October 21st, 2011

Distance:280 kilometres
Departure Time:10:00
Arrival Time:16:00
Weather:Blue skies with some scattered clouds
Temperature:27 ℃

Today we'll go on towards Guatemala City.

Yesterday night I didn't notice, but when I went this morning to the restaurant to have breakfast, this beautiful landscape is what I encountered :D


1















Well, I relax considerably indeed!
The mountains are nice too, but I really like the seaside
And you, which do you prefer? The mountains
or the seaside?

By the way, this is Guatemala's largest lake: Lake Izabal.
And today, for the first time in quite some time, it's beautifully nice weather, which really feels nice!

I immediately enter the road that goes towards the capital
2






























Around here it's fine, but the closer I get to the capital, the worse becomes the state of the road.
I have to drive while all the time being mindful of potholes.

In the parking lot of the petrol station in a place called Rio Hondo I adjust the load of the bike
I exchange greetings with an elderly man that had been watching me all the time, and have him tell me the location of the closed ATM.
By the way, in Spanish an ATM is called 'cajero'
3

















This little town was actually quite cute.
It's an ATM with a 'PLUS' sign, but I draw money not using my City Bank card, rather – like always – I use my Visa Card's Cashing Service.

Bit by bit the road gets worse, until eventually it turns into a mountain road
Paying attention to the cars coming in the opposite direction, I over take the slow driving trailer trucks one by one. 
 
In one of the ascending sloped I surprisingly get a hand wave from an oncoming bike.
I just barely manage to raise my hand and wave back.

It was a touring biker on a BMW
Since I had left the US and entered Mexico, thankfully I
had not met any other bikers anymore.

A further 15 minutes on

Suddenly the sound of a loud horn, right behind me.

A check in the back mirror confirms: it is the previously oncoming BMW driver.

He'd done a U-turn and caught up with me

4














At the petrol station a little bit further we'll be able to have a little 'rendezvous' to chat

When he parks his bike in the neighbouring parking space, we take pictures of each other's bikes :D
5




















It's a fairly powerful GS1150

His name is Javeck, from Poland
6



















He ask all bikers he encounters for a autograph!
Well, seems like a nice idea

Me, too, I give him an autograph

And also his bike is full of ideas!
7



















He just started his journey. He flew from Poland to Canada's east side, and is now on his way South

He's going on till Argentina, so we promise to meet again sometime along the way, and part ways

A further 100 kilometres on, there long traffic jams start
8



















It's the entrance to Guatemala city.

And from white bikes, it's black bikes now.
9



















They use Honda's small light weight vehicles.
Guatemalan policemen are also friendly

Well, here in Guatemala city I've got plenty of meetings arranged, and am booked solid.
Tomorrow morning I've got an appointment with a local BMW dealer for a maintenance check of my bike.
As I approach the whole of South America, I want to be 100% sure that the bike is in perfect condition.

And in the evening, I was able to arrange for a Child Interview

I'm looking forward to tomorrows update