Jamaican Me Crazy

We arrived in the very small city of Belize City to an undeniable Rastafarian influence. Everyone spoke English with a fantastic Jamaican accent and the hair was a frenzy of dreadlocks and corn rows. We hopped on a water taxi and sped out to the nearby island of Caye Caulker. The atmosphere here is so laid back. I was waiting for Glen under a tree with my 15kg backpack and a local walked by and said in a Jamaican accent "Lady...you in the shade". From anyone else this would sound prattish as you're just stating the obvious but in a rasta accent it sounds so damn cool. So I didn't mind being called sugar and people telling me they're "happy" because I undeniably LOVE a Jamaican accent!

The next day we headed out by yacht to the Sea Nature Reserve and immediatly we were swimming with 2m Nurse shaarks, sting rays and huge schnapper and Jacks plus plenty of other tropical marine life. The guide fed some of the rays so we got to pat them as well as the sharks who were like dogs wanting a cuddle. It just wasn't scary at all despite my fear of being the furthest person from the shore in case of a shark attack. We sailed to another spot called shark and ray alley where we swam with more sharks and rays of course, then sailed to one more spot where we were able to snorkel with the elusive Manatee which is about a 300kg animal thet looks like a fat seal with a dogs face. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience. It was curious of us and kept coming back for a nosey. We then set sail for home to the sound of reggae and with a few rum punches under the belt.

We then headed to Mexico at the coastal town of Tulum where the beach is white powder and the sea is turquoise. Despite it being a bit of an American tourist destination, the beach wasn't packed and the atmosphere was very chilled out. We discovered great Mexican food and to this day we have only eaten real mexican. We choose our restaurants by the quality of the chairs (the crapper, the better food). We have no hesitation in eating "street meat" now as our stomachs are hardened veterans. After Tulum we caught another tourist packed ruin (no more thanks) and caught some mammoth bus rides to our current destination of San Cristobel De Los Casas. It reminds us a little of Antigua, however warmer and more political with a heap of propaganda on the Mexican Zapasta (liberation Army). The hostel here is great and the food is lovely and we're well rested after 3 nights so tomorrow we head to Oaxaco then the coast for some more surf. Love to all!