Hello from Belize..... what can I tell you..... I've just crossed the border from Guatemala only a few hours ago, and it feels like I've been transported to a Caribbean Island! People speak English here (it used to be British Honduras until they got their independence from us in 1981), allbeit with a very Caribbean accent, their skin is darker and more like Afro-Caribbean than the Mayan/indigenous/Spanish mix elsewhere, and the pace of life has slowed down another notch (if that's at all possible!!!).

It's pretty much R&R time here..... it's too hot and humid to do anything involving too much energy. Tomorrow I'm going to cool off by visiting some nearby waterfalls and lakes in the middle of the jungle, and then we head off to Caye Caulker - a small island just off the coast in the Caribbean for sunbathing, snorkelling, cocktails and generally 'being on holiday'.

So, a quick update on the last few days events....... Well, I finally hooked up with my new travel mates in Antigua - there are only four of us in total, plus our driver/guide. It will be totally different travelling in such a small group, when I've been so used to being with a whole 'pack'! It's a very different dynamic as well (I am the baby of the group!), but I'm sure we'll all get along just fine for the 4 weeks....

From Antigua we left for Panajachel on the shores of Lake Titicaca - possibly one of the most beautiful bodies of water in the world. I took a very relaxing boat trip across the lake visiting a few of the other surrounding villages. It was a great day, and made even better by bumping into a Swiss couple I had met climbing the volcano a couple of days previously - they were great company, and we went out for a few beers afterwards.

Leaving Panajachel, we headed to Finca Paraiso where we swam in a hot-water waterfall - the result of an incredibly hot volcanic spring - lovely and relaxing! It was then onwards to Finca Ixobel - a gorgeous spot in the middle of the Guatemalan jungle, from where we went caving - another first for me, but a real experience. Being totally in the dark except for the light from my bobbing head-torch, wading through water sometimes knee-deep, sometimes neck-deep, through the cave to an underground waterfall and lake. There was a 5 metre high 'leap of faith' where you have to jump off the top of the rock to get to the lake - in pitch black darkness! I'm sure my heart was beating faster at the top of there than it was running off the cliff paragliding!!

The only small problem with this little paradise was the sheer quantity of bugs. You will read this next paragraph and swear that I am exaggerating, but I promise I'm not lying! Our first night camping was absolutely fine.... On the second day I came back from caving to find a long line of very large ants crawling right across the front of my tent. And not just regular ants..... their bodies were at least half an inch long! Playing the 'damsel in distress' card, Rob offered to help me move my tent away from the ants so I wouldn't have to get bitten on my way back that night. Now I don't know what these ants liked about my tent so much, but by that night they had followed me. Not wishing to seem like too much of a city-chick, I opened my tent and jumped in as quick as I could, making the minimal of fuss. A couple of particularly painful bites (or are they stings??) later, I was inside and frantically brandishing my flip-flop at any that had crept inside with me. So far, so good... or so I thought! After having a relatively sleepless night having nightmares about creepy crawlies, I woke up..... to find the tent absolutely COVERED in these ants. I tried to very calmly pack up my things, hoping that they would miraculously change their path before I needed to get out of the tent...... Hmmm..... that was never going to happen! I decided I had to make a mad dash for it, but little did I realise that even though I ran through the tent door as soon as I could, throwing my gear out as fast as I could, I would step on the ground outside to find just as many ants out there too! I ran away virtually screaming, and trying to prize these little b******s off me, but they got to me first - my feet have not been so swollen or itchy... ever! Kevin, our driver/tour leader came to find out what all the fuss was about, but promptly ate his words when he saw the state of the tent! Apparently in the ten years he has worked in Central America, he had never seen anything like it!!! My feet are now a little better, but I am still suffering from 'bug paranoia' - every time I feel a little tickle on my skin I'm convinced there's a 'killer ant' crawling over me!!!

After that experience, I was hopeful of leaving the jungle, but I still had to see the magnificent Mayan ruins at Tikal before getting out. And I couldn't have missed it..... I got up this morning at 4 am to see the sun rise from the top of one of the huge pyramids, and it pretty much took my breath away. Not quite as big as Machu Picchu in Peru, but just as stunning (and much older, at over 2,000 years old), it was well worth enduring more bugs for.

Well, there you go - that's the latest on what's going on over here. I'm still very excited about getting to Mexico, but now can't believe that in three weeks time I'll be back in Blighty - eeek! At least I don't have to worry about missing you all though - I'm now getting excited about seeing you so soon!

Keep the emails and messages coming in - it's so good to hear from you. Until the next time.....

Much love
Nikki xxxxxxx