Guatemala Campaign: Day 6...Adventures in Guatemala.

Day 6.  Thursday, March 17th 2011.  Well per the title this day was most definitely an adventure.  It had all the key ingredients.  Mishaps, laughter, necessary teamwork and good times with those involved.

This day was supposed to be a day of rest and relaxation.  And it was but not without a little work first.  We stopped first to explore a popular cave.  Here the lights did not work so they gave us candles for a pitch black cave.  Not exactly ideal.  The lights eventually did come on but at this point we were deep inside the cave.  I also heard a bat which shook me up a little bit since I hate bats. But we got out and enjoyed it.  So after this, we were on our way up to Champey, a community about two hours from Coban.  This is where it got interesting.  Champey is known worldwide for their clean and natural swimming holes. The ride up there was going pretty smoothly until we came too close to the side of the dirt road we were on and our back tire fell into the gutter on the side of the road (pictured above).  We tried a variety of methods to get it out and eventually did.  We learned here that our little diesel engine 15 passenger van was not equipped to make the trip to Champey.  So what did we do?  We ended up leaving the van in a community called Laquin and hopped in to the back of a pickup Guatemala style and went the rest of the way to Champey.  The roads on the way up there only reinforced the fact that there was NO WAY our little van would have made the trip. After this part of the adventure, paradise.  We took a short hike to these amazing swimming holes where all but Tony decided to dive in to cool off from the Guatemala heat.  While there, I met a Canadian girl named Sandrina, an Australian girl named Veronica and on the way back to our van, I met a couple from Argentina as well as a guy from France whose names escape me.  But the adventure does not end here. 

When we finally got back to our van, the little diesel engine with Darvin at the wheel was put to the test again. This little van has trouble climbing hills on dirt roads.  So when we came to a steep hill, Jordan had to go to the top on foot and make sure no traffic was coming so our van could get a running start and get over the hump.  After the third attempt, we made it.  We had to drive past Jordan a few yards to a flat spot so Jordan had to run to catch up to the van before he got in and we made the trek back to Coban. 

When we finally got back, I had never been happier to see Byron and I gave him a big hug.  Byron did not go with us because he had a lot of work to do.  We all had dinner together and recounted the days events to Byron.  Byron just laughed at all that happened.  I was kind of frustrated and worried while it was happening but I now laugh about it as I should have then.  God took care of us for sure.  We joked and said while God took care of us, He messed with us a little bit since we did not knock doors on this day.  So all in all, eventful but good day. :-) LOVE Y'ALL! GOD BLESS! THANKS FOR READING!!!