We caught an early boat across the lake to Panajel this morning, then jumped aboard our first official Guatemalan Chicken bus. Called this for a reason, the bus was packed full of people dressed in the most amazing colourful clothes which are traditional to the area. Originally (and still quite often), these chicken busses are packed full of people, luggage, baskets, pigs, chickens...anything they can fit on!! Luckily for us there was no wildlife aboard, but it was an experience in itself being surrounded by chattering women in brightly coloured dresses and traditional headwear, and sombre men [View Full Entry]

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Early start today (unfortunatley missing the famous blackcat breakfast which is meant to be fab), so that we could climb....the volcano. Lovely as this sounds, IT WAS NOT. Yes to be fair, Emily is writing...not Tasha...she seemed to enjoy it slightly more, but I thought it was terrible. We headed up a bumpy rough road in a small bus to the base of the 'walk', which was a bit travel sicky for everyone... we were then merrily greeted by plenty of small dirty children who were selling sticks for the walk. Sticks? PAH! why would we need sticks (em thought), Tasha [View Full Entry]

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Yesterday we did nothing, so its not really worth mentioning..except our first nightbus journey...10 hours!! It was exhausting, even if we did sleep our way through it! Left Flores at 9pm last night and arrived in Guatemala city at 6 this morning. Quickly had to change bus, almost DIED driving through the City as the bus driver was a nutcase and swerved cars, jumped red lights, slid round corners etc! On the bus we got to know the 2 couples even better and they are lovelyyyyy. Will definately be spending a bit more time with them! Arrived at the black cat [View Full Entry]

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FOUR O'CLOCK IS NOT A FUN TIME!!! Arose at stupid o'clock to catch the shuttle to Tikal for 'sunrise'. This is what we were promised with our tickets, which stupidly is actually impossible so we were lured by false advertising! we actually witnessed the sunrise while still in the bus on the way, and then when we arrived it was obvious the park wasnt even open until 6am, so there was no way you could climb a temple and watch the sun!! a good start... However, once we got inside the park and the tour started it was FABULOUS. Our guide [View Full Entry]

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- wake up - catch bus - arrive 5 hours later - find hostel - watch tv - visit supermarket twice. - make dinner - watch tv - sleep [View Full Entry]

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Up at 4.30 (our earliest start so far) and checked into the airport where we payed a stupid hidden "leaving the country" fee. Caught a freezing cold plane to El Salvador, waited an hour, caught an even colder plane to Belize City and finally we made it! Whipped through customs and caught a taxi to the boat terminal. As our boat headed towards Caye Caulker, it was truley like arriving in heaven. The rickety jetty dropped onto white sands backed by amazingly colourful buildings, palms swaying and no cars but only golf buggies. The island motto here is "Go slow" and [View Full Entry]

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Woke up late today with a couple of headaches so tucked into some delish breakfast at a nearby cafe. Tasha headed back to bed while Em did a bit of tanning on the jetty, then we went to The Split which was at the end of the island (where a hurricane had split the island in two). There was a bar here and loads of stone chairs and tables in the sea where you could chill out! Not much swimming was had here as the current through the split is incredibly strong and whips up all the sand so you wouldnt [View Full Entry]

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Our first snorkling trip was today! This is definately what the Belize Cayes are all about.. We set off with 2 other couples from the US, our captain Jermaine and his yummy boat boy Jacob. We first stopped at what looked like the middle of the ocean, to be told to "jump right in"...a bit of a stretch of a request as there was nothing around and you couldnt see the bottom! but oh well, we´d paid for this so in we jumped. Turns out this was a manetee area and our guide/captain swam us over to where 2 manetees were [View Full Entry]

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Today consisted of sunbathing and hunting for ham. Of which there is none in Belize. (ham, that is) Or any meat/fish that isnt frozen actually. In the evening we had the best bargain of the century: lobster tails, coconut rice, garlic potatoes, cheesecake and 2 rums each for $20belize, which is TEN DOLLARS. amazing. it was so so so good (minus the raging winds which ended up blowing Tashas rum over her lap..). Did a bit of non-crazy bar hopping after this but it seemed a bit dead in town! We ended up at Oceanside which was a bit of a [View Full Entry]

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Today was a very special day. We were moving hostels to a H-O-T-E-L!! a concept we are stranger to now. Tashas dad very kindly paid for us to have 2 nights at fancy Beachside Cabinas and it was lussshhh!! It was so pretty, filled with green plants and bright orange walls with brown decking. Comfy loungers surrounded a pool (the only one on the island!) and our room had a huge double bed, cable tv, mini fridge and lovely bathroom!! Such a treat! Em had a tense moment in the book exchange store where the girl practically ROBBED her of a [View Full Entry]

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