Wrong way down a one way bridge, AK47's, and Yikes-There's something in my Bed!

So, I almost didn't even make it here. After getting bumped off my flight to Florida in LA and having a minor fit in the airport, I was the last passenger to get on the plane. I was in semi-panic mode, because I was supposed to meet my friends in Belize City at the airport. I had only been to Costa Rica in Central America before, so I really didn't know what to expect.

The flights were long but well worth it when I arrived. Luckily, my friends Janene, Kara and Jon had already picked up the rental car and were waiting for me at the airport. That is when I got super excited. The plan was to drive across the border into Guatemala and stay in a little town just about 20 miles from the great Maya city of Tikal.

The only problem was that we didn't have a map, heard that the border crossing was sketchy and there are no signs on the roads at all.

After going the wrong way down a one way bridge and wondering why people were honking and shouting at us, we drove close to the border on the Belizian side and stopped for lunch at a little cafe. Next, it was time to do the crossing. With Janene at the wheel and in the lead we got to the border crossing and easily manuevered through the Belizian side. We cross through the barracade and enter a different world. Dirt roads, people and animals wandering everywhere, and a ton of young security looking types holding AK47's looking very intimidating. Since no one seems to speak English Janene rely's on her Spanish which is actually really good! It is very confusing and there are a lot of steps to crossing the border by private car. Fortunately, we make friends with a man who helps us out and tells us what to do, for a fee and we are finally on our way.

So we have about a 3 hour drive to get to Tikal and are expected to follow the limited signage on the side of the road. Man, the roads are super bumpy, way different then the Belizian side but also fun. It was really interesting to drive through the little towns on these massive pot-hole ridden roads. People were out shopping and carrying laundry. Children in their uniforms were coming home from school and horses, chickens and pigs were all over the roads.

Soon the landscape starts to change and become very green and lush. We are entering the jungle areas of Guatemala. It is so much more beautiful then I had expected. I really thought that it would be like Costa Rica, but I found it to be more wild and overgrown.

Finally we make it to our hotel the Casa de don David.

It is clean and nestled just off the main road. We check in to our rooms, Janene and I in one and Jon and Kara in another and settle down at the hotel restaurant for a beer and dinner. The sunset is beautiful and we think about relaxing in the inviting hammocks in the gazebo at the center of the hotel courtyard. We drink a delicious beer and head off to bed, as we have a big day tomorrow.

Our room is simple and clean but we are concerned about one thing. There are candles everywhere and a sign that says the electricity often goes off without notice at night. Low and behold, the electricity goes out and we light the candles as we get ready for bed. I absolutely crash out on my bed and blow out the candle next to my bed. Just as I am about to drift off into sleep I hear Janene jump clear across the room with a little scream and jump onto my bed. I swear, I have never seen someone move so fast-ever! She "claims" she heard a spider crawl across her covers, but I don't know how you can possibly hear that! More likely, one of the lizards that we see frequently scuttling around the hotel, has made its way into our room. She timidly asks if she can sleep near me and I roll my eyes laughing. "Yeah, sure Janene, I'll protect you from that big bad spider!"