Drama drama

29^th January 2011

So here we are. Back to square one. Hoping that a mechanic can fix our van. Except this time we are in a little town in Guatemala (yes they let us in, pretty easily) surrounded by big volcanoes and very steep roads out, with not a lot of access to parts or mechanical tools and oh yeah we don’t really speak much Spanish. I am tested to the max. My language and dictionary-look-up skills; my patience and my hope and positivity. We are hopeful it is ‘just’ a vent on the transmission box, which is broken, and making our ATF poor out faster than we can fill it. It may need a whole new transmission tho. Which they can only do in Guatemala City. A VERY long old tow up a steep steep curvy mountain road away. Not even sure we can find a tow truck who could do that, as we are very heavy, and tall. We were extremely lucky to find a tow into Panajachel, as tow-truck numero uno couldn’t lift us up. Tow-truck numero dos managed to drag-tow us down the steep steep mountain road, and drop us at the mechanic, where we are still.
We managed to convince Mario’s Hospedaje* (guesthouse) to accept the dog and that’s where we slept last night. Paul slept. I did not, too worried about break-ins to the van, as people are so very poor here, it is so tempting as we have so much STUFF. Although we are parked in the mechanic’s yard, who have a ‘guard’ dog and the Voluntary ‘Bomberos’ as neighbours I just couldn’t stop worrying. So tonight it is back to sleeping in the van. Gustavo, our mechanic is shopping for parts in Guatemala City today
which is quite a day-trip really. We hope he can find the right size vent-plug and filter. And then we hope that our fluid stays in and the transmission works. Then the next challenge will be trying to very slowly make it up those steep mountain roads…
I am starting to think about how easy it was to just fly in as a traveller, and not having to worry about a vehicle (and a dog!) and all that STUFF. What was I thinking?? This has so far not really been an easy adventure at all. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? I am ready for some easy times now tho. Bring it on, please.