Know as “lighthouse of the Pacific” the Izalco is a challenge, from every pointo of view.
As I started walking (and after we took the first pictures) I started thinking about my life and how similar it was to hiking the Izalco: the road is VERY difficult, but also very easy sometimes. There are some moments in which you cannot see the rest of the road, but if you walk few steps, you will see that you are still on the right way. There are other spots in which you have to choose whether taking a difficult shortcut or staying in the not-so-difficult long way. There are moments when you fall. There are many moments in which you have to stop just a little bit and drink water just to be able to keep going. There are moments when you see other people half way through and they cannot continue because they are too tired, but at the same time, there are others who already made it to the top, and you decide to stay with the first or go after the second group. And there are moments when you definitely need to rest.
Half way, my legs are shaking, my heart beat’s very fast and the worst part is that (because Andres was wearing the thingy around his vest) I can hear his heart bit so normal! I was almost dying and he was breathing normally, hahahaha, but he encouraged me to finish what I started.
So I walked and walked and drank water and walked and walked and walked. At some point I was desperate and inpatient so I was going as fast as I could, even when Andres was telling me to slow down, and then, suddenly… we were at the top: I WAS AT THE TOP OF THE IZALCO!!!!! IT FELT SO GOOD!!! I was so proud of myself! It was so rewarding!
Again similar to life: it’s so good enjoying your success and when you are at the top, you have to go around it! (I mean around the crater). But then, it was time to come back down. This time Andrew leaded the way, apparently it was safer this way. I fell many times and then, the most difficult part: climbing back the Cerro Verde… I was sooooo hard! But I made it through (I had to) and once we were done, Andres finished his life lesson stretching up our muscles.
My whole body hurt the next day, but I know it was worth it.
The good news is that hiking it wasn’t so bad, even for a person who is not in a good physical shape, like me, it was rewarding, it was challenging, and a great trip.
We are planning our next trips and you will be hearing about them very soon. In the mean time I wanted to share a trip that happened 2 months ago with Andres, my friend from Guatemala.
I went hiking with Andres during August vacation, he’s one of my best friends and a person that I appreciate a lot, I would love to say that I took him to Izalco’s Volcano (because he’s from Guatemala and he came to visit) but to be honest, HE took ME hiking, he’s the expert (he’s been to the Kilimanjaro and going to Mont Blanc soon).
Getting there and security
We arrived at Parque Los Volcanes at 11:10, the entrance costs 60 cents per person and US$1.50 for parking the car; the guard told us that the group left 10 minutes ago and that we should hurry to catch up. The group leaves every day at 11:00 am and is guided by policemen and it’s free, but It is always nice to share your food or something with them if you want. The Park is very safe and a beautiful place to go.
No need for hiking gear
So we got out of the car and while I was putting all our stuff together, Andres was putting on all his hiking gear: shoes, waistcoat, something for his knees, a thing that controlled his heart bit, sticks and a backpack with a very cool water bag incorporated that allows you to drink water through a straw without stopping… what can I say? He’s the expert, I was wearing sneakers, jeans and a t-shirt. It was a good idea to bring our own sandwiches, water, cookies and almonds and rasins.
For a description about the volcano, you can visit this link
In my opinion:
Hinking is very similar to life:
First off all, even though when he’s the expert, he let me lead the way, because he knew that if he was in front of me, we would have go too fast and I would have been tired. He stayed behind me most of the time, so that I would learn. He had our food and water in his backpack, I only had my camera in my pocket, and a stick in my hand, so that I would focus on walking.
Before actually going up, you have to go down on the Cerro Verde hillside, and because you are going through a forest and focused on walking, you rarely see the volcano.
Once you are in the middle of both, you see it, you see your goal and in that moment, you decide whether going after it… or chicken out.
to be continued…
Una de las etapas más esperadas del Circuito Latinoamericano de Surf por su calidad de olas y el excelente clima. El Salvador Impresionante, será la séptima fecha del Tour, el cual se llevará a cabo del 26 al 28 de Septiembre en Punta Roca, La Libertad.
SURF!!!
FECHA 26 - 28 Sep.
PLAYA Punta Roca
¿Cómo llegar a Punta Roca?
Si estás en San Salvador, un opción para ir hasta Punta Roca es tomar el BUS 140 en la terminal de Oriente. Cuesta entre $0.60 y $0.75. Y lo lleva hasta el Puerto de la Libertad. Importante, este bus se toma afuera de la terminal, por la gasolinera. Del Puerto, hay que llegar a Punta Roca y será fácil ir preguntando.
La otra opción es tomar un taxi, pero es mejor tomar un taxi que no esté en un centro comercial porque son más caros. Los taxis hasta allá le cobrarían entre $25 y $35 dependiendo de donde lo tomen.
