Flores, GUATEMALA (via Belize)

Dear all,

What a hectic few days! We loved Tulum by the Caribbean sea, however we didn´t like the thunderstorms or the mosquitos. But that didn´t stop us from sunbathing.... very British of course. Still managed to get burnt on our backs (J has some very interesting bow patterns) in the 20 minutes the sun shone... However the rustic accomodation we were staying in (grass huts) made us chuckle when we saw couples paying extortionate amounts for plus hotels on the beach front, when it was raining all the time!

Anyway, on Friday morning we left for Chetumal, a big city by the Belizean border, then crossed over the border (Hayley nearly got us arrested by saying we were smuggling mangoes in, however we also nearly didn´t get in when we said we were only passing through... they wanted us to stay for longer!) into Belize. Then Belize city to San Ignaciao...

We literally travelled on the bus all day until we could go no further. San Ignaciao was the last town in Belize where we could stay the night before the border crossing, which is dangerous in the dark, as no buses go through, you have to walk instead.

Belize is beautiful. We were all shocked at how lovely the people were, how friendly and helpful, and how different they were from Mexico. Some of the population are Creoles (descendents of British and Spanish invaders and the original population), some are Caribbean (and very dark skinned) and some are Mayan (look like Mexicans/Tibetans). It is an incredible hotch potch of cultures and indigeneous people, and utterly wonderful.

We stayed in a lovely little hotel called Elvira´s in San Ignaciao - well it was lovely until Haz and J started screaming when cockroaches appeared. I came out of the bathroom for the biggest cockroach I have ever seen to run over my foot. We decided to drink instead. Found a lovely Chinese restaurant (cheap and brilliant after endless cheese sandwiches in Mexico for Haz and J, ham and cheese sandwiches for me). The locals kept us entertained with conversation, in a really strange English dialect. Part Caribbean, part English, and part incomprehensible. But so lovely, and it was great to relax after our hectic journey!

This morning we travelled over the border to Flores in Guatemala. Flores is an island in a lake in northern Guatemala. It is absolutely stunning, and the sun is shining. The buildings are painted beautiful colours, and the people are so beautiful and friendly (the bus driver drove the bus up tiny cobbled roads to take us to the hostel). Although we were using a ´chicken bus´ - I think Haz and J were a bit bemused when many people clambered into the minivan. The potholes weren´t very soothing either...

But we arrived safe and sound at a wonderful hostel, Hostel Los Amigos, http://www.amigoshostel.com/contact.htm
and have spent the afternoon wandering around the island. It is incredibly cheap here, and they do fantastic Italian food... I know we should be eating the local cuisine, but after mainly tedious food in Mexico, this is a welcome relief!

I think we are going to walk up a Mayan ruin tomorrow morning to watch the sunrise over the jungle, and to hear the jungle wake up, then on Monday evening / Tuesday morning, we are heading to Antigua to walk the volcano.

Anyway, hope that all is well in the UK,
Loads of love from us all,
Al, Haz and J xxxxxx