Way Up High...

Two weeks ago tomorrow was monumental. I went exploring. Albeit, with a large group of friends, 3 gringo guides, 1 guatemalan guide, and three 12 year old niñas from Xela, however, it was quite an experience for me. My Amigo friends and I climbed the highest point in Central America. I do not have words to explain how amazing it was, because there is nothing in English worthy, nor do I speak enough Spanish to do justice to my trip. The view from the peak gave me goosebumps and I lost my breath. (That of course could be attributed to the below freezing temperatures and the fact we had woken up at 330 am to hike to the peak from camp in order to watch the sunrise...).
I do have words however to express the incredable pain I was in during and after the hours and hours of hiking that we did. I of course held up the caboose of the gang, somebody needed to make the sacrifice of course. I was a great contribution to our team! I can support...the keeping up though, a completely different story. In Xela, we are already at a pretty high altitude, so even stepping off of the bus at 900 on Saturday morning I was floored at the base of the volcano with the view. We could see for miles and miles beautiful mountains and green green earth. We started hiking, and I was out of breath in less than 10 steps. (If anything, this climb is why I have made a habit of going to Yoga more than three times a week!!!) And yet, whispering to myself, VALE LA PENA I somehow made my way up the mountain. VALE LA PENA means the end will be worth the pain suffered. (Very applicable towards my adventure).
I could not believe that when I needed to stop and breathe (every 5 min or soooo) I was surrounded by scenes from Last of the Mohicans, Sound of Music, and Lord of the Rings. I just wish I had the soundtracks to all three movies in my head (however an Ipod would have ruined the trek). After about 7 hours of hiking on Saturday, (we had woken up at 400 am that morning to begin the trip), we made camp on the summit just below the peak. It was already foggy and freezing. However, setting up the tents after that journey was so statisfying.
Suprisingly, I did not want food. At all. I could have curled up and gone to sleep right away and chilled. I just wished I had my journal and a book. And yet...with the words CHOCOLATE CALIENTE...i suddenly had a great appetite! We ate, we laughed, we did YOGA (our guide is a yoga instructor), and went to bed at the late hour of 1900!!! Luckily we were 6 in a tent and curled up tight together and most of my friends slept decently...I on the other hand maybe rested for only about 2 hours. I got a lot of pondering done.
Making up the last hour and thirty minute incline of all rocks and gravel was the worst part of the hike for me, but curling up in my sleeping bag and watching the sunrise over the mountains in the distance made me so happy to be alive.
My time in Guatemala is changed forever, since I climbed way up high...higher than the bluebirds fly!!!