Volcao Pacaya

We didn't know what we signed up for.  All I had heard was that Volcano Pacaya might be the coolest thing I'll ever see/do.

Shuttle bus on the bumpiest cobble streets ever in Antigua.  A stop over at the park enterance where kids were sticking walking sticks in the windows screaming the prices at us.  We opted not to buy one.  Then we parked at the trail.  Along with 4 other vans and groups behind us.  This is a tourist must.

Then the kids started in again.  "You want to buy my stick, it's necessario."  We said no, then changed our minds.  They attacked Anna.  Wanting......no, NEEDING her business.  It was the proper welcoming for her into a 3rd world country.

 

 

 

We walked and walked and walked.  Through the clouds and over old dried lava.  The tour guide spoke fast and only in Spanish.  People stood on the side of the trail offering 'natural taxi's' aka horses for the rest of the ride up.  

As we were hiking up the lava and by lava, its the ONLY thing that is around.  Black.  Lava.  Sharp edges keep you from wanting to ever imagine falling.  So as we were hiking up Anna says "this is legit dude."  And by that, I think she meant it was real and really amazing!

 

We see this patch of lava and about fall over.  But no, wait.  Theres more.  And don't worry there are no rules or people enforcing any kind of guidlines as to how close you can get to the lava.  It's your life, you risk what you want.

 

It's hot.  I was soaked from the rain and was dry again once we were ON the lava in less than 5 minutes.  More like 2 minutes.  My feet could feel the heat, they started to burn.  A guys shoes started to melt.  Another fell over and cut his leg.  Anna and I proceed on.  Walking over cracks filled with the bright red molten.  

 

This poured out.  My thoughts were that we'd see a little lava just chilling, but no people this lava was FLOWING.  The black parts would crack against the rain and as we were making s'mores, it begun to pour and they made us head out.  Wondering if its a hazard to have rain hit the lava, all I do know was that it was crazy cool.  The rain came, left everything steaming.  It was a sauna, but only one that they'd have on Armageddon.  

 

 

We got close.  Close enough to freak a lot of people out.  Close enough where I ddin't want to go closer.

 

Might be the coolest thing I HAVE ever seen or done.  Definitely ranks up there as VERY REAL!