Blogs from Honduras, Central America Caribbean

So, after 3 weeks of volunteering, I finally moved out of the BICA visitor centre and into a dorm down at Altons. Except.... well, Hannah by this time was sick of her cramped dorm room down at her dive shop, and had moved into an air-conditioned twin room at Underwater Vision, complete with an ensuite bathroom and hot water. So naturally, my dorm room at Altons became a storage facility, and I spent most nights at her place, enjoying being cosy at night, rather than sticky. I moved out on Tuesday, and my PADI open water dive course started the following day. In between watching videos and reading my textbook, I spent most of the time sat on the dock at Altons and swimming in the sea. On Thursday, my dive group collectively decided that we´d ... read more

The Belizean countryside is nothing like Belize City. Safe, relaxed, mellow and incredibly easy to strike up casual conversations. The hawkers, street sellers, bus drivers, attendants and country folk are polite, accepting and easily approachable for directions or advice. We witnessed this bussing it south on the Hummingbird Highway from Belize City to the small fishing town of Placencia. Along the way I was approached by the country's Softball Sports Commissioner. He not only informed us of the 2012 World Softball Tournament whereby Belize is the host country , but how to get to Placencia quicker and cheaper. We followed his advice, ending up in the village of Independence, catching a ride on a skiff named the Hokey Pokey, skirting mangrove shores until a sundown arrival at Placencia. Placencia is the typical sleepy Caribbean seaside village. ... read more

Ok. Three things. Important things. First, my sister is here! Second, I’m officially an advanced open water SCUBA diver! And third, I went on a boat trip with friends to Cayos Cochinos! If you have no desire to read my blog posting, just stop right here. You got the highlights. You’re welcome. This past weekend I did my final certification dive, a night dive, so now I can do all kinds of fun dives whenever I want! I was a bit nervous before the night dive, since the whole jumping-into-dark-water-without-seeing-what’s-lurking-below thing kinda freaks me out. I had also had diver friends tell me about “bloodworms” which come out at night and swarm around your light, which sounded just delightful….. not. Anyway, after a bit of mild freaking out I jumped into the water and it wasn’t ... read more

“Make voyages! Attempt them… there’s nothing else” Tennessee Williams. The idyll of Belize seems a lot time ago now. We are now in Nicaragua, on the Pacific Coast where the ocean waves thunder down onto the black sands, enraged and tumultuous. Woe betide any surfer who wipes out in these foaming tempestuous waters. Leaving Tobacco Caye, the waters of the Caribbean were pretty turbulent. A Westerley wind had picked up shaking the coconut palms and causing waves to break on the peaceful side of the island. Munch, our boat captain was prepared to take us (hope he wasn’t stoned) back to the mainland and we navigated the crossing back to Dandriga in his little plastic boat bouncing and vaulting the swell. Reaching dry land was a relief as I don’t think our backs and butts could ... read more

Sorry - Having problems with photos so will post them on facebook. OK – it’s now the 18thand we get into Honduras – or a tiny island of Honduras – tomorrow and it is to be a “chill out” day on and around the beach so hopefully we can find a decent internet café from where I can send this missive and attach a few photographs. Also send Mum a Happy Mothers Day greeting albeit a little belatedly. Note to boys – maybe read the messages you have sent me (hahahahahaha – no doubt doing the French one again – that is until the French one arrives). On the 16th March we transited the Panama Canal. It was a really great experience and a fab day. Scott thought it started a little bit too early as ... read more

Perched on the edge of the precipice staring at a black hole barely illuminated by a pair of solar lamps, it was going to be a leap of faith in our guide's promise that the natural pool below was 50 metres deep. We found ourselves here due to the type of about face that can present itself when your itinerary isn't exactly set in stone. The initial idea was to spend a week or so in the Honduran Bay Islands wallowing on a beach but instead wound up deep underground in this cave. The Bay Islands sounded exotic but the more people we spoke to, the more we came to the conclusion that the islands were a bit of a one trick pony, even if lounging around a Carribean island isn't a bad trick to have ... read more