We flew in from San Jose airport and had organised a pick up the other side to take us straight to our hostel in Antigua. This taxi ride took about 45 minutes altogether and the street lamps perfectly lit up the streets making us exciting to stroll around tomorrow. We were astonished by the architecture which I know know is in the style of barrico antigueno. This particular style was an adaptation of baroque which was trendy in Europe at the time and you could recognise the colours. Not only were the streets amazing but what we could see of the hotel in the dark was also. We had this feeling that we’d fall in love with Guatemala.

I forgot to mention how we could see erupting volcanoes from our plane!!!

The next day I was awoken by a overly excited Ollie who was shaking me to come and see the volcanoes. I slowly went up to the roof and was actually taken a back by how insane the view was. A whole 360 view of incredible buildings with volcanoes peering over the top. He was talking to a German couple who had done a few of the treks already. They said they were tough but worth it.

This is when we met our soon to be friend Leila. Ollie asked the couple if they knew of any good breakfast places and Leila doing some yoga overheard. It is always funny how you never think much of a first interaction, especially when it is fleeting. Taking their advice we left and went on a walk around the town. I had actually booked a haircut at 11 so we only had an hour or so. I just couldn’t bare my ends anymore.

The town was really pretty and so picturesque. I don’t know why but I did feel a little uneasy but I think there is something about starting afresh in a whole new country. I’m sure I’d be fine soon. Ollie took us to this breakfast place that he thought was local but was very much a gringo haven. Nonetheless, I had the best salmon bagel I think I’ve ever had in my life.

The rest of the day was spent getting both our haircuts as Ollie was influenced after mine. Then for the remainder we didn’t do much at all. I was still feeling a little off so we just chilled and went to get our snacks for the trek from the supermarket. When we were leaving the hostel we bumped into Leila again and her boyfriend James. Funny enough they were also doing the Tropicana tour tomorrow but had to move hostels for the evening as they had messed up reservations. They were also from London and were about Ollie’s age. The only thing was that James was wearing sunglasses so I had no clue what he looked like.

On the way there I stopped into a little jewellery store when suddenly Ollie turned to me and said “did you see what happened?”. He pointed down to a dog. I suddenly realised something must have been wrong and we hurried out the shop. Turns out the street dog had had his entire jaw around my calf. Ollie had to hit the dog away and then it scurried off looking guilty. I really wish this didn’t happen as I spent my next week or so worried by the thought of rabies. I probably spent hours google searching and going on Reddit threads. We even asked the hostel receptionist who said to just wash the area. When I mentioned it didn’t actually bite me he almost laughed. The thing is I’m a huge hypochondriac. Anyway, it didn’t bite me and I didn’t even notice the door until Ollie said. The brain is weird sometimes with rewriting narratives. Remember Olivia, it has to break the skin or at least nip you!

In the evening, Ollie chose the restaurant. We went to an Indian/Mediterranean fusion place and had two curry’s with humus to start. It was called Toko Baru and the good reviews on trip advisor were definitely right. Of course, I had to finish dinner with a sweet treat and so we got some ice creams on our walk home.

The time had quickly came the Volcano Acatenengo hike. Probably too quickly considering we found out that is advised to be in Antigua for at least 48 hours so your body can acclimatise to the altitude.

We had to get to Hostel Tropicana for 8:30 for breakfast, sign up, and to rent any clothes. You have to rent clothes because it is freezing up the top of the volcano. They also told us we had to carry 4 litres of water with us which just seemed ridiculously heavy. 3 litres are for consumption and then 1 litre is for the porters to cook our food with. In total there were probably 30 people doing the hike and so you can imagine the beginning was chaotic. Everyone was queuing up but trying to grab the best coats and jackets off each other. Unfortunately, the majority of the 30 voices were all English as well. We sat down with James and Leila for breakfast. Finally, we found out what James looked like.

After breakfast came the hard part, squeezing everything you had into your tiny backpack. Luckily Leila had a porter to carry her bag up and so let me squeeze in a couple of things. Then we were all herded into little vans and it was time to go.

On the way there I really questioned whether I was physically up for the hike. I sat next to this American girl who didn’t seem fazed at all and was only but excited. Then behind me were two other guys talking about all the hard treks they had done in their lives. It left me feeling nervous. However, I’ve learnt to realise that my nerves are a good thing. The girl (can’t remember her name) actually found it incredibly hard and had to end up paying for her bag to be carried up.

The beginning of the hike was really uphill. Nonetheless, there was a real sense of camaraderie between the group. We also met another English couple called Jack and Kat. This meant Ollie, Leila, James, Kat, Jack, and I, became a little six.

This hike was very different to the Lost City Trek as all it was on day 1 was going up. The higher we got the more people came to feel the altitude. In the group there were a lot of headaches, nausea, and dizziness. Jack was pretty bad and had to take altitude tablets. Luckily Leila was like a pharmacy. As I had previously done Machu Pichu which was much higher the naivety in me thought I’d be fine but all of sudden I was also hit with a headache. I could still push on.

We were also blessed with a stop every 30 minutes. Lunch was a little longer. We were all given packed lunches that included a burrito, chocolate cake, apple, and fruit juice. Initially, I thought the burrito was great but I didn’t realise that many hours later I’d gag at the thought of it. I was obviously hungry because at the time I looked pass the sogginess. However, the chocolate cake was 10/10.

One question that stood out to me was from James. He asked “what was the hardest physical things we’d done?” Honestly I didn’t know. Leila answered with the London Marathon which was super impressive and nothing I’ve done had topped that. Even more impressive, she did it with bronchitis and a uti. We bonded over utis. Ollie’s was quite funny. Something about moving cement in Sweden. Not what we were expecting.

As we got higher we started having to put on more layers. The views were insane and we were walking right through the clouds. There was one bit where the sun was breaking through and I thought this is what heaven would look like. We did not stop chit chatting. Leila even asked if we had 5 hours of chat in us and turns out we all did. The only silent times where at the top when we knew how close we were but were all focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.

Once at base camp we had an hour to decide whether we wanted to do the additional hike to Mount Fuego. This was where the tune really changed and everyone had to really think if they wanted to put themselves through more pain. Many dropped out but I knew my competitive edge wouldn’t let me. Now James I had the answer, Fuego was the hardest thing I’ve ever done!

When you are registering at Hostel Tropicana at the beginning you have to sign some sort of waiver. Turns out it actually says “X advises to not climb Fuego” and that X is the Guatemalan authorities. Therefore, say goodbye to any insurance claim. In total 13 of us decided to do it and were then given a talk about how it is extreme but not impossible. This frightened me. Even worse, they gave us hard hats.

The walk to Fuego was 45 minutes down 45 minutes up and then vice versa. As we started hiking down I knew I had made a mistake. It was steep, dark, dusty, and hard. Not only that but we were walking through burnt forest. Only when we began the walk was I told that there was a major fire two weeks prior. Surely this wasn’t safe? But I had to do it. Kate and Emma Tav had!

I think it is almost guaranteed that the volcano erupts lava from one side but I couldn’t help but think what if today was the day it fancied a change. Leila decided to stay back but everyone else in our small six decided to go for it. At the beginning I was behind Kat and James. I found them hilarious and eaves dropping on their conversation gave me the push to continue. Jack suffers with vertigo and was definitely getting it second hand from Kat who was slipping in her airforces. They were a year or so younger than me and then Leila and Jack felt like the parents. They also broke the news to us a few hours earlier that they were engaged, which was so exciting even though we had only known them for a couple hours.

Once we got near the bottom of Volcano Acatenango I could see everyone had stopped. Overjoyed I shouted “are we stopping?”. In response I heard “no we are waiting for you”. I was fuming as were Jack and Kat further behind me. I screamed back “well I’ll go slower then” and regretfully “well next time don’t do a group trip whoever you are”. I was just full of rage but I think it was the exhaustion creeping up. The guy remained silent.

After all that we actually were about a couple of minutes away from stopping as we needed to regain our strength for the hike up Fuego. You’d think going down was easier but boy does it hurt your knees. We then began to climb but very quickly morale dropped as fog swept in. We couldn’t see anything and all had to turn our head torches on. Two groups passed us on their way down. Eagerly we asked them if they saw anything and both times they apologetically said no. Urgh what a waste.

At the top we were totally blind and I was so tired I thought they could just leave me here to sleep. To be honest I probably could have slept. We all unanimously decided to head back to base camp. Not that this was going to be quick, it meant another two hours back. As the exhaustion hit more I was making careless mistakes and tripping over my own feet. Finally we got to the last part which was climbing back up Acatenango. All of a sudden the fog left and we were finally graced with clear eruptions. It was so beautiful I felt like crying. I did cry but secretly.

Five minutes into the final push the absolute exhaustion hit me and I felt so sick. I was nauseous and had an extreme headache, as did Ollie. Even worse, poor James had fucked his knee and so he had to hobble. Everyone was broken. The 45 minutes felt like 5 hours. This was when I seriously wanted to be left behind.

Ollie and I had to break. We lay there both wondering if we’d make it. Very dramatically. In the distance I started to hear claps and then next thing I knew Leila’s voice cheering us all on. We were so close and we made it. But not before I slammed my knee at the top of a rock lol.

At camp it was time for dinner but I couldn’t eat as I felt so sick. I managed to drink a hot chocolate and then got ready to bed. In my head I thought I’d hit the pillow and conk out. No, I had the worse sleep of my entire life and I didn’t sleep a wink. Everything hurt. I’d move onto one side and then that side would hurt so I’d do the exact same to my other. I couldn’t even stretch out my legs because we all had our bags at the end. I had a headache and I was freezing. At 3am I heard Leila tussling and this was when I popped up and asked if she was going to the toilet. Her slow nod gave me the motivation to get up and join her. I needed it for a good few hours. The next thing I knew she was holding my hair back and I was trying to vom.

The next morning Leila’s phone went off at 4:30 for the sunrise hike. Sadly there was no way I could do it. I felt a little bit like a failure but was made to feel better when I heard only three people did. What about all the people who saved themselves? Now that is bad.

Nonetheless, the sunrise from our camp was insanely beautiful and the breakfast also went down a treat. Porridge, banana bread and coffee.

The time came for us to start the hike back which was going to take 2.5 hours. The guides are terrible with timings. I honestly think they just say anything to shut us all up. I would.

The hike back was fine and I was excited for my alititude sickness to disappear. I ended up chatting to this girl from Sheffield for the majority. Then we were all chatting about who knows what, I think I overheard dissertations. This is when you know people are running short of conversation.

The way down was so slippy but it was hilarious. All of us slip and sliding. Especially Kat and her bloody air forces. We also had millions of snacks going around. From Oreo’s, to butterscotch candy, to sainsburys fizzy strawberry laces brought all the way from London.

We knew we were near the bottom when we started seeing the groups who were beginning. I got that same feeling of smugness that I did at the end of the Lost City trek. Everyone was asking how it was and we would just say “not impossible but tough”. You could see the fear in their faces. That is was the guides would say “extreme but no impossible”. Finally we reached the bottom and that was when I had to run to the loo. Altitude does all sorts to you.

The guides then had one final congratulatory speech for us. Then they surprised us and awarded everyone who did Fuego with a necklace and called us all up. They loved the fact we were Olivia and Oliver. Now we were done. We gave back our walking polls and all started plotting about going to McDonald’s.