jungle like oasis on the weird island city that was Flores. It was dead cheap, had a bar, and served amazing food. Had hammocks everywhere, and turtles, a couple of cute green parrots and loads of plants, including bananas.
Alex, Juan and I sat around talking to some guys who’d been to Tikal and were insistent we didn’t wanna go to Belize cos it was expensive and there was nothing there....gave me something to think about!
The following day had nothing planned, it was to be a rest day as we’d had such a hectic time and give ourselves time to do boring stuff like laundry, dirinking, smoking weed, etc.
Only as soon as we’d hand washed our clothes the heavens opened and that shit wasn’t gonna stop. That was until I donned my plastic poncho and as I headed out to explore - was immediately bombarded by the brightest sun ever. Went and got me sunglasses and it rained again.
Flores is a cool little island - you could stand by the church on the little hill and see water in all four directions.
Explored across the bridge to Santa Elena, wish we hadn’t bothered cause it was a big shithole, especially in rain...there were no pavements only mud...and certainly nothing to look at.
Headed back to Flores and some nachos for lunch. Then remembered we needed some money - so got a cute Tuk-tuk across the bridge to Santa Elena again, cost virtually nothing and was kinda fun - Tuk-Tuk's is a little scooter with a cart thing on the back that carry 2 people...and with a head full of booze and weed, hilarious!
That done - tried to buy me some cigarettes, except nowhere in the whole of Flores had any change. It seems to be a huge problem out here....if you have anymore than the equivalent of a five dollar bill, you can’t buy anything. They have to ask everyone in the town if they can change your money. Its crazy, I think someone somewhere must eat all the small change.
Back at the hostel, we were planning to have an early night, but a couple of Canadian lads insisted we join them and some girls for a drink, we agreed as long as we went somewhere we could get food, cause we was hungry.
Ended up going to a little place on the lake, sat right out on the water on rather precarious bits of wood, where we enjoyed cheap tacos and several beers....oh yeah and good company, too. Stayed until the Canadian kids had to run to catch their night bus, and we headed home to bed....got a very early morning tomorrow.
Got up ridiculously early, like 4:30am. Our bus was due to leave at 5. Headed down to the bus stop still half asleep...wouldn’t you? Still apparently it’s the thing to do. Our bus to Tikal arrived if a little late and we all piled on.
Was quite a long drive, but eventually reached the entrance the park, figured we must be nearly there. Actually it was still some miles....deeper and deeper into the jungle. The signs on the road were funny, apparently we had to watch for turkeys, jaguars, snakes and some other strange creatures crossing the road - saw millions of turkeys - the driver having to stop numerous times to let them cross.
Alex, Juan and I arrived, paid our fee and went off exploring. Juan chose the way, his thinking being we would get the temples which were further away out of the way first. Agreed, why not?
Problem was the temple we had chosen to see first was deep in the jungle...and it was kinda freaky to be in the middle of the jungle at 6am, with no-one else anywhere else to be seen, and trust me it really is in the middle of the jungle.
Arrived at the temple and then Alex decided he should get his guidebook out to see what it was about, only to read it said you should avoid this temple because it was dangerous, people were often mugged or worse! Headed to another group of temples....were cooler, but still scary. Then we had no idea where to go, the paths and signs seemed to have disappeared...started heading into the jungle, but then decided...thank god....that it was pretty stupid, as we had no idea where we going and ended up retracing most of our steps, till we found a sign. Followed it through more scary jungle and eventually reached an open area and some people meandering about. Not many people around though, it was still early - and it was kinda nice - gives you the whole spiritual feeling about the place, and it isolation. Checked out some cool temples opposite each other and the huge acropolis between them.
Went to find the toilets. Were just leaving when the cleaner came out of the toilet to show us something....I was terrified it was some huge spider....I wasn’t far off....it was the biggest beetle imaginable...no it was bigger than you could ever imagine....its was the size of his hand...and he had just found it in the toilets. Creepy.
Walked the ‘lost world’ and its pyramid of the sun. This is the one to climb - so had to do this one at least. The steps on all Mayan pyramids are stupidly high....god knows how the 4ft Mayans ever climbed them (someone said to us they reckoned someone had built the steps the wrong way up...they should have been wide not high), and these were very eroded. Still people were climbing it so figured it couldn’t be that bad. So up we went.
God it was scary. Some of the steps were bigger than me. Ended virtually crawling up - thanks to a pack of smokes a day, I reckon. One slip and you would have been in a crumpled heap at the bottom. Still we made it, and it was worth it. The views of the jungle and temples peeking through were amazing! Very scary to stand close to the edge and look down though, and I’m not normally scared of heights.
Sat and rested, taking in the view. Alex whiped out the weed and we smoked in awe of the Sun god - long discussions on literature and Mexican/American politics. Disappointingly didn’t see any wildlife, but it wasn’t a great day...misty and threatening rain. Then we had to go down. Now I thought up was bad, but down was a million times worse - the main thing being you had to look down. Took us hours to go down....well not literally but it was ages....had to go one foot at a time, having to slide down on my arse at times.....god was I glad to be on solid ground again.
My legs were like jelly and my left thigh muscle had forgotten how to work - Alex decided I should hop, and for some reason I agreed, and my leg gave way and I nearly fell on my ass.
Saw heaps more temples.....some of the biggest. One they were restoring painfully by hand, chipping away at bits of rocks with chisels, and one which they have rebuilt (which was cool to see how it should have looked). Alex and Juan of course had to climb them all with me in tow.
It started to pour so - we sat in the picnic area. Explored one of the acropolises...and Juan went up a wet and slippery and very dangerous temple - just cause he could - and that was pretty much it. Had a long walk back to the exit through more cool jungle...this a little safer with half decent paths - I struggled to keep my leg from giving way...but somehow made it.
Then waited for our bus back - in the pouring rain. Looked like we had timed it perfectly, would have got drenched if we had come any later. Was a cool experience....magical and scary at the same time.
Back at the hostel we were starving, so ordered burgers for lunch from the hostel. Oh my god, I don’t think I have ever seen such a big burger - it had like 3 slices of bread, pineapple, avocado....and Lord knows what else.
Ended up talking to a couple from Essex, who had come in for food, and had been waiting for hours for it - they do make you wait, cause it is all prepared from scratch but man is it good. Went for a walk and when we got back the couple were still there, they had finally got there food and agreed it was worth waiting for.
Chilled for the rest of the day...our washing still not dry...it had never stopped raining for gods sake.
Juan met these two Guatemalans who agreed to take us deep into the jungle to spot jaguar and meet a tribe that still takes Yage - that herb that William Burroughs searched for in the 1950’s. I mentioned it and the short one named Ignacio said he knew a brujo that would mix me up some.
I am a little wary, Ignacio and his friend Rene are a little on the scruffy side and something just doesn’t seem right about their demeanor - something wrong. I sit at the hostels rinky dink computer typing this out and the four lads are over on the patio laughing and drinking and smoking weed. It took Alex a coy look and sweet talking to get me to go - but, I guess I am on a day trip tomorrow into the jungle…