Belize- beaches, diving and jungle

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We haven't updated the blog for a few days because we have been loafing about on beaches in sunny Belize. Penny has spent some time diving in and around the Southern Barrier Reef along Belize coastline. She had a great time and spent some of her first dive and all of her second dive surrounded by playful dolphins. She also saw big turtles, lobster, stingray etc. etc. meanwhile Darryl got in some serious hammock action on the beach. The trip to Hopkins Beach Belize from Guatemala was pretty straightforward. Four buses driven by the usual collection of lunatics but we arrived in one piece.
We met some new friends in Belize including Jason and Christine from Yellowknife, northern Canada. Jason gave Darryl a book on how to defend himself from zombies. Meanwhile Penny met an American couple who were surprised to find the British government were doing nothing about our cropcircle epidemic and the aliens that were undoubtedly causing the problem. The locals were very friendly but decidedly Caribbean (laid back) at all times. Nice to speak English for a few days!
Other fun things- we took a day trip out into the Belizean jungle- It took one bus trip and five hitch hikes (Penny flagged down the lot) but we made it there and back. Unfortunately we didnt see any Jaguars which was the purpose of the trip but at least Penny survives for a little while longer. We did manage to have a dip in a waterfall- this time Darryl DID have his swimming trunks!
At Hopkins Beach we found some great local food (fresh fish, hot beans and rice). We also befriended J.J. who ran an Indian restaurant on the beach (very good curry!).
We then headed down south via a memorable bus journey with an overly friendly old drunk and a team of rastafarian drummers. We arrived at the town of Punta Gorda which was very laid back. We spent some time by the beach and had a fantastic canoe trip up the creek into the mangrove swamp an jungle! We saw some amazing birds (feathered variety) and we are now heading back to Guatemala to the famous Rio Dulce River before we catch our next flight to Ecuador....

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Photos

Hammock action
Hopkins Beach

Cockscombe jaguar sanctuary
A hot humid hike

Canoeing in the jungle
At Punta Gorda

Crane, Heron, Stork or something
Joe Taylor Creek

Comments

[Toby]

Penny/Darryl It is a Egret...

[George]

It all sounds fantastic and you're cramming alot in! Very jealous of the diving Penny, makes me want to head out that way again. We (Adam, Cat, Woody and me) were wondering if Daz had managed to find a bar with television to watch the Liverpool vs Havant and Waterlooville match?! Also wondering if the 6 nations is well televised out there (starts Sat). Life here is just to exciting to cram all the news in so keep up the blogs so we can keep an eye on reality! x x

[Sandie]

Snakes return
Hi Penny and Daz, it great reading your blog, sounds like your having a dolphin of a time. Dad wants to know if there are any Mangos in a mangogrove, he asked if I could plant some in the garden for chukney. Please find out the germination method planting and maintenance proceedure, oh and how much space they take up, oh and would we need a canoe to harvest them. Also the snake you 3 tormented from the pool turned up again and i managed to release it "alive" into the neigbours garden. Mating season is upon us and the frogs are trying to relocate to the pool again. Thinking about it, I should have kept the snake around to discourage them. Had rain here for 3.8 sec. Busy planting this years crops. Keep enjoying yourselves, look forward to the next installment.

[Sara/h (saarke)]

Jealous
You got sun and beach and hammocks at the same time! I'm jealous ;) I see Darryl is very pleased in his kayak :P More pictures please!! ;)

[Sue Cradock]

Keep going!
Hi Guys...I can see that this break is getting tough for you! If you need any reason at all to keep going and not return for a while then perhaps the thought of the diabetes centre being flooded by effluent will suffice! Well Iain's room and the hallway - awful mess and we nearly had to close down the place. Otherwise the world carries on! Great photo's....

[Tina n Dean]

Hammocks
I just wondered if there was a name for obsessive, compulsive hammock disorder? Darryl seems to have spent most of his life, discussing the suitability of, describing the plus points of, designing the best place for, constructing, laying on, or thinking of laying on hammocks. Has anyone else noticed this behaviour, are there other hammock obsessives, is there an appropriate society for hammock obsessives, where Daz could meet like minded people? Without having to travel all the way to Belize??