Monday 28th of May
We started to get the feeling that things were amiss when our mini van made an unscheduled stop in Antigua city in Guatemala. We had booked the tickets from San Marcos to San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, the day prior with the reassurance that it would be a direct ride in a comfy shuttle. All for $25 each, it sounded like a good arrangement for a supposed nine hour journey. When we had to swap shuttle in Antigua we still weren't bothered. The next mini van was waiting and the swap was quick and fairly painless.
Next stop, Guatemala city. The capital of Guatemala is a pretty run down city and the source of many dangerous stories of thefts and muggings. We had hoped to avoid it, and so we had been told by Mike, the English tour operator back in San Marcos. Yet, it seemed our driver had other plans as we pulled into a sorry excuse for a bus terminal in a run down suburb of the city. At this point our driver went into the "terminal" that looked more like a small shop and purchased two tickets from a ticket counter behind bars. He exited a few moments later, handed us the tickets, told us a bus would soon arrive and take us the rest of the way, Only an hour and a half to wait. Slightly perplexed, an before the driver who was now back behind the wheel of his van could drive off, we asked to borrow his phone to call Mike and clarify the situation.
Mike said that this was news to him, that he was sorry but that on the upshot it was a larger bus that would have toilets! Just great!
At 3pm, half an hour before we were supposed to leave, a local man approached me and asked if I spoke any Spanish. 'Si, hablo un pequeno' I told him. It turns out the bus isn't running today. Mechanical problems (or possibly just can't be arsed!). Next bus, mañana at 5am. Adios!
Back on the phone. 'Que effin passa Mike??!!!'.
In fairness Mike did his best. He was subcontracting through another agency who eventually sent their driver back from Antigua. Two hours later, the same driver as earlier turns up, picks us up and drives us back to Antigua where we will have to spend the night. By the time we get there, it is near 6pm, it is getting dark an even the poor drivers boss won't pick up. Mike eventually lets up and says that he'll cover our nights accommodation and the remaining money required to book a shuttle for the next day. Departure scheduled for 8:00am.
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