Did you see that rock?

I´ll send pics later, but a rock the size of a football came through the windshield of our van and covered us with pieces of glass! Some people climb mountains for excitement, and some of us just drive through them in Gutemala! We saw enough hair pin bends and steep cliffs yesterday to keep us awake for a while. But it is fantastic scenery, and Lago Atitlan was impressive, with a mist always in the air over it. We stayed with a Mayan family on the cliff overlooking the lake. Also there (besides the Mom and Dad) were grandma and grandpa, and a brother, and three nephews, and a little girl called Ingred. The smallest boy was called Otto, but I didn´t get the names of the other two (Ihope to back there on Saturday. But this afternoon we drive part way up an active volcano, and then hike two hours to the top. Tonight we sleep up there somewhere in tents. Want to come?

Having a ball!

¡Hola! Did you ever sleep in an airport, on those benches with metal arms between every seat? I have, in Dallas, Texas! And I almost didn´t get back on the plane in Mexico City because I didn´t go through customs (How was I supposed to know you have to go and look for them?) But here I am in Guatemala City right on schedule - almost. Actually we were supposed to leave here this morning by shuttle (no, not the space shuttle, just a semi-private van). But somebody in Saskatchewan (or was it Alberta?) ordered a snow storm for Saskatoon yesterday morning, so my daughter and her boyfriend (Rachelle and Vitaliy) were late getting to Denver and missed their connection to Dallas and beyond. So I´m here all alone and they are supposed to get here tonight.

But its OK. I´ve met two very nice (and young) women from Canada (unfortunately one left after meeting me and the other has her partner here!) I walked back to the same zoo I was at three years ago (it takes about 45 minutes from here each way). I wanted to go to the museum or the children´s museum, but it turns out you need exact change and I didn´t have that. But I found a great craft market to shop at and look around - that took a while and cost me some money. I bought a bottle fo cold water and a hat - and OK a few other things too! And

Hope you´re having fun cause I am - its great to meet new people and to see new things - and some of the food is OK too! ¡Hasta luego!

Ice and snow in Saskatchewan? Who cares!

In two days I'll have checked out of Esterhazy, and four days from now I'll be in Dallas, Texas, and the next night we'll be sleeping in Guatemala City at Hermano Pedro. There the temperature will be about 15°C. And that's just the beginning of a great adventure - wish I could take you all with me. I hope you will join me by checking this spot at least once a week, and I'll try to make it entertaining and exciting! For those of you who sign up as "Followers" and post a word or two each week, there'll be incredible prizes: post cards, book marks, balloons, coins, stamps, who knows what fabulous things I might find! So tell all your friends and watch closely for secret clues to treasures. You might even impress your teacher with what you know about things like how to drink juice from a plastic bag and how many Scouts it takes to pitch a tent! And yes, there will be pictures!

Want to know more? Check out my main blog at travelblog.org/Bloggers/Fryor-Duck

OK, it's now only 2 1/2 weeks till "Go"! And my daughter and boyfriend are 2/3 of the way to Edmonton right about now, because Vitaliy had to have an interview on Thursday morning at the American consulate in Vancouver. That's because he travels with a Ukrainian passport rather than a Canadian one, though he is a permanent resident of Canada now. It didn't occur to any of us until yesterday that he will have to go through customs in the USA, and it turns out he will need an American tourist visa to do that. He got a Guatemalan visa about a week ago after ahving to mail his passport and other papers to their embassy in Ottawa. Anyway, Rachelle and Vitaliy catch a plane from Edmonton to Vancouver about 7AM Wendesday and will stay overnight with my cousin in North Vancouver. He has a 9:30 AM appointment with the colsulate (the onlly appointment time available between now and when we fly), and they catch a 5PM plane back to Edmonton the same day, driving back to Saskatoon in time for him to go back to work on Friday morning!

Otherwise, all is as planned, and I put my first garment in my suitcase tonight!