So, from Mexico we headed down to Belize. Contrary to everyone's advice, we weren't going to stay out on the cayes of Belize. Kathryn had spent half our money already on guacamole and chips in Mexico. After just one night in Belize city we made for the Guatemalan border on a series of ex american school buses turned people/chicken carriers.
We stayed in Flores for a couple of days and took a trip out to Tikal (more mayan ruins). On the road in there were traffic warning signs about monkeys and jaguars. I was pretty keen to see a jaguar at that point. Tikal is set in pretty thick jungle, and they've apparently only uncovered 15% of the site (slow going when a machete is the tool of preference vs weed whackers or spades).
After Flores we headed for Semuc Champey for a couple of days. Getting there was an experience in itself. One van had a strong smell of animal shit. After sitting down, i kept hearing a "quack quack" from under the seat. Not faulty brakes but a goose in a box. The minivans were 15 seaters, and we counted 30 at one stage (including 2 on the roof).
We stayed in an awesome hostel and from here did a day trip to Semuc Champey (where the river rushes under a natural limestone 'bridge' and there are fresh water pools on top). It was a wicked day - went caving using candles to light the way, tubing down the river, jumping off bridges and swings and swimming in the pools.
By now Ruben was getting pretty sick of sweating so we were ready to head to the beach. Spent 3 days travelling down to the El Salvador border and then to the Pacific Coast abot an hour south of San Salvador. The borders keep getting more and more lax as we go - to be honest no one really cares who's coming in and what they're bringing...
