We sank the Kayak at Hotelito Perdito

---

Did I say about the minibuses? They add an entire new dimension to dolmus. I mean, they stuff more people in than you would believe was possible but everyone is pleasant and friendly. No, not madly comfortable but I consider them quite good fun. Anyway, we made it to Puerto Barrios and, from there, caught the public launch to Livingstone. Livingstone is interesting but, quite honestly, I wouldn´t want to stay there. We ran into Ashka (not sure if I have spelled her name right) and accompanied her on the remains of her shopping trip then she gave us a lift to Hotelito Perdito. We passed through the pirate bay where the pirates apparently wrote each other messages in Spanish and through some immensely beautiful scenery and arrived at the jungle lodge. Booked into the bungalow with private bathroom which was not precisely expensive.

Lay in hammocks and enjoyed the jungle.

Later we went to the big house there where they keep the beer. I got bit by a soldier ant which was very painful. Several young doctors from the project had decided to come up for chicken dinner and drinks. They were very pleasant and had intersting things to say about volunteering for a project in Guatemala. Dinner was good too!

Next day we took out the most stable of the kayaks. We had a lovely morning paddling around the Rio Dulce and side turnings. Watching cormorants and herons and cranes and pelicans and vultures and flying mangoes and other birds and fishes. It was very beautiful, sheltering under the mangroves when it got too hot. We did well with the kayak considering Ashley´s hand is in a cast but the sheltering under the mangroves was what led to the sinking. We got caught in a bow wave which came right in! Cast and passport kept dry. Camera was a casualty.

We tipped most of the water out of the kayak and bailed out the rest with the implement provided. We then headed back to the hotelito perdito where we learned that no one before us had managed to sink the kayak. So that was a first!

Spent the rest of the day in hammocks. I jumped into the lack on several occasions but poor Ashley could not do this as it would have made his cast wet. We were the only guests for dinner and it was vegetarian (peppers stuff with potatoes and cheese) and very delicious. More beer was drunk. That was the night of the weird hot winds and I did not sleep well, though I think I slept more than I thought I did and Ashley was less affected.

Next morning we got up and ate breakfast prior to the arrival of our ´private launch´to Rio Dulce.

---