Hey mon, u wanna sum ganja

Monday, May 03, 2010
San Ignacio, Cayo, Belize
Well, Alex and Kaine went to a club, Kaine got thrown out and being pissed up, he couldn't find his way to the hotel, ending up walking the streets and just managed to get back at 5am. Alex must have left earlier because he got back sometime in the night, although e didn't look too good in the morning!!

The trip to Caye Caulker in Belize was a killer. The first part was a 5 hour luxury A/C coach to Chetumal on the Mexican border, which was ok. Then we got another bus to Belize which had no A/C and no windows and was absolutely baking, it's getting up to 40degC outside. We stopped twice, once for exit stamp from Mexico and then on the Belizean side for customs and bag check (must be one of the most chilled out border crossings ever, the customs officials are more interested in hitting on the girls than checking for contraband. A few hours to Belize City, and a 45 minute water taxi (speedboat) to Caye Caulker, arriving about 4.30pm.

Belize was formerly part of the Commonwealth and hence, English is the national language unlike the rest of Central America. Caye Caulker, an island off the coast sits beside the second biggest coral reef after Australia's Great Barrier Reef. It is very chilled out, with a Carribean influence. In fact, at the water taxi station in Belize Station getting off the bus, the first thing one of the locals says to me is "you wanna buy sum ganja mon"! The waters are turquoise but there isn't much of a beach, the sun is blazingly hot and sears the flesh off your skin, and it seems to be blowing a gale most of the time. The island is small, comprising a number of sandy roads lined with palm trees, hotels, simple houses, shops, restaurants. The only way to get around the island apart from walking is by bicycle or golf cart, either self-hired or golf-cart taxi. The prices of food and drink in Belize are supposed to be the most expensive in Central America and Caye Caulker is no exception, although as always, with the use of a good guidebook, bargains can be found!

We head out for a meal in the evening, but the 2 heavy nights on the piss and the heat takes it toll on me and I nearly pass, must be dehydration or something. With the last few days all spent at beach resorts, no activities and too much drink, I think I need a few dry days to recuperate, or a few hours maybe!

The next morning (Sat 1st May), I'm feeling a bit better and relax on the island while some of the others go snorkelling. Some net time, late breakfast, laundry, then a walk round the island for a couple of hours doing some twitching!

In the evening, we hit a restaurant and a few bars (good food at Femi's, I have Femi's Special Sub, a pizza in a roll), then the Oceanside Nightclub which turns out to be a great night as the first chance for proper dancing and meet some of the Kumuka group - all girls up for a laugh! Also, my first taste of my new favourite drink, Mudslide - Bailey's, coconut rum and chocolate liqueur - I expect the Crown bargirls to have perfected the art of making one by the time I'm back!

Next morning, we get a water taxi back to Belize City, then a hot and sweaty 3 hour bus ride to San Ignacio and Hotel Aguada, a picturesque hotel on the outskirts of town, with pool, A/C rooms, Wifi, out of the way but a nice place to stay. Meal and drinks in the hotel tonight, the T-Bone steak with fries goes down a treat. San Igancio doesn't appear to have much going for it, it is merely a hub for adventure activities in the surrounding area. Our hotel is also about 15 minutes out of town in the middle of nowhere.

I sign up for 2 activities the next day through Mayawalk tours, who although normally requiring a minimum of two people for both activities, allow me to do them alone (becuase my group can't drum up much excitement to do anything at all) for only US$10 extra over the each person price.

Up at 4.15am the net day for 3 hours of birding at a nearby Eco-lodge - the guide is excellent, spotting and recognising birds from far away through their calls and flight patterns. He also has a handy 100x scope, which allows for great viewing of faraway birds, albeit from too far away to allow me the chance of much photography.

Then 3 hours of canoeing on the Macal River with birds, bat colonies,etc on the edges. The river is very peaceful and lined with thick forest either side, the water is calm and the only other people we see are a handful of others also on canoe trips. It's my first time doing this and I love it, chilling, relaxing canoe ride, chatting with my guide, very peaceful and cool in the shade; something I'd definitely want to do again in the right place and with the right person. It's a hot day, up to 38 degC and humid with it too, plenty of sweat expended today but a good workout, canoeing at a gentle pace.

After a kip in the afternoon, we have a meal booked at a Sri Lankan / Belizean restaurant (Serendib), a few doors down from the Mayawalk office, and meet up with the Tucan tour group doing the same trip as us but travelling in the other direction. I have the peppered steak and it's absolutely beautiful, tender meat, hardly any fat, delicious pepper sauce, with fries and salad. They don't appear to do Mudslides, but an order of chocolate milkshake with a shot of Bailey's and coconut rum produces an acceptable alternative! We have a 6am start tomorrow to cross the Belize-Guatemala border - the other Tucan group head off after dinner for some late-night drinks but after my long day and early start tomorrow, I head back to the hotel, along with the rest of my group - where have all the party animals gone?

In the few days we were in Belize, I liked the place. The avoidance of the language barrier obviously helps, but it is the relaxed and friendly nature of the locals that strikes you, others have said it resembles a Caribbean feel (maybe I need to book a trip to the Caribbean at some point, probably coninciding with a cricket tour I think!). I'd reseached a few places such as wildlife reserves which I'd wanted to visit in Belize but would not fit into our pre-arranged itinerary so maybe another visit is in order one day. I'd have to choose the time of year carefully though because the heat and humidity was pretty unbearable most of the time.

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