Tarantula

Me holding an orange-kneed tarantula at the Butterfly Farm, Monteverde.

Scared of spiders?

Monteverde (Santa Elena) is lovely we're staying at this great hostel called Pension Santa Elena, they are so friendly and helpful and we´ve been cooking in the kitchen the last three nights.
Went to Bajo del Tigre last night for a night tour saw lots of cool stuff including a snake and a two toed sloth. I went walking in the Santa Elena Reserve this morning, saw a great view of Volcan Arenal with no cloud on it! Then went to do the zip-line tour this afternoon, unfortunately it was cancelled cos of a thunderstorm (lightning and tall towers made of metal not a good idea!) so that was sad, did the first few lines through forest which was cool but not the highest or fastest ones, met a kiwi chick from Auckland and her english boyfriend. Teresa slept in then went on a 2hour horse trek, only her and the guide which was good. Also visited the butterfly farm where we were told all about the insects etc of Costa Rica and then got to walk through the different gardens. I have a picture of me holding a orange kneed tarantula but it won't upload :-(
25-26th August 2006

La Fortuna 22nd August

Unfortunately Volcan Arenal covered in cloud so didn't get to see even a hint of lava. Baldi Hot Springs the most amazing extravagant place ever, over 20 pools ranging from 37deg to 67deg lots of gardens and a few cold pools for when you got too hot, also 2 swim-up bars and a few restaurants. Had the biggest shower in our room i've ever seen!!

Kayak Parismina

Went kayaking on the canals, once off the main river very quiet and peaceful. Saw spider monkeys, a morpho butterfly, a three toed sloth, some cool lizards and dragonflies and birds.

Parismina

Having a great time in Parismina, very relaxed here, all our meals cooked for us (lots of beans and rice and fried bananas) the turtle patrol can be hard work walking in sand for 4 hours a night, especially if you dont see any turtles cos then you walk to the end (5.6km) but if there are turtles then you have to wait about 1.5 hours for them to lay and then to cover the eggs and flick sand everywhere and get back to the sea (the poachers also steal the turtles) have seen a few turtles but its sad that we get excited if there are 5 turtles laying in one night when not that long ago there would have been hundreds every night. Have had a couple of nights with no turtles and one where 2 turtles came onto the beach then turned around while we watched (for reasons unknown to us sometimes it just isnt right for the turtle) they are amazing to watch and the eggs are so flexible but strong have reburied a few nests at the hatchery which was cool. Had Saturday night off so went to the "disco" the music is so loud you can feel the vibration all over Parismina, so everyone ends up sitting outside!
You can find out more about Parismina and the Turtle Association by going to the "Save the Turtles - Parismina" link on the left side of this page.

Deikol with my Kathmandu frisbee (he liked throwing it in the air) at

Leiony's house (our 'mother').

Some of the local boys having fun at the lagoon.

11-22 August 2006

Where to next?

We´re in Nicaragua now heading down to Costa Rica in a few days, stupidly hot here but at least i´ll be able to wash my clothes and they´ll dry quick! I can say i´ve been on an authentic chicken bus now as yesterday a woman got on the bus carrying a live chicken!! I look forward to being in the US where they have no doubt made the seats and spaces larger cos they are all so fat and there will be airconditioning and movies and a toilet . . . i could go on ;-) Looking forward to chilling in Parismina for 10 days but it will be a mission to get there, from here it´s 3 buses to the border and 1 to San Josè where we will have to stay the night to get an early start for the 2 buses and a boat to Parismina!! We stopped of at a book store in Tegusigalpa (capital of Honduras) for some english books to while away the spare time when not playing with turtles, still have to find some gifts for the children and our host family.
So stopped in; La Ceiba, Tegusigalpa, Frontera los Manos, Ocotal, Esteli, Leon, Managua Granada, Rivas, Pinas Blancas, San Jose, Siquirres, Cano Blanco, Parismina, whew!

Want your hair braided?

Everyone's just itching to braid our hair, especially Teresa's cos it's so long. Caught a ferry from La Ceiba to Roatan Island, stayed at Chilli's Hostel on the beach, the water is crystal clear and gorgeous. It's my 3 month anniversary away from home.
After a swim the next morning and a look at the little shops along the 'strip' (main road - dirt), went snorkelling with the Coconut Tree Resort dive boat. Awesome, would love to come back here and do a diving course. Watched 'free' movies Superman Returns and Da Vinci Code at the Brick Oven pizza place, pizza's very expensive.
5th August, After my morning swim we headed over to the main town on the island Coxen Hole. Not flash, and still expensive food, so headed back to our part of the island and took a water taxi to West End Beach. Resort part of the island large beach with loads of people.

West End Beach

Most dangerous city in central america

Caught a bus to Tela, but had to catch a taxi to a new bus station in San Pedro Sula for the last part of the trip, found out when we were there that it's supposed to be the most dangerous city in central america.
Tela is effing hot we`re off to the bay islands tomorrow morning, will be just as hot there but hopefully more beautiful, although ppl are friendly here, the kids maybe too friendly, a couple of girls selling sweets took a mandarin each from our lunch and then a couple of boys selling bread took teresa`s water!! We didn`t hold it against them though they should have been at school (maybe aged 5-7)
Gotta dash no email for the next few days, stupidly expensive on the islands (US$6 an hour 70cents here)

31st July

So we bailed on Guatemala because it took forever to get anywhere or anything done and noone knew anything but pretended they did which was rather frustrating! Now in Copan, Honduras and the people are lovely and friendly (right from the border) raining now as it does every afternoon but not too warm here which is nice (I had a shower and didn't break out into a sweat getting dressed) going to the Copan ruins tomorrow, our last ones of the trip, have some interesting carvings and temples inside temples so should be fun. Then up to Tela on the coast (yay beach). If all of Honduras is this nice may be here a week.

Tikal Ruins

Teresa and one of many Coatis foraging at the entrance to the Tikal Ruins

You know you're hot when . . .

- your knees sweat

Now in Guatemala and it is hot.

- your elbows sweat

Found a hostel in a great location on a lake close to the Tikal ruins.

- your ears sweat

If you want the best limonada (fresh lemon drink) on the planet you need to go to Cahui Restaurant in El Remate.

Orange Walk

(as in the town), Belize. Took a boat ride up the river to the Lamanai Ruins, only one other group there (our group only 6 people) so lovely and quiet. Amazing lunch supplied with the tour, very belizean.

Teresa climbing a Lamanai Temple - great view of the River and Jungle from the top.

Belize is a crazy mix of cultures, everyone is really friendly (sometimes creepily so) but always helpful and everyone says hello. The chicken buses aren't nearly as bad as everyone makes out (no chickens so far), although for a taller person the lack of leg room (these are old US school buses) is a bit painful after a few hours, luckily Belize is small so we travelled from Belize City to San Ignacio (almost at the Guatemalan border) in 2.5hours and we stopped lots to let ppl on and off and stopped for 20min at the capital Belmopan (has a population smaller than Hawera).
Moving so fast through these countries but having lots of fun, Teresa is even finding lots of food she can eat (mostly vegetarian, no spicy food, no sauce).
Got some money out in Belize city, US$600 but cost me a lot in fees with the bank, govt tax and the cut they take (1.75%), and that doesn't include TSB's fees, so that kinda sucks! (wasn't quite so bad in Mexico). It's really really hot, have to drink so much water cos even sitting still we drip sweat (kinda gross!!), getting used to sleeping like a starfish though!! Always going with the rooms with a fan helps, but not much.
Internet costs 3-5 us dollars an hour so can't write much.

Leaf Cutter Ants

Staying in the jungle is sooo cool!! Took a taxi out to El Panchan a few km's from town. We have a jungle cabin of our own with a shared bathroom, a couple of restaurants nearby and other cabins hidden away, have to step over the leaf cutter ants on the pathways. It's so amazing green and lots of pretty flowers, lobsters claws, birds of paradise (I keep forgetting their proper name), but all very "rainforest".
Took a tour to the Palenque Ruins, very nice, set in the rainforest so could cool off in the shade. Also went to Misol-Ha and Agua Azul waterfalls, Could walk behind Misol-Ha but might as well have gone swimming, and "Agua Azul" not very "blue water" due to all the rain lately more "Agua Cafe".
Do not recommend anyone ever spends more time in the town of Palenque than absolutely necessary, super hot and not a lot to see, unless you're doing a study on deformities (ever seen "Wrong Turn"?) ok that was a little harsh, I'm sure they don't kill people and it is unfortunate, but there's something wrong there, we sure as hell didn't drink any of the water!

Teresa at our jungle cabin in El Panchan

Giving birth the Mayan way

Arrived in San Cristobal at 5:30am but no room for us at the hostel we went to, so left our things there and went for a walk around town. Gorgeous little mountain town, nice and cool, green hills all around and loads of churches and little squares. After breakfast donated our spare bread to some hungry dogs and a homeless man, looks like we might have to carry spare food with us all the time. . .
Headed through an extremely poor part of town to the Mayan Medicine Museum, gave explanations on all sorts of Mayan tricks, including a video of a woman giving birth Mayan style and how a live chicken is used to aid the birth, (I saw it on video but still have no idea how rubbing a chicken - or an axe for that matter - over the woman's body helps for a quicker birth!).
Decided we were done with San Cristobal and jumped straight on a bus for Palenque.

Feeding the squirrel

While looking round the markets spotted a squirrel checking the little feed troughs on the trees, so took some of our bread over and shared it with a few kids and the squirrel took the food out of their hands! Then the kids ate the rest of the bread, poor buggers, needed a wash as well as some food.
Took a local bus to the Monte Alban Ruins just outside town.

Torture Museum

Nasty! Not a place for the faint hearted (as I discovered myself to be) had examples of absolutely everything you could possibly imagine had ever been used for torture. And they let children in! Had a look round a mall Mexico-Style, caught a bus back to the hostel music blasting and no leg room (literally sitting sideways). Then good old Pizza Hut for dinner. A little different from home, the chef came out and offered us some"Acapulca Gold" when we were done eating, good stuff so we're told!
The next day we took the "Bamba Experience" bus to Oaxaca. Not just a bus ride but a travelling experience. Stopped in a nice town called Pueblo for lunch then the Zapotitlan de Salinas (cactus forest) where we learnt about some of the hundreds of uses for cacti. You could cure any ailment in the desert!