Thu 1st Mar

An early start as I head to Bambi’s for our day out together at the pool/beach.

On finally finding the house – houses don’t just increase by numbers but also have letters too so from 15 to 19 rather than being just 3 houses, was in fact 3 blocks!

I ring the buzzer and get no reply. Shit, bus is due have I got the right place. I have…so try again and give Bambi a call. I think someone had a heavy night as they rush to answer the door saying I’m up, I’m ready! Bambi gets her stuff together as I wander around this awesome town house. They may not look much from the outside but my god, this house is simply stunning.

Bus comes and finally we get on for the 2.5 hour journey to Monterrico. We chat and laugh the whole way there and I’m just dying to get in the pool and soak up some rays….it’s a hot one.

We head to El Delfin – Bambi knows the owners and says it’s less touristy/busy than some of the other places.

It’s 1030, the sun is hot, the pool is calling and so is the cocktail menu….2 frozen margaritas coming up!

This is our day – pool, sun beds, chatter and laughter fuelled by these rather large margaritas. I’m not a fan of the beach, not being a lover of sand but do have to take a look at the volcanic black sand beach before I head back so we trundle down to take a look. The black sand soaks up the heat so shoes are a must.

The sea is calling but the waves are crashing into the shoreline which reminds me what I’d read – no one gets in the sea here due to the strong undercurrents….back to the pool it is and at 4pm the shuttle comes to get us again.

The journey back as always seems longer. Filled with cocktails it’s a god send when he makes a petrol stop 1.5 hours in and I bound over the chairs to be first for the loos!

Back in Antigua, properly shattered, I gave a quick nightcap with Bambi and get an Uber home for about 2030. Not massively late but got to pack my stuff and tomorrow is an early start for my Acatenango hike….! Full of bright ideas me but I did have the most awesome day with Bambi and it was the only one she could do so even if I feel crap in the morning, it was all worth it!