Guat a country!

The third installment in my Central American trilogy snuck up on me in the guise of Guatemala. I'd been a tad relaxed on researching this leg of the journey. This meant that I arrived not knowing an awful lot of what to expect. We had a brief briefing from our superb CEO Susi, and she had been hinting about places and experiences yet to come throughout our journey.

We rolled across the border as it opened (late, as the officials on the Belize side were operating on Belizean time), and half asleep we drove on to Tikal. I was on constant lookout as we drove through the jungle looking for elusive jaguars. Apparently the 'rare' label isn't just a marketing ploy. That, or they don't just walk along the side if the road.

Arriving at the ancient Mayan temple site was exciting. We were led through the jungle by a local guide, stopping at various points across the vast site of ruins. We climbed a temple where the astronomers made sense of the planets, walked amongst the walls they called home and took in the harrowing wonder of the ball court. This is where they played a team death match. The 'winning' captain had the honour of being sacrificed to the Gods.

After a great struggle in the heat of the day, we climbed the tallest accessible temple. But the effort was worth it.

What a view. Jungle. As far as the eye could see. Punctuated only by the two peaks of the other taller temples.

After making our descent we managed to spot some native wildlife. Saw some monkeys high in the canopy, a few iguanas and a whole array of birds including turkeys (not the same as the Christmas kind).

Still no jaguar though.

Unbelizeable!

It's been a while since I updated this blog, so I'm going to use the excuse that I'm still working on Belizean time. The sign on the photo above isn't just for the few vehicles on Caye Caulker. Everyone on the small island lives life by the motto; nothing is done with any speed or taken too seriously. Unless if course it's the serious business of taking care of the rum punch.

Belize is such a beautiful and varied country I feel I won't be able to do it justice here. It has the incredible beaches you envision, but then they're challenged for the top spot by the tropical rain forests and fields (Jurassic Parks vistas)filled with birds (although a group hike failed to turn up any elusive Toucans!)

And the mix of people! Everyone was so friendly and laid back. You have Mayans, Spanish speakers, Mestizo people,  English speakers, Garifuna speakers, Chinese people, Mennonite people and so many more. It's such an exciting variety!

But one of my favourite things about Belize is that you're never far from a sweet treat. National Express coaches in the UK would be vastly improved if someone hopped aboard at every stop selling tarts and cakes!

Belize provided me with my first scuba diving experience. It was so breathtaking (figuratively and literally) I can't believe it's taken me so long to try it. Swimming mere feet above a giant sea turtle is a memory I will always treasure. Then chasing Kevin, our sail boat skipper / sea safari guide, to another exciting spot through the waves will never fail to make me happy.

The memory of sailing back into Caye Caulker, tired, listening to reggae music and with a rum punch in hand (when in Rome!), is what I came on this journey for.

Once upon a time in Mexico...

So, I made it to Mexico!
I'll be honest with you. I had a mini panic in the airport as I was waiting for my flight. Despite previously shrugging off lots of people's raised eyebrows at my adventure continuing to Mexico, I suddenly became very nervous.
What if my limited Spanish completely failed me? What if my credit cards stopped working? What if I got ripped off by the taxi drivers I'd been warned about at the airport?
I think this feeling of panic swelled more considerably as my Whatsapp had decided that morning would be the time it stopped working. So I was heading to a country where I didn't speak the language, alone, without my main form of contact home, and I hadn't got any Mexican pesos ready to go.
I had some worry issues that morning.
But fear not! I made it through! One lesson i'm starting to learn is that I worry way too much. I guess not everyone else runs through every worst case scenario in their head before stepping out the door. (Don't worry dad, I will continue to worry just enough to keep me safe!)
So, I changed money at the airport, met a friendly couple at baggage claim to negotiate the bus minefield with and my Spanish did me well enough to find my hotel safe and sound.
In all actuality though, most parts of Playa del Carmen require very minimal language skills. It's Mexico, but not as you know it. And from what others have told me, I was lucky to bypass Cancun, just up the coast, as it's even more gringo-ised!
Walking down the main tourist thoroughfare should be a competitive sport. You have to sidestep vendors outside their shops calling to you, blinding you with neon t shirts and tacky souvenirs, in addition to the food proprietors trying to entice you in. "No gracias," falls so easily off the tongue now.
But hidden there somewhere is the beauty of the real Mexico. The easiest gem to find is the view of the beautiful Atlantic Ocean, framed by white sand and windswept palm trees.
My morning strolls along the shore, before most tourists had arisen, were some of my nicest moments. The first pelican I met scared the life out of me; to my unaccustomed eye it looked more pterodactyl than seabird!
And I will be eternally glad that I chose to do a tour with G Adventures. Not only did it provide me with a fantastically interesting group of people, who I can now count as friends, to travel with, but our Chief experience officer Susi put every effort in to make it the best trip possible. Her local knowledge was indispensable; I knew we were in for a hell of a trip when on the second day we followed her to a wonderfully friendly and colourfully decorated 'real' Mexican cantina on the way back from visiting the ruins of Tulum, and I had the best lemonade of my life!
What could the trip possibly offer next to top that?