Zoe Harrison Travel Web Site

I visited Placencia for a weekend about 8 years ago. It's a peninsula jutting out from Belize into The Caribbean. It was great to be back, but sad to see what the recent hurricanes have done to the area. The buildings seem a little tired, there are certainly less trees but it's promising to see that building is in progress wherever you look.

Unfortunately we were subjected to the tail end of Hurricane Earl so for two nights were bombarded with fierce thunder and lightening that made our cabin shake. Little sleep was to be had and fearing the worst I just had to get up and put my clothes on - just in case we had to make a quick exit I didn't fancy doing it in my birthday suit. Jason of course found this all highly amusing and wondered where I was planning on going that could be any safer! But I was in the Brownies and always taught to be prepared!

With not much chance of getting any diving in we took a bus up to Dangriga with the hope that the storms would pass and we could make it over to Tobacco Caye. We sat having breakfast amidst a huge storm trying to make a decision - stay or go, stay or go? In the end we finally saw sense when a couple just back from the island arrived in the cafe soaked to the skin.

We upped our rucksacks and made for the bus station to get a bus to San Ignacio.

Cayo (San Ignacio) 19th - 23rd August 2004

Being back here after such a long time has brought back so many fond memories -

*the food...burritos, tacos, tostadas, salbutes, panades, rice and beans;

*the weather ... 92 degrees and 80% humidity;

*the landscape ... rolling hills topped with lush rainforest;

*and the people ... so diverse - from the Mennonites to the people of Mayan, Hispanic, and Creole origin.

And it was great to see that Bob (an ex-pat) was still running Eva’s bar and restaurant. We spent most of our evenings there and it has been great to feel like a local again.

Canoeing The Macal River

Recently a friend of mine highlighted that I’ve been rather more active since I’ve been away. So as not to disappoint and keep up the momentum we set off down the Macal River on a 15km canoe trip. We stopped off at Cha Creek to visit the Ix Chel Medicine trail and butterfly farm but after meeting an American couple (who kindly treated us to lunch) we ran out of time. Still, managed to stock up on some "Travelers Tonic" (guaranteed to sort out squirty moments) before we left.

Green Hills Butterfly House

After missing out on the butterflies at Cha Creek, and despite butterflies not really being my thing, it was well worthwhile to visit this farm.

Getting there was a bit more complicated ... a ride in a chicken bus and then an 8 mile walk down a rubble track off the main road. Thank god we were lucky enough to get a lift most of the way in with a local farmer.

Getting back was even more of an adventure. Imagine, if you can, the following. Being stood in the middle of nowhere waiting to hitch a ride and in the distance you hear the familiar tune of an ice-cream van?! Surreal but true! So we ordered a couple of ice creams and accepted the offer of a lift to the main road, via a few villages.

Actun Tunichil Muknal (Cave of the stone Sepulcher)

This was just an incredible journey to the edge of the remote Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. After a 45 minute hike through snake infested jungle and wading through 3 rivers we reached the cave opening ... and the only way in was by jumping into a freezing plunge pool. The rest of the hike, climb and swims were only possible with our headlamps on and our guide leading the way.

Apart from the obvious natural beauty of the stalagmites and stalactites we saw hundreds of Mayan pots and some human remains from over 1500 years ago ... and still in the places they were found. Like a natural museum. It was such a unique experience to see the ceremonial and sacrificial sites without barriers, walk ways or ceiling lights and I feel very privileged. Give it a few more years and I imagine most of the artifacts will be in a museum somewhere and getting in and out of the caves will be less of an adventure.

Good Shepherd Clinic

The Good Shepherd Clinic is based in the village of San Jose Succotz (just a few miles on a chicken bus from Cayo), and it was here that I lived and worked about eight years ago. Margaret Juan, a nurse originally from England, has dedicated most of her life to running the clinic and relies mainly on donations and volunteers to provide health care to the local people.

It was fantastic to see how far the clinic has gone since I was there ... it now has a chapel, truck and emergency treatment room. And lovely to catch up with all the other staff and friends ... Sister John, Nicolasa and Elmer are still working there.

On the way out we caught up with one of my old neighbours who now has 3 children. I went to her wedding in 1996 and she was keen to show me that she still has the photo I had sent her from the happy day ... the only photo she has. Unfortunately my little friend Gustavo (her brother, now 21) is now in prison and looking at a 5 year stretch!

Flores and Tikal 24th - 26th August 2004

I have dreamt of returning to Tikal with someone special for 8 years and I’m so pleased I’ve been able to share the experience with Jason. Tikal is such a unique Mayan site - built from around 700 BC, and set in over 550 sq km of jungle. The towering pyramids poke out of the canopies of trees, and provide incredible views. The highest we climbed reaches about 64m and with sheer drops at all sides it wasn’t for the faint hearted. The signs at the bottom warned (in literal translation) "Climb at your cost and risk" a new installation since I was here last and turns out to be in response to a couple of people falling off and killing themselves.

(For the most observant or clever ones amongst you, you will have noted that Tikal is in fact in Guatemala. Just for the record "I know". It’s so close to Belize that it made sense to visit it from there.)

Caye Caulker 26th August - 1st September

Turquoise waters, beautiful coral, rum and ginger, seafood for every meal and a Caribbean island pace of life. If I was to win the premium bonds I wouldn't be leaving this place.

It's been great to meet up with Malcolm and Alex from Spanish School (it's a small world this traveling lark) and also Lisa and Alcuin, from Leeds, who so generously gave me an English magazine and the latest Patricia Cornwell novel. Seriously, those amongst you who have traveled must know how precious these items are.

We have done 3 dives in Turneffe Atoll and although the visibility wasn't as good as Honduran waters we saw loads of new sea creatures to add to our log book notes. And snorkeling with sharks and rays was "exciting" too!

But since then there hasn't been much doing in the water ... Jason has perforated his eardrum so the ocean (and shower!) are off limits for at least 6 weeks. With him getting restless ... there's little more to do than sunbathe, drink and eat here (suits me down to the ground) ... we've decided to move on to Mexico tomorrow where he says we can "see things"!