Guatemala Day Ten. Tropical Storm Sarah Changes My Plans On My Last Day At The Villa Maya Resort
The rains from Tropical Storm Sarah changed my plans on Sunday, my last day at the Villa Maya resort and in Guatemala. Torrential rains from the storm continued most of the night. It was still raining hard when I awoke. I had a late flight back home and I had hoped to spend the day looking for birds and other wildlife on the many trails in the resort. The heavy rans changed my plans. I was up early again, around 6 a.m.. I put on my poncho and walked up the the dining room at the lodge for a cup of coffee. 
The forecast was for heavy rains all day. I walked back to my bungalow and covered my camera in a plastic bag. I decided to hike the trails in resort the torrential rain, knowing I probably wouldn’t see much wildlife activity. I still wanted to get in my usual 5 to 7 mile hike.
I walked along the lake near my bungalow,
and then followed the bicycle trail that took me through the dense jungle in the heavy rains. 
I came to the bridge over the small stream I passed on my previous hikes and found the stream, 
and the waters in the surrounding wetlands brown and flooded from the heavy rains. 
As I approached the utility right of way along the trail,
the rains eased a bit and I saw a few birds in the wet trees including this black-headed saltator
and this yellow-throated Euponia. 
The rains got heavier again as I continued on the trail which was either covered in puddles,
or fast flowing streams of water from the heavy rains. I had to wade through some of the puddles and my feet were soaked. 
Even with my poncho I was still getting wet. I walked through the wet trees,
ferns 
and wildflowers as the trail took me through the dense jungle. 
About 2 1/2 miles into my hike I came to some abandoned buildings. 
I investigated the buildings and it looks like they were the homes of farmers or ranchers who once lived here. 
The bicycle trail continued but I decided to hike back on another trail that took me along what appeared to be the border of the resort because of an old fence along the trail. 
The trail appeared to follow the border of the farm or ranch and the trees were smaller than the dense jungle I hiked through earlier. I thought this would a great place to see birds and wildlife in nicer weather.
Even in the heavy rain I saw this great tailed grackle. 
a clay-colored thrush, 
and a Lousiana or northern water thrush These were the best photos I could get in the torrential rains. 
This trail here was flooded too. I followed it back to the bicycle trail. 
And then walked back to the resort. I saw this gray cheeked or Swainson’s thrush near my room. It would be the last bird I would see in Guatemala. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos of some of the birds I saw on my rainy last hike in the Villa Maya resort. Guatemala Day Ten Villa Maya birds November 17 2024. 
I was soaked after my five mile hike in the heavy rain. There was no sense in changing and getting wet again going to breakfast so I walked to the lodge and had my last breakfast in my wet shoes and cloths. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos from my rainy last hike in the Villa Maya resort. Guatemala Day Ten Villa Maya hike November 17 2024
I returned to my room and spent the rest of the day editing photos, watching football scores on my computer, and figuring out how to pack my wet shoes and cloths while listening to the torrential rains fall outside. I decided to discard my poncho since it was old and had spring a few leaks in the heavy rains. The rains let up a bit around 5 p.m. and I walked to the lodge and I had my last meal, I ordered the salmon again,
it was delicious. For dessert I had a local specialty cake.
I returned to my room and walked back to the lodge in a light rain at 6 p.m. I finished packing and was ready for for my foggy and rainy ride to the Flores airport and my long journey back home.
The Flores airport wasn’t crowded and I left the airport on time,
and boarderd my plane for the one hour flight to Guatemala City. 
Here, I had a three hour delay until my 1:30 am. flight back to Washington D.C. I left the domestic airport and re- entered the international side of the airport and cleared security again. I reflected on my 10 day adventure in Tikal as I tried and rest on the airport floor. 
It was a nice flight back to Washington, although I did not get a lot of sleep. My flight arrived in Washington D.C. at dawn, around 7;30 a.m. I had a 6 hour layover and was glad I had access to the United Lounge where I had a woinderful breakfast and a place to relax for the six hours. I tried to sleep but that didn’t work so I called my office and worked on my blog. 
I had a pleasant flight back to the Avoca airport in Northeastern Pennsylvania. flying just west of my home in Hazle Township.
I quickly left the airport and drove home. I loved my adventures in Tikal and Guatemala but I was glad to be back home. I love my home. I have visited many beauitiful places but my backyard will always be my favorite.
The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and i
t feels even better to come back. – Wendy Wunder
“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” Pat Conroy
Categories
Recent Comments