Back in Guatemalaville

Sigh. Leaving Tapachula wasn't easy. I felt like the kid at Disney World who shouts: "but we can't go home... I haven't gone on all the rides yet!"

Sadly the still-undiscovered taco shops, cafes, stores and restaurants will have to wait until the next time I'm forced out of Guatemala.

Thankfully, the trip home was smooth sailing. The border crossing couldn't have been easier.

I couldn't resist, though. As the Mexican immigration official pounded the departure stamp into my passport, I leaned up next to the plexiglas window. "Can I ask you something? If I'm only traveling to Tapachula for a few days, do I need to fill out any paperwork?"

"Nope" he said.

"Well, then," I continued, "someone needs to tell that to Mr. Border Patrol guy up the road. When my bus was pulled over a few days ago, this guy got so distraught about me not having my papers that I thought he was going to wet himself."

The immigration guy burst out laughing, and nodded. "Ok, then... we'll give him a call!"

On the Guatemalan side of the bridge, the process was equally enjoyable. I slid my passport through the window, and the kind woman stamped my 90 day visa into the one remaining square in passport. (Sometime soon I'll have to go the US embassy and request additional pages.) I handed her ten quetzals, and that was that.

Unfortunately, upon returning to the office today, I discovered that (despite the "job opening at IDEM" sign someone left on my desk) no-one learned how to do my job in the 72 hours that I was gone. Which means that today was major league catch-up day.

Hey... at least tomorrow is Friday. You gotta love the two-day work week!