Semuc Champey

After the great bus journey to Coban we had a fantastic minibus journey to Lanquin along twisty mountain roads.  Had met 2 American guys who were going to Lanquin and I was travelling with an English guy I'd met in Tikal.  When the 4 of us arrived at El Retiro (the hostel in Lanquin, which, by the way is quality) they only had 2 dorm beds left and a private room.  The private room was damn expensive and so we tossed a coin to see who would get the dorm beds and who would get the private room or have to find another hotel.  Myself and Adam won the coin toss and bagged the dorm beds.

El Retiro is a really nice place on a hill going down to a damn cold (or refreshing) river.  The food is really good and the all you-can-eat-BBQ is amazing!  Swung around in a hammock for a day and then went on a trip to some caves, which you swim through holding a candle, and then to a series of pools that are on a limestone bridge.  Really cool trip and well worth it.  There was a bridge you can jump off to which is about 8-10 metres above the river.  Everyone jumped and no-one died.  Most people jumped twice (including me, before you start calling me chicken)!

Spent a couple of days longer here than I had planned as I was trying to hide from Semana Santa when everything just gets crazily busy and expensive.  Actually tried to leave 1 day and got up at 5am to get the 5.30am minibus, but nothing came and I just went back to bed at 6.30.  Managed to get the minibus the next day though and headed for San Pedro La Laguna.