December, Utila

Island Livin' it up

 Sooo... I realize it has been quite a while. If anyone bothers to check this anymore I'd be surprised, but what the hell I'll try not to neglect this space so much in the future. For now, here's a link to my FB photos, hopefully it'll give somewhat of an idea of what life is like here. Obviously not so much the diving part as I don't have an underwater camera, but the rest of the day to day...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=95334&id=1407631058&l=c29a859dee

Its difficult to stop and reflect on what people outside of this experience would want to know. Getting sucked into a routine of sorts makes everything less fresh and new although no less amazing. I am thinking I'll be here for a few more months, so plenty of time to come up with something...

Infinite Arms

So, here I still am. In the naive plan making that was this trip I thought I would be on another continent by now. Next time I'm not buying a plane ticket. Next time I'm making no promises, not to anyone or myself. I'll go when I'm good and ready, thank you. Vaguely shaping in the future in front of my eyes I see returning to complete the journey I set out to, but whether that is the nearer or further future it's not apparent. Here are more possibilities than I ever could have dreamed. The shape of he master plan looks something like this, thus far: complete my dive master course, maybe stick around, maybe go to catch the flight I already booked out of Buenos Aires a few days before the Christmas holiday. As soon as I have enough money, leave for an undetermined location to find work diving (Asia, Australia, South Pacific, etc). Work til I want to leave and find the next destination. Travel, work, dive, live. What could be better? Careers can wait. Life can wait, but this is my life and it's finally real.

A Land Without Time

It's been awhile... I've lost track of any sense of time. Just mark the days by when people leave, what number dive tallied. It's not reality. Or maybe it's the only real thing and everything else is the false life. I'm almost sure it's the latter. Because if this wasn't real, what would be the point at all? I think I've been on this little island (Utila, Honduras) for nearly 3 weeks now. It seems like nothing, though the small aches of missing the people I started out with marks the time better than a calendar page. But this is a lull before the real work starts. I've completed my first two courses, the open water and advanced open water course, and just finished the emergency first response exam. Next will be the rescue diver course, log some more dives, then start traing for my dive master. Crazy but it should be great. Learning new job skills is never a bad thing.

P.S. Photos as soon as I have Internet that's not so slow!

Archive: 30 August 2010

There is nothing in the world quite like real, pure freedom. I can only hazard a guess at what those true explorers of the unknowns of this world have felt. What they lived and died and suffered for. The freedom to go into the unknown, alone, to discover something absolutely foreign. Well, I am not sure weather that experience exists on a certain level anymore, but the essence remains the same. Sure, I have always had the ability to make my own way, but there has always been structure to my life shaping the choices I've made. Had to find a job to afford the apartment to live where I wanted to. But traveling is different. Almost nearly true freedom to decide where I want to go and when. The only actual limiting factor is money, as usual. Time, well I've got the rest of my life. I have no commitments if I don't want to make any. Even the ones I chose now feel like binding chains. To float on the current is the best feeling. Now, I want it to last forever. My home is nowhere, and that's okay. 

All the bugs in the jungle want my blood

I left Antigua on Friday evening after my last class (sad). Took the overnight bus (9 hrs, plus approx 3 hrs in shuttles either end) to Flores and the Mayan ruins at Tikal. Probably not the best plan, but oh well, who needs sleep anyways. The ruins were impressive - limestone towers rising up out of the jungle, 70 meters high. It was hot, humid and filled with tourists but still a worthwhile visit. I took a guided tour, which was good but already I´ve forgotten most of the information but at least it was relavant at the time. Spent one night in the tiny island town of Flores, situated on a pretty lake in the nothern Peten region. The town wasn´t much but hotels and tourist shops and overpriced waterfront restaurants. I did get to stay at a hostel with a pet rabbit roaming around, so that was a plus. Sunday took a 7 hour shuttle to the town of Lanquin, where the famous aqua pools of Semuc Champey are located nearby. Unfortunately it rained a lot, so when we got to the pools on monday they were more of a mustard/mud color, but still nice for swimming and jumping into. Evidently this week is the anual festival celebrating the town or Lanquin, so we waded through crowds of people watching a parade of all the schools in the region, which was good fun except for having to walk against the tide and getting in everyone´s way. That was awkward. First we visited the Las Marias cave which was excelente; swam in the underground river with nothing but candles and a crazy spider monkey-like Guatemalteco for guidance. We waded through the murky water, scrambled up and down some sketchy ladders (while still keeping candles alight), ducked under a waterfall and got one little rock slide/jump in. Guatemala does not have the stringent safety requirements that we are used to (no hard hats or waivers here). Then we hiked to el Mirador to view the pools of Semuc Champey from above. A very worthwhile, albeit strenuous, hike. At some points it was more akin to rock climbing, and the trail was slick from all the rain. After sweating off a few pounds in the jungle climate, taking a dip in the cool water below was perfect. Even though the pools were muddied it was good fun. Our guide showed us all the best spots from which to jump/dive into the pool below. The day wouldn´t have been complete without a scenic ride in the back of a truck back to the hostel. I quite enjoyed it. The last few days have been spent doing a whole lot of nothing. Hammock, river, sun, get bit by unidentified bugs, hammock, eat, drink, climb through the window of the dorm after getting locked out, etc. I´ve been so busy I haven´t even been studying which was one of the main reasons I intended to stay here. But doing nothing just takes up so much time...

Subo el Volcan Pacaya

I visited the volcano that erupted in May. Before the eruption, the red rivers of molten lava were visible on the surface, but now it is only the cooled black lava rock. Steam and, in some places, sulfur vent up through the rocks on the lava field making it quite warm and humid. The peak was sheilded by clouds, giving no hint to the height or shape of the crater.

Sobre mas de Antigua

Las Capuchinas

Otras cosas

La Merced