This weekend I am packing for a five week trip to Guademala.  I will be flying from Palm Springs to Dallas to Guatemala City and then taking a four hour bus trip to Quetzaltenango, the second largest city in Guatemala.  This is a city of 300,000 people located 8000 feet up in the mountains of NW Guatemala.  Why?  Because it is there!  No, seriously, I am planning to do extensive cruising in Mexico starting with the Baja Haha in October of this year.  My Spanish is basically limited to the words on the Taco Bell menu, therefore I thought it best to try to learn enough Spanish to at least get by with the locals while I am cruising in Mexico and Central America.  I will be spending five weeks in intensive total emersion Spanish language school and living with a local Guatemalan family.  We will see if this old dawg can learn a new trick:  Spanish.

I am finding it hard to pack for a trip in one small suitcase.  I am used to traveling with a 41 foot boat full of all my stuff.   

This blog was set up to cover my sailing adventures, however I will be posting my experiences in Guatemala.  I am scheduled to arrive Guatemala City on Tuesday evening so starting then I will write about my experiences through this five week adventure.

After returning from Guatemala it will be time to start getting Astraea ready for the Baja Haha, which leaves San Diego for Cabo San Lucas the end of October. 

See you in Guatemala.