Mario teaching a class on the practice range in full view of Volcano Fuego, the golf course’s namesake.

I woke up in a beautiful place. Got up, showered, dressed and went outside to an even more beautiful environment. There was a volcano in my front yard. It took me back to last night and that sensational prehistoric, pre-mankind feeling that we haven’t always been living on this earth. Somehow that translated to a new awareness, a new attitude of openmindedness and willingness to thoroughly be present in the moment and experience the day, this day, today! And today would undoubtedly be a special day playing the Fuego Maya Golf Course at La Reunion Golf Resort & Residences with Mario Navarro, the Director of Golf.

My breakfast spot with a view of the valley and Volcano Agua.

Torch was good too. I felt for her as the entire La Reunion property was cobblestone streets. They beautifully appointed an estate rich in history and tradition but were a little bumpy for Torch. She needed new shocks, springs and struts and was wandering a bit even as we drove straight down a smooth road. I said good morning to Torch, opened her boot and grabbed my clubs and walked a short distance up the hill to the practice range and the volcano. Mario was teaching a class. I hit a few balls and headed to the clubhouse, resort central, for breakfast. Life was good!

Your table awaits you at La Reunion. Sunrise breakfast or sunset shadows over the valley and first nine holes.

There is nothing more beautiful to me than a view of a valley as far as the eye can see and its gentle, gradual slope up the mountains or in the case of La Reunion, up the side of the conical volcano with the name of Fuego or Agua. Fire and water is so pre-historic. Though when inactive and basking in sunshine there is peace and tranquility to be found here at La Reunion. My breakfast was hearty, the butter tasted a little different but richer and creamier different and the mango juice my new favorite even though I am from Florida.

CLICK here for a Beauty Video of La Reunion, Volcanoes and All!

The first nine holes of the Perry and Pete Dye– designed masterpiece called Fuego Maya was laid out before me. Lushly green the routing seemed to crisscross the gently sloped topography.  The championship first tee of the downhill par-4 first hole was to my right adjacent to the manor-like clubhouse. The next four holes formed a clockwise loop around the water feature that defined the approach to the par-5 third hole and the forced carry on the par-3 fourth hole. The final four holes  traversed back and forth along the volcanic sloped ground culminating with the green of the par-5 ninth hole being situated directly below the clubhouse.

With Mario Navarro & Fuego Volcano on the 13th tee. That’s Love Grass behind us!

The back nine was on the entrance side of the clubhouse in the watchful eye of Fuego Volcano. Actually it is my eye and likely yours when you visit La Reunion that will be keeping an eye on the volcano. Fiery red lava is easier to see at night than in bright sunshine from what I could tell so far. The par-4 10th, where Olaf scored a 12, climbs directly uphill towards Fuego and the second nine is in the shape of a counterclockwise walking stick with the par-4 18th green  below the 10th tee. An exciting routing amidst the volcanoes.

CLICK here for a Video Interview with Mario Navarro, Director of Golf.

Playing a round of golf with Mario Navarro, the Director of Golf and former UTEP Division 1 collegiate golfer and mini-tour veteran was an exceptional experience. My round of 77 with only 26 putts is proof positive that one plays better golf when playing golf with better players. As Mario said, visiting La Reunion and playing the Fuego Maya Course is more than a golfing experience, it is a golfing adventure with the volcanoes, vistas , vegetation and the club itself. Spectacular, as my friend SJ would say.

CLICK here for a Beauty Video of La Reunion and the Fuego Maya Course.

Infinity green on the fifth hole at La Reunion’s Fuego Maya Course—spectacular!

I knew it would be a special day when I made a 40-footer for par and get it up-and-down from the ravine left of the green. The 460-yard par-4 fifth hole is the No. 1 handicap hole on the scorecard and features an infinity green, not in size but location on a knoll. I lost track of Mario’s birdies but know he birdied both of the front nine par-5s. I avoided Olaf’s demise on No. 10 hitting a great drive, a solid 6-iron and fortunately two-putting from sixty feet. Love grass galore was my discovery on the par-3 12th hole and I stopped to admire the majestic tree on the 13th fairway, as grand as a volcano to gaze upon. Every spectacular round needs a bit of luck and I had it with a 60-foot chip-putt that went in on the 15th green for double bogey, my only one of the day. I managed a 6-iron to three feet and made the putt for my only birdie on the par-5 17th hole, the longest on the course at 682 yards (we played it from 605 yards). On the dye-abolical par-3 17th (see the video for why) I rimmed out a 6-footer for a deuce. With a routine par on the last I completed what is no doubt one of my best rounds of my life. So exceptional I chose not to play Fuego Maya again the next day because I knew it could not get any better, not one memory better.

CLICK here for a Video of Perry & Pete’s ‘Dye-abolical’ 17th Green.

The Mayan tablets for Mak, the 13th month on the 13th tee.

La Reunion commemorates an incredible similarity between playing golf and following the path of the sun using the ancient Solar Mayan Calendar. This Mayan Calendar consists of 18 months to follow of twenty days each. The last one, a 5-day month called Wayeb is to prepare for and welcome the journey ahead. La Reunion’s 19th hole bar is called Wayeb. The founders of La Reunione and Perry and Pete Dye thought it wise to celebrate their fusion between golf and the Mayan Calendar by naming the golf course Fuego Maya which means Mayan Fire. I was on Mayan Fire today and am well prepared for and embracing the rest of the ‘Journey to Olympic Golf!’

CLICK here for the Captains’ Video Interview of Ecuador vs. Guatemala at La Reunion.

In the left corner we have Christian from Guatemala versus Felipe from Ecuador in the right corner… may they be reunited at La Reunion for the joy of life!

I witnessed the true spirit of La Reunion this evening after dinner in the club’s Mirador restaurant. After a kitchen tour by Chef Ejecutivo Amilcar Guerra,  I came across a large group having drinks before their dinner. It was a golf match between Ecuador and Guatemala. The connection between the golfers were Christian (host- Guatemala) and Felipe (Ecuador. The connection between Christian and Felipe was love, not theirs though they did like each other, but that of Vanessa and Peter. Peter is Christian’s nephew and Vanessa is Felipe’s daughter. They were married four years ago and this golfing competition grew out of each family liking the other family and their country. Funny video and now I know somebody in Quito, Ecuador which I believe is in South America and on the way to Rio!

It was a grand day at La Reunion Golf Resort & Residences! I even got my laundry done! Torch is healthy and our stay has been extended for another night so we have a free day to roam among the volcanoes southwest of Guatemala City.

Of course we would find something interesting to do and document!

There are some more stories in the pictures below this request to make a donation to The First Tee… please make a donation today. Much appreciated.

I am looking for 100 new friends in the next 100 days to make a $100 donation (or any amount that you are able to make) to The First Tee. Each day I will be reliving the original “Journey to Olympic Golf” and hope to find a new friend in golf. Is that you? Please join me in giving back to the game we all love.

CLICK here to make a donation to The First Tee.

The First Tee has a positive impact on young kids in life and on the golf course.

Please select ‘Andy Reistetter’s Journey to Olympic Golf’ on the drop-down menu for the question ‘What inspired you to make a gift today? This is for tracking purposes only, Andy does not receive any part of your donation or anything financially from The First Tee organization.

There are interesting incentives for making your donation to the First Tee…

PLEASE click here to make a donation to The First Tee.

Thank You!

There are volcanoes, love grass and the majestic tree on the 13th fairway at La Reunion!

Laundry Day at La Reunion, wash in the bathroom sink, dry on the patio, onward to Rio!

Finishing a remarkable round with Mario on the 18th green of Fuego Maya!

With Olaf and a Thumbs Up sign for Torch. A new brake pump, rebuilt cylinders and new tubing and we are back on the road again!

JTOG Day 34, Wednesday November 13th, 2013, was one of those transitional days on the Journey where I am moving from one place to another. On this day the move was all predicated by the mover which was Torch and whether or not she would be repaired, returned to fit condition and ready for another traveling adventure with me at the wheel. Olaf had hoped to find the needed brake fluid pump and an early morning call confirmed that he did indeed find one and Torch would be ready to go at 3:30 pm in the afternoon. So I had a free day in the heart of Guatemala City and a relatively short drive of about 45 miles to get out to La Reunion Golf Resort & Residences in the evening.

This Hump Day in Guatemala was more than a transitional day geographically for me. One thing almost happened in the afternoon and another thing did happen in the evening that were a Journey breaker and a Journey and lifetime memory respectively. Things always happen in the least expected way in a place you may not have expected to be ever in your life.

Huge Christmas tree in the Obelisco. Christmas comes early in Guatemala too!

The day started out normal enough, at least for being on a 100-day, 14-country, 18,471-mile odyssey of a lifetime. I woke up in a nice place—the Hotel Bresciani, my second night there. I spent the morning transferring yesterday’s pictures and videos from the camera to my laptop and a backup external drive. I also was doing some electronic networking, planning ahead for El Salvador and plotting my course south.

I decided to try to connect with Mr. José Antonio Muñoz Molina, the president of the Guatemala National Golf Association, something Pepe suggested I do. I didn’t have an appointment and wasn’t even sure he would be in the office but the office was nearby at Avenida Las Americas 18-81 zona 14 so I decided to take a walk to see the city up close and personal. I packed up and checked out and had the bellhop store my luggage for me. My plan was to come back and pick it up and taxi over to pick up Torch at OL Motores. I was out the door and hopping in a taxi to take me to the Obelisco by 12:30 pm.

The Obelisco was a huge roundabout with a gigantic Christmas tree in the center of it. I never saw the monument commemorating the independence of Central America. I wanted to see the Avenida Las Americas and learn from its plazas and monuments about the other countries in Central America that I would soon be visiting. The avenue was broad with a park-like median lined with trees and monuments. As I walked down through the center of it all I took notice of the people memorialized in stone. There was Jose Joaquin Palma, Rafael Alvarez Ovalle, David Vela, Miguel Angel Asturias, Delores Bedoya De Molina, Antonio Jose De Irisaaai (correct spelling), Al Mantar, Henri Dunant, Benito Juarez and Jose Bonifacio De Andrada E. Silvia.

With Lorena Ortiz at Pan American Life Guatemala.

At that point of the self-tour I was distracted by the impressive Pan American Life building. I had car insurance in Mexico but had no luck finding any for Central America. I went in and took the elevator up to the top and went up to the teller (seemed like a bank to me). She didn’t speak English but asked Lorena Ortiz who did to come out to meet me. Nice try but they were life insurance, not car insurance. Lorena was nice who sent me across the street to Seguros Mapfre where I met Carlos Raul Segura. Nice guy who also could not insure me but gave me a great tip for lunch out back which is where I headed next.

When I resumed my tour it dawned on me (must have been the nourishment) that I was not on the Avenida Las Americas (no plazas or monuments about Central American countries) but that I was on Avenida Reforma (hence all the reformation heroes). Now completely disoriented and with a check of the time I abandoned my plan to walk to the Guatemala National Golf Association,

The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City. Don’t take a picture of it. (-:

Then I made a near fatal mistake after coming up to the American Embassy. I took a picture as I walked casually along the park in the divided avenue. Two armed guards double timed it across the street coming towards me. I pretended not to notice as I really did not realize I had done anything wrong. They intersected my way and halted me to a stop. They did not speak English but I could interpret that they wanted to see my camera and passport. I showed them my camera but in a way so they would not see the picture I had taken. I really wasn’t sure if I had taken a picture as a documentarian takes pictures subconsciously. They wrote down information from my passport. I was happy when they returned my passport and let me go without arresting me. Lesson learned that it is not being a proper American tourist taking pictures of our embassy in Guatemala City. My apology Uncle Sam.

Statue of Benito Juarez, 5-time President of Guatemala in the mid 1800s, on Avienda Reforma in Guatemala City.

That was enough for me and it was time to hail a taxi, swing by Hotel Bresciani and pick up my luggage and then head over to OL Motores to hopefully pick up Torch and be on our way to La Reunion Golf Resort & Residences. We got stuck in traffic but eventually made it to Olaf’s garage. Olaf was true to his word and Torch was ready to go. We chatted for a while and after hearing my South America plans he mentioned that his best friend lived in Lima, Peru. In fact Olaf was born in Peru and grew up there. I also got more excited as Olaf told me how great a place La Reunion was. In fact he once shot a 3-under 33 on the front nine on the Fuego Maya Golf Course and followed that with a 47 on the back nine. Derailed by a 12 on the uphill par-4 tenth hole. What an 80! I could not get to La Reunion fast enough!

Torch and I hit rush hour traffic leaving Guatemala. No worries as the experience of being in Guatemala was all new and exciting. After coming in Carretera (Highway) CA-9 from Mexico and being ushered out that way to the Mayan Golf Club by Pepe I seemed to have my bearings so as the sun set I felt confident I was going in the right direction. After exiting the highway I could see the faint conical outline of the Fuego Volcano in the distance. As I went up Route 14 for about 10 miles to the turn off to La Reunion the inverted cone kept getting bigger and bigger.

This is what I saw approaching La Reunion which my camera was unable to capture. Photo Credit: Google Images.

Soon after the turn, the road took me to another side of Fuego and it was then I saw something I had never seen before in my life. There was a fiery red stream of lava flowing down from the apex of Fuego. I didn’t feel in any danger but seeing an active volcano somehow took me back to prehistoric times and gave me a different perspective of being a human being living on a volatile earth. I looked around but did not see any dinosaurs roaming around the base of Fuego. Even today, that fiery red stream of lava coming down the mountainside is vivid in my mind. It was a spiritual experience, completely unexpected and deeply moving. Nature is beautiful yet definitely daunting in some ways down to our very core. I hadn’t even arrived at La Reunion and I already felt I was reunited with my self.

I found La Reunion and one immediately senses the 5-star service, amenities and hospitality. I had my own residence with a full kitchen, dining and living area and incredible master bedroom. Comfortable beyond comparison as I laid my head down on my pillow all I could think of was the active volcano Fuego was as close as Mount Prospect was to my childhood home in Binghamton where I use to jog up to the Ely Park Golf Course on the top. Torch was standing guard outside and promised to honk if she saw any red flowing material approach our resting place.

Good thing I did not get arrested this afternoon. i don’t think I would have wanted to miss the experience at La Reunion for anything in the world!

There are some more stories in the pictures below this request to make a donation to The First Tee… please make a donation today. Much appreciated.

I am looking for 100 new friends in the next 100 days to make a $100 donation (or any amount that you are able to make) to The First Tee. Each day I will be reliving the original “Journey to Olympic Golf” and hope to find a new friend in golf. Is that you? Please join me in giving back to the game we all love.

CLICK here to make a donation to The First Tee.

The First Tee has a positive impact on young kids in life and on the golf course.

Please select ‘Andy Reistetter’s Journey to Olympic Golf’ on the drop-down menu for the question ‘What inspired you to make a gift today? This is for tracking purposes only, Andy does not receive any part of your donation or anything financially from The First Tee organization.

There are interesting incentives for making your donation to the First Tee…

PLEASE click here to make a donation to The First Tee.

Thank You!

With Carlos Raul Segura at Seguros Mapfre.

Lunch down the street from Avienda Reforma.

With some of Olaf’s other happy customers—mother Alexandra & daughter Allyson.

Torch was in the good hands of Olaf Bachmann of Ol Motores, S.A.

Guatemala and Guatemala City is a beautiful place! The shape of the mountains seem different to me as would the shape of the Adirondacks to someone visiting my home state of New York. What is definitely different is that the normal mountain peaks are interspersed with volcanoes, mostly cone-shaped, others irregularly shaped and some active with eruptions in the last decade or so. After meeting Florencia and Pepe, I was in love with the country of Guatemala and its people.

I enjoyed a leisurely morning at the Crowne Plaza Guatemala right in the heart of Guatemala City. A fabulous buffet was included with the room so I partook in the culinary delights. It was here I discovered and liked mango juice. I eat mangoes routinely now and love the sweet, juicy and unique flavor. After breakfast I ventured up to the roof top to enjoy the 360-degree view of the city. While my travel to find Pepe yesterday was arduous, adventurous and directionally challenged at times, watching the planes land on the runway below, I was thinking maybe that was the way to come and visit Guatemala.

View of Guatemala City, the airport & mountains was quite exceptional from the roof of the Crowne Plaza.

Pepe came by later in the morning and Torch and I followed him to the automobile hospital called OL Motores, S.A. and met Olaf Bachmann, the Chief Surgeon, General Manager and a guy I liked immediately. A German by birthright, with the logos of BMW, Mercedes Benz, Audi, Ferrari, Chevrolet and Volvo on his business card, he was a golf nut and a motorcycle rider like me. Although the focus was now on the braking system, it grieved him to see the surgery performed on Torch back in Mexico City at Bridgestone. I agreed that it wasn’t pretty or precise but it was needed in order to survive and was mechanically sound as evidenced by the 1,000 miles we traveled from Mexico City.

With Nico Astutias on the tee, upper deck, at Top Tee Cayala.

But it wasn’t her broken bone structure that was in question now it was her uncontrollable bleeding, specifically the loss of hydraulic fluid in her braking system. Thankful to travel the last 750 miles on the Emergency Brake with no significant incidents I was now relieved to have Torch in the hands of a professional expert that willing took on the challenge of getting Torch roadworthy to make it to Rio with me.

The early diagnosis was that Olaf could have her fixed by Wednesday morning which lead naturally into Pepe’s invitation to play his beloved and historic Mayan Golf Club tomorrow Tuesday. The plan was to check me into the Hotel Bresciani and for me to connect with a very interesting and inspirational guy by the name of Nico Asturias. I found Nico though Perry Dye, the golf course architect who designed La Reunion Golf Resort & Residences with his father Pete Dye. As it turned out Nico came by to pick me up at 3:30 pm and took me to a place I had never thought of or even able to envision before.

CLICK here for Part 1 of 2 of a Video Interview with Nico Asturias—introducing Top tee Cayala.

CLICK here for Part 2 of 2 Video Interview with Nico Asturias—“Golf is not only a sport but a way of life.”

With General Manager Marco Solares out front of Top Tee Cayala.

That place was Top Tee Cayala, an enchanting, leisurely and kid-oriented Disneyland for golfers. In my limited exposure to such places it reminded me of a bowling experience I had at Latitude 360 in Jacksonville where it was all about the experience of bowling together and having fun while eating too. But the most amazing aspect of Top Tee was the Perry Dye-designed practice range that easily transformed into a par-3 golf course for junior golfers. I ended up staying there until well after dark to nearly closing time learning more about how this facility came to be from Nico and meeting other people including a lot of junior golfers.

Instructor Nicholas Zappin with competitive junior golfer 15-year old Pilar Echeverria.

Having experienced Top Tee Cayala, I am very impressed with the facility and dynamic organization! My initial thoughts fell into three catagories:

1. Golf & Fun. The lounge areas will transform the past perspective of going to the driving range as a solitary journey into a family & friends “do it together” and have fun activity!

2. Driving Range transforms into a golf course with lots of flexibility for skill, length of holes and shot values. When I looked out I could see cross bunkers a la the Old Course (3 & 7 greens?), Redan holes and one bunkerless green. In my opinion, more impressive than the new practice facility at Augusta National from a functionality and playability perspective (it is a golf course too).

Kids, Gabriel, Kevin & Jasmine outnumber the adult 3-to-1 on the practice putting green at Top Tee Cayala.

3. Golf is growing in Guatemala as evidenced by the young people engaged with the facility, staff and golf!

It was an exciting day meeting and interviewing young golfers like Jasmine, Ganbriel and Kevin who had played the golf course on Saturday with 55 other junior golfers. Then I met 15-year old competitive golfer Pilar Echeverria with her instructor Nicholas Zappin, Marco Solares was the General Manager with Martin Modai running the golf shop. There was a lot of excitement there on a Monday night and the sense I took away is that not only is golf growing in Guatemala but that Nico and the team at Top Tee Cayala has found a creative way to bring young and old people into the game with enjoyment and recreational purposes.

CLICK here for a Video Interview with Marco Solares & Martin Modai at First Tee Cayala, Golf & Fun!

Hotel Bresciani is distinguished and has character, like my friends Florencia & Pepe Rolz.

Torch was were she needed to be once again and I was not only hopeful but knew without a doubt that all was being down to bring her back to full vitality for the remaining trip to Rio. I hadn’t golf since last Tuesday at the CC of Mexico City (hey this IS a golf journey!) and was excited to be spending the day tomorrow with Pepe playing the Mayan Golf Club tomorrow. Hotel Bresciani was very comfortable and a unique pleasurable lodging experience.

What more could a guy on a ‘Journey to Olympic Golf’ ask for? Playing tomorrow at the Mayan Golf Club and plans coming together to stay and play at La Reunion.

There are some more stories in the pictures below this request to make a donation to The First Tee… please make a donation today. Much appreciated.

I am looking for 100 new friends in the next 100 days to make a $100 donation (or any amount that you are able to make) to The First Tee. Each day I will be reliving the original “Journey to Olympic Golf” and hope to find a new friend in golf. Is that you? Please join me in giving back to the game we all love.

CLICK here to make a donation to The First Tee.

The First Tee has a positive impact on young kids in life and on the golf course.

Please select ‘Andy Reistetter’s Journey to Olympic Golf’ on the drop-down menu for the question ‘What inspired you to make a gift today? This is for tracking purposes only, Andy does not receive any part of your donation or anything financially from The First Tee organization.

There are interesting incentives for making your donation to the First Tee…

PLEASE click here to make a donation to The First Tee.

Thank You!

Top Tee golf, aim point is the gigantic Guatemala flag in the distance!

The ceviche with shrimp and avacado at Top Tee Cayala is beyond delicious description. Pepsi Lite and Golf Channel on the TV screens nice touch too!

Top Tee Cayala, the practice facility with 4 greens, 4 tees and 43 golfing hole combinations!

Hosted by Florencia & Pepe Rolz, visited Top Tee Cayala with Nico Asturias, designed by Perry Dye it is a practice facility that converts to a golf course and played the Mayan Golf Club, tough to concentrate playing golf in the midst of active volcanos that coated the golf course with ash two years ago! Heading to La Reunión Golf Resort & Residences, Antigua Guatemala, then El Salvador…  (Facebook Post 7 Pics & Video, Andy Reistetter, 11/13/13)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsyxI2QVaEk

Lost in the bazaar in Tapachula was a bit bizarre!

JTOG Day No. 31, Sunday, November 10th, 2013, was as much about getting out of Mexico as it was about getting into Guatemala. It was a long, arduous, and ultimately successful day as it ended with me laying my head down on the soft pillow of the Crowne Plaza in Guatemala City. What a difference a day makes as far as hotels, this one with a roof top 360-degree view of the airport and city. More importantly I found two new lifelong friends in Florencia and Pepe Rolz. It had been three days since I had been with anyone and I was missing my friends in Mexico City. I guess unplanned journeys are like that. You can’t really expect when you will meet nice people but you know it will happen sooner than later.

Torch losing her Mexico sticker in Huixtla.

To go south to Guatemala, I had to head north about 30 miles from Tapachula to Huixtla to turn in Torch’s Temporary Importation of Vehicle sticker to have my $200 refunded. Of course I got lost coming out of Tapachula and ended up, literally, in the middle of a Sunday morning bazaar which was quite bizarre and a bit unnerving to drive through a sea of people on tight streets. No address mind you but I did have a mile post number—243 on Highway 200. Eventually I found it, courtesy of a police escort. No lines and I was in and out, well actually the guy came out to remove Torch’s sticker, in five minutes.

Leaving Mexico at Hidalgo, crossing the Sachiato River and arriving in Tecun Uman, Guatemala.

On the way out of the Immigration Internal Checkpoint Torch was thoroughly searched and they did not give me back my passport. When I came in I mistakenly used the road reserved for buses, was flagged down and basically drove the wrong way to get on the right road. I wondered if that may have something to do with their interest in me. They said to follow their police pickup truck which I did. They escorted me to the entrance of Highway 200 heading south to Guatemala and then gave me back my passport saying Que tengas un buen día. Vamos otra vez! (Which means have a good day and come again which really means they were happy to see me go and going the right way!

The trip of 56 miles south to the same Hidalgo-Tecun Uman border I was at yesterday went fairly routinely. There were no lines, no wait and no inspection on the Mexico side of the border. But the Guatemala side of the border was quite an experience!

With my tour and trusted friend Isai at the Mexico-Guatemala border.

First of all, they insisted on fumigating Torch. At least it was only on the outside, pretty much just a washing of her wheels. I was trying to understand the process and how much it would cost when a tout named Isai came to my rescue. A tout is somebody who is bilingual in English and Spanish and makes his money helping people like me who don’t speak Spanish navigate the border crossing. As it turned out the man was only a money changer and there was no fee for the fumigation. Isai became a trusted friend though I did not trust his friends, the other guys who hung around the transactions, and my mistrust unfortunately almost derailed my journey.

It was a Sunday morning and the bank at the border was closed. I was out of cash so I needed to find an ATM to pay the fees to enter Guatemala. Isai led me through Tecun Uman about six or seven blocks to an ATM that was open. I was careful and alert and felt safe with Isai who was a family man and just trying to make a living.

Border agent who gave my passport away! Fortunately I got it back!

When we walked back to the border my sense of safety was shattered when I learned the immigration officer had given my vehicle paperwork to one of the guys that had remained behind while we went to the ATM. Again I trusted Isai and took control of the situation. First I asked him to ask the immigration officer, who did not speak English, if she had given anything else to the guy. I was shocked and angry when I learned that she had given him my passport too. With Isai’s help the guy immediately surrendered and returned to me my passport. I then told Isai that he would not be getting paid unless the other guys got out of my sight never to return. They complied and I like to think they were just trying to be helpful but it certainly smelt a little bit like an upcoming scam. Not sure, doesn’t matter now, but lesson learned is to keep my eye on and if possible have possession of my passport at all times!

With the nice security lady who told me where I was and then called Pepe and told him where I was and then asked for directions for me!

The rest of the border crossing was a bit tedious too. The immigration officer came out to inspect Torch, opening the hood and checking the VIN number. There was a last minute snafu where they needed a copy of the temporary vehicle import permit. Once again I trusted Isai, giving him the original and money to go make a copy nearby. He came back, Torch and I entered Guatemala and I paid Isai the agreed upon $15 and gave him $2 each for the two other guys.

It was after 1 pm by then and Torch and I had gone only a 100 miles and crossed a border in the last five hours. Slow and steady with patience and determination. In reality we had only gone a couple hundred yards since we had checked out the border late yesterday afternoon. Definitely room to streamline this border crossing next time!

Beautiful countryside and a stunning sunset as I made my way to Guatemala City.

Looking back the day had really just begun and there would be tons more frustration trying to find Pepe Rolz’s place and then my bed for the night. But it was all good, freshly new and exciting in the land of active volcanoes called Guatemala. I will wrap up today’s diary quickly as I will have much more to write about my experiences in Guatemala, including nearly getting arrested in front of the American Embassy, in the days ahead. Suffice it to say I found my way without a working Garmin. A wonderful woman police officer at the tollway rest stop heading into Guatemala City helped me tremendously by calling Pepe on her cell phone. Then once in Guatemala I called Pepe at least three or four times and eventually hired a taxi to show me the way while I followed along.

With Florencia & Pepe Rolz, golf’s ultimate charming couple!

Definitely a day of determination to get there. but once there it was easy as Florencia and Pepe were wonderful and hospitable people. They made me the best ever spaghetti dinner topped off with tiramisu for dessert. She a champion amateur golfer from Mexico and he a champion amateur golfer from Guatemala who played college golf in the United States, gave me fascinating interviews. I think they have more silver trophies and plates in their house than present at the World Golf Hall of Fame!

CLICK here for Video Interview with Florencia & Pepe Rolz.

CLICK here for Video Interview with Pepe Rolz.

Torch and I followed Pepe over to a nice Italian boutique hotel called the Hotel Bresciani but there was a reservation snafu and they would not have a room for me until the following night. I ended up staying at the Crowne Plaza which was really nice though the most expensive out-of-pocket place I stayed on the entire ‘Journey to Olympic Golf.’

No worries, it was a good day, a big day to get settled in the third country of the odyssey.

Tomorrow morning we would take Torch to see Olaf and see what the deal is with her braking issues.

There are some more stories in the pictures below this request to make a donation to The First Tee… please make a donation today. Much appreciated.

I am looking for 100 new friends in the next 100 days to make a $100 donation (or any amount that you are able to make) to The First Tee. Each day I will be reliving the original “Journey to Olympic Golf” and hope to find a new friend in golf. Is that you? Please join me in giving back to the game we all love.

CLICK here to make a donation to The First Tee.

The First Tee has a positive impact on young kids in life and on the golf course.

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Passing a family of four on a motorcycle in Guatemala.

At first I thought these trucks were carrying sticks but then I realized it was harvested sugar cane.

Following Pepe to the Hotel Bresciani, but there would be one more stop at the Crowne Plaza before I found my bed for the night.

CLICK here for Andy’s Video update “Capturing the Spirit of Golf in Mexico City.”

CLICK here for Andy’s Video update “Capturing the Spirit of the Olympics in Mexico City.”