December 2010
12 posts
All I Want For Christmas Is A Botfly Growing Under...
Christmas Day was fairly low key for us. I woke up with a case of runaway bowel, and Ned discovered he had maggots growing under the skin of his shoulder. Human Botfly is apparently quite common in Central America, but neither of us, or anyone we’ve talked to since have ever heard of it! Lucky Ned is a worrywart because I sure as hell wasn’t on his team when he came out of the bathroom...
Livingston, I Presume?
As a day trip from Rio Dulce we went to Livingston, a town on Guatemala’s tiny portion of Caribbean coast. The best of days surely start with sun, a boat ride and a random conversations with the locals, and end in something completely unexpected - in this case, a private tour in and around the homes of the Garifuna community and a whole fish soup.
Livingston is about an hour by boat...
Christmas Carols Aren't Any Less Annoying in...
I feel so out of touch. Even though there are Christmas decorations all around us (the lights on people’s houses in Guatelamala rival those of Hill Street, Smithton!) and carols blaring from the shops, I can’t believe it’s that time of year already. It only seems like five minutes have passed since I asked for no presents because I didn’t want to feel the guilt after not...
The Ex-pats of Rio Dulce
You know how everyone laughs, says “ten points” and grabs the door handle when driving past a cyclist? Turns out to be pretty funny. Once you know the guy on the bike is alright, of course. The bus pulling up in Rio Dulce swung it’s door open a little early and knocked a passing biker for a six. The bus man apologised, a few drug-running trucks honked and the dusty biker got...
How Many Caves Is Too Many Caves?
Guess who didn’t want to hold the scary cave spider? The joke about Europe being the place to learn your ABCs isn’t exactly new. The traveller who has spent too much time on the continent soon learns the phrase, Another Bloody Church or Another Bloody Castle. Although we haven’t spent nearly enough time in Central America, I’m erring on the side of ABC - Another Bloody...
We went to Semuc Champey. It was fun.
I was just whinging about this to Mum in an email - it’s almost harder to write a blog post about the great experiences travelling than the crap ones. I can make a bad situation funny, especially if it involves poo. Attempting to capture something amazing, however, is really tricky. I feel like I’m back in grade one, reciting my story to the class about visiting the beach; we went to...
Tikkal’s howler monkeys marking their...
Tikkal: Translation, Tick City
I guess it’s not every morning that you find yourself barely awake at 4:30am, on top of an ancient Mayan temple and thinking about Lady Gaga. Ned and I had had a dispute [argument? Heated discussion?] the night before about whether or not Lady Gaga would make it to Triple J’s Hottest 100. I wanted to make a bet that there’s no way the pop princess would make it to an...
I Gotta Rock in My Croc: ATM Caves
After many a recommendation, Ned and I decided to extend our time in Belize to include a stopover in San Ignacio and a trip out to Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Caves. Great. Decision. Team.
What a unique experience! We waded, swam and squeezed through the tightest of gaps to see the Mayan sacraficial site - as it was left a thousand years ago. Only rediscovered by geologists mapping the caves...
Everyone say "Oooh-ahhh": From Caye Caulker to...
Anyone who’s ever been to Belize, has a friend who’s been to Belize, has ever thought about Belize or knows nothing of Belize has probably heard of Raggamuffin Tours. Their reputation is solid for a reason: the yacht tour of Belize Barrier Reef rocks! Three days of snorkelling, fishing, sunbathing and eating with two nights of camping on gorgeous desert islands and drinking unlimited...
Belize Beach Bums
Don’t mind me, my typing may be a little erratic in this post. I keep having to pause to scratch my 153 sandfly bites. But y’know what? I don’t really care because my mass-accumulation of sandfly bites indicates my proximity to the sand. Oh yeah baby, we’re finally in Belize! After a long couple of days transit (Linea Dorada averaged 40km an hour, my mathematically-gifted...
November 2010
15 posts
Pimp My Tuk-Tuk: Lake Atitlan
How many people can fit on the back of a ute?? I love being a farm girl; while a bunch of people stood back and waited, Ned and I clambered over the sides and were on our way!
Getting to San Pedro from Xela on the weekend reminded me of Brian Thacker’s book Planes, Trains and Elephants - we took every mode of transport possible! Since the rains of the wet season washed out the main road...
Lincey Michols Goes to Hospital
Doesn’t Ned play the greiving, soon-to-be widower so well? In a Guatemalan hospital, trying to poo in a cup and watching the lone cockroach skitter; I have arrived. This is it. The “genuine” travel experience I have been searching for all year. Cool.
I felt I had been mentally preparing myself for getting sick at sometime during our trip, but when the time came…my...
