Pacaya picnic

What did you do last Christmas Day?

Make awkward small talk with the relatives you only see once a year? Feign interest in the newest method used to roast the potatoes? Fall asleep in front of the endless Christmas specials on the  telly?

I took a break from this usual ritual to spend my Christmas Day doing something I'm not likely to ever do again.

Pacaya is an active volcano close to Antigua, Guatemala. Geared up in walking boots and Santa hats we set about scaling the ash covered beast.

At our start point we were bombarded by small children introducing themselves, and offering to rent us large staffs to use to help us with the climb. Most of our group took the independent route. But I'm not too proud; I'll take all the help I can get. So I spent the best 5 quetzals of my trip. I tested out two staffs and plumped for the one being sold by a polite young man.

And boy was I glad of that stick. Not just for the fact that I could pretend to be Gandalf on the mountain (don't worry I got my money's worth out of that photo opportunity). But within one minute of starting our journey the path turned practically vertical. I loved that staff as I made my way up the slope closely followed by the emergency cowboy and horse (in case anyone needed a helping hoof!).

Unaided, we all made it to the highest point we could reach. The planned toasting of marshmallows had to be shelved as the volcano was particularly active in our planned route. Instead we had to make do with a blustery picnic on the volcanic slopes.

It was possibly the best picnic of my life. Hunkering down by a ridge grabbing a slice of bread, slopping on refried beans, avocado, cheese and salsa, and then wedging it together with another slice. Maybe the exertion had given me a healthy appetite, but it was perfection. Eating that whilst listening to the rumbling eruptions was a Christmas lunch I'm not likely to forget in a hurry.

We soon worked off our lunch by running/ sliding down the loose ash covered side towards home. Much easier going down than up. And much more fun. Just don't ask about all the ash I kept finding as I emptied my boots, and even for days after!