Volcan Pacaya

Slowly losing my eyebrows

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Pacaya may well be for pussies, but that doesn't change the fact that its damn cool!

The first hour of the climb up to Pacaya wasn't that interesting.  A steep and very rough dirt path with very little to see.  Though I had to laugh at the Guatemalticos  leading horses behind us and shouting "Taxi...Taxi".  Very entrepreneurial.  We eventually broke through into what I can only describe as Welsh countryside - misty, scrubby hills populated by rather straggly looking sheep.  Of course the Welsh valleys don't have massive mist covered volcanoes rising up in the middle of them, nor do they have rivers of cooled lava running through them.  As we scrambled up and over the cooled lava to get to the base of the volcano I couldn't believe how excited we felt as we saw the faintest glow of red... how little we knew. 

Lava!

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Because after we had summited a small hill we were right next to the lava.  And I really do mean right next to the lava, you seriously couldn't get any closer if you tried.  Risked losing my eyebrows and arm hair to get some pictures but no one will ever believe just how close we were or how hot it was.  Really wish I had brought some marshmallows or hot dogs to cook.  The sound was also absolutely awesome, you could actually hear the lava cracking and flow.  Just frickening amazing!