Things go haywire sometimes. That´s why we have airplanes...

In reviewing my first, and albeit only, post, it strikes me as somewhat ironic, hilarious and downright insane that I find myself writing my second entry from a random computer in a random hotel in... yes, Guatemala. Why you ask is it ironic or hilarious or insane or anything other than "nice"? Well, let´s just say for time saving purposes, that I was supposed to be hanging out near the north pole about right now. Alaska, Guatemala. What´s the difference? Well, the difference is that in Alaska I was going to be spending 10 perfect days with my totally sexy FBI boyfriend and hopeful life partner, Eric. But as of last week, let's just say some things were "altered" which inevitably left me with no option other than booking a flight to Central America. Guatemala to be precise.

I arrived at 5:30Am CST this morning. With no sleep, no food and still hungover from a burning case of heartbreak, I found myself stepping off a plane in Guatemala City. Did I mention that I just only secured a hotel the day prior and totally blew off making airport to hotel arrangements. Which turned out to be a good thing.

Enter Mary. The aging-society-drop-out-hawaii-living-guatemala-loving hippy who unknowingly agreed to mentor me in all things Guatemala by agreeing to share a 3 hour taxi cab ride to Lake Atitlan.

Our initial introduction was made by two Seattle 30-something firemen-paramedics (is this an okay place to mention that they were smoking hot?) who also arrived via the LA to Guat flight. Being the only three 30 something Americans on our flight, the three of us naturally gravitated towards one another, both in LAX and when we arrived in Guat City. They had with them 5 huge duffel bags full of medical supplies being donated by Seattle area fire departments. They come down once a year to delver the goods and do volunteer work. Yeah, and they say the hot ones are shallow... whatever. Anyway, they made a kind and generous offer for me to come with them and their firemen buddies to hang out in Guatemala City for the day and night, as they were headed to Atitlan the next day. But as their "ride" pulled up -- a Guatemala City Ambulance -- I met Mary.

So, I bid farewell to Brian and Jack, and talked about maybe bumping into each other in Atitlan later in the week. As they jumped in the ambulance, I turned to Mary. Mary, it turns out, lives part time in Lake Atitlan. She´s owned a house here for 32 years. When she´s not living in Hawaii, she´s living here. Says she divides her time pretty equally. Rough.

Because Mary is so obviously well-equipped to deal with all things Guatemala, I acquiesce to her making arrangements with a Taxi driver to get us to the lake and we hop in. Once we´re in the taxi, she turns to me and says "Do you have a scarf or something to cover your face with?" HUH?? Is she KIDDING with that question? Where the fuck are we, Guatemala City or Iran? So she goes on to explain that getting out of the city can be very dangerous, especially in a taxi. ESPECIALLY in a TAXI?! Then why in God´s name didn´t we take a shuttle like everyone else seemed to be doing? Oy. Flashes of my Dad saying I told you so and other epitaphs of foreboding are now running through my head. Of course I´m already committed to this god forsaken taxi journey, and we are already moving out of the airport "parking lot". Do I jump out now and follow other tourists to the bus station? Or take my chances with Mary? It was gut following time -- so Mary it is.

She sinks down in her seat and encourages me to follow suit. Which of course, I do. Promptly. She goes on to tell me again how potentially dangerous it is to exit the city and it´s best to hide in the backseat as robbers don´t bother with an empty taxi. So, lo and behold, Mary and I make our way out of Guatemala City hiding - literally hiding - in the backseat of a taxi. I knew she was right on with her hiding plan when I saw our taxi driver´s response to our undercover tactics. He was pleased.

Welcome to Guatemala.

upon exiting the dangerous part of the city, we emerged and I saw Guatemala for the first time. And the rest of our 3 hour journey was just plain delightful. And so is everything else thus far.

More details later, as I am full from dinner, a little sun soaked and very, very tired.

What a week.

Buenos Noches.