So our guides now taking us down, so we can get closer to the larva to actually
see how hot it is, and I believe to toast a marshmallow!
*** Music ***
So it's bright an early,
it's six o'clock in the morning, and today we are gonna climb and toast
marshmallows, on an active volcano.
so we just stopped off to buy some snacks to
give us energy, to climb the two-hour hike of the volcano, and as we said in
previous videos, you can see Antigua is surrounded by volcanoes. And we are super
excited to be climbing one today.
*** Music ***
My Name is Karina, your guide for here, welcome and have a great day.
So after a one-hour drive, we have arrived at the bottom of the volcano and
it's really chaotic, so we're following our guide, here you can see behind me
and they said it's probably about, seven kilometers walk in total.
*** Music ***
So the tour actually costs us 80 quetzales each, which we got from in Antigua, and when
you arrive at the park, you have to pay 50 quetzales which is about five pounds
entrance fee into the park, which Marianne's just doing now behind us. So
when you arrive, you can also buy walking sticks, so we bought one each, just to
help the knees, just five Quetzales each. They were, so it was Ten Quetzales
for two.
*** Music ***
We've got a fun group today! so let me introduce who's on our
group today, I'm Garrett, Olivia and baby Ethan.
Okay you guys are from the States! Hi I'm Lovitia from Italy,
ah Italy! Hi I'm Joanna from Germany. There you go so we've got a real group today so we're gonna have so much
fun!!
*** Music ***
So it is pretty steep, but we're doing good! We got the two horses
following us in case we flake, they spot the unfit ones and follow them, they might get
some some rides. But yeah it's all good, slow and steady!
But you, can feel the air at this altitude is a little thin.
Hence the breathing, nothing to do with my fitness levels ha ha! And we chose to do the
tour in the morning, you could do it in the morning or the afternoon. We chose
the morning, because in the afternoon in rainy season, which it is now, it
very often rains. So it's good and sunny today.
So we're climbing up the hill, and as we're walking up it varies between rocks,
steep steps and just volcanic sand. We've just pulled over to the side,
because you can actually see Pacaya, and there's actually plumes of smoke coming
out of the top. Which is slightly unnerving, but yet very exciting! and I
think I should introduce Karina, who is our guide for the day! and then we have
all these beautiful guys behind us, Who have their beautiful horses.
*** Music ***
We are stopping for our first rest stop, and a quick swig of water.
We haven't succumbed to riding the horses yet
*** Music ***
You need a degree of fitness, because it's actually very tiring, very long and
very hot. And we weren't sure what to wear for the tour, because you go to
altitude so you weren't sure that was gonna be cooler. But it's hot, mainly due
to the exercise, but it's definitely hot. Shorts, a t-shirt, you're not going to be
wearing any more than that. So 'Tread the Globe' is bringing up the rear, and it's a
slow and steady race, and the tortoise is going to win! yeah! We're the last in the
group for sure, but we'll make it, and we're determined to make it without a
horse. We've found our group, one of the reasons to do this hike, go through all the
exercise, is to see views like that behind us, another volcano absolutely
beautiful. We're so lucky this morning our blue skies and hopefully it's sunny
on the way down too! Amazing we're loving Guatemala!
*** Music ***
So we've done about an hour, and apparently is another two hours to go!
yay! But we'll do it! Mamma didn't raise no quitters!
*** Music ***
We're stopping for one minute, just to rest for a minute,
before we do round, what round is it? 367! Yeah, I keep having mini breaks,
because I'm finding the heat and the altitude, but I'm going to do it!!
Okay so here's the question, obviously it's nothing to do with my fitness levels,
obviously. But how come these girls are not sweating at all and we're dripping!
And they're carrying a baby. I don't know, it must be genetics! nothing to do with fitness, sweating is good !!
So if you do come to Central America, particularly Guatemala,
you have to do the volcanoes, you have to go up a volcano on part of your trip
here, and yeah, we couldn't do the five-hour, one but we realise that now.
We realise that before we did it, that's why we didn't book it, but there's
different hikes, depending on your abilities, and you get to see lava.
Hey, even toast marshmallows, so you can actually see the volcano, the top of it
behind us, smoking in the distance, it still looks like a long walk.
Okay I'm officially in front of the group, probably not for very long, but I thought
I'd take the opportunity to get it on camera! Evidence! Slow down! That's why I've got a big stick!!
That was funny, we nearly took a wrong turn, until everybody shouted, no you're
going the wrong way! Oh yeah, our groups waiting for us, up there.
*** Music ***
We have reached the point in the hike, where the ground has started to change, and you can
see the volcanic rock. It's really alive! We can not smell suphur ! No there's no smell yet.
*** Music ***
So we made it! We're at the top - Pacaya! Which you can see behind us, an
absolutely beautiful space to come and take photos, and you can actually see
where the lava has come down the side of the volcano behind us.
Absolutely breathtaking views, it's very hot up here, but it's worth the hike, so
if you come to Guatemala come to Antigua, and do a day trip up here, it is so worth it!
But what is really bizarre is that on this side it is all black volcanic rock and then we will turn the camera around,
and it's green lush, forest plantation, land it is stunning, absolutely amazing views.
*** Music ***
Our guide is now taking us down, so we can get closer to the larva, to actually
see how hot it is, and I believe to toast a marshmallow. And you have to be really
careful, because this is a live volcano with lava running down the side of it,
how cool is this?
*** Music ***
So we're walking over the old lava bed, and obviously our guide knows where to
walk, and not to walk, but it's like being on the moon! it's such a strange
landscape.
*** Music ***
You can actually feel the heat now, coming off the ground and it is a bit hazardous to
walk on. Okay, so this is the part of the tour where you actually get to
roast marshmallows over the lava. Once in a lifetime opportunity I think.
We're just getting some sticks to stick the marshmallows on, so what's
amazing you could feel the heat coming from the rock so Marianne is just going to
roast her marshmallow now, and put them in this hole here.
Wow it's so hot!
it's all it's there! it's brown, it doesn't look like it's cooked, but it's actually
all squishy. It's so hot, sticky, the heat coming off the ground is absolutely amazing.
So we're gonna roast this now. It is so hot!
Honestly, I can't believe how hot it is. It is almost burning my hand!
Wow, that is amazing.
Hot in seconds.
Roasting marshmallows,on an active volcano tick!
What an experience! I'm not really a marshmallow person, but I had to do it
because I was curious as to what it would taste like, I was slightly convinced that it might be a
bit sulfurus, you can't actually smell sulfur, no it's all heat.
It is literally the heat coming out of those holes, was like putting your hand
in an oven. It was super, super hot and the whole air just changes
as soon as you go on it.
Yeah, I was a little worried about our shoes melting, the surface was a bit warm, but once you got under that first layer, it was
like super hot, absolutely! The power of nature, never
ceases to amaze us, and you can imagine this river of lava, that we are walking next to,
when it was actually flowing initially, the heat and the the
sight, must have been something out of this world. What's actually amazing is
that on the top of the volcano, you can actually see a trickle, river of lava,
red, coming down, You look on TripAdvisor wherever you go, around the world, there
are things to do, and this is one of them. You can either hike and camp and sleep
on the volcano, or you can toast marshmallows, I was all about the
marshmallows. It is tough, I'm not that fit it was tough,
but I really am proud that we've done it, it was great fun.
We've just literally
got back from our fabulous volcano walk, and we're just gonna pop out and grab a
bit of lunch, but I literally have to introduce this amazing woman. She looks
after us, and she is so lovely, she works she's so hard-working and this Leticia - it is nice
to meet you - mucho gusto!
Chickens and horses, but I need the exercise.
and in fact I might strip off
soon, yeah, I'm going to go up in my underpants.
Come on !! I am coming !! I am so happy to do this !! it is amazing !!
It is easy!!
yeah, we were going to wait until the sweat stop rolling and we had our breathe back but Chris
thought it would be a good idea to do it whilst I am still out of breath!!
you won't be able to pick this up on the
camera, but you can hear it crackling, Why are you whispering ? I don't know I'm whispering! cut