Well, Santa Ana, El Salvador is NOT happening. :( I guess that's what I get for not planning ahead at all and just trying to wing everything. I'm pretty bummed, because I was really looking forward to seeing an old friend and getting to visit an orphanage and see another country, but it just didn't work out. The guy I talked to last night didn't speak all that great of english, but he assured me if there was room on this morning's bus, that it would be $30 and would take me DIRECTLY to Santa Ana, and they would drop me off at a specific location at 1pm, which all sounded just fine to me. I coordinated with my friend and thought we had most of it worked out. But when I got up this morning, it wasn't the same guy, it was a lady who spoke near perfect English, and gave me a very different story unfortunately. There was one bus that left at 7am, but it did no have room in it. The next bus leaving at 9am would take me to Guatemala City, where I would have to wait for 3 hours until a bus came at 1pm to leave Guate for San Salvador, which is a couple of hours PAST Santa Ana. This company I'm dealing with here in Antigua did not have any connections and could not give me a location, but said I would have to tell the bus driver to stop in Santa Ana and let me off, and that more than likely he would just drop me off ont he side of the highway, since it does not go directly through Santa Ana. NOT cool, especially with my limited espanol and no cell phone! She also said they raised the price to $45, which is seriously like hiway robbery down here. That is A LOT of money. I really had a bad feeling about it, and just before I was supposed to get ont he bus to Guate, I decided not to do it. Another reason for not going is that I got my days a little mixed up! I told you it feels like I've been traveling forever aleady, it's the weirdest feeling! I would have to turn around early tomorrow morning and somehow get back to Guate from Santa Ana, becase I am flying to Costa Rica at noon tomorrow!! What would be the point of traveling for 4 or 5 hours to Santa Ana just for the night basically, since I would not even get there until around 5pm tonight. And who knows how I would get back tomorrow. Honestly, I'm pretty over this bus system down here! The buses that I have been on have sucked, but I feel quite lucky that I haven't gotten sick yet. Thank goodness for the dremamine I brought! :) SO anyways, like I said, it just isn't going to work out to get to the orphanage today, just not a good feeling about all of it. So I am here, yes, at McDonalds again. :)
I am going to a coffee plantation today not too far outside of Antigua. Irene did it last week and said it was actually pretty cool! I'm not much for coffee, but I'm sure it will be interesting to see where that stuff comes from and how it gets to Starbucks! ;) I might actually have one not so hectic, somewhat relaxing day for once! Which NEVER happens on my vacations! It's alwasy go go go until you drop! Plus I'm REALLY sunburnt, like worse than I thought last night. I took a shower this morning (and actually washed my hair for the first time! I will never complain about my curly hair again, it didn't look to bad after 4 days of not touching it, literally!) and my legs are FRIIIEEED. Especially my left one for some reason. I am wearing shorts today, whcihis kind of frowned upon here (as if I don't draw enough attention with my long curly hair flapping around and light skin). I've been wearing capris or jeans for the most part, but my knees down got it good yesterday from the capris. It's a good thing I'm not leaving today, because there is NO way I could wear my backpack on these shoulders anyways. I am so sick of that thing btw...lol. It sucks to carry everything you need on your back all day! ;) Worth it for the experiences I suppose... :)
I ate breakfat at the hostel this morning (free breakfast, LOVE hostels!). Scrambled eggs, which I was a little weary of because they were a funny color, some kind of fried/candied banana, corn tortillas, and beans. It was actually really good! I've been so lucky with not getting even the little bit sick from eating anything weird down here! :) Before Irene left she took me to a little local bakery down the road to try "the best banana bread in the world" according to her. It was pretty good, but it's got NOTHING on my mom's banana bread!! :) She is now on a bus up north to Coban, 8 hours away, and then on to Flores, another 6 or 7 hours I think. I sure don't envy her! I've had enough public transportation for a little while. ;) I' sure we will stay in touch, and maybe I will go visit her someday. We bought matching bracelets/earrings in Pana...haha...it's like the bff neckalces we had in grade school! ;)
Okay so I'm off to see a little more of this charming little town. I really like it here and am quite comfortable with everything here now. Nothing too crazy or exciting todayk, but I'll write more tonight I'm sure. :)
-TK
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