Arriving late at night in Guatemala city isn’t the best idea generally. The hostel I was staying at wouldn’t pick me up after 21:00, but luckily they could arrange a private taxi for me.
“Crime. Guatemala has one of the highest violent crime rates in Latin America, one of the world’s highest homicide rates and a very low arrest and detention rate. Most incidents of violent crime are drug- and gang-related. They occur throughout the country, including in tourist destinations.”
A sweet Guatemalan man was holding a piece of carton with my name on it at the exit. Honestly, those pieces of carton are the best thing to arrive to after travelling so long by yourself. So even for that little sense of safety it was well worth the money.
Wherever I’m traveling, I always like to have everything booked for at least the first night. Including a transfer from the airport. Mostly because when I’m tired, I’m wayyy worse at decision-making in general. So when I have to decide where to sleep when I arrive and also negotiate with a foreign taxi driver, I’d probably spend double to what is necessary.
This trip, however, is a little bit different to what I’m used to.
First of all, I’m backpacking.
Second of all, I’m traveling for more that a month!
So I decided to make my first week even more “relaxed“ by planning to follow a Spanish course in Antigua. I’m staying at a host family to fully immerse myself in the language. The other option was a student hostel, but I’ll be living in those the rest of my trip, so I am more than okay with a host.
Tomorrow I’ll be picked up by a transfer through my school. But first, let’s sleep!
My stay for the night:
Mi casa, tu casa
20 Calle 10-48 z13 Aurora II, Zona 13, 01013 Guatemala, Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, GT
Latitude 14.578363255837, Longitude -90.5320000648499
