Hi there! I finally made it back to Guatemala just in time for my one-year anniversary. I had been away for over two months, and thankfully the return trip was less eventful than the journey out through Cancun. I flew into Atlanta with a 12-hour layover, but it was from 8 PM to 8 AM, so without transportation and the odd hours, it was too complicated to meet up with other bloggers for dinner.
Upon trying to catch my connecting flight, I needed to print my boarding pass for the Atlanta-Guatemala route. The Delta agent asked if I had a return ticket to France. That was new to me. I knew you sometimes need a return ticket to leave the US, but I didn’t think it mattered if you were flying to a smaller country like Guatemala. Surprisingly, she said I needed a visa. I showed her my passport with various stamps, explained that EU citizens get 90 days on arrival, but she insisted. She said Delta could be fined if I was denied entry, so I needed to buy a ticket out of Guatemala.
She assured me I could refund any cheap e-ticket within 24 hours, but didn’t provide written confirmation. She pointed me to Delta’s website, which was vague. I refused to buy a pricey one-way ticket to Paris without guarantees of a refund, potentially getting stuck in Guatemala with a financial loss. I questioned her about why I was allowed to board in Paris initially, and she admitted it was a mistake.
The conversation turned tense. If I was denied from boarding, I’d have to fly back to France at my expense. Arguing I shouldn’t pay for their mistake, I insisted on boarding my Guatemala flight. Eventually, after consulting someone in New York, she printed my boarding pass without further explanation.
Arriving back in Guatemala, I had a few concerns. We had started renting out our house on Airbnb, and a couple was due early November. I wanted to ensure the house was perfect, but BF had tasks in Guatemala City, making timing tight.
Heavy rains during our absence raised more issues. Our small area had experienced flooding, threatening our water pump setup. Our handyman/maid moved the pump just in time, but it needed reconnection, requiring new pipes and wiring. Without the pump, neither we nor our guests had running water, so fixing this was urgent.
The flooding also affected our property. The deck nearly submerged, the beach disappeared, and part of a stone wall collapsed. On the bright side, the sunsets remained beautiful.
On the land development front, things progressed well. Our lawyer got most plots approved by the cadaster while we were away, except for a few near the shore needing a state concession. These plots, previously in full ownership, now require a lease. This change doesn’t impact much as the land will stay as green areas, possibly with camping amenities, and will not be sold to private owners.
The approved plots now await the final register. This involves drafting a detailed document of coordinates and splits from the original land, a task needing a skilled lawyer to avoid mistakes. BF hired a competent friend for this. Once registered, we face some fees, but this would clear the way for selling plots.
We even received an offer for the whole property that would cover our investments, but without proper titles, we held off. With titles, the plots’ value will increase significantly, avoiding buyer hassles.
In the end, a lot has happened over the past year. I’ll share photo updates when things settle down. Oh, and the water issue? Almost fixed. So if you want to rent a room near Tikal, Guatemala, check here for details. Thanks!
What’s happening in your part of the world?