The Chicken Bus
The chicken bus. An old American school bus. No chickens today though. Instead hard seats with a little bit of upholstery – just enough to stop you going completely numb. I seem to spend a lot of the journey trying to avoid the stomach and crotch area of the quite large bus ‘official’ who is collecting the fares and organising the luggage. The only thing making it bearable is the breeze coming through the open windows; and that becomes stifling when the bus stops to pick up the numerous locals along the way. (The return journey is not much better either! But definitely an experience)
Caye Caulker
The pay off for the journey on the chicken bus is our three day stay on the island of Caye Caulker. The motto of the island is ‘Go Slow.’ So for the time we are there that is just what we do; relax by the sea, drink at the bar, enjoy local food that is actually tasty, spot sea horses and fish, and go swimming and snorkeling (not me!).
Tikal
The guide points out the toucan. It’s high up in the branches making its clicking noise. I zoom in on my camera – the colours on its beak are so vivid. I manage to get a great photo. I’m so pleased that I’ve been able to see one in the wild. There is also a group of Coati foraging on the ground. Silently we watch them. The guide says the babies are not very old; the adults have recently brought them down from the trees. (We later see an adult scamper down the trunk, a tiny baby dangling from its mouth.)
The site of Tikal is vast. Covered in jungle, it seems the only way to see another pyramid is to climb up one. It’s well worth the effort. This time there are wooden steps with a railing rather than the usual uneven stone steps. Looking out over the jungle canopy, the tops of the stone ruins can be seen stretching into the distance.
We walk, for what seems like miles, in the shade of the trees between the different temples. Although providing welcome cover, it is still extremely hot and by the time we reach the minibus we are exhausted and dripping with sweat.
Rio Dulce River
The air stirred up by the speed of the boat, makes the trip along the Rio Dulce river cooling and enjoyable. We see the fort, Castillo de San Felipe de Lara, first of all, at the head of the river. Again there is a variety of bird life, animals, possibly even crocodiles, as well as local communities living along the banks. We pull into Livingston, the town at the mouth of the river. Livingston looks a bit worse for wear. Boats are left rotting in shallow water, houses look in need of attention. There is not much there – it seems to be just a stop before the Caribbean Sea.
We return to our ‘hotel’. We are staying in lodges that are built right over the water. As we sit, chatting , in the swimming pool, we all feel that we could probably stay here a lot longer than just one night. It’s such a relaxing place.
Antigua
Antigua is the last stop on my part of the tour; the others are carrying on. The town is surrounded by volcanoes; some active. It is quite touristy but it has a nice feel. It’s good for just wandering and taking photos. I do a walking tour with Dave and Judy, have an excellent coffee and carrot cake with Jacinda, chat to Laura and Sarah. We all go out for a meal and watch some salsa dancing (Some of us join in, although unsurprisingly not me!).
We have a meal together and I say goodbye to everyone. I have loved the tour and enjoyed the obviously excellent company. Thank you Magda for such a great time on the ‘Fun in Mexico’ adventure.
Journeys with my pencil 