It’s 4:00 a.m. and Nick has been violently hurling into the bathroom since midnight. Our minibus to take us on the ten hour journey from one in all our favorite cities in Mexico (San Cristobal) to Guatemala is because of arrive in three hours.
However earlier than we get to the journey day, let me rewind a number of hours to see how this all occurred…
Dariece: “That is our final night time in Mexico, since we’ve been consuming numerous worldwide meals recently, let’s exit for one final wonderful Mexican meal!”
Nick: “Sounds good. Isn’t it superior that we’ve travelled by means of Mexico for nearly 6 months and have by no means been sick?”
I don’t know why he selected to jinx us on our final day in Mexico…
On the well-liked Mexican restaurant, I opted for al pastor meat, whereas Nick went for the chorizo. We inhaled our improbable burritos lined with all kinds of spicy salsas and sauces, and drank our last Dos Equis beers. We have been feeling a bit unhappy to be leaving a rustic we love a lot, one which stole our backpacker hearts.
Later that night time, whereas dying on the toilet ground, Nick wasn’t feeling the Mexican love. The pains and cramps in his abdomen have been insufferable, he couldn’t get comfy and was having sizzling flashes, adopted by chilly shivers. It was official, he had meals poisoning.
At 4:00 a.m. when it grew to become clear that we wouldn’t be happening our pre-paid bus in 3 hours, I went downstairs to talk with the 24 hour receptionist. We have been staying at Rossco Backpackers Hostel and I instructed the pleasant man that we wanted to cancel the bus. The employees member waited till the bus firm opened at 6:00 a.m. after which got here as much as our room to ship the unhealthy information.
We may cancel the bus, however wouldn’t obtain any kind of refunds. He was very apologetic and felt actually unhealthy about not having the ability to type out a take care of the corporate for us, however we didn’t care concerning the cash, all that mattered was that Nick was capable of sleep and really feel higher.
If there’s one factor we’ve discovered after 5 years on the highway, it’s to by no means journey whereas having meals poisoning. Too many occasions we endured journey days that consisted of us throwing-up into plastic baggage, puking out the window of a bus, or virtually shitting our pants (actually).
It’s embarrassing to be sick in entrance of individuals and it’s disgusting for the opposite passengers of the automobile who need to take heed to it! For us, it doesn’t matter how a lot cash we’ll lose out on, if we’re sick, we’ll spend the day in mattress relatively than attempting to outlive a day of journey.
So, we spent one other night time in our comfy room on the hostel. Since I needed to maintain Nick and didn’t really feel like going out and eating alone. The hostel ordered a Domino’s Pizza for me! Yep, I had a really American meal in Mexico. Nevertheless, for my different meals, it was nice that Rossco had a communal kitchen so I may make myself some meals, and put together soup and tea for my sick partner. Throughout that additional day on the hostel, the employees nonetheless tried their greatest to get our a reimbursement from the bus firm. Discuss going above and past.
After a full 34 hours of being extremely sick, Nick lastly got here round and was capable of get on a bus certain for Guatemala.
The minibus was crammed with 16 different westerners and one Mexican nationwide. It picked us up at 7:30 a.m., however since we waited till the final potential second to e book our bus ticket (to verify Nick may deal with a journey day), this meant that we have been the final individuals to be picked up. We have been caught on the very again of the minibus with seats that have been incapable of reclining, and a really grumpy English girl within the seat in entrance of us that insisted on reclining her chair…all the way in which again, into Nick’s lap.
Not one of the best begin.
However, not even a grumpy backpacker or meals poisoning may destroy this journey for us. We have been so excited to be heading additional into Latin America and stamping into our forty sixth nation! The trip on the Mexican facet was clean and easy. Our minibus cruised alongside the well-paved roads with ease, passing by stunning farmland with the morning mist nonetheless hovering over the crops. The surroundings was unimaginable and after three hours, we stopped for a breakfast break.
Now, if there’s one other factor we’ve discovered from backpacking the world, it’s to convey our personal meals on journey days! The bus stopped at a typical vacationer lure, which served a chilly buffet breakfast at 95 pesos / particular person (that’s virtually $8 Canadian!) As individuals complained about their overpriced breakfast, we chowed-down on chilly, leftover pizza, fruit and crackers.
By round midday, we arrived on the dusty border city and after paying 20 pesos ($1.30 USD), we have been formally stamped into Guatemala. However, the journey wasn’t over but.
We transferred buses and after one other 5 or so hours of winding by means of the mountainside, we arrived on the unimaginable Lake Atitlan! The minibus dropped us off in Panajachel, the lake’s greatest city, and from there we boarded our first lancha (taxi boat) to take us to the non-public dock on the pretty Uxlabil Eco-Lodge the place we might be spending 5 nights. Positioned simply exterior of the little village of San Juan, we knew this might be a great spot for us as quickly as we arrived. We have been greeted by the smiling faces of the employees and couldn’t wait to check-in.
It took us about 10.5 hours to get from San Cristobal to San Juan, and for my part, the journey was a reasonably easy course of…nevertheless it positively wasn’t the simplest job Nick has undertaken. We’re very pleased to report that he survived the journey (though he was sick once more for an additional 5 days!)
Guatemala, now we have arrived 🙂
For extra detailed info on getting from Mexico to Guatemala, try Important Suggestions & Data: Border Crossing from Mexico to Guatemala
For more information on San Cristobal (which is a metropolis we LOVE!), try our article that we wrote final 12 months after spending 5 days within the metropolis.
Have you ever had meals poisoning earlier than and needed to endure a journey day?! Share with us beneath 🙂
An enormous thanks to Hostels Membership and the employees and proprietor of Rossco Backpackers Hostel! Everybody went above and past to assist us and have been very accommodating. This was our second time staying on the hostel and we extremely suggest it to anybody. One other large thanks goes out to the employees of Uxlabil Eco Lodge, everybody was so wonderful, the views have been unimaginable and we completely beloved our room and the meals on the restaurant!
All ideas and opinions stay our personal, regardless of any complimentary providers given.
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