Our new years eve didn't get off to a great start. The plan was, once we'd crossed the border into Guatemala our bags would be taken by a mini bus whilst we experienced a chicken bus for two hours before traveling the rest of the way in the mini bus. The problem was the mini bus didn't turn up and we didn't know whether jump on the chicken bus with our bags or wait for the mini bus. Finally after almost an hour Alison got through to the driver and got it sorted.
The chicken bus was an old American school bus (meant for short people) and people would cram in up to four to a seat. Both Samantha and I have long legs which meant it was difficult fit the two of us on one seat, but luckily no one attempt to sit next to us.
With the earlier delays, we didn't reach our hotel in Panajachel until 7:30pm, only to find when raring to get out on the town to celebrated New Year, that the hotel was halfway through cooking us a BBQ and it would take another 45 minutes. Less than impressed we used that time to get ready for our big night.
Finally we made it into town by 9:30pm and set about finding a good bar. By this time our first choice bar Pana Rock was already one in one out, so we chanced another bar Socrates which after paying 66p to get in we found was almost empty and had deafenly loud Latin American music. Needless to say we moved on.
When we got to the main street we found out how the Guatemalans like to celebrate, with a lot of fireworks. The street was filled with people with huge firecracker, sparklers and other fireworks.
After we had been in one bar for about ten minutes the whole place shook as it sounded like someone had set off a car bomb. I spoke to this local guy and found out people in the street we letting of "bombs" (large 18 inch high by 8 inch wide firecrackers). They proceeded to set of more and more these, it sounded like a war zone, luckily for us we were safe inside the bar.
Just before midnight we moved to a livelier bar for the big moment. At midnight the street outside erupted with hundreds of fireworks being set off, it was amazing.
When we left, we felt we had to jump in a tuk-tuk to avoid being blown up on the way back.
We had blast!
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