Spent 3 days in Caye Caulker Island, a little piece of paradise just off the second biggest barrier reef in the world after Australia for some snorkelling. Only an hour from the mainland, the island is only half a mile wide, so everywhere is pretty much walking distance, 15 mins max from one end of the town to the other side. The backpacker hub merged with the locals makes it easy to meet or bump into people, especially from the night before *snickers*. No vehicles, only bicycles and golf buggies. There is full of coral-pastel painted beach houses. Loved the laid-back Bob Marley feel to the place with reggae music blasting out of every bar. Not only you´re intoxicated by the warm caribbean waters, cool trade winds (although it was a bit too windy during our stay), lush jungles and a people as warm as the year-round tropical weather. The island´s motto is pretty much ´go slow´ and ´one love´.

Our backpacker´s place was located right at the front dock so could easily walk 1 minute to catch our 7am boat when we left. Felt a bit at ease here as everyone can speak English/Creole with a Jamaican accent. Started our first night on the island with a bang, white caribbean rum and cocktails before moving onto this one and only Oceanside bar. Upon arrival everyone was badly singing their hearts out to karaoke that we randomly signed away to the songs. Inevitably, that attracted ´some´ attention along with us being the first to start dancing, especially from the two older guys well into their 60s who owned the bar that they bought us drinks for the rest of the night. Obviously people found us alluring trying to work out how we could hear the music if we can´t understand what they are saying! Quite a great crowd of locals mingling with backpackers. Even the following day, word got round the island about the ´two deaf dancers´after a local stopped me when strolling along the streets.

Was just ´a little bit´ hungover and disappointed to find it cloudy & windy which meant it was too dangerous to go out into deep water. Our full day tour to Hol Chan marine reserve to see bigger fishes was cancelled and we could only do Caye Caulker marine reserve. As soon as we set off, it was pretty much a water rollercoaster ride! As we took our cochlears off, communication breakdown with Alex, London and Bryan, Ireland. Despite our clear efforts of not wanting to talk, they still expressed themselves better so that we could understand them! Alex is a travel writer/photographer for footprint travel guide and is currently travelling Belize for one month for his 7 page article spread on Belize for Wonderlust travel magazine. He´s been EVERYWHERE, no joke! Unexpectedly, he asked to interview us and took portraits of us with his top of the range Canon SLR camera to put us in the magazine on the side with our comments on Belize! It´ll be published in March!

As for snorkelling, it was a bit too windy for our liking and visibility was poor at the first snorkelling spot. The second one, visibility was clear but far too shallow. Highlight of this snorkelling trip was over 10 blue manta rays below me in shallow water (up to my hips standing up). You´re supposed to stand up if there are plenty of them so that you don´t step on them but cos it was so windy, you had to float horizontally with the manta rays touching you! Slimey, eww! I was quite panicky at first as I had no idea whether they were harmless after all the stingray stories I have heard and didn't stay in the water for too long. Aman did pretty well even if she had to hold onto Alex, who was really into it, taking underwater photos. Had a scrumptious dinner, I had a whole lobster for about 10 quid! Spent the evening in I & I reggae bar with wooden swings on the rooftop, again with free drinks *winks*.

Sadly, after speaking with the locals, the island has changed so much in the past 6 years. This foreign-owned Raggamuffin tour company for diving and snorkelling trips is eroding the original charm of this place. So if you ever go to Caye Caulker, take a local tour to help out the locals.