Hey everyone! This is going to be our last blog from Guatemala, being as today was our last day. Yesterday was our last day of working, so today we got to just be tourists. We started off earlier this morning than any other morning- leaving the hotel at 6AM. We loaded into the vans and drove an hour and 10 minutes to Pacaya, the volcano we’d be climbing.
Once we got there, we all unloaded and had a sandwich for breakfast, then got our walking sticks. They were 5Qs each, so everyone was able to get one. Horses were available to ride, but only one person took one from the beginning. So we started the 3 mile hike to the volcano. It was all uphill, and after the first break- a few got horses. They cost 100Qs, so not many could afford them. We walked a little bit further and a few more of us got the horses too. The ones on the horses said it was really relaxing, while the ones on the ground were having a rough time. When we were almost to the base of the volcano, there was a steep hill of volcanic ash, and a few of us climbed up and “skied” down. It was actually more like running/falling, and we got pretty scratched up- but it was thoroughly worth it.
Once we got to the actual base of the volcano, the horses couldn’t go any further. It was a very steep, rocky incline to the top of the volcano. Only about 10 of us did the top journey. Many stayed behind on the plateau, and watched us go. We felt like mountain climbers, because we were crawling on our hands and knees up these steep rocks. We had to stop and take several breaks because we all kept slipping and sliding down. It honestly felt like one step forward, and two steps back every time. After we finished scaling the steep sides, we finally reached the top.
When we finally reached the top, we all stood in amazement. It was absolutely gorgeous! Our feet were really hot on the rocks though, we had to keep them moving at all times. Some of our shoes started melting at one point. We all walked around up there and took pictures, and even roasted marshmallows on the lava. We stood up there and just looked around and gazed in God’s glory. It was so beautiful, that I feel like words can’t even describe. After awhile, we headed down and met back up with rest of our group.
We then started the 3 mile trek back down to the vans, and believe me- it was much easier going down, considering it was downhill the entire way. We all walked, and it was pretty enjoyable. When we got back to the vans, we had sandwiches and loaded up to go back to the hotel. I’m pretty sure we all slept on the way home, and we’re all going to be so sore tomorrow! Anyway, when we got back, we all took showers and are now just hanging out and playing cards and singing. It’s almost time for dinner, and after we eat- we’ll all go in our rooms and pack. It’s going to be a little bittersweet going home, but we all agree that we had an amazing adventure here. It’s truly something none of us will ever forget. Thank you all for your prayers and support, and just know that that they really do make a difference. Adios!
God Bless,
-Emily
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