HOLA AMIGOS AND AMIGETTES
Our trip has continued to bang on with our trip to the Caribbean once again out to the lovely sun soaked islands of Roatan bay. Lisa got sea sick on the ferry over which was a 1 and a half hour trip at rough sea but was helped as the crew give everyone a spew bag before leaving port.
On the island was hot sunny and baking on the beaches was prime. we hired snorkels and fins for the day exploring the corals and lobsters were everywhere as well as Honduras fish. We were a bit over baking in the extreme heat so we jumped on the banana boat and flipped about 10 times. funny stuff.
The next day az decided to become a frog man and went on his first scuba dive in open shark infested water. the dive was a beginner course so at deep sea az descended to 50feet under for around 50 minutes. now az wants to get the full licence. it was full of corals and stacks of tropical fish including the lion duce bigalo fish.
More relaxing on the beach, seafood lobsters platters for $20 we really needed some exercise.
Our next day was 11 hours on 3 buses which was fun to end up in the capital of Honduras which was a real shit hole and very dangerous so we couldn't go far but it was only for a night. we stayed up and chatted to our travel companions then bed. Next day we were out of there and headed over the boarder into Nicaragua to end up in a nice town called Granada which has a massive nearby lake and surrounded by volcano's. Dinner at a Thai restaurant and a few drinks and then bed as we had a big volcano trip planned the next day.
Morning came and we had breakfast of pancakes and fruits then headed for salvo negro the active black volcano which last erupted in1999 and is said to erupt between 8-10 years every cycle. This tour of negro volcano was a snow boarding trip but no snow just black sandy volcano gravel all over. Our group hiked an hour up the steep volcano viewing and smelling the smoky sulfa spewing from the large crater. the view from the top was amazing but had to be left as we suited up for the descent down the volcano on our sandbourds. speeds of up to 70km could be gained however Lisa could not get this as she was on her arse the whole way down. az was a volcano boarding master only falling to wait for lisa. covered in gravel and black volcano soot we headed back to Granada for a few tone beers and some burgers. Mexican like banjo playing amigos keep pestering us for dineros and kids selling all sort of bits n bobs add to the atmosphere of the town.
Tomorrow we will relax with a full 90min massage for $25 before heading off to climb another active volcano with lava and for this one we can go inside the lava tubes wearing masks and protective suits as the heat and gasses can only be exposed for 20minutes. And that's not including the bat colony that inhabit the tunnels which at sunset swarm out for food and tourists.
So amigos we will post back soon.
lele n az and blanco gatto.
us
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
PACAYA VOLCANO AND LAKE ATITLAN HOMESTAY
HI ALL
Well since our last message we have hiked up Pacaya volcano which is still active, we had a welcome to antigua by some bed bugs in our room which feasted on lisas arm and back (az not a bite), lost $130 out of a dodgy ATM at chichi market, stayed with a family in a village on lake atitlan who could barely speak english but we bought stuff for the kids and got the full homestay experiance in their home (dinner was awkward with lisa nudging me under the table), more tortillas and guatamalan beer.
Antigua is great and very old looking with a massive volcano in the backdrop. the volcano we hiked up was nearby active pacaya and we walked across the crater and entered an extremely hot opening in the top. many marshmellows were toasted and the hike was tuff but worth it.
At 2am in antigua lisa awoke to a biting frenzy and i flicked on the lights to see several bed bugs on the walls and bed. we swapped rooms and got free laundry for the trouble and lucky for us the bag was at its peak.
lake atitlan was nice but lisa got seasick on the boat but the several volcanos were a nice setting. the family stay was good and the kids loved us. one night was enough sleeping in a concrete hut with a bed with no mattress. the other thing was watching lisa nicely kicking the cat from her pillow trying not to upset the 2 kids. she loves blanco the gatto. we bought the kids school books, pens and a basketball and the ball almost launched into a picture of jesus on a table in the corner. we would have been sleeping outside instead of the shed. haha
tomorrow we meet our new group and the day after cross the boarder into honduras and head for the beaches in the roatan carribean islands. till the adious amigos.
Well since our last message we have hiked up Pacaya volcano which is still active, we had a welcome to antigua by some bed bugs in our room which feasted on lisas arm and back (az not a bite), lost $130 out of a dodgy ATM at chichi market, stayed with a family in a village on lake atitlan who could barely speak english but we bought stuff for the kids and got the full homestay experiance in their home (dinner was awkward with lisa nudging me under the table), more tortillas and guatamalan beer.
Antigua is great and very old looking with a massive volcano in the backdrop. the volcano we hiked up was nearby active pacaya and we walked across the crater and entered an extremely hot opening in the top. many marshmellows were toasted and the hike was tuff but worth it.
At 2am in antigua lisa awoke to a biting frenzy and i flicked on the lights to see several bed bugs on the walls and bed. we swapped rooms and got free laundry for the trouble and lucky for us the bag was at its peak.
lake atitlan was nice but lisa got seasick on the boat but the several volcanos were a nice setting. the family stay was good and the kids loved us. one night was enough sleeping in a concrete hut with a bed with no mattress. the other thing was watching lisa nicely kicking the cat from her pillow trying not to upset the 2 kids. she loves blanco the gatto. we bought the kids school books, pens and a basketball and the ball almost launched into a picture of jesus on a table in the corner. we would have been sleeping outside instead of the shed. haha
tomorrow we meet our new group and the day after cross the boarder into honduras and head for the beaches in the roatan carribean islands. till the adious amigos.
Monday, January 17, 2011
BEACHES IN MEXICO & BELIZE
MEXICAN BEACH NEAR TULUM RUINS
BEACH IN BELIZE
REGGAE BAR ON CAYE CAULKER - RUM PUNCH FOR $2
MEXICAN BEACHES TO BELIZEAN CAVES
BEACH IN TULAM / MAYAN RUINS
CHICHEN ITZA / 1 OF THE 7 WONDERS
CHICHEN ITZA - MEXICO
TULEM MAYAN SITE ON BEACH - MEXICO
SHARKS WE SWAM WITH - BELIZE REEF SNORKLING
LISA ON MEXICO BEACH
CAVING IN BELIZE AT MAYAN CRYSTAL CAVE
Sunday, January 16, 2011
WHITE SANDY REGGAE BEACHES TO THE JUNGLES OF GUATAMALA
HOLA ALL
We spent our days in caye caulker swimming and baking in the sun with reggae music in the background. the people all say its go slow here so thats what we did. Our snorkel trip was amazin with so many fish and to end it off our guide swam us around the corals and pointed out lobster, green eels, sharks, and many fish but to top it off we swam with a sea turtle which swam faster than us. our guide got hold of a sting ray and let us pat it and all around were sharks and fish. The sharks felt like sandpaper. our sail headed back in with rum punch and again more reggae mon. Dinner was lobster for around 20 aud and soooo nice.
We headed back to land the next day lucky as a storm was ready to hit and after a day on chicken buses and local transport we arrived at our jungle lodge in san ignacio. Here was our opportunity to go on a full day caving trip which was hard, tight and muddy. the cave system only lets a few people in a day as it was a sacred mayan site and spotted around the crystal cave where bones of sacraficed mayans adults and children. the cave has never been renovated or changed in any way since it was found. after this day which included scaling up formations and mud hills we were tired and had a swim in a waterhole. great day.
The next day we left for more Mayan ruins of Tikal after our border crossing into guatamala. the ruins were great surrounded by jungle and we were told to look out for jaguar in the area. tikal are the highest of the mayan ruins and we had the guts to climb the thing trusting in a wooden ladder up the side which had no real angle to it just straight up. Afew of the people did not do it but we went to the top which was realy scary but the view was spectacular and getting back down was more scary. Tikal was nice but lisa is getting over the ruins now.
We spent the night in San ignacio followed by the next day traveling to rio dulce.
Today is our wedding anniversary and our tour took us to a waterfall which had water running into it from a hot spring. Az and a few others jumped from the top down into the rock pool below and lisa chickened out as it was too high for her. Now we have just had dinner and relaxing on a little island where we are sleeping in little wooden stilt houses surrounded by jungle. In the morning az will be kayaking to see the howler monkeys but lisa is hanging by the pool and baking a little more. She must be afraid of monkeys or something. haha.
Phones are hard to come by and time for the net is also hard so sorry for not calling or messaging.
keeping in touch from guatamala az n lele
We spent our days in caye caulker swimming and baking in the sun with reggae music in the background. the people all say its go slow here so thats what we did. Our snorkel trip was amazin with so many fish and to end it off our guide swam us around the corals and pointed out lobster, green eels, sharks, and many fish but to top it off we swam with a sea turtle which swam faster than us. our guide got hold of a sting ray and let us pat it and all around were sharks and fish. The sharks felt like sandpaper. our sail headed back in with rum punch and again more reggae mon. Dinner was lobster for around 20 aud and soooo nice.
We headed back to land the next day lucky as a storm was ready to hit and after a day on chicken buses and local transport we arrived at our jungle lodge in san ignacio. Here was our opportunity to go on a full day caving trip which was hard, tight and muddy. the cave system only lets a few people in a day as it was a sacred mayan site and spotted around the crystal cave where bones of sacraficed mayans adults and children. the cave has never been renovated or changed in any way since it was found. after this day which included scaling up formations and mud hills we were tired and had a swim in a waterhole. great day.
The next day we left for more Mayan ruins of Tikal after our border crossing into guatamala. the ruins were great surrounded by jungle and we were told to look out for jaguar in the area. tikal are the highest of the mayan ruins and we had the guts to climb the thing trusting in a wooden ladder up the side which had no real angle to it just straight up. Afew of the people did not do it but we went to the top which was realy scary but the view was spectacular and getting back down was more scary. Tikal was nice but lisa is getting over the ruins now.
We spent the night in San ignacio followed by the next day traveling to rio dulce.
Today is our wedding anniversary and our tour took us to a waterfall which had water running into it from a hot spring. Az and a few others jumped from the top down into the rock pool below and lisa chickened out as it was too high for her. Now we have just had dinner and relaxing on a little island where we are sleeping in little wooden stilt houses surrounded by jungle. In the morning az will be kayaking to see the howler monkeys but lisa is hanging by the pool and baking a little more. She must be afraid of monkeys or something. haha.
Phones are hard to come by and time for the net is also hard so sorry for not calling or messaging.
keeping in touch from guatamala az n lele
Monday, January 10, 2011
Mexico & Belize
hola amigos
We have just left Mexico after seeing chichen itza (Mayan ruins) & Tulum (ruins on the beach) we meet up with our GAP group of 16 people & 12 of them are Aussies from Adelaide (Az being the oldest). Mexico is nice & we finally got some sun after 2 weeks of cold & snow.
Today we have arrived in Caye caulker ( an island in the Caribbean where all the locals speak like Jamaicans (how r u mon) food is great & we are eating masses of Lobster & drinking rum punch. Tomorrow we are going snorkeling & swimming with sharks & sting rays.
hope everyone is well & miss u all.
love Le & Az
P.S phones are hard because we are on an island.
We have just left Mexico after seeing chichen itza (Mayan ruins) & Tulum (ruins on the beach) we meet up with our GAP group of 16 people & 12 of them are Aussies from Adelaide (Az being the oldest). Mexico is nice & we finally got some sun after 2 weeks of cold & snow.
Today we have arrived in Caye caulker ( an island in the Caribbean where all the locals speak like Jamaicans (how r u mon) food is great & we are eating masses of Lobster & drinking rum punch. Tomorrow we are going snorkeling & swimming with sharks & sting rays.
hope everyone is well & miss u all.
love Le & Az
P.S phones are hard because we are on an island.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
HOLLYWOODS WALK OF FAME
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
HOLLYWOOD STAR ON WALK OF FAME
PREPARING FOR THE SNOW OF NEW YORK
DEVILS POOL - VICTORIA FALLS
DEVILS POOL - VICTORIA FALLS
ON THE EDGE OF VICTORIA FALLS. TOURIST DIED 4 WEEKS PRIOR DOING THIS
XMAS IN NEW YORK LONG ISLAND
XMAS DRINKS WITH FAMILY
AZ AND MARIE DRUNK
CATHERINE AND LELE
MORE XMAS DRINKS
GRAND CANYON AND ITS SNOWING IN THE DESERT
GRAND CANYON SITTING ON THE EDGE. AZ CRAWLED TO THIS SPOT
AGAIN ON THE EDGE OF THE GRAND CANYON
OLD LAS VEGAS
GRAND CANYON
LAS VEGAS PARIS CASINO
AZ AND MARIE WITH BALAGIOS FOUNTAIN IN BACK
GRAND CANYON
MICK AND BB
GRAND CANYON
CENTRAL PARK NEW YORK MAKING A SNOWMAN
VEGAS
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
New York & Vegas
Hi everyone,
We have just spent the most amazing time with our family in New York & we were extremely sad to leave.
We spent Xmas & New years in Long Island & spent most of our time with our family, who were great tour guides. We loved times square at night, and headed up the Empire State building. Central Park with & without snow & the buzz around the streets of New York were great, however after the 5 hour wait for the BITCH of statue of Liberty in the freezing cold snow, we kinda thought she was over rated. The food is absolutely great in America & without exercise, it's creeping up on both of us, but well worth it. Our family were great, their homes felt like ours & we were extremely sad to leave, we had a ball with our cousins & cant wait for their visit to Australia.
We headed to Vegas with dad & our cousins Marie & Cathryn from NY & lost our bloody money but enjoyed playing the tables anyway. Vegas is unbelievable, there are casinos everywhere & the hotels are like massive Chadstone shops with casinos. We went to the Grand Canyon & YES it snowed again, but clear enough to witness the deepest canyon in the world. We stayed at the Luxor & missed our flight to LA because we were buying our magnet (bad move) but the bonus was catching up with my cousins for our last goodbye's before boarding the next flight to LA.
LA is shit so we are glad to be staying in Santa Monica, it's really clean & reminds us of Queensland. Tomorrow the 3 of us are heading to the Hollywood sights & contemplating on spending the day after at Disneyland .
Love you all
Le & Az
Mum: everyone from NY said hi & wants you to visit next year.
Jana: baby Charlotte was gorgeous in her little xmas gear & she's growing so fast. Keep me updated with those photos.
Clara: You would be in your element.
Dwyers: hows our little LV?
We have just spent the most amazing time with our family in New York & we were extremely sad to leave.
We spent Xmas & New years in Long Island & spent most of our time with our family, who were great tour guides. We loved times square at night, and headed up the Empire State building. Central Park with & without snow & the buzz around the streets of New York were great, however after the 5 hour wait for the BITCH of statue of Liberty in the freezing cold snow, we kinda thought she was over rated. The food is absolutely great in America & without exercise, it's creeping up on both of us, but well worth it. Our family were great, their homes felt like ours & we were extremely sad to leave, we had a ball with our cousins & cant wait for their visit to Australia.
We headed to Vegas with dad & our cousins Marie & Cathryn from NY & lost our bloody money but enjoyed playing the tables anyway. Vegas is unbelievable, there are casinos everywhere & the hotels are like massive Chadstone shops with casinos. We went to the Grand Canyon & YES it snowed again, but clear enough to witness the deepest canyon in the world. We stayed at the Luxor & missed our flight to LA because we were buying our magnet (bad move) but the bonus was catching up with my cousins for our last goodbye's before boarding the next flight to LA.
LA is shit so we are glad to be staying in Santa Monica, it's really clean & reminds us of Queensland. Tomorrow the 3 of us are heading to the Hollywood sights & contemplating on spending the day after at Disneyland .
Love you all
Le & Az
Mum: everyone from NY said hi & wants you to visit next year.
Jana: baby Charlotte was gorgeous in her little xmas gear & she's growing so fast. Keep me updated with those photos.
Clara: You would be in your element.
Dwyers: hows our little LV?
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