New blog

I've decided to move my blog to another, I hope, easier system and it can now be found at
www.travelpod.com/members/emmabinfield
then go on to the blog name Mayan Moments, the only difference is I can't really control where the pictures go so there may be more pictures at the bottom of each entry. 

13th November 2012 - Could this be just like leaving for NZ?

A bright and early start and we headed off to Heathrow. I know it was rush hour but the roads were even busier than usual, all the way the radio traffic reports were saying that the roads were busier than normal and I could see a New Zealand type experience coming on when I really only did just make it in time. 

Of course it wouldn’t be so bad if we actually left at the time we decide to rather than what usually happens is me doing last minute things like getting up and having breakfast and all of a sudden were leaving half hour later than we’re supposed to, and in all honesty I never seem to leave masses of time in the first place to get there.

Anyway get there we did and thank goodness it seems I might have bagged a row to myself, now that would be fabulous cause if there is something I don’t like about travel it’s the travel. Unless it’s a comfy seat and there’s plenty of leg room, good food, seatback entertainment and wine why on earth would anyone enjoy sitting on a plane for 16 hours?? But this time I was lucky a row to myself and seatback entertainment.....oh the little things. :-)

My first stop in Guatemala is Antigua, apparently Guatemala City isn’t a very nice or particularly a very safe place so I didn’t actually see any hardship in missing it out. Antigua on the other hand is Guatemala’s showpiece and was the former capital before it moved to Guatemala City after too many devastating earthquakes, mmmm!

I arrived in Antigua at midnight and for the first night I have a ‘deluxe’ room which involves a view of the volcano. For the next night though I have to move. I hope this isn’t going to be the way it is through the rest of the trip, I normally move around a lot and for once I’d just really like to stay in one place for a few days. 

The planning

So here we go again...or rather here I go again! Although this time not for as long as usual so it’ll be interesting to see how that pans out. 

I’d decided a while ago that I wanted to go to Central America but anymore than that was a bit of a mystery and in my usual style I didn’t really bother doing much research on it until it got the point when I realised if I’m going I’ll be going in a week or so. So start reading I did, sort of. 

My deciding criteria are pretty simple really, I don’t particularly want a beach destination and I want something to look at and maybe some walking and local life. So after checking out a few options I decided on Guatemala and although I don’t really fancy beaches I’ve decided on Belize as well but that’s only if I have time and fancy it. I’m flying out of there so the least I have to do is get there the day before I fly. 

Talking of flights as usual I was my unplanned self and finally got round to booking the flight two days before departure and the first couple of nights accommodation the day before. I don’t ever know why I always leave it to the last minute but that certainly seems par for the course. So I fly on 13^th November, the flight’s going to take 16 hours plus and I’m flying United! L Not a great combination, for a start I do object to having to pay for drinks onboard a longhaul flight and I think seat back entertainment on any aircraft is a must, not that we (M) offer it of course. 

And just in case anyone was going to pick up on it, I know Mayan with an 'n' isn't a proper word but the alternative wasn't available, lets hope no one notices! ;-)