The Americas 2013

Unbeknownst to me when I booked the sunrise tour was that it meant being up at 03h45 for a 04h00 meeting to trek into the jungle to watch the sunrise over the jungle canopy from the top of temple 4 and to listen to the jungle come alive. Although getting up at that hour isn’t sane the experience was amazing. There wasn’t much of a “sunrise” per se because it was misty but the sounds of the jungle coming alive was worth the loss of sleep.

Spider Monkey..

Oscillated Wild Turkey

The sound of howler monkeys, toucans, macaws and a host of other tropical species all simultaneously waking up is a once in a lifetime experience and to witness it from the top of an ancient Mayan temple made the experience surreal.

Howler monkeys making their haunting call. Watch this you tube clip to hear what they sound like…

For Peta…

Breakfast was at 9am followed by a 3 hour nap before I got packed and onto the bike to make my way into Belize and get the border crossing behind me. Belize is completely different from the rest of Latin America and I love it. Although Belize used to be British Honduras and prior to that, much to the chagrin of the Guatemalans, was part of Guatemala, the people are Creole Caribbean and the whole feel of the place is shabby chic and like that of the Bahamas or some other tropical island. The architecture, the reggae music playing everywhere, the “hey mon” and the very laidback attitude is NOTHING like what I have experienced in Latin America AND immigration and customs was a 5 minute affair for both!!!

Days ride..

View from my room at the great house inn.

I am spending the night at a little hotel called the great house next to the Caribbean sea and will be looking for a little bar/restaurant to spend Saturday night in Belize City!!