1st August

Got on the boat to Belize City today. I'm a little sad to leave Caye Calker, it's a nice island, but oh well. In Belize City we caught a 'chicken bus' to San Ignasio. On the way Jack kept being passsed back and forth over the back of the seat. Going to and from each of my parent's knees as the bus filled up with people and emptied again. Eventually, when we got to San Ignasio we found a hotel then some lunch. Afterwards we went for a refreshing swim in a river. In the water my Dad got a handful of stones from the bottom. Next he told us that there were diamonds in his hand and we belived him! In he end he stopped fooling us and told us what they really were: stones. We had been fooled and very well. For dinner we had a Chinese even though we were in Belize. The lady that cooked our dinner couldn't speak much English - all she could say was: fly ly (fried rice), curry, noodles and vegetables and the few words she spoke were said strangley. My Mum started saying fly ly too! We had a good tea.

2nd August

From our hotel room we went to get a taxi to the border of Belize. Right on the border there was a building we had to go in to get a stamp to leave the country. Then we left. A few seconds were spent walking in no-mans-land, then we were in Guatemala! From there we went straight to Tikal. Tikal is a Mayan archeological site filled with loads of ziggurats. Tikal is also right in the middle of a rainforest so there are lots of monkeys! Spider Monkeys and Howler Monkeys. Luckily we didn't run into any Howler Monkeys or should I say we were lucky we didn't run under any. Howler Monkeys like making a lot of noise but they also like pooing on people's heads. I liked Tikal is a lot more than Chichen Itza because: there was a lot more shade; it rained; we could climb all over the pyramids, it felt like somewhere from an Indiana Jones film and there were a lot more animals. That night we stayed in a hostel called Los Amigos in Flores - a tiny island in the middle of a lake. We had burgers as big as our heads for tea! They had a slice of pineapple in it, yummy.

3rd August

Today we had a nice day hanging around. We had breakfast - an enormous pile of pancakes and fruit - went for a swim in the lake, walked around the island (it only took about 20 minutes) and that was it.

4th August

The day started well, as we had more pancakes, went for another swim and swung in hamocks. However, this time it wasn't just that. At 09:00 pm we rushed off to catch a night bus to Guatemalla City. Worringly we only had 3 seats when there are 4 of us. I got slightly cross: to start with I sat on the bump between the 2 seats. Luckily the problem was solved when Jack lay down on the floor by our feet, so I could rest my head on Mum. My brother and I fell asleep.

5th August

After the long 10 hour bus ride, a mini-bus man picked us up from the bus station and drove to another to pick up some other people. Their bus was 3 hours late, so that's 3 hours sitting on a mini-bus. Eventually, when the bus arrived, the mini-bus set of to Antigua. In Antigua we were dropped off at a Hostel where we fell straight to sleep. Later

that afternoon we had a look round town. We went to the market to buy some fruit and vegetables. The market had lots and lots of stalls selling everything. The market building that we went in was a warren of passages going in every direction - it seemed that we were getting further and further from daylight and closer and closer towards the center of the earth... There were stalls selling flowers, jeans, shoes, flower garlands, vegetables (yippee) , fruit (yippee again!) sewing stuff and lots more.

6th August

This morning I was wrenched from my sleep at 5 am by my excited Dad. We were going to climb one of the world's most active Volcanoes. Only a couple of years ago it had an enormous explosion that blew its top off. The vocano is named Pacaya. It only took an hour and a half to get as near to the top as possible - we were not allowed to the very top as it was too dangerous. All the way up were followed by horses, their owners called them natural taxis!

At the top we went for a very windy walk around and i got lava in my shoes. We toasted marshmallows on the hot volcanic rocks (yum) and climbed inside a hot lava tube. We managed to get the most people in at once. There were wooden traffic lights posted around showing us where it was too dangerous to go. Visiting the volcano was absolutely awesome and worth the early start!

7th August

One taxi, one bus and two collectivos (a shared mini bus type thing, where a man leans out of the open door and shouts a lot whilst it is driving to try and get you on) later we arrive in Copan, Honduras. We found somewhere to stay and had funny game of football on the roof with the people that lived there.

8th August

More Mayan ruins today. Instead of monkeys we were greeted by the deafening screech of Macaws flying overhead. We climbed all over the ruins, imagined heads rolling down staircases, admired Mayan hieroglyphics and woke up some hopefully not-vampire- bats!

9th August

This time it was two buses and a boat with triple decker sandwich and a boiled egg in between. Then we arrived in Utila, an island previously inhabited by Pirates, in the Caribbean sea just off the coast of Honduras.

10th August

Woke up, walked 10 meters and jumped straight off the jetty into the sea. Just before breakfast. All that walking and swimming can't be good for me right before eating porridge, can it?. More eating, swimming, playing on the beach, reading and chasing yellow stingrays underwater followed.

grandma Well Josie I am sure you were only a little bit cross! And I am glad the monkeys didn't poo on your head.. just imagine how much washing your hair would need and the rest of you! You can talk to Hazel about volcanos when you see her next. Why is it a chicken bus? I like the sound of the breakfasts and staying in the middle of a lake and right by the sea.. how fantastic it all sounds. Diamonds!! Indeed!! Lots of love. grandma

Aug 11, 2013

Grace hi what was in the triple decker sandwich ? the pictures look great by the way .did you find any dead pirates bones or pistols ??? i hope you remember to check your bag before you go to the next place or a howler monkey might might jump out and want to join you -who wouldnt ??? i hope that the man who tries to get you to go on the bus doesnt shout rude words out at people ! the island must have been small if it only took 20 mins to walk round hope you have some more adventures soon !

Aug 11, 2013

Granny You are having a tough life! Swimming, overnight buses, pancakes, other interesting food, ruins, pooing monkeys, screaming macaws and chasing stingrays! And a live volcano. Even if it did mean being wrenched from sleep at 5am by an excited Dad! Your blog is just great! Love to you all, Granny x

Aug 11, 2013

Eve, Euan and Chloe Hi Jack, have you enjoyed your trip so far? We are having sunny weather, are you? From Euan To Josie, are you having a good time, is the food nice? From Chloe Hi Josie, I'm missing you and everyone else from school. Hope you are all having a fab time. From Eve To Jack I hope you are having a good time from Euan

Aug 11, 2013