Deputy Managing Editor
There are easier ways to spend a holiday than hiking through freezing temperatures, gasping for breath at 12,500 feet above sea level and standing within sight of one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
But for 34-year-old Trinidadian entrepreneur Lee-Ann Romany, easy was never the point.
The franchise owner of Spanish footwear brand Norkinas in Trinidad and Tobago has built a life around balance – one part business, one part adventure. So when she came across videos of Guatemala’s Volcán de Fuego erupting against the night sky, she did not see danger.
She saw a challenge.
“I wanted something that would push me,” Romany said.
“I’ve done the local hikes. I’ve done the trails. I wanted something that would test me physically and mentally.”
That decision would eventually take her alone to Guatemala, up the slopes of Acatenango Volcano and across to a viewpoint overlooking Volcán de Fuego, a restless giant that erupts every 15 to 20 minutes.
The journey, she says, altered her perspective on life.
“There is nothing after this that I cannot do,” she reflected.
“That experience changed my brain chemistry forever.”
Built on adventure
Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Romany describes herself as a product of a close-knit, multicultural family.
“My dad is half Chinese, and my mother is of East Indian and African descent, so we’re a very mixed family,” she said.
“Growing up, family was everything. Everybody looked out for each other.”
That sense of community remains central to who she is, but so too does an appetite for exploration.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, she embraced almost any adventure that came her way. Afterwards, however, life changed.
Having contracted COVID twice and battled long COVID, many of her outdoor pursuits were placed on hold.
“I spent a lot of time not feeling well, and I wasn’t happy about it,” she said. “The volcano was a big deal because it marked me coming back out of my shell.”
Today, she spends more time travelling, hiking and meeting people from around the world.
“Travel brings a sense of joy that’s difficult to explain,” she said. “After COVID, I think many of us realised what it felt like to be grounded and unable to move.”
A volcano discovered on TikTok
Ironically, one of the most significant adventures of her life began with a few seconds on social media.
“I came across the volcano on TikTok,” Romany recalled with a laugh.
“I did some research and immediately thought, ‘I want to do that.’”
Her friends thought otherwise.
“They told me, ‘Lee-Ann, this is not Mount St Benedict. You need at least three months of training.”
She had three weeks.
Undeterred, she enlisted the help of her personal trainer and began a crash course in preparation.
“We focused on strength training, balance training and lots of step-ups,” she explained. “The goal was to build enough leg strength for the climb and enough stability so that if I fell, I wouldn’t seriously injure myself.”
Her friends still declined the invitation.
“They thought I was crazy,” she said, laughing.
“I took that as confirmation I should go.”
So she booked her flight and went alone.
Falling in love with Guatemala
Like many travellers unfamiliar with Central America, Romany initially approached Guatemala with caution.
“There’s a stigma attached to some countries in the region,” she admitted. “I thought I was going to hike the volcano and stay inside my hotel for the rest of the trip.”
Instead, she fell in love with the country.
The historic city of Antigua Guatemala, where she based herself, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its Spanish colonial architecture, cobblestone streets and centuries-old churches.
“By Monday morning, after arriving the night before, I already loved the place,” she said.
“The people, the food, the culture, the architecture – everything was incredible.”
She was especially struck by how strongly Guatemalans have preserved their traditions.
“The weaving, the cooking, the music – it all feels authentic,” she said.
“It hasn’t been overwhelmed by outside influences.”
Despite having travelled extensively through destinations such as Morocco, Switzerland, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Andorra, Guatemala quickly climbed her personal rankings.
“I would recommend Guatemala to anybody,” she said. “And I will definitely go back.”
Into the clouds
The volcano trek itself began before sunrise.
Participants met their guides at 6 am before beginning the journey towards Acatenango, the dormant volcano used as a base for viewing nearby Fuego.
While many hikers complete the entire ascent on foot, Romany opted for a four-wheel-drive transfer for part of the climb, conserving energy for the more demanding hike later that evening.
Even so, the mountain proved relentless.
“You cannot prepare for that altitude,” she said.
“The higher you go, the thinner the air gets. Every step becomes harder.”
As temperatures dropped from tropical warmth to near-freezing conditions, hikers continuously added layers of clothing.
“At the top, I had four or five layers on,” she said. “It was bitterly cold.”
Then came the evening trek towards Fuego.
The four-hour climb pushed her to her limits.
“I couldn’t breathe properly. The air was thin. It was cold,” she recalled.
“Every few steps, I had to stop and catch my breath.”
At times, she questioned her decision entirely.
“I remember thinking, ‘I can’t believe I paid money to do this to myself.’”
Yet she kept moving.
“I have Jesus to thank for getting me up that mountain,” she said. “There were moments when I genuinely didn’t know if I could continue.”
Witnessing the earth roar
Volcán de Fuego is among Central America’s most active volcanoes. In June 2018, a major eruption killed more than 190 people and devastated nearby communities.
Standing within sight of the volcano at night is therefore both awe-inspiring and humbling.
When darkness fell, the eruptions became visible.
Every 15 to 20 minutes, glowing lava bursts into the sky.
“It’s thunderous,” Romany said.
“You feel the vibration. You hear the explosion. It’s powerful.”
The experience, however, was almost overshadowed by sheer exhaustion.
“My hands were so cold I could barely use my phone,” she laughed.
“At that moment, I wasn’t thinking, ‘Wow, this is amazing.’ I was just trying to survive the cold.”
Only afterwards did the significance sink in.
Looking back, she says the volcano taught her something valuable about resilience.
“The hardest things in life are often the things that change you the most.”
The road less travelled
If there is a theme that defines Romany’s travels, it is her preference for places that many tourists overlook.
“I like the unbeaten path,” she said.
“The less popular places are often the most beautiful.”
She points to recent visits to Exuma in The Bahamas and the breathtaking Tropic of Cancer Beach as examples.
“There were hardly any people there. It felt untouched.”
For her, travel is less about ticking destinations off a list and more about seeking experiences that inspire wonder.
Next on that list is Patagonia in southern Argentina, followed by an even more ambitious dream: Antarctica.
Yet wherever she goes next, the lessons from Guatemala will remain.
As adults, she believes, many people forget something essential.
“We forget to have fun,” she said.
“We get caught up in work, responsibilities and stress. We think adventure is only for children.”
Then she pauses before offering the message she hopes others will take from her story.
“Make time to live. Make time for adventure. This is not Super Mario – you don’t get another life.”
