So we had to leave Caye Caulkner (tears!) and head to San Ignacio which is a border town in the interior of Belize. This was an interesting trip as we used the local "chicken bus" something our foreign office says not too. This bus was funny - it was an old American school bus (you know the yellow ones you see on TV) with no aircon except the windows which slid open randomly - especially funny when it started to rain! We assumed the warning in regards to these was because the back door opens and kids climb in whenever they choose - dangerous if you have your bags at the back. However Megans bag weighs WAY too much for any child to steal... heehee.

We arrived safely in San Ignacio and were told the highlight, a Mayan burial cave was shut due to flooding! So we spent 2 days doing very little before heading across the border to Guatamala. (this town was a little sketchy and we were happy to move on!)

We had not really planned to go to Guatamala and knew very little about the country except it had a tragic past with a civil war lasting over 30 years. As we recall it finished in the early 90's. How shocked were we when we entered a lush, green and picturesque country? The border was very little hassle, and the Guatamalans were friendly and not as pushy as their Mexican counterparts when it came to haggelling etc...

Flores, where we are staying is a beautiful town on an island in the middle of a lake. It was a Mayan stronghold and one of the last places to fall when the Spanish invaded. The town is very pretty, with small shops, cobble streets and a church at the summit. Our hotel overlooked the lake and the although the weather was hard rain, we really have enjoyed our first taste of Guatamala.