Phill, Niky and Tom Say 'Cheeeeese!' 

Our first afternoon post Land Cruiser joyride, was spent inner tubing down the jungle river enjoying the water, rapids and chutes that tossed Tom, Phill, Jennifer (my hard-core mother) and me through the verdant surroundings.  The little biting fishes kept Mum well on top of her inner tube, and added just enough reality to the jungle experience without worrying about being stripped to the bone by hungry piranhas. 

Our trip to Caracol involved more wonder, and not only a feeling far from home, but also of feeling far from the present as this was our first foray into the ruins of the ancient Mayan civilization.  And what a civilization it was.  Standing on top of the highest man made structure in Belize and realizing that it dates to 70AD, makes you realize that you are only a very small part enjoying the immense history of people who have looked out over the same rainforest canopy. 

We shared our experience with the resident Kuatimundis and our local guides who satiated our curiosity about such a wondrous place, in which we were practically the only visitors of the day.  My brother, Tom, who is my favorite exploring, climbing, investigating partner-in-crime, I discovered many of Caracol’s secret spots under corbel vaulted ceilings in tombs and residences that would have housed brothers and sisters like us over 2000 years ago.

After the mouth-watering taster of Caracol, it was time to crank the adventure up a notch by heading to Guatemala.  Every experience from the border crossing, and the long, rough, night drive on Eastern Guatemala’s main highway to the final sunset over the lake while eating chicken (it’s all about the chicken!) and rice and beans in a tiny local restaurant on the last night was extraordinary.  Our main focus in Guatemala was to experience the humbling and awesome ruins of Tikal and the national park which surrounds it.  The pyramids are crazily steep and afford panoramic views of the jungle rooftop, pierced with ancient rock constructions that tower into the hot sky.  Antediluvian urban scenes of such complexity and precision are now inhabited by colourful and mysterious creatures like the toucan and the puma.  Even though tour buses full of visitors arrive at the gates every morning to catch the Tikal sunrise, often we could find ourselves alone examining the birds or leaf-cutter ants, and Tom and Phill and I even did our fair share at jaguar stalking, an activity yet to be mastered! 

The scale of Tikal is immense and indescribable.  So many days would be necessary to summit every pyramid and explore every trail that leads to its thousands of secret spots.  The one day of adventure we had there was enough to teach and demonstrate only a fraction of all that Tikal represents historically and ecologically.  I must return, and I can only hope to do so in the same fabulous company that this trip included.  Two silly students (one university and one high school), plus two more-than-fantastic world traveling parents plus a fabulous custom trip facilitator equals pure excitement, adventure and smiles.