Is lava surfing an Olympic sport?

The things I do in order to fit into a bridesmaid's dress. Today in order to burn off those lattes, I climbed a volcano and then lava surfed back down again. It beat an hour or two at the gym, I can tell you!

I was so happy to get the call this morning that the sunset Pacaya trek was a goer. I know Avgi was doing her best to get here in time to make up numbers (!) but there will be other opportunities I hope...

I've never seen anything like it. After a beautiful hike uphill with stunning views of the surrounding volcanoes, we suddenly went over a ridge and emerged into a totally alien landscape.

It's what I imagine the surface of the moon looks like - black sand scattered with lumps and rocks of petrified lava. Stark and startling. With puffs of smoke billowing out of the crater.

Downhill looked like it was going to be tough going until I realised that you don't use my normal pigeon step approach... you run and slide, otherwise known as lava surfing. Pretty cool!

We then reached our dinner and sunset viewing spot where Fernando our guide somehow knocked up a meal in about ten minutes, including guacamole made from scratch. It was totally delicious, which is strange as it contained lots of ingredients I don't like and won't normally eat at home (Mum - sound familiar? I am my father's daughter after all!)

By the way, fell in love with Fernando (aged 24) from the first time he said Fee-lee-pa. My name sounds so much better pronounced by a Latino! And now that I know he can cook...

Having already bored you with my sunrise the other day, I won't go on about the sunset. It was beautiful and, if you're lucky (!), you'll get to see the photos.

And as an added bonus, on the drive home we saw Volcano Fuego spitting out red hot lava (Jon - wish you'd been here to see it too!)

So, today is our last in Guatemala. We catch the bus at 6.20am tomorrow to Honduras. What a way to say goodbye!

P.S. I hope Ian Bradley would be chuffed to hear that two young(ish in my case) women were discussing how cool he is half way up a volcano in Guatemala. One of the other trekkers, Jessica, lived with his son Andy at university - small world, eh!

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Location:Antigua, Guatemala

Lent - Guatemala style

This morning I was summoned by the bells to Church.

I was expecting sombre and orthodox but instead got modern and upbeat.

The young priest had incredible energy and was obviously quite the orator. Shame I didn't understand a word he said, especially as there seemed to some kind of audience participation going on during the homily!

My favourite bit though was during the 'sign of peace'. At home we're all terribly British about this ritual and shyly shake hands with two or three people in the pews around us. In Guatemala you apparently hug as many people as possible in the space of five minutes whilst beaming from ear to ear! And I'm convinced that one of the ladies who hugged me was 110 years old at least :)

The rest of the day was spent in anticipation of the big event: the Cuaresma procession. After savouring another excellent latte, Gemma and I did some more exploring before retiring to our new hotel's roof terrace for a spot of sunbathing.

But we were soon coaxed outside again by the sense that something was imminent. People were busy spreading freshly cut grass strewn with flowers on the street in preparation for the procession and there was definitely a party atmosphere...

We watched the procession both en route and at it's final destination, the cathedral. The sight of hundreds of men dressed in purple robes and (bizarrely) like Roman soldiers was definitely something to behold, as was the magnificent (if slightly creepy) float supporting the statue of Christ carrying the cross on the way to Golgotha.

Nobody seemed to be in a rush to get finished so we were glad that we'd found a good spot from which to people watch and take photos. At points it didn't feel much like a procession, more like a lot of standing around!

A face that will stay with me though is of a serene and beautiful Mayan girl braiding the hair of another girl in the crowd.

And this evening, we opted for something a bit different and went to the cinema to see Maria Full of Grace. A really compelling story about Colombian drug trafficking. And in Spanish with English subtitles - so we can claim we were improving our language skills!

Tomorrow I'm hoping to climb Volcano Pacaya but they currently don't have enough people to run the trip... anyone fancy dropping by?

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Location:Antigua, Guatemala

Laundry day

Today started well with the best cup of coffee both Gemma and I have had in 3 weeks. You'd think that given that they grow it down the road that we wouldn't be hard pressed to find some quality beans but apparently they export all the good stuff. I can get it in Uxbridge Starbucks but not in Guatemala. Ho hum.

After a productive couple of hours... different 'moderately priced' hotel with roof terrace and view booked for Sunday and Monday... bus ticket to Honduras on Tuesday procured... name on list for Pacaya volcano trek on Monday... it was time to start exploring for real.

Once you get used to the street numbering system, Antigua is remarkably easy to navigate. Or, as I chose to do, you can ignore the map and just follow your nose. And it led me to all sorts of interesting places.

Antigua is a beautiful city in its own right but sprawled in the shadow of towering volcanoes makes it even more remarkable. I enjoyed this view from the mirador at Cerro de la Cruz. Gemma had sensibly vetoed yet another hill in the glaring sunshine but I met a really lovely girl called Melissa from Quebec en route and ended up spending a fun afternoon with her. She, incidentally, has got a whole year off work to travel - just a little bit jealous!

My favourite spot was by the ruins of the Santa Clara church where you could watch the local women washing their clothes in a public pool. Lots of laughter and a rainbow full of colour.

The church of San Francisco has a beautiful courtyard too and I loved the wall inside where worshippers had hung hundreds of little plaques to thank Hermano Pedro for answering their prayers.

Tomorrow we should be treated to the spectacle of a Cuaresma (Lent) procession through the streets. They are already hanging purple banners from all the buildings.

Hmm... now back to less spiritual matters. Where's the nearest laundry? Or maybe I should just join the ladies at Santa Clara!

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Location:Antigua, Guatemala

Hippie chic to urban bliss

It was refreshing to wake this morning to the sound of birdsong instead of tuk-tuk horns or barking dogs.

After a strong dose of vitamin C in the form of freshly squeezed orange juice (I seem to have developed an irritating cold), we hopped on one of the public boats over to the smaller town of San Marcos La Laguna.

Hippie nirvana awaited us. We could have had our tongues read, meditated amongst the pyramids, practised some reflexology or benefitted from some ancient Mayan wisdom. As it happens, we chose to drink coffee and sunbathe on an attractive deck overlooking the lake. Which certainly did my aura the world of good.

Lake Atitlan has been described as the most beautiful lake in the world... more beautiful than Lake Como. Having been to both in the last 6 months, I would say it was a close run thing but with the morning mist shrouding the surrounding volcanoes, Atitlan has a certain mystical quality that Como would struggle to beat.

Having aligned our chakras, we caught the afternoon shuttle bus to Antigua, Guatemala's stunning former capital city and arrived in time to explore before it got dark (and enjoy a couple of glasses of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon).

Us city girls feel immediately at home here. The buzz is infectious and we're looking forward to getting to know our way around a lot better tomorrow. We might even blow the budget and check into a 'high-end' hotel for a night. Well, they don't call it flash-packing for nothing...

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Location:Antigua, Guatemala

Tired but very, very happy!

So, it turns out I really am an endurance athlete after all!

Things I learnt at the trek pre-meeting on Monday night:

POSITIVE

1. The trek is only 46km, not 50km

NEGATIVE

1. You do 40 of the 46km on the first two days
2. A lot (and I mean A LOT) of the 46km is steep uphill
3. Oh, and you have to carry a pack weighing approximately 10kg (sleeping mat, sleeping bag, 3 litres of water, your share if the food for 3 days and anything else you need)

Suddenly it all seemed a little more daunting but, hey, if 2011 taught me anything, it's that I like a challenge!

And you know what? I loved every minute of it. Yes, even those minutes when I ground to a halt half way up a(nother) hill, wheezing and 'glowing' like I never have before! My stubborn streak has really done me proud over the last 72 hours :)

But the reward for climbing those hills was more than worth the effort expended. We passed through some truly spectacular scenery and such varied scenery at that. Bare hillsides, forests, fields, jungle, coffee plantations, villages... we saw it all.

I haven't the time (and I'm sure you don't have the attention span!) for me to describe it in great detail but two bits I particularly enjoyed were:

- the stretch yesterday afternoon when we crossed the river in the forest 11 times and I got to feel icy cold water between my toes. The trails we used are regular routes for the local Mayans too, so we often had to step to the side to let a machete and shovel-wielding farmer, or a man carrying a bundle of fire wood on his head, or a group of local women pass...

- staying in Don Pedro's home last night where we were made very welcome and drying my hair by the fire and soothing a very satisfying all over body ache.

The biggest highlight of all though has to be rising at 4am this morning to walk to a mirador where we could watch the sun rise over the lake. We all got back in our sleeping bags and drank hot chocolate, as millions of stars slowly faded and the sky turned from a deep purple through red, orange, pink to a hazy blue and all the shades in-between. Slowly revealing the outlines of the surrounding volcanoes and the glassy surface of the lake below. One to remember forever.

A little plug here for the group who organised our hike. They are called Quetzeltrekkers and are a non-for-profit organisation, staffed entirely by volunteers. All the money raised goes to a couple of schools for disadvantaged children in Xela. Our guides, Rachel and Matt, as well as being two of the nicest people you'll ever meet, worked incredibly hard and made the whole trek a joy to be part of.

So, we made it nearly in one piece to San Pedro on the lake. At Q175 a night for our room (approx. £15), we could be accused of being extravagant (!) but that hot shower was worth every penny.

And, I'm not complaining, but after two nights sleeping (or not in my case) on hard tiled floors, a proper bed with a mattress has never looked so inviting... I'm tired but happy. Buenos Noches Amigos!

P.S. The funniest moment has to go to Gemma overtaking me at around the 18km mark on day 1. On the back of a pick-up truck that she'd flagged down. You've gotta give that girl marks for initiative!!

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Location:San Pedro, Guatemala

Hot and steamy!

Another day, another bus, another smiley face :o)

This time the destination was the highland town of Zunil, which is served by the Salama river and surrounded by verdant agriculture fields.

Zunil has a pretty whitewashed church which dominates the town centre and a great women's weaving co-operative where we did a spot of shopping.

The town itself wouldn't win any prizes for beauty but it is its setting, nestled in the volcano's valley, which makes it worth a visit. Oh, and more people watching. I wish I could carry a bundle as big as me on my head...

Given that we'd exhausted Zunil's 'sights' in about 40 minutes, it was lucky that we also had another reason to be there. We'd heard that the best natural hot springs in the area were a 20 minute ride uphill from the town.

Santos agreed to drive us in his pick-up truck and I have to admit that this new transport mode did almost give the buses a run for their money! A beautiful drive up through lush, steep fields with spectacular views of the volcano. Oh, and I thought I'd shock you all by including a photo for a change ... with me in it!




We spent a peaceful few hours soaking in the hot water and sunning ourselves before some low cloud crept in and spoiled the fun. Fortunately, Santos was there to pick us up again and we made it safely back to Xela on yet another bus.

Tomorrow, no buses, just our own two legs and lots of puff. We're off on a 3-day trek, taking in the 50km from Xela to the shores of Lake Atitlan.* As Don would say, "no problem for endurance athletes like us!" Yikes...

* no blogging for a few days!


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Location:Quetzeltenango, Guatemala

Am I becoming a bus bore?

Over the past two days it has become obvious to me why the Guatemalan people take their religion so seriously. Miracles are performed daily by 'chicken' bus drivers who against the odds somehow manage to negotiate crumbling road surfaces and perilous corners to get their passengers to their destinations alive. And they don't do it by halves, hurtling past other traffic at great speed whilst yanking the chain to blast their horns. Oh, and with twice as many people on the bus than actually fit!

Apparently I'm not the only one to have spotted the need for a strong faith when embarking on bus travel here. Both yesterday and today we've had missionaries animatedly preaching the word of God to us from the front of the bus. As well as umpteen food vendors jumping on to sell their wares at any opportunity. And at times both competing together with the shouts of the bus conductor and whatever music the driver fancies listening to.

Breaking down isn't an issue for these miracle workers either. Out comes the tool box and after a few tweaks with the right spanner, you're on your way again.

I don't think the smile left my face the whole 7 hours we've spent on buses in the last 48 hours. The adrenaline junkie in me has definitely had her fix and there was just so much to see both on the bus and from the window that I was continually entertained. I even spent a cosy hour wedged in between two young men who'd had the foresight to wear woolly jumpers that kept my arms nice and toasty!

The bus ride would have sufficed in itself but our destination, Chicicastenango (which I can now spell and say correctly... I think) also turned out to be extraordinary. The town is famous for hosting Central America's biggest and most vibrant indigenous market.

The contrast between yesterday when we arrived and checked into a hostel for the night and this morning when we rose early to watch the traders set up could not have been more marked.

Yesterday we struggled to find an open cafe or restaurant for lunch and the town seemed sleepy and quiet. Whereas this morning it was impossible to move for stalls selling anything and everything you could ever possibly need.

It was a total feast for the eyes, ears and nose! Beautiful and fragrant flowers, local women mixing dough and making tortillas, traditional Mayan ceremonies taking place on the church steps, old women and children alike carrying huge bundles on their heads... we witnessed it all and much more besides.

Wonderful people watching and a real slice of real life. I even did a bit of bargaining in Spanish for a couple of trinkets. My Granny would have been proud!

I'm not entirely sure that my internal organs are yet to return to their rightful positions but that seems a small price to pay for such a rich experience,

As Gemma said earlier, "This feels more like travelling and less like being on a Caribbean holiday!"

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Location:Quetzeltenango, Guatemala

Crispy fried chicken and hot chocolate

So, the buses then... well, you were warned...

I can confirm that deluxe does indeed mean deluxe - hurrah! I had a reasonably roomy reclining seat and the air con worked. There was even a functioning toilet (although admittedly you wouldn't want to go anywhere near it after a few hours in - I'll spare you details!)

The journey was reasonably uneventful apart from one incident at about 4am where we basically ground to a complete halt on the road and didn't move for nearly an hour. This provoked a rather animated response from our bus driver - lots of latin gesticulations and hurrumphing - but there didn't seem to be much we could do other than wait for the rather official (and officious) looking people in the cars with flashing lights to let us pass. On the bright side, I'd rather official looking people were blocking our path than any other kind!

As a result, we pulled into the bus station in Guatemala City an hour late, convinced that we'd missed our connection to Xela, but luck was on our side and we had just made it. So, in terms of minimising our time in GC, we did pretty well. I think we spent all of about 10 minutes breathing its air before another 4 hour bus ride. Although, from what I could see from the window, it looked like a perfectly normal city with normal people going about normal business. The way people go on about it, I'd almost expected to be dodging bullets!

We arrived into Xela late morning and have spent a really enjoyable afternoon. It's noticeably cooler here which meant that indulging in an authentic Mayan hot chocolate at La Luna didn't seem like such a ridiculous idea. It was totally mouth-watering... just sweet enough with just the right amount of chilli to give it flavour but not overpower the chocolate. A little taste of heaven.

At the other end of the culinary scale, today saw our first visit to Pollo Campero, Guatemala's (superior) answer to KFC. It's totally ubiquitous and somewhat of a national institution, so had to be done! Mmmm... chicken nuggets and chips!

Otherwise, we have been wandering the streets and soaking up the atmosphere in the town's central park. A great spot for people watching and for Gemma to take lots of wonderful photographs. The traditional colourful dress of the Mayan women is beautiful and the men look so effortlessly cool in their cowboy hats!

And sorry to hark back to Valentine's Day but I read something that made me smile today in a magazine we picked up in our hostel. Apparently many Guatemalans pick a 'secret friend' (acquaintance, coworker, neighbour) and buy them a little Valentine's gift to show their appreciation and in the hope of getting to know them better. Cheesy? Maybe, but the romantic in me thinks it's a lovely idea and just one example of how generous the majority of the people seem to be here.

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Location:Quetzeltenango, Guatemala

Alone amongst the ruins

The main hazard we've experienced in Guatemala thus far was on our pre-dawn bus ride to Tikal this morning - we both nearly choked to death from exhaust fume inhalation! Fortunately we were able to make up for this by spending all day wandering through the jungle amongst spectacular Mayan ruins.

We opted to go it alone without a guide, which turned out to be an inspired decision. We had whole blocks of time when we didn't see another soul and even managed a few minutes alone at the summit of Temple IV, looking down over the entire complex with the tops of the other temples peeking out from the jungle canopy through the mist. Ethereal.

We also had an up close and personal encounter with a family of coatis who were foraging for food and spotted our fair share of monkeys causing mischief up above our heads.

Tikal is just one of those places that you know will stick with you in your memory forever. The wildlife, flora and ruins makes for a heady combination.

This evening we have been chilling out in preparation for catching the night bus to Guatemala City which leaves at 9.30pm. We are assured that it is 'deluxe' ... I hope that means air conditioned as it is very, very hot here!

From Guatemala City, we plan to switch straight to another bus to take us to Quetzeltenengo (also known as Xela). So, you've been warned, the next post will be a lot of 'bus talk'!

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Location:Flores, Guatemala

Buenos Dias Guatemala!

To be honest, I wasn't sorry to leave San Ignacio behind this morning. When the best thing you can say about a place is that it does a good boiled egg, you know it's time to move on...

A 'taxi' ride later and we were at the Guatemalan border. Polite, if a little stern, officials stamped all the right bits of paper for us and we were on our way.

The minibus ride to Flores was a rich experience. Only parts of the road were tarmaced, so for the stretches that weren't, we bumped and jumped our way along missing as many of the potholes as possible. The landscape strangely feels noticeably different - very lush and agricultural - and we saw some lovely scenes of people going about their day-to-lives in the little settlements we passed.

Our first glimpse of the lake here at Flores was pretty spectacular and much to our delight we were given a room in our hotel with a stunning lake view.

We've spent the afternoon acquainting ourselves with this fascinating and picturesque little town and finished the day by watching the sunset from Il Terazzo, an amazing little restaurant just next to where we're staying. We also spied Helen and Rachel (fellow Raggamuffin sailors) from our birdseye post, so have had a lovely evening catching up.

Right, I better call it a night. We rise at 4am in the morning to catch a bus to the ancient Mayan settlement of Tikal. So, I will tell my newly acquired Guatemalan worry doll what's on my mind (won't take long!) and pop her under my pillow. Goodnight!

P.S. I don't know what all the fuss about safety was for. The policemen with machine guns who stopped our minibus at a checkpoint were very smiley and the bar we went to for lunch had a strict 'no firearms' policy ;o)


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Location:Flores, Guatemala

Bye bye Belize

Today I fell in the river and had my knickers stolen by a monkey.. . at the special request of the Silk Family!

Not really. But if I wrote that we caught three buses to get to San Ignacio and then spent the afternoon visiting the post office and planning the next leg of our journey into Guatemala, you might get bored and stop reading ;)

So, it's bye bye Belize. I've fallen in love with you and hope to see you again sometime.

Bring on country number 2!

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Location:San Ignacio, Belize

Hammock time

Phew! Not blown out to sea in the middle of the night. Instead woke this morning to a warm breeze and sunshine.

Today has been a quiet day. Placencia is a sleepy place and we've made the most of the opportunity to store up energy for a busy few days ahead.

Gemma and I have been lost in our worlds a little bit - reading, listening to the waves, dozing... did I mention that we have our private hammock outside our cabana? I think when I get home I might lose the double bed and install one of my own. Just not sure how I'm going to recreate the view.

Tonight we're heading out to the Barefoot Bar and then Omar's for red snapper or coconut barracuda curry. Yum.

And tomorrow's Valentine's Day. Luckily I feel like the heart healing crystal given to me by a very good friend is starting to work its magic...

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Location:Placencia, Belize

Desert island bliss

We set sail on the Ragga Queen on Friday morning to a backdrop of clear blue skies and glorious sunshine. Having waved goodbye to Colindas on the way past we settled in for a relaxing day of sunbathing, snorkelling and generally staring out to sea. The first thing we saw was one of the other Cayes. This hosts the only golf course in Belize and is a favourite haunt of Bill Clinton and Tiger Woods. No wonder... from where we were sitting, it looked too good to be true. Oh, and it's up for sale, so if you don't fancy buying me the flying lesson for my birthday...

Our first snorkel stop on the reef was a little challenging for me as I'm not overly at home in the water but Gemma stuck with me and helped me out loads so I was able to see some beautiful fish and coral formations.

We also saw our first dolphin on Friday. It swam about the bow of the boat for a bit, much to my and everyone else's delight. We also spotted others later on the trip but this first one sticks out in my memory most.

Our home for the night, Rendevouz Caye, turned out to be a dreamy and truly deserted desert island. And at just 12 metres wide we were able to make the most of having it entirely to ourselves. We went for a snorkel off the beach whilst the crew set up our tents and this time I was able to relax a little more and enjoy this beautiful underwater world.

After dinner, we drank rum punch around the fire and watched a spectacular moon rise over the water. All in all, a magical day.

But we woke in the middle of the night to what sounded like a hurricane blowing through our tent. We didn't see that coming!

By the morning, it had calmed down a little and we set sail again after breakfast under an overcast sky. I have to admit that I skipped the snorkelling on Saturday. The waters were a bit choppier because of the wind and I didn't want to be the weakest link in amongst a bunch of strong swimmers.

I did enjoy my time up on deck though but it turns out that the sky was deceptively overcast as I now have a red leg, two red feet and a red chest and back to go with my nose. You can definitely see me coming!

Tobacco Caye was our destination on Saturday and a very different island to the night before. This Caye has a few inhabitants and felt a bit like an ex hippy hangout! We settled in for an evening of freshly caught lobster which I was not that sure about given my dislike of seafood, so couldn't believe my luck when one of the extra dishes turned out to be Macaroni Cheese! First cheesy pasta of the trip tasted every bit as good as I remembered :)

We finished the night dancing to the drums at one of the islands two bars.

Again though we were woken in the night to the sound of strong winds but this time accompanied by torrential rain. Unfortunately this storm had settled in for the day, so, we've spent a fair few hours huddled inside the boat with only a handful of brave souls risking a dip in the ocean.

Overall though, I really loved being on the boat. Ok, so today's weather isn't what we ordered but on the plus side our boat and crew got to do what they do best: sail. I found the experience of cutting through the waves exhilarating - well, once I'd worked out to hold on tight and focus on the horizon anyway!

Our crew, Captain Kimani, Shane and Dane (yes, they rhyme!) were real live wires and worked hard for us as well as having a lot of fun. And the rest of the group were great to be around. I'm sure we'll bump into some of them again.

Right now though, we're sitting in our roomy cabana on the beach in Placencia listening to the wind howl through the palm trees and the waves pound the shore. I'm kinda expecting Toto and the the Tinman to make an appearance. We're definitely not in Kansas now...!

(btw this place doesn't have WiFi, so, if you're reading this, we didn't get blown away!)

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Location:Placencia, Belize

Slow news day

I like a hammock. Ok, I may not quite have mastered getting in and out of one like a lady but there is definitely something special about lying in your own little cocoon being gently rocked by the sea breeze.

Today's news then: I have a sunburnt nose. That's it. We've had a crazy day in paradise...

I'd be loathed to leave if I wasn't getting on a beautiful boat tomorrow to sail down the coast. Might try and learn the ropes if the crew are willing (pun intended). Would really like to climb the mast but have a sneaking suspicion that this might contravene my Mum's single rule for this trip: "Don't do anything stupid!"

Anyway, apparently sail boats don't have WiFi so I'm signing off until Sunday at the earliest.

Wish I could send you all some Belizean sun to keep you warm in the snow.

Location:A hammock on Caye Caulker

Seaduced by Belize?...

...read a sign outside one of the dive schools on Caye Ambergris. The answer is a resounding and unequivocal 'yes!'

Today is the day I breathed out and felt the weight of the world leave my body. It happened whilst lying in a hammock looking out at the ocean at the end of our cabanas' private pontoon. And it feels so good.

Our flight this morning exceeded all expectations. Things got off to a good start when our taxi driver to the airport turned out to be a lot of fun and very proud to tell us a bit more about his country. The airline guy at the airport was equally friendly and chatty but then we've almost come to expect that now... the Belizeans are wonderful people.

We were two of the three passengers on our 7-seater aeroplane. And as we waited on the airstrip we were both practically jumping up and down with the anticipation. No 100ml liquid rules or security pat downs here, just a friendly 'hello' from the pilot and a 'would you mind popping your seatbelts on' ladies?' As we took off and soared through the skies to San Pedro, my impossibly big smile got even bigger. Awesome. Simply awesome. Anyone want to buy me a flying lesson for birthday?

Caye Ambergris was our first taste of this Caribbean paradise. We drank coffee in a beach bar as water lapped at the boats and thanked our lucky stars. Then we boarded the boat to the smaller Caye Caulker and made our way to Colindas Cabanas, our home for the next two nights.

People kept asking me if I thought I'd want to come home again after this trip. Hmmm...

*Happy sigh*

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Location:Caye Caulker, Belize

A smile from a crocodile

Our boat trip along New River to Lamanaii yesterday was nothing short of enchanting. The Spanish when they came to the Americas believed that the Mayans had taught animals to speak and it definitely felt like the wildlife here had a story to tell.

Lamanaii means 'submerged crocodile' in Mayan and it didn't take long before we understood why!

Antonio, our boat driver, had x-ray vision it seemed and before long we had seen our first croc. My favourite though has to be the little one we saw next basking on a log with his mouth open in a broad grin! During the next couple of hours, we also saw colourful iguanas, bats and a plethora of birdlife. Fascinating.

On arrival at Lamanaii we were treated to a delicious lunch and a selection of juices, including the intriguingly named 'sky juice' - took us a while to work out that it was water. D'oh!

We had been warned by the book, several other travellers and the tour company to bring bug spray. Cue total paranoia or the adoption of sensible precautions depending on how you like to look at it. Let's just say that Gemma looked particularly fetching with her trousers stuffed into her socks and I managed somehow not to pass out from the effects of wearing a (clashing) t-shirt, shirt and scarf in tropical temperatures! Don't be surprised if photos are edited...

I'd love to be able to tell you lots about this interesting Mayan settlement but our guide was so 'thorough' that I kinda stopped listening and just tried to soak up the feel of the place instead.

Standing at the top of the High temple looking out over the lush jungle canopy towards the river with the screech of the howler monkeys as the only sound... now that's the kind of experience I came all this way for!

The ride back was exhilarating. Antonio drove our little motor boat more like it was a motorbike so we had the thrill of leaning into the corners as we skimmed the perfectly still waters. Well, still until a boa constrictor or crocodile popped their heads up for air.

We then stopped off for what has to go down as the funniest moment to date. Antonio handed out some bananas ostensibly as a snack. (This is where I know my Mum is going to finally be pleased that I don't like bananas and had turned mine down!) Suddenly there was a real commotion in the trees and a couple of spider monkeys appeared from nowhere, climbed on to the boat and started pinching them out of people's hands. We didn't know whether to laugh or scream so it ended up being a rather hilarious combination of the two! When one was standing on my lap, I finally felt that the £175 I'd paid for my rabies jabs was money well spen! So, so funny!

Lastly, I'm no twitcher but watching a blue heron take flight over the water or an osprey circling overhead is a privilege and very, very special way to end a day.

Talking about flying, today we're taking a sea plane out of here. I don't think I've ever been on anything smaller than a 737 so am more than a little excited. Wonder if they'll let me drive...




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Location:Orange Walk, Belize

You'd better Belize it!

Ear-to-ear smiles today in the Hartley-Brown camp. It started well with scrambled eggs and hash browns and somehow got better.

I have to admit that being told at Miami International that I was a high priority passenger was nice (I love that silver card!) but I was mostly just proud that I managed to get on the plane without giving into a venti extra shot latte urge at Starbucks.

And what a flight! Fortunately it was three-quarters empty so both Gem and I got window seats and could both fully appreciate the beauty of our approach into Belize City airport. Turquoise waters glimpsed through perfect fluffy white clouds... we knew already that we were going to love this country.

Stepping off the plane onto the tarmac and feeling a rush of warmth flow through our bodies was the only validation we needed!

A taxi and bus ride later and we find ourselves up north in Orange Walk. Despite the ricketiness of the bus we enjoyed every minute, soaking up the scenery and the everyday scenes of people getting on and off.

Everyone has been so friendly and we've already struck up a rapport with the cook at the nearby taco stall. We'll be back for more tomorrow... delicious!

But the main highlight has to be sitting under a palm umbrella by the riverfront at the Lamanaii Riverside Retreat. Warm sun, a cool breeze, a cold beer and great company. Who could ask for anything more?

This feels like when you've just met someone special... it's the start of something.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Orange Walk Town, Belize

Miami is THE BEST!

Well according to our half-Spanish, half-Cuban shuttle bus driver to the hotel anyway! We're going to have to take his word for it though as we don't have any time to do it justice.

One thing it definitely isn't the best at is airport signage. We expect to struggle with transport arrangements in Guatemala but Florida has already proved challenging enough!

But having arrived at our hotel, we could finally reflect on how lucky we are. A quick glimpse at Twitter is enough to make you realise how today could have turned out for us i.e. 6 hours queuing at Heathrow to rebook a flight.

Now we're back after a quick bite to eat and have crept into our incredibly comfy twin queen-sized beds with plumped up pillows to watch the end of the Superbowl. Not likely to be a blueprint for the rest of our trip but definitely a relaxing way to kick things off!

Next stop Belize.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Miami, Florida USA

Snow, snow go away, come again another day!

The good news is that we both made it to Heathrow in one piece and that my parents also made it home again safely. One hairy moment for me when the Sainsburys HGV in front of us got stuck in the snow on a hill but my Dad is a driving genius and we managed to get past.

We're now relaxing in the Galleries Lounge in T5. Have I ever mentioned how much I love being a Silver Executive Club member! Our flight is currently delayed by 1 hour 20 mins to 11am but we've consoled ourselves with bacon rolls, fruit, yoghurt, coffee, tea, juice, pastries. If it is delayed even longer, Gemma and I might embark on a 'who can eat the most packets of Walker's shortbread' competiton... crazy, eh? Or perhaps that'll turn into 'how many packets of Walker's shortbread can we fit into our day packs as emergency rations' competion.

Anyway, no drama equals uncompelling reading. So, I'll leave it there and be in touch from Miami .... where it will be HOT and SUNNY and NOT SNOWING!

The biggest adventure of all

It's snowing! Normally  I would be relishing the prospect of snowball fights and building a snowman but instead I'm considering packing a shovel and heading over to Heathrow to volunteer as a human snow plough. If only one plane takes off from LHR tomorrow, please let it be the 0940 BA flight to Miami!

Still what's a day's delay when you've got 8 weeks...

I'm trying to pin down how I feel right now but I'm finding it hard to articulate. All I know is that I have butterflies in my stomach and a huge smile on my face.

I think that mostly I feel thankful. For this wonderful opportunity. For my Mum, Dad, Richard and Marie for their incredible love and support (and Mum more specifically for the yummy steak and dumpling stew she just cooked me as my 'last meal'!) For the bestest friends in the world who made our send off last night so special. And for Gemma,  who is always there for me and who has made this biggest adventure of all a reality.

These two amigas are about to have the time of their lives!

Hasta luego :)