Sunday, March 15, 2020

Guatemala🇳🇼


LÔpuks ometi olen ma Kesk-Ameerikas. Sihtkohas, mis minu peas keerles juba viimased 5 aastat ajast kui ma oma LÔuna-Ameerika reisilt tagasi jÔudsin.p
Esimeseks sihtkohaks valisin ma Guatemala. See oli koht, mille kohta ma olin kÔige rohkem tuttavatelt reisisellidelt kuulnud ja tundus turvaline valik.
Seekord pakkisin oma koti (olen saavutanud meistritaseme reisides vaid vajalikuga, sest kogu mu 2 kuu varandus siin reisil kaalus kokku 8kg) 25 veebruaril ja maandusin 26 Ôhtul Guatemala citys. Ajavahe Eestiga on 8h ja mu reis kestis ka pÀris pikalt, et seekord oli mul elu kÔige pikem ajavahega kohandumine. Kogu aeg oli uni ainult.
Aga rÀÀkides kohtadest, siis Guatemala city ehk pealinn minu silmis midagi erilist pole. Ma broneerisin kĂ”igepealt 2 ööd, et saaks natuke reisist puhata ja harjuda Guatemalaga enne kui kohe trippimine pihta hakkab, aga ausalt öeldes peale neid kahte ööd ma juba ootasin, et saaks edasi liikuda. JĂ€rgmiseks sihtkohaks oli seljakotireisijate suur lemmik Antigua. Tegemist on pisikese linnakesega vulkaanide (osad aktiivsed) keskel. Suuri maju seal pole ĂŒldse, ainult pisikesed madalad ja vĂ€ga vĂ€rvilsed. Ideaalis vĂ”iks linna 1 pĂ€evaga lĂ€bi kĂ€ia, aga kuna ma olin sellest kohast ĂŒlivĂ”rdes kuulnud, siis broneerisin kohe 3 ööd. Suurt midagi ei teinudki alguses. Sain kokku ĂŒhe Uus-Meremaa tĂŒdrukuga, kellega kunagi 5a tagasi Boliivias tutvusime ja ta ei lĂ€inudki oma reisilt tagasi vaid elab nĂŒĂŒd Antiguas. Ta tegi vĂ€ikse linnatuuri ja istusime ĂŒhes baaris, aga nagu öeldud, siis vĂ€simus mind ikka hullult jĂ€litas, et ega ma pikalt kuskil olla ei jaksanud ega suurt teha.
LĂ”puks 2.03 otsustasin teha Acatenango vulkaani matka. Vulkaan ise on peaaegu 4000meetrit merepinnast ja sinna korraldatakse ööpĂ€ev kestvaid matku. Esimesel pĂ€eval matkasime kuskil 4-5 tunni vahel, et jĂ”uda laagriplatsile. Iseenesest ei tundu see pikk aeg, agaaaaa kohati olid ikka vĂ€ga retsid tĂ”usud. Ütleme nii, et 85% sellest matkast tundsin ma end kui 80aastane mööda mĂ€ge ĂŒles ronimas veremaitse suus. Mu parim sĂ”ber oli kepp, mille saime rentida 80eurosendi eest ja millele ma toetusin iga 5min tagant, et pilti tasku ei viskaks. Okei vĂ”ib olla ma natuke liialdan. Aga tĂ”si on, et alguses oli ka meeletult palav ning hiljem hakkas ka kĂ”rgus vaikset mĂ”juma ja Ă”hk muutus vĂ€ga hĂ”redaks. Et kĂ”ik need tegurid kokku tegid minu jaoks selle matka ikkagi suht raskeks. Telklasse jĂ”udes avastasime aga tĂ€iesti 100% pilvise platsi enda eest. Acatenango vulkaan asub nimelt Fuego nimelise kĂ”rval, mis peaks olema ĂŒks aktiivsemaid vulkaane maailmas. Ja oligi. Me kuulsime Fuegot purskamas...aga ei nĂ€inud mitte midagi. Mu nĂ€ost oli lugeda ainult pettumust, sest pilved ei tundunud ka mitte kuskilt otsast taanduvat ja vahepeal tunduski, et tegime lihtsalt retsi matka tippu, et nĂ€ha...pilvi. Õnneks poole 9 paiku pilved tĂ”mbasid minema ja taevas oli tĂ€iesti selge. Ja WOW!!! Naeratust mu nĂ€ost oli raske minema pĂŒhkida. Taevas paistis poolkuu, tĂ€hed sĂ€rasid ja me olime niiiiii lĂ€hedal purkavale vulkaanile ja nĂ€gime punast laavat mööda kĂŒlge alla voolmas. Ütlen ausalt, et see kogemus oli nii ainulaadne ja vĂ”imas, et ma lihtsalt seisin seal ja mĂ”tlesin, kui Ă”nnelik ma olen, et mul on elus vĂ”imalik sellist asja ĂŒldse kogeda. Magasime telkides ja kuigi öösel tĂ”mbas miinuskraadideks, siis mul oli isegi suht ok, sest ma kandsin 6 kihti riideid😀 Reisifirma andis kĂ”igile joped, mĂŒtsi ja kindad ka, mis olid kĂ”ik megasoojad. Öösel muutus Fuego eriti aktiivseks ja mingi hetk lĂ€bi une kuulsin ĂŒhte purset teise jĂ€rel ja omaette seal kubujussina magamiskotis mĂ”tlesin, et hmmm, kas see on ikka normaalne. Kell 4 oli jĂ€lle Ă€ratus ja tuli ette vĂ”tta teekond tĂ€iesti vulkaani tippu. See kestis umbes tunnikese ja oli ka ikka vĂ€ga raske. Lisaks sellele, et jalad tĂ€iesti sĂŒldid olid eelmisest pĂ€evast, oli vĂ€ljas megakĂŒlm, kottpime ja vĂ€ga unine tunne. Õhk oli eriti hĂ”re ja jĂ€rsemad tĂ”usud tĂ”mbasid korralikult lĂ€bi. Aga see kĂ”ik oli seda vÀÀrt. PĂ€ikesetĂ”us sealt tipust oli lihtsalt vaimustav. Kui pĂ€ike ilusti kĂ”rgel oli trippisime tagasi telklasse, sĂ”ime ja hakkasime alla minema. Esimene osa oli eriti mĂ”nus. Nautisin ilusat ilma ja jalutasin rahulikult, aga kui need jĂ€rsemad kohad tulid lĂ”pus siis oiiiii kuidas mu 80aastase pĂ”lved tunda andsid. Kuigi see 24 tundi oli vĂ€gagi proovile panev, siis oli see ĂŒks kihvtimaid 24 tundi, mis mul vĂ€ga ammu on olnud. Nii palju emotsioone mahtus sinna sisse ja see kĂ”ik oli lihtsalt vaimustav, mis seal ĂŒleval oli. Tagasi jĂ”udsime hostelisse lĂ”una paiku ning kella 4ne Ă€ratus ja matk olid nii lĂ€bi tĂ”mmanud, et midagi suurt targemat pĂ€evaga enam ei teinudki.
JĂ€rgmine pĂ€ev aga seadsin sammud Atitlani nimelise jĂ€rve ÀÀrde. Tegu on pĂ€ris suure jĂ€rvega mĂ€gede ja vulkaanide keskel ehk merepinnast ikka tunduvalt kĂ”rgemal ning jĂ€rve kĂŒlgedel on erinevad kĂŒlakesed, mida saab paadiga kĂŒlastada. Mina alustasin Panajacheli nimelisest kĂŒlakesest kuhu jĂ€in esialgu kaheks ööks ja armusin sellesse kohta pea kohe. Pisike koht, samas piisavalt suur, et kĂ”ik asjad on olemas ning sealt nĂ€eb imeilusaid pĂ€ikeseloojanguid. Vahepeal liikusin ĂŒheks ööks ka San Pedro nimelisse kĂŒlakesse teisel pool jĂ€rve, sest sealt sai teha Indian Nose hike. Ehk taaaaaskord matkamine (kes oleks arvanud, et Guatemala mind selliseks hommiku inimeseks ja matkaselliks muudab). Just siis kui vulkaani matkast hakkasid lihased vaikselt taastuma panin taaskord Ă€ratuse 3.30ks ja hakkasin mĂ€e otsa ronima. Seekord ka ilma oma parima sĂ”bra, kepita, kellele toetuda. Aga asi oli tunduvalt sujuvam ja lĂŒhem. Peale vulkaani kutsuksin seda rahulikuks hommikuseks jalutamiseks. Peale San Pedrot ja Indian Nose vurasin paadiga taaskord Panajacheli. Kuigi Atitlan on siiani vaieldamatult mu lemmikkoht Guatemalas, siis peale Panajacheli broneerisin bussi Lanquini nimelisse kĂŒlakesse, mis distantsilt peaks olema suts ĂŒle 300km, aga meil vĂ”ttis ĂŒle 10h sinna jĂ”udmine. Olgu tervitatud kĂ”ik mĂ€gised ja kurvilised teed, mis mul sĂŒdame pahaks ajavad. Lanquin asub vihmametsas ja pĂ”hjus miks inimesed sinna lĂ€hevad on Semuc Champey. Looduslikud, ma ei teagi kuidas neid nimetada, nagu basseinid oma tĂŒrkiisse veega keset vihmametsa ja mĂ€gesid. Taaskord tuli suht hard core matk, et vaateplatvormile jĂ”uda ja mööda muda sealt pĂ€rast pĂ”himĂ”tteliselt alla libiseda. Aga tuleb tĂ”deda, et vĂ€ga ilus koht. Kuigi uuesti ma seda 10h sĂ”itu selle nimel isiklikult kindlasti tegema ei hakkaks. Lanquinis on veel koopad ja ĂŒks Ă”htu lĂ€ksime kahe belgia tĂŒĂŒbiga sinna uudistama. Mingi hetk olime 40m maa all ja ronisime mööda eriti teravaid kive ehk adrekat sai. Lahkusime pĂ€ikeseloojangu ajal, mil ka kĂ”ik nahkhiired otsustasid lahkuda sealt koopast ja oiiii kuidas neid lendas. Ma ikka korralikult hoidsin kĂ€si nĂ€o ees, et mĂ”ni vastu vahtimist ei lendaks. Öeldi, et neid nahkhiiri pidavat sealt umbes 10 000 korraga vĂ€lja lendama. Tagasi teel kĂ”ndisime mööda muda edasi tagasi libisedes, vĂ€ljas lĂ€ks kottpimedaks ja padukat sadas. Mingi hetk hakkas ĂŒks tĂŒĂŒp hÀÀletama ja kohe vĂ”ttiski mingi kastiga kohalik meid peale. Me istusime kastis, kus oli veel köitega kinnitatud mootorratas ja mööda neid kurvilisi teid, vihm nĂ€kku pritsimas viis see mees meid mĂ€e otsa meie hostelisse Ă€ra. See sĂ”it oli niiii lege, sest auto libises mudas, meie seal kastis, kuskilt kinni polnud hoida, sest lĂ€bi iga augu sĂ”ites lendasime seal nagunii ringi. Aga teate, sellised natuke lollid, pisikesed ekstreemsed asjad on just need mille pĂ€rast ma reisin. Ma ausalt ei suutnud kĂ”va hÀÀlega naermist lĂ”petada terve tee ja kohale jĂ”udes, olles totaalsed mudakollid, oli tunne nagu oleks ei tea mis reisiga just hakkama saanud. Lanquinis peatusin kolm ööd ja peaaegu terve see aeg kui ma seal olin sadas korralikult vihma. Alguses oli pettumus suur, aga tegelikult oli vĂ€ga mĂ”nus mullivannis paduka ajal istuda ja pĂ€rast hosteli rahvaga piljardit ja laumĂ€nge mĂ€ngida. Et see suht ideaalne koht kui on soov end maailmast Ă€ra lĂ”igata natuke. Lanquinist lahkudes olid teed ikka vĂ€ga mudased ja ilm pilvine ja sobune sellega, et me olimegi konkreetselt pilvedes ja midagi vĂ€ga nĂ€ha polnud. Teed nagu mainitud vĂ€ga kurvilised ja koht ilma piirdeta. Ilmselgelt kĂ”ikidest minibussidest, kes korraga Lanquinist erinevas suunas liikuma hakkasid jĂ€i meie oma mutta kinni. Mida rohkem andis juht gaasi, seda rohkem vajus buss tagumise osaga kuristiku poole. Meid aeti tagaotsa, kohalikud tulid sinna tee peal oleva otsa juurde kĂ”ik lĂŒkkama ja ikka vajusime me aina tagasi. Pole vist vaja mainida, et mu pulss oli sĂŒdamerabanduse ÀÀrel, ronisin tee pool olevasse otsa ja tĂ”mbasin akna lahti, sest ilma naljata olin valmis sealt aknast vĂ€lja hĂŒppama kui buss veel tagasi libiseb. Õnneks kuidagi saime ikka teele tagasi aga mu vererĂ”hk oli veel tĂŒkk aega laes. Taaskord lugu, mis sel hetkel tekitas korraliku sisemise paanika, aga praegu ajab naerma. Reisidel ikka juhtub. Mul vĂ€hemalt.
Taaskord pikk pĂ€ev bussis veetes jĂ”udsin tagasi Antiguasse, kust mul pidi jĂ€rgmine hommik kell 7 minema buss El Salvadori.  Guatemalas juba gramm ĂŒle 2nĂ€dala selleks ajaks oldud ja sain kĂ”ik tehetud, mis tahtsin ehk olin 100% valmis uuteks avastusteks, aga vĂ”ta nĂ€pust. TĂ€pselt 12h enne bussi vĂ€ljumist jĂ”udis koroona paanika ka lĂ”puks siia maile ning mulle öeldi, et nii El Salvadori kui ka Hondurase piirid (minu 2 jĂ€rgmist sihtriiki) on suletud. Muid plaane mul polnud, et suht hetkega pidin oma plaanid tĂ€iesti ĂŒmber mĂ”tlema. JĂ€in veel 3ks ööks Antiguasse kuna hakkasin ka kodustelt saama paanikat, et kohe piletid Eestisse ostaks kuna piirid kinni jne ning Antigua hea baaskoht mujale Guatemalas minemiseks ning samas ka Guatemala Citysse kui lennujaama vaja kiiresti minna. Esialgu mĂ”tlesin asja rahulikult vĂ”tta ja vaadata mis saab. Sain kokku ka ĂŒhe eesti tĂŒdrukuga ning koos meie kohaliku sĂ”braga lĂ€ksime hoopis kĂ”rvalkĂŒlla vĂ€ikese kohaliku tootja juurde mayade stiilis ĆĄokolaadi tegema, selle asemel, et niisama paanitseda. Ma suur ĆĄokoladi fĂ€nn kĂŒll pole, aga vĂ€ga kihvt oli nĂ€ha kuidas kakao taimest lĂ€bi koorimiste, röstimiste, purustamise ja vormimise jĂ”ubki meieni ĆĄokolaad. Saime ka igat protsessi ise kaasa teha ja proovida igas staadiumis kakaod/ĆĄokolaadi ehk iga ĆĄokohooliku unistus.
Tagasi internetimaailma jĂ”udes oli paanika aina sĂŒvenenud ja juba kutsus ka valitsus kĂ”iki koju. Ma selles loogikat ei nĂ€e, sest siin koroona veel ei levi, kĂ”ik asjad on avatud, elu toimib normaalselt ja pĂ€ike paistab. Eesti tulles oleksin 2 ndl ĂŒksi kodus ehk broneerisin hoopis bussi El Paredoni nimelisse surfikĂŒlakesse ookeani ÀÀres ja proovin siin natuke tsillilt vĂ”tta ja loota, et Euroopa ja maailm rahunevad varsti maha. Mu esialgselt plaanitud Kesk-Ameerikast kuni Ecuadorini vĂ”ib vist und nĂ€ha, sest hetkel tundub, et siit Gutemalast mul vĂ€ga kuskile liikuda pole kuna piirid kĂ”ik kinni. Aga elab pĂ€ev korraga ja vaatab mis edasi 


I am finally in Central America. A destination that has been haunting me eversince I left South America 5 years ago. My first destination is Gutemala where I arrived on the 26th of February. Firstly I stayed 2 nights in the capital, Guatemala City, to recover before I start exploring around, but tbh I have never had such a long jetlag in my entire life than I had in here. I would recommend to stay in Guatemala City as shortly as possible, not much to see there in my opinion. Anyways I was happy to move on after two nights. My next stop was the main backpacker place in Guatemala, a small town in the middle of volcanos with lots of colourful tiny houses, called Antigua. The main attraction in Antigua is the Acatenango volcano hike. Which I decided to take on the 2nd of March. It’s an overnight hike that takes you to the top of Acatenango which is about 4000meters from the sealevel. Safe to say I had a bloodtaste in my mouth at least half the hike up. It takes around 4-5 hours to reach the camping site on the first day and some parts were veeeery steep. My best friend thoughout the hike was the stick that we were able to rent for 80 eurocents at the beginning. Around 3.30 pm we reached the camping site AND for my massive dissapointment there were only clouds. Could not see anything else and they did not seem to dissapear either. Thankfully by 9.30pm it cleared up and ohhh wowwwwwwww!!! I could not wipe the smile off my face. Halfmoon, sky full of stars and an active volcano called Fuego erupting in the backruound, red magma sliding down. That was just amazing and I felt so greatful that I am able to experince that sort of things. We slept in the tents and altought it was minusdegrees during the night then I was actually okay to sleep. Maybe because I was wearing 6 layers of clothes :D Fuego got extremely active during the night when there was one eruption after another and wrapped in  one million things, barely able to move, I was thinking by myself if this is even normal. Wake up time was 4am to do the hike to the summit. And ohh how I was struggeling there. Body was still like a jelly from the yesterdays hike, was so sleepy, it was pitch black outside, cold, the air was so thin and on the top of that it was sooo steep as well the whole way up. But an hour later we were there and it was 100% worth it. The sunrise we got from there was out of this world. Nothing I had ever seen before. When the sun was high up we went back to the campsite, had breakky and started our way down. First part was like walk in the park but during the steeper part down, it felt like I am 80 y/o and my knees are 90. We got back to the hostel around noon and after recovering for a night I made my way to lake Atitlan. A huge lake in the middle of volcanoes and mountains. Definitely my favourite spot in Guatemala. There are few villages around the lake which are accessible by boat. I chose the one called Panajachel as my main spot and liked it a lot there. Small but big enough to have everything with a bonus of amazing sunsets. For one night I also went to San Pedro to do the Indian Nose hike (who would have known that Guatemala turns me into such a morning person and hiker, huh). 3.30 am wake up to start hiking towards the top of a mountain again. But compared to the volcano I would call this one a lovely morning walk. Again worth doing it since you get the view over the whole lake during the sunrise. Very magical. After 4 nights in total by the lake I took a shuttle to Lanquin. A place which was slightly more than 300km away but it took us more than 10h to drive that. Cheers to all the curvy roads in the mountains that are everything but enjoyable. The main reason why people go to Lanquin is the Semuc Champey, natural pools with turquise water in the middle of a rainforest and mountains. Very pretty but I personally would not take that 10h journey for that again. The whole three days I spent there was pissing down rain. At first I was very dissapointed but it was actually pretty cool to chill in the hot tub in the rain and play pool and boardgames with the hostel people afterwards. Very relaxing and a good spot to cut yourself off this world for a wee while. One day we also went to explore the cave with two belgian guys. At some point we were 40meters underground climbing sharp rocks, pretty cool. During the sunset we decided to leave the cave and so did around 10 000 bats. Never seen anything like it before. Was covering my face so that I wouldnt get smacked by one. When we started walking back it got totally dark and the rain was pouring down and the road was so muddy we were sliding around. One of the belgians hitchhiked to a local guy with a trunk and we had to sit back. That ride was legendary. Roads were curvy and pumpy, we had to go up on a steep hill, the rain was splashing to our faces. The car was sliding in the mud, we were sliding in the back of the car. I could not stop laughing out loud the whole way up. That sort of silly and small things is the reason why I feel so alive when travelling. When it was time to leave Lanquin the roads were crazy muddy and of course our van got stuck in the mud. We were literally in the clouds on the edge of a cliff and the more the driver pushed gas, the van was sliding towards the edge of the cliff. Locals were trying to push, we were ordered to go the the back of the van but still with every press on the gas pedal we went backwards. Safe to say my pulse was high as and in my head I was forming escape plans in case we will slide more towards the edge. Thankfully after a while we got out but my hands were shaking for a good while afterwards. Arriving back to Antigua I tought this was my last night in Guatemala since by then I had been there for a bit longer that 2 weeks and done everything I wanted to. But 12 hours before my bus was supposed to go to El Salvador, the corona panic arrived here as well and I was told that the borders of El Salvador as well as Honduras (my next two destinations) have been closed. I had no plan B so I stayed in Antigua for three more nights to see how this situation will unfold. But it only got worse and I started to get messages from the home ones as well to return to Estonia asap. To ignore the panic tho then me, another estonian girl and our local friend went to a small family owned chocolate factory where they made true mayan style chocolate. Although I am not a big fan of chocolate it was still so interesting to see how the chocolate we know from stores comes from the cocoa plant and what needs to be done with it. We were also able to taste cocoa/chocolate in every stage and try to roast/grind etc ourselves as well. Definitely a chocoholics wet dream.
Returning to the internet world it seemed like the world is going more crazy within every minute and the tought of returning to Europe where everything is closed and I would have to sit first two weeks at home not even able to see anyone, did not excite me at all. So instead I booked a shuttle to a little surfing village called El Paredon by the coast of Guatemala. Long story short then atm it feels like I am a bit stuck in Guatemala and I have no clear plan at all what to do. Will just take day by day and see how this situation goes. But safe to say that my Central- American trip down to Ecuador is just a dream now...

Acatenango hike
Fuego

Atitlan
Panajachel


Semuc Champey
Chocolate workshop









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