Some people we've met along the way...

The people that you meet on an adventure have the capacity to make or break any trip. Thankfully we´ve been blessed with lots of interesting people who you´d never meet anywhere else in the world.

In no particular order- I thought I would introduce you to some of the characters we´ve met along the way.

First on my list is the Texan. I should say I have never met a Texan before...

Aged 22, Republican and an English Lit University graduate who lived in the Dallas Fortworth area. He was tall, about 6 foot, skinny and wore little silver glasses. He was an animal lover with a cat called Josie that he owned with his long term girlfriend who he is going to ask to marry him in Feb. He had rarely travelled outside of America and possessed a naivety that I wish I had. His eyes were wide and I could tell he was trying to take in as much as possible. He was interested in my thoughts and opinions not because they were particularly erudite but because they were different... I questioned him on politics... his thoughts on Bush, Republicanism (is that really an ism) and was surprised by some of his answers. It seems that Bush is less popular in Texas than I imagined and he doubted he will get the ticket tape parade on Jan 20th that I had predicted.

Travelling with the Texan was the one with the eyes. American and older than my oldest sibling (think a sexy Bruce Willis). The man with the eyes was tall with eyes that felt like they looked inside you. Greeny yellow in colour with olive skin and a bright white smile to match, he was my own McDreamy. I was drawn in immediately and sometimes I think i caught myself staring at him. The man with the eyes is a high school teacher living in Columbia, fluent in Spanish and exceptionally charming he was the Texan´s god father who was taking him to Guatemala as a graduation present.

Next was Stanford (not his real name),a camp 40 something ex New Yorker and now permanent retired resident of Floria who wore fluro green jeans, cream linen jacket and sunglasses with purple lenses... think that says it all.

After Stanford we met Deet, a 71 year old eccentric American, graduate of North Western and expat living in Antigua. Deet moved to Guatemla 16 years ago, practices Esalyn massage and works in sex education clinic. Deet reminded me of my grandmother on my mothers side- she was hilarious and left a lasting memory with her dirty joke.... its hard to find a good man but good to find a hard man.

Next on my list are the Greeks, an extended family comprising about 15 people travelling together and always popping up where ever we seem to be. Our first encounter with them was on the Belize-Guatemalan boarder where they rudely pushed in front of us, spoke loudly and wore more bling than Beyonce. We made up our minds quickly. Next we saw them at the airport in Flores where they acted with their usual level of decorum,the abhorrence solidified. Finally, we bumped into them in the markets in Chichi and burst into laughter- putting bets on where they would pop up next.

Finally, there are the boys, Ra´s entourage. Ra meet the boys (two 20 year old Aussie cousins) in a dorm in Cancun, since then we´ve seen them everywhere, Talum, Flores and Antigua. They climbed the volcano with us and thankfully stood behind me so they could pick me up every time i fell (which was often),I think it was more about the comedy value I was providing than chivalry- either way they are both good guys who now we´re back in Mexico we will miss.

Think that´s about it.

Adios.

KP

XXXX