The Backpacker Chronicles |Weeks 6 & 7

Hey there team, good to see you again!

Time for an update on what I’m getting up to on my travels in Central America. In previous posts, I’ve been writing a week after the fact, just for security and safety. Nonetheless, I’ve decided that’s too much hassle – so much can happen when you’re travelling, it’s hard to keep track!

So without further ado, I’ve pulled together the past two weeks of adventure in one fail swoop.

(And before we jump in, catch up on the adventure below)

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

What I’ve been up to

After last week’s volcano hike, I spent two final days soaking up life in Antigua, eating all its amazing food, and checking out the preparations for Semana Santa (Holy Week), which the city is famed for. Then, I hopped on a 5 hour bus to Lake Atitlan, which I’d really been looking forward to. I spent a few days in Panajachel, which is the biggest village/town on the lake, and did mini day trips via boat to all the different villages, including Santa Catalina Polopo, Santiago and San Pedro.

 

I then moved around to Santa Cruz to stay at La Iguana Perdida, a hostel famed for its family style dinners and sense of community. I have to say, it didn’t disappoint! After the weekend however, I somehow managed to get sick with 2 separate bugs, and spent Monday to Thursday either throwing up or having violent diarrhea. The glam traveller life, eh? Being sick messed with my plans to get a shuttle to Nicaragua, and as it was Holy Week, everything had been booked up weeks in advance, leaving me without a shuttle to my next stop, or a place to stay at Lake Atitlan.

After a brief panic however, I reached out to the hostel I stayed at in Antigua, and they did me a huge favour and found room for lil old me. An impressive feat, given that this weekend is the peak of Semana Santa, with visitors travelling from all over the country and the world to take in the festivities. So I really struck gold with this – a bonus day in Antigua, in peak Holy Week, just before the shuttle to my next destination.

 

Nutrition

I’ve been trying to get back on track with my nutrition, but have only had a handful of days when I haven’t been sick, so I’ve just been doing the best I can. When I’ve been sick, I’ve been sticking to white bread, plain rice and maybe a banana if I’m feeling brave! And then as I’ve been starting to feel better, I’ve been sure to keep my tummy happy with probiotics, plenty of kombucha, and vitamins wherever possible! Thankfully, fruit smoothies are easy to come by here in Guatemala.

 

One treat meal I absolutely have to tell you about was the burger I had after getting down from my volcano hike. It was at a vegan place called La Bruja, and it was one of those everything burgers – avocado, vegan cheese, salsa… you name it, I had it! And, with 80g on protein in the vegan burger patty, it was everything I needed after such an intense physical challenge. Sadly tho, there’s no picture of it as I was too busy tucking in #bloggerfail

Workouts

On the Monday following the volcano hike, I felt super inspired and motivated, and decided to head to the gym for a 30 minute HiiT session I designed myself. I was super motivated, and had finally found a gym I liked, so why not? Well… I think the workout  may have been premature, and my body responded by… of course… getting sick.

 

So I’ve been striking a balance – working out when I’m feeling good, and listening to my body when I’m not. Whether that’s yoga, pilates, walking around the city, or just lounging on the sofa, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my body happy! I love a good circuit, but sometimes it’s just not worth it. Did I also mention that I stacked it on a cobbled street, and twisted my ankle, all whilst wearing my 15kg pack? Yeah, think I’ll be taking it easy for a while…

 

So tell me, how has your week been? What has your training looked like? 

Any travel tips for me? 

Oh, and give me a follow on instagram for insufferable #travel content!

Lots of love,

 

Pippa