The volcano hike (my second one, Nicki's first) was really awsome. Unlike the steady drizzle and fog we encountered during the summer, we had a spectacular clear day. We could see everything for miles, once we got up on the mountain, including all 3 volcanos that surround Antigua (Santa Maria, Agua, and Fuego). The lava flow wasn't quite as good, however. On our trip before, the lava was oozing slowly on a relatively flat area. So we could walk right up to it and feel *relatively* safe. This time, the lava was flowing down quite a steep hill and randomly breaking off basketball-sized flaming boulders and flinging them downhill (right at us). I didn't feel quite safe like that, but the guide didn't seem too concerned (he could probably run faster than me!). We were also taking pictures of the lava right into the rising sun, so it was harder to get a good shot. The trip was a LOT dryer. After fully preparing for a wet trip, we saw nary a drop or hint of rain. It was still tough going up and down, but we went a lot faster... we were back in Antigua by noon. Anyway, Nicki and I both had a great time. We'll be feeling it tomorrow, but it was definitely worth it, even for a second time around. More photos on our Picasa Photo Album

Labels: Guatemala Inland