In which I break in to Mayan temples, climb a stairway to heaven and am proud to be a loser

Since working on Mexican rights at Amnesty Chile I´ve had a longing to explore Mexico. A questionnable dream given that I had done nothing but campaign on corruption, oppression and femicide. Despite that trauma those months in Chile grew an attraction and loyalty in me that the intervening years haven´t shaken. So with my time in Central America running out I took advantage of the last break we had (Semana Santa/ Holy Week) to race up and see what I could see. We managed to get a bargain flight to Guatemala City (about 90 quid return!) and put together a merry band of travellers before heading off for one last hurrah!

The first couple of days have been a blur of sights and buses, and the sickening sight of buses. As soon as we arrived in Guatemala we hopped on a mammoth 8 hour bus to Flores, a lake-side island town in the north of the country. Having spent an entire day (4.30am-11-45pm) travelling we rested up before regrouping the team the next morning (people had arrived on different flights and buses.) We spent our first real day of the holiday wandering round the sunny heat of the little island town, traversing its higgledy piggledy maze of winding streets and brightly coloured houses.

Later in the afternoon we hopped onto a tiny boat and paid the boat man 50p each to take up across the lake to another little island. There a 20 minute walk (in 36oC heat) turned into a 1.5 hr hike in search of the beach. Finally reaching our watery destination (with all my faded years of orientation melting behind me), we soon cooled off in the cold, blue waters of the lake. With shade a rarity I took advantage of the picnic table palm leaf umbrellas and stretched myself out on the table top for a quick cat-nap.

That evening chilled out and tired we hung out, drank Guatemalan beer and ate 20p tostadas (big, round corn chips laden with guacamole and other goodies), from a near-by street seller.

The next day we were up at 5.30am to go exploring the near-by Mayan ruins of Tikal, (supposedly the best in Guatemala, and perhaps anywhere!) As we drove along, with the sun rising, a thick mist settled over the road giving the whole thing a real adventurous feel. Through the fog the road was flanked by yellow signs warning of pumas, snakes, anteaters.... and turkies. Warning: turkies crossing. Bizarre.

Our Del-boy style taxi driver hooked us up with Constantino, a little, sun-weathered man with 25 years experience guiding people around the ruins. Fortunately for us Constantino seemed to have seen his fair share of penniless students and so assured us he could get us in the park for 2/3 the actual price. What he failed to mention, but slowly became apparent, was that this involved skipping the ticket booth and sneaking in through the rolling jungle around the ruins. As if the constant threat of turkies wasn´t enough to make me feel like a brave adventurer now this!

Despite breaking and entering us into priceless, historical ruins Constantino turned out to be a great guide. Our first breath-taking moment was coming across one of the huge, stepped, pyramids- a Mayan temple. Looming out of the lush jungle this towering structure was an incredible sight. Things got even more spectacular when, having summed up all my courage, I, with trembling legs, scaled the rickety, ladder-like steps up the side of the 50m tall temple. Edging my way onto the narrow stone ledge at the precipice of the man-made beast my breath was taken- with fear, altitude (ok more fear) but mainly the stunning view of a sea of green tree-tops broken sporadically by the soaring tops of other temples. I lasted about 10 minutes before the majesty of the sight before me was overcome by the terror of the drop below me and I shakily climbed down, truly exhilarated.

We spent the rest of the day exploring the ruins. Tikal means "city of voices" and the temples were built in such a way that acoustics meant preists could preach from the top of them and the people down below would hear every word. This wonderous feat of architecture is an added bonus for the modern day eaves dropper. It does however mean dozens of people may have been treated to some rather vulgar, terror-inspired language from yours truly.

We explored Mundo Perdido (Lost World), the last sight to be found, full of residential stone palaces, and climbed another 2 huge temples. My fear of heights having subsided, by then my legs were just shaking with pure fatigue!

We learnt about the Mayan ball game in which the winners, the winners mind, had the honour of having their heads cut off (men) or beating heart ripped out (women)! The girls we are travelling with are on their way to play in a football tournament in Hondauras, and this, frankly, was not the pepp talk they needed.

Visiting the Mayan temples of Tikal was a really magical experience. The Mayan´s knowledge of astrology is spookily accurate and the grandness and druability of their temples an awe-inspiring accomplishment, (and one I got to see before the Mayan-predicted end of the world in 2012!) The next few days would bring plenty more sights and advenures but the magic of Tikal will stay with me for a while!

Lessons learnt:

Forget step aerobics, temple climbing is the best workout around!

A tiny budget meant all I ate for several meals was cheese sandwiches. Cheese butties don´t quite live up to the spendour of a lost civilization, but they do make you feel like you´re on a school trip.

I am truly proud to be bad bad bad at ball games!