SANTIAGO DE ATITLAN, Guatemala, Nov. 25, 2003—The Baggarly’s bought dinner again last night.

Every time the LONGITUDE team enters a new section of the expedition, the team is treated to dinner, compliments of Nick and Chanda Baggarly. The last free dinner was in Mazatlan, Mexico, and it marked the momentous arrival of the team in mainland, Mexico.

This second dinner was a special one, and it took place in the large dining area at the Hotel Bambu, on the shores of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.

“We like to do something special when the team reaches a new geographical region.” said Nick Baggarly, expedition leader and Drive Around the World founder. We entered Central America today, so this dinner celebrates what we consider to be a significant milestone; we’re standing on one hilltop and looking toward the next.”

The team left their headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif., Nov. 1, and they crossed into Baja Nov 12. From La Paz, in Baja, they ferried to Mazatlan, a 16-hour ship ride across the Gulf of Baja.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into achieving these milestones, and the paperwork for getting four Land Rovers and nine people into and out of each country is monumental,” said Baggarly. “I think I’ll wallpaper a few rooms of our house with all of it.”

Their arrival in Central America meant a lot to the team, most of whom have never been south of the U.S.

“The lush, green vegetation of Guatemala gives the country and its people a benevolent countenance in comparison to the dusty exterior of Mexico’s desert environs,” said Chanda Baggarly.

As the four Land over Certified, Pre-Owned Discovery vehicles pulled into the narrow streets of Santiago de Atitlan, small-statured men, women, and children smiled and waved to the strangers inside, greeting them with friendly “holas.” The men in their cowboy hats and ornate, calf-length pants, and the women in their conservative, colorful skirts helped to mark even more boldly the contrast between North and Central America.

“This is the first time we’ve encountered such a unique and culturally rich people,” said Nick Baggarly. “The people of Santiago are considered a national treasure, because they have held on to much of their Mayan heritage, including a unique dialect that was spoken by their ancestors.”

The LONGITUDE team is looking forward to meeting more unique and inspiring people as they travel through Central America toward their next dinner in South America.