Summation

My little detour back to Guatemala meant not only a little bit more expensive and a little bit longer vacation, but also that I could not check in online in advance. Which meant longer time spent at the airport, and more importantly, that I couldn't chose my seat on the long flight across the Atlantic. Randomly assigned, I realised I wouldn't have the preferred aisle seat, nor the acceptable window seat. Nope, I hit the 40% risk of getting a seat between two people, and in the middle row no less. Hope was steadily rising though, as the staff called out the always-awaited 'boarding completed' and my seat to the right was still empty.
Hardly had I stretched out, sillily hoping that I might have a little space, when what turned out to be my seat neighbour approached. If they had had time to serve me my water, a certain scene from Jurassic Park would have come to mind. Now, I'm no Twiggy, and the guy to my left wasn't exactly Calista Flockhart either, but with the addition of the latecomer, my social claustrophobia acted up. I thought airlines had policies about that, but I suppose he was just thin enough not to need to buy two seats.
So, with the most uncomfortable flight ever, followed by an unremarkable (other than the obligatory screaming baby, natch) flight back to Gothenburg, this my 9:th odyssey was ready to summarise.
So basically, here's the trip's....
....most inquisitive traveller: Batman
....worst guide: The night walk guide in Monteverde
....keenest eyesight: Our italiana/german spotted more sloths than any guide
....fish: Mr Big-ass-groupa
....bird: Quetzal (pronounced Coo-et-zaahl)
....mammal: The elusive Avocado bat
....energizer bunny: Mao
....colour: Many flags went with blue-and-white, of which I strongly approve
....head wear: More and more, and then less and less pimped out straw hat
....foot wear: Thongs (or flipflops, if you will)
....look-alikes: Vladimir Putin and Ricky Gervais at the poker table
....territorial marking: in an active volcano
....dance: salsa
....sauce: salsa
....most humble: you would think that it would be me, but it was actually our fearless leader
....significant sayings: 'Nailed it!', 'Sin cilantro, por favor', 'Excuse-Mao', '... with frigging lasers'

And the Backpack Awards for 2016 go to:

The Cotton Backpack (for best accomodation) - Casa Particular in Trinidad

The Plush Backpack (for best transport) - Our own minivan on Cuba, complete with rum in the eskie

The Glass Backpack (for best hang) - La Tortuga Verde in El Cuco

The Rubber Backpack (for best adventure experience) - Hiking up an active volcano. In a hurricane. With frigging lasers. (other nominee: Caving Crystal Cave)

The Copper Backpack (for most price-worthy experience) - Two tank dives with plenty of briefing and debriefing for 80 dollars is quite alright

The Brick Backpack (for best city) - Antigua (other nominee: La Habana)

The Granite Backpack (for best landscape) - Viñales area

The Terry Backpack (for best swim) - Cenote in Cobá

The Neoprene Backpack (for best dive) - La Iglesia, Coiba, with sharks, Mr Big-ass-groupa and the school of jacks

The Fur Backpack (for best nature experience) - Close encounter with the dolphins, Coiba

The Khaki Backpack (for best local guide) - Rrrrrrrramon (especially with his rum punch and chili)

The Silver Backpack (for best eating) - Burger at Señor Gyros, Boquete

The Malt Backpack (for best drink) - Flor de Caña (yes, Zacapa is objectively better, but I've had that before, and Flor de Caña has special connotations)

The Celluloid Backpack (for best photo) - Old dude in Old Town, Havana

The Jade Backpack (for best cultural experience) - City walk, Granada

The Velour Backpack (for softest experience) - El Cuco was mostly chilling in the hammock, drinking beer, chilling, playing poker and watching sunsets

The Calico Backpack (for best surprise) - That there's a hobbit village in Guatemala, and that I actually went back to go to there

The Magma Backpack (for best-looking person) - The moral support at the poker table

The Triangular Backpack (for best Mayan ruins) - Tikal

The Strombolian Backpack (for best volcano) - Masaya, with the river of lava (other nominees: Concepcion and Fuego)

The Vinyl Backpack (for song of the tour) - Creep

and last, but not least:

The Gold Backpack (for best experience in total) - With so many cool (though not literally, quite the opposite, in fact) volcanoes and so many picturesque colonial towns, with so many impressive Mayan cities and so many relaxed Caribbean villages, with so many awesome people and so many fine rums, to single one thing out is difficult. Yet, what with finally doing what I missed out on many moons ago, and combining it with an activity I enjoy more and more every time, and on top of that doing it with some of my favourite friends from this trip, I shall award the Gold Backpack of 2016 to the Canyoning and horseback riding combo in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. Nailed it!