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Unplanned diversion: from Guatemala to Belize |
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Wednesday, 31 December 2008 |
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16.10 31st of December. I call Panchete to let him know I've arrived: he cannot come to fetch me as he's about to start the Saint-Sylvester marathon! A marathon? One of his friends comes over to meet me and I get changed in his car: a marathon, I want to take part in it!
We arrive just at the time the runners begin crossing the starting line and I meet Panchete and his friends whilst running. I enjoy running and so I leave them a little bit behind. After a few kilometers, in a bend I ask one of the other runners how many loops we are going to do: "Only one! This the finish line over there on the main square!". The marathon turned out to be just 10km long. I finish sprinting throwing all my energy left for the imaginary 30 other kms. My time is disappointing: 50 minutes but hey, I've been driving for a year and I try every local gastronomical specialities… What did you expect?
We reunite with Panchete and go and get changed to join his family for the festivities. His dad and him don't drink and so we have a serious conversation about the environment until late at night. At aroud 1o'clock we go to another party where we meet Panchete's friends for the rest of the night.
The next day we go and visit some caves and meet some other of his friends. I truly enjoy this atmosphere: this bunch of young people is amazing. There exists some really strong links between them and the intiative taken by one always meets the approval of the others. I could stay longer but I have to carry on my trip. Panchete's uncle organizes an interview with a local radio: it is scheduled for the next day just after the tv interview. Within just a few hours Panchete manages to gather many people to come round with their beetles. I'm impressed with the dynamism of the young people and still wonder how the country can be so poor with so many goodwill.
After the interviews, it's time to say goodbye. I take the road back towards the North to Tikal, an important archeological site. I arrive late in Remate where I get to know "Dr Jones", the owner of the hostel where I'll spend the night. After conversing until late about our respective ambitions, he offers to be my guide the next day in the ruins.
The next day, at the time we are leaving we meet Jo and Maddo a French couple on a long holiday who I invite to join us to visit the ruins. They accept. The site is incredible and is so far to me the most impressive Mayan site. Upon our return we meet 2 other Frenchmen: Romain and Damien. Those 4 weirdos manage to convince me to drive them to Belize. This is tempting even if it means heading East but this will be the opportunity to discover another country about which I've heard a lot. The decision is made, we will go altogether!
We somehow manage to squeeze in the 5 of us and the rucksack in the car. We cross the border without any major problems and arrive at night in Dangriga. The atmosphere is similar to a bad suburb around Paris where the drug business is openly run. They invite me to a Chinese restaurant. We spend the night and head off the next morning to Placencia , the dream destination of Belize.
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