Spingtime in Salvador

Greetings!

Well it sure has been a long time since I wrote anything on here. Apologies if anyone has been expectantly looking here regularly only to find nada. Since Sim's last entry plenty has happened so I'll start with my second appearance for the El Salvador cricket team on the Easter tour of Belize. We were soundly beaten in both matches although I was second highest scorer in the team with a mighty 23, Roger high scored with 49 and we were the only two to get double figures so I guess defeat was inevitable. Day 2 out for a golden duck although I did get a mention in El Salvador Cricket's magazine for my efforts in the field. Like a young Jonty Rhodes I was.

Here's the team outside our luxruious team hotel. The tour also included the longest bus ride I've ever been on 17h hours each way. Still it was pretty good fun although I'm not sure I'll be going on tour again it was pretty expensive and it's not like I spent hours batting. Sticking with cricket some more recent news. Last week I agreed to become the new club captain for my league team the Cuscatlan Chiefs, so that will be a challenge.

After returning from the cricket tour Dad and Kim arrived. The last of our visitors for the year. We first headed off to Antigua in Guatemala, the highlight of the trip being climbing up olcano Pacaya. which was spitting flames as we walked down in the dark. Very exciting. See the video on youtube by clicking this link. Pacaya Volcano . Of course this is the volcano that recently properly erupted, covering Guatemala City in ash and killing seveal people, including a journalist reporting for TV. In fact about two weeks after we went up two american tourists were killed when they wandered off from their guide and strayed on to a thin pice f lava rust and fell through into molten lava. Might have been a little less keen to go up there if that had happened before we went up. The fact that it rained all the way up did not dampen this intrepid explorer's enthusiasm.

On the way back we spent a couple of days at the beach, which was a nice relaxing end to the Easter Hols. While there we did some kayaking down the estuary which  was pretty cool but most of the time was spent lying by the pool drinking cold beers and doing a little bit of reading.

Monty shows off his 4x4 skills.

If I sit at the back it's easier to avoid the hard paddling work.

Dad obviously had the same idea.

Unfortunately, the trip to the beach ended in disaster for Monty. Home on the back of a rescue truck.

Obviously the next day it was back to school for Simmie and I . Dad and Kim spent the next 4 days exploring San Salvador before jetting off to New York where they got stranded due to the vocano in Iceland (right next to the frozen peas).

Since then no more guests so the house has been kinda empty. Lots of time to practice my drumming and of course plenty of end of term work to do at school, reports etc... Able to write this blog today because at the end of last week, during which time it seemed to be constantly raining, we were hit by Tropical Storm Agatha. All the schools in El Salvador are closed and although it hit Guatemala worse there has been deaths here unfortunately and lots of people evacuated. Rain has thankfully stopped nowso probably back to school tomorrow. Only 13 day to the holidays and my first gig, which hopefully someone will video. Then off to Montreal, New York, London and Madrid, where hopefully we'll get to see everyone.

More soon, ciao all xxx