Serpientes Rojos (Red Serpents)

I have now been in Antigua, Guatamala for 3 days. Yesterday I decided, against my better judgement, to climb Pacaya Volcano (an active volcano near the city). On arrival at the base of Pacaya you are immediately greeted by cries of ¨stick, stick stick¨ (see picture demonstrating use of the stick) and ¨taxi taxi¨(yes the four legged kind)!

The 2 hour climb up was quite strenous (I think this is a reoccuring theme). The most difficult was climbing on the hardened lava which seams to take two forms - hard cow pad like streams or very small gravel (which is light and sharp). You were subjected to either chilly winds or gusts of hot air as you walked across the hardened lava streams. At times you could look down and see the 'serpientes rojos' (red serpents) of lava streaming below.

However the chance to actually get close to lava was worth the climb. It was quite scary, as large boulders of molten rock would come loose from the flow and tumble down to where we were standing.

• The climb down was not that much easier, more or less skiing on lava rock (it is very sharp) and then bumbling down track in the dark (we were on a night climb) - with only my little torch to assist. Part way down we stopped to watch the volcano put on a firework display, with two gysers of molton rock shooting into the sky (guess this is why we couldn´t climb to the crater rim).