Belize.

Crossing the Mexican border was the most instant culture change you can imagine. On our way from Chetumal in Mexico to Orange walk we passed through communities of multi coloured wooden houses on stilts, plenty of mown lawns, and hundreds and hundreds of palm trees. It was the instant feeling of being in the Caribbean.

We all fell in love with Belize almost instantly because they have somehow brewed the best beer in the whole world - Belikin. No idea what goes into this 'brew' but it makes instant joy. We were met in Orange Walk by a guy we had never met called Armenio who popped us in his car, gave us a guided tour of the town, showed us Queen Victoria park and Queen Elizabeth Park (apparently a popular destination for queens), pointed out the best place for breakfast the next morning, drove us to a hotel, negotiated cheap rates and then bumbled off smiling - probably for a Belikin.

We were quite clearly the only tourists in the town (it is TINY) but everyone was keen to chat so we sorted a tour for the next day to Lamanai, some partially excavated Mayan ruins in the jungle. We took a two hour boat trip up the New River seeing crocodiles, spider monkeys (so curious they came down to the boat and helped themselves to a couple of bananas) howler monkeys (including babies), parrots, hawks, etc etc... amazing. Spent another evening in the town with Armenio & friends and the Belikins and then hopped onto 'the blue bus' (our first taste of local buses in the country - reggae blaring from the speakers, locals hopping on and off selling tacos and banana bread...) heading straight to the city.