Coming up to seven months travel now and I have to say that my brain is definitely gone on holidays, and may never return. Last night, Slurry and I were asked a public international law question; we looked quizzically at each other. All we could remember was that we did something on the topic in class, but we struggled to remember exactly what it was and what the answer would be, both of us saying the total opposite. Hmmm.
Unfortunately for us, brains on holidays does not only mean I have no idea what I learnt over the past three years at uni, it also means I say yes to things without thinking them through - like deciding it would be a good idea to climb the Santa Maria volcano located just outside of Xela, promised spectacular views of the countryside and surrounding active volcanoes. Remarks that the climb was extremely ‘rough’ and ‘difficult’ went in one ear and out the other. 
Waking at 0410, we were shuttled to the base of the extinct giant where we set off in the icy cold winds for an assent of about 7.5kms – about 3.5 hours of walking…up… 2 more for coming back down – 15kms in total, to 3700 metres.
The first half of the climb was enjoyable – the path winding along the edges of farmers properties where cattle grazed and ‘lion’s mane’ grew. With the incline not so steep, slippery, or rocky as it was going to become you could easily take in the scenery as you powered along, the view getting better and better the higher we climbed.
Still smiling. Just.
However, once we were told we’d hit the 2 hours to go (on the up part) you could hear our spirits break. No longer enthralled by the view, our eyes now concentrating on the narrow and increasingly slippery path that was cut into the volcano, we struggled to put one foot in front of the other. Our legs ached and though occasional patches of bright purple, lavender like flowers lifted our spirits, the fact that all we could see above us was more volcano and clouds flying in at the rate of knots, not a smidgen of blue sky, made it hard to keep going.
We were determined to make it to the top though – which I’m proud to report that we did. However, by the time we got there all we could see was a curtain of white. We huddled besides big boulders to get out of the cold and nibbled on marshmallows to pass time, hoping that for a brief instant the clouds would part so we could see Santiaguito (rated one of the top 10 most dangerous volcanoes in the world) puffing ash into the air and Xela in the distance. Alas, half an hour passed and we still couldn’t see anything. Disheartened, we started our descent, our knees buckling underneath us from the strain of climbing totally unprepared fitness wise.
The clouds rolling in as we made our way to the top
Disappointing as it was not to see anything, I’m glad we made it all the way to the top. We’ve been told that many people turn back because it’s such a task. We learnt later that you can leave your hostel at midnight so that you’re at the top for the sunrise which would have been spectacular – not that I’m volunteering to go up that Volcano again in my lifetime.
What the view should have been:
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