This is our last full day of the tour, tomorrow we all go our separate ways, some to the post tour extension to Nicaragua and some will go home.

I am actually dreading saying goodbye to Sharon. We have got on so well together and had many a laugh. I wish we lived closer to each other.

Anyway, moving on ....

Lamanai, or translated from the Mayan, the Submerged Crocodile. This ancient Mayan city is only accessible by boat along the New River.

Don't you just the the Belizean lack of complication?? Only four roads, the North, the South, the West and, wait for it ...... The Hummingbird. 

What?? No East??

Just found a new river?? 

What shall we call it?? Ooh I know, how about ...The New River?? 

Okay so there plenty more rivers, with proper names but I like this simple, no fuss attitude.

We had to be up early, I already told you that?? But oh God, this was really early, even the sparrow wasn't awake yet.

All in a good cause though chaps, get on the bus!

Somehow, we two bad girls have found ourselves back on the Naughty Step, aka the Back Seat. It's actually preferable for me as we can spread out and I can see the road through the front windscreen, so don't feel ill. We therefore announced that we were quite happy to sit here for the rest of the trip.

The only trouble with it is, when we go over the big speed humps, we are in dire need of a good sports bra, need I say more??

Someone has described this boat trip as The James Bond boat trip. Sounds good to me. I am really looking forward to it.

We stopped now and again along the way to look at the wildlife, mostly birds. We saw a lovely little Jacana. A pretty little thing walking across the submerged weed of a lake. It doesn't have webbed feet and like most birds, its knees are on backwards and it also has enormously long toes.  I can remember when I was young, this was the one elusive bird I was waiting for in my collection of Birds of the World cards that came free with loose tea. I had 49 out of 50, time for revenge, so I shot it!!   (With my camera, silly)

We arrived at the jetty with no other tourists in sight. Yes, the plan had worked, the cruise passengers were still eating breakfast.

The sky looked just a bit threatening but hey ho, it's only water, when all's said and done. All aboard!  The boat had a small canopy that probably covered the middle 50% of the seating area and Sharon and I were under it. We would have to rotate seats on the way back. Suits us because then we can take some photos.

Nate, our Belizean guide was also our driver / captain / whatever, and he liked a bit of speed. In no time at all we are tearing along the river, most exhilarating!!

Every now and then, he would jam the anchors on because he had seen something of interest. The first thing he stopped for was a cormorant. We dutifully clicked madly, like a crowd of Japanese tourists, and then he said that these were so common that he wouldn't stop for any more. 

Time for me to delete most of the pictures of Mr Cormorant then.

Then yours truly spotted a large dark figure in a tree and pointed it out to Nate. He swung round and backtracked and broke out in a happy grin.

'Oh wow', he said, 'This is a 1000 point bird you've found'

Bird, I thought it was a monkey!! Should have gone to Specsavers!!

Do you know what the really annoying thing is? I can't remember what he said it was!! I've looked the bird up on the internet and think it may be a Crane Hawk. There, so now you know, sort of.

There was also a highly camouflaged Nighthawk which even up close, I could hardly make out. He just blended in so well with the branch he was on.

We arrived at Lamanai and the ones in dire need were offered a 'potty stop'.  (really!!) Then we were off to see the ruins.

The Howler Monkeys were in full voice this morning, they do sound quite frightening, if you didn't know they were monkeys.

The Mayans had been living at Lamanai from around 1600BC but it started to become a more important centre around 500BC.

When the Spaniards arrived they built two Catholic churches but these were destroyed by the Mayans when the Spaniards left.

This was my favourite Mayan site. It just felt right, still surrounded by thick jungle, the sound of the Howler Monkeys, the birdsong and the lack of tourists, if you discounted some of the louder members of our own party. 

The Mask Temple and The Jaguar Temple must have been amazing discoveries and I would have loved to have been there at that time.

It was hot and muggy and I think we could have all kissed Cheechi when he offered us cold, iced towels on our return. What a luxury they were.

We were having a picnic lunch here at Lamanai, which had been on the boat with us. Whilst we were eating, the cruise tourists had started to arrive and we silently slinked away, back to our boat.

Yes, we rotated. We were at the front of the boat, the bit that lifts up higher, the faster you go. Woohoo!!

Unfortunately, whilst we were lunching, the clouds had gathered and it seemed inevitable that we were going to get a tad wet, if not, downright soaked.

At this point Sharon said she hadn't got her rain gear and didn't care about getting wet and I put mine on. Yes, I know we were friends, but it didn't mean I was into sharing, anyway I had to keep my posh camera dry, didn't I??

On the other side of me, Mary was a bit lacking in the rain wear department as well, so I dug into my bag and pulled out a very thin poncho, Disney style in a little bag, and gave it to her.

Here it comes! The raindrops were like needles and Sharon and I bent down low beneath the bow, which meant poor Mary was hit front and centre and within seconds she was soaked to the skin.

This was when she took the poncho out of the bag.

We are going about 30mph, the rain is one evil pack of knives, battering our faces and Mary is carrying out her own personal battle with the yellow poncho.

As she tried to put it over her head, the wind whipped it away, she hung on gamely and tried again. This time, it totally covered her face and flapped angrily in the wind. She looked like Munch's The Scream. 

By this time, we are all nearly wetting ourselves with laughter, including Mary, bless her, and when she eventually got it on, the rain had the cheek to stop!

So, it's back on the bus and back to the hotel we go. This is the night of the Farewell Dinner, with a group meeting before we leave. A kind of How Was It For You Thing.

We all disappeared off to change and dry out and I agreed to meet up with Sharon a bit later and polish off our wine as she was going to go for a trot around the local shops.

On my way back to my room, I thought about this meeting. I was almost certain that everyone would be expected to say something. I am such a shrinking violet (!) that I wondered what I should say.

And then I had it. Let's do the Brit Awards!

I scurried downstairs to the Gift Shop. The lovely lady there had given me some cable ties the night before, in case I couldn't find a padlock at Belize airport.  

I bought lots of key rings and fridge magnets and then went back to my room to sort out my awards.

Sharon and I demolished the remaining wine and were the last to arrive at the meeting (oops!!).

Sure enough, we were all sat in a big circle and Ivania went through some of  the expectations that we had  mentioned at the start of the tour.

Then she asked for any comments. It seemed to be going around the room, so I stood up and said that I was going to be giving out my Brit Awards, as follows:

Best Guide    - Ivania (of course)

Best Puppeteer     - Kristin (and Mr Koala)

Asking the most questions on the bus      - Roy and Liz

Best Cough and Cold      -  Dawn (thanks, I caught it!)

Most photographs taken of themselves    - Steve and Lesley

Slowest talker    -   Louis (what a nice man!)

Best Buddy    - Sharon - of course

Quietest people on the bus and top animal lovers    -   Sharon and Pat

The Flog Your Anniversary To Death award   -   Diana and Ed

Best Comedy Routine With a Poncho     - Mary and Stuart
 

Everyone seemed quite pleased with their memento of that weird English person and we all went off to dinner.

Oh, yes, I had the most enormous piece of chocolate cake ever for dessert Yum!!

I start my journey home tomorrow with mixed feelings. It will be lovely to see my beloved family again but I will be sad to leave Sharon, who is on the extension to Nicaragua.