Tropical Storm Harvey update & Hurricane Goody
Just a heads up for many who were a little concerned that Tropical Storm Harvey might keep Hurricane Goody (yours truly) from making land-fall in Guatemala. It looks like we’re clear & our folks in that vicinity said they’ve hardly had rain. Someone also suggested for me to include an itinarary & map of our travels. Happy to oblige…but alas, in my cyber-challenged world I’ve run out of time to figure out how to put the map in this posting. If you want to take the time – the itinerary below combined with Google maps might prove to be interesting. So…hasta luego mi amigos……..
| Itinerary – August 21-August 27, 2011 | ||
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| Sun. | 21-Aug | Depart Knoxville 7:30am – Delta #4252 – arrive Atlanta 8:36am (Sam departs Raleigh 7:15am Delta 1165 – arrive Atlanta 8:36am) |
| Day 1 | Depart Atlanta 9:50am – Delta #461 – arrive Guatemala City 11:20am (3:15 hours) | |
| Dennis McCutcheon meets us at airport – check-in hotel | ||
| Visit Shalom Hospital Project in Guatemala City with Tommy Sanders (US director from Nashville) | ||
| Visit Vine warehouse.in San Jose Pinula (suburb of Guatemala City) | ||
| Visit Fundaninos Orphanage & founders Manolo (also Vine board member) & Vilma Bendfeldt in San Jose Pinula | ||
| Dinner gathering with Bendfeldt’s & Andrea Tejeda (import agent) & their families | ||
| Spend night in Guatemala City – Hotel Barcelo | ||
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| Mon. | 22-Aug | Depart hotel 5:00am for 6:30am flight (TAG Airline) to arrive Flores, Peten (far north Tikal National Park area) 7:30am |
| Day 2 | Mike Rhea (Rayo de Esperanza kids ranch in Rio Dulce) meets group at Flores airport in his van. | |
| Visit Hospital Shalom-Peten (Tim & Doris Spurrier) in San Benito, near airport – with Foster Ortiz (hospital director) | ||
| Mid-morning – drive to Tikal National Park (45-minutes) for 4-hour Mayan ruins tour. | ||
| Afternoon – drive south to Rio Dulce 3.5 hours. | ||
| Visit Rayo de Esperanza kids ranch – with Mike & Karen Rhea. | ||
| Spend night in Rio Dulce – Hotel Catamaran | ||
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| Tue. | 23-Aug | Morning with Rhea’s at hotel & ranch. |
| Day 3 | Noonish – drive west to Guatemala City with Mike Rhea in their van (5 hours). | |
| Spend night in Guatemala City – Hotel Barcelo | ||
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| Wed. | 24-Aug | Drive early to Pacific coastal plains projects – 3 hours (in southwest Mazatenango area). |
| ** Norris & Melissa Hill depart Guatemala about noon to return to US | ||
| Day 4 | Visit Clinica Ezell – Health Talents International & Sergio Castillo’s (also vine board member) hospital (Chocola) | |
| Drive up to western high-mountain area – Quetzaltenango (Xela) 2 hours – dinner with board member John Diehl & Alma | ||
| Spend night in Xela – Hotel Modelo. | ||
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| Thu. | 25-Aug | Morning – quick stop at Phil Plunk clinic as we leave Xela. |
| Day 5 | Drive east through high mountains to Solola-area to Panajachel (Lake Atitlan) 2 hours | |
| Take boat taxi across lake to Santiago Atitlan to visit Hospitalito Atitlan | ||
| Visit Tom Heaton’s project near Panajachel (Mission Guatemala) | ||
| Spend night in Panajacel on lake – Hotel Don Rodrigo | ||
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| Fri. | 26-Aug | Morning – drive (2 hours) to Chimaltenango – visit Bethel Ministries (Chris & Donna Mooney) wheelchair refurbishing shop |
| Day 6 | Drive (1 hour) to Antiqua – visit Mark Richard’s wheelchair manufacturing facility | |
| Dinner with Mooney’s & with Dick Rutgers working in wheelchair & disability ministry | ||
| Spend night in Antiqua – Hotel Aurora | ||
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| Sat. | 27-Aug | Morning – meet Dick Rutgers & visit kids malnutrition ward at Hermano Pedro Hospital in Antiqua |
| Day 7 | Depart hotel (10:00am) & drive to airport (1 hour) – arrive airport 11:00am | |
| Depart Guate 12:30pm – Delta #456 – arrive Atlanta 6:10pm. | ||
| Depart Atlanta 10:00pm – Delta #341 – arrive Knoxville 10:59pm (Sam depart Atlanta 7:30pm Delta 1044 – arrive Raleigh 8:59pm) | ||
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