I'm loving the flexibility inherant in posting my journal entries from my phone. The instant feedback is nice too (thanks Brian!).

So, after spending two nights with our Myan host family in Guatamala (8 nights for everyone else) Cameron and Emily were ready to move on. They were planning to take a bus to Costa Rica the next day. I'd just arrived, but then, I'd also been to Guatemala before, and I really liked both Cameron and Emily right from the start, so I suggested that we just pack up and all drive to Costa Rica together. This idea was met by much approval from all. The only pre-requisite was that I get my return flight changed, which turned out to cost only 50 dollars.

There was another complication though. The group had picked up some fellow travelers along the way in the persons of Asher and Marisa, both of whom were really nice people making their way to a giant rainbow gathering in Brazil. The problem was that the consensus among Keli, Aron, Cameron, and Emily was that five people in the van was comfortable and seven was too much. No one wanted to say that they couldn't come, but no one wanted them to come either. It only made matters worse that our high-tail it to Costa Rica plan was perfect for them. I played my instigator role, insisting that there was nothing wrong with anyone's desires. I liked Asher and Marisa rignt from the start, but I didn't think it wise to act from obligation. In the end there were some minor emotional bruses, but we decided to part ways.
We didn't get very far, however. Our plan was to drive to Panahachel, drop off Asher and Marisa at a hotel (by this time they were both feeling pretty sick), and continue on to the beach to spend the night. Well, after an enourmous dinner of US style burgers, a few beers, and darkness coming on, we were no longer too keen to drive on to this unknown beach in the dark. Cameron ran across someone who offered a room for the night and some weed to share and we were all intrigued. What followed was the most uncomfortable night of my trip.