The Open Road

“Google says we pick up a ferry in 28 miles,” said Layne the navigator. “Rubbish,” said I the man at the wheel and confident in my assertion as no one we had talked to mentioned a ferry. 

It looked like a machine that might not actually work, which might seem par for the course in a country as poor as Guatemala but it actually went quite smoothly and it wasn’t as fearsome as I expected and we drove on and off without soiling myself. Result. 

I don’t mean to be impolite but this felt like something out of Africa. Guatemala is not Mexico, it’s a small poor country and it shows. Who needs complicated expensive bridges? 

Layne likes ferries and she just added this to her list of reasons to be in Guatemala. I kept my eyes peeled for monster potholes. 

We spent our first night in a nature park with no hookups but it was pretty and quiet when the howler monkeys went to bed. Central America Highway 13 was a pretty drive through varied countryside, villages and farms and lots of huge trees overhanging the road.  I enjoyed it in between speed bumps and potholes. 

Thank god for air conditioning in the cab because it was a hundred degrees out there. Rainy season starts in June and up to then it’s hot and dry. I am craving the mountains of central Guatemala. 

There isn’t much traffic on CA13 and for much of the time we were alone. 

There was a bridge, a facsimile of one and it wasn’t replacing the mythical ferry as I so fervently hoped. There was no traffic control either so you just give it a go when you think it may be your turn. Good luck. 

“Taller” is a mechanic and “pinchazo” is what they call a “Llantera” in Mexico -a tire repair shop. 

Layne was happy to see roadside fruit stands where she could chat and feel at home talking to the people on the street. Rusty and I stayed out of the heat. 

We started our day driving into the town of Flores and weren’t we surprised to see box stores. Belize is devoid of advertising or fast food or anything like this. 

It cracked us up to see commerce as we were used to it. And the woman at the Claro phone office was cheerful and helpful. We have Guatemala SIM cards now. No texts but perfect for WhatsApp and Google Maps.  

We stopped for a Guatemalan breakfast for our midday meal. 

Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, beans, sour cream, cheese plantains and tortillas. Layne had one coffee while I had two as I needed to stay awake to drive. Besides that I liked it, not too strong and with a little sugar it went down a treat.  

I left the door open but Rusty ignored us and went to nap on his bed. I think the heat tired him. 

I wandered around a bit and found an old school bus… “watch your step.” I wondered how it got there to die slowly. 

Back on the open road. 

Oddly decorated trucks. 

We didn’t get to go tubing in a cave in Belize. We may in Guatemala. 

Rusty liked the grass we got to camp in. Me too.