Tikal, Guatemala

Got up at 2.50am to make it up to the ruins in Tikal for sunrise. We wandered through the awakening jungle by torch and moonlight past looming stone structures half glimpsed in the faint light.

 

We climbed up to the wooden platform above the layer of mist that carpeted the jungle and our group was the first to arrive. There would be no visible sun rise today.

Shortly after we got to the top it started pouring down, you could hear and then see the wall of rain advancing towards us. Thankfully we knew about the little platform hidden around the other side where the workers haul up stone to restore the temple so we sheltered there with the guide, while a hundred other people got soaked. It cleared for a great view and then we wandered the ruins stopping occasionally for creepy crawlies the locals would let us play with for tips. I really don’t like big bugs, especially ones that can nearly kill you, but happily Katrijn was fearless and a good model.

The rain came again when we reached the van for the journey back. Perfect!*

* Perfection was achieved by not dying on the way back. Everyone fell asleep, not including the driver, but he had a go. I sat watching him rubbing his eyes and constantly blinking when I woke up and offered to drive. He bought some Coke and got it together but it was scarier than climbing a 50m temple.

Tags: locals, bugs, fear, tent, sleep, sun, torch, journey, eve, sunrise, Travel