Well, life remains surreal for us in Belize. Our work completed for Wildtracks (the conservation organisation we were working for) it was time to move on. We were both ready to move too. Despite all the good times and the worthwhile work we were feeling the need to crank up the bike and ride again.

However we find we're not going to break any distance records though as we have stopped once again for a while. The story goes that while at Wildtracks Chris's family came out to have a holiday with us. While doing all the holiday stuff we stayed at Pook's Hill Jungle Lodge, owned and run by friends of friends, Vicki and Ray. They asked us to call in again on our way to Guatemala, stay for a while and help manage the resort! How is it that we're supposed to be riding a bike round the world and yet of late we spend our time doing anything but?

We have no experience whatsoever of running a resort of any kind, let alone of the nature of Pook's Hill. Have a look at their website www.pook'shilllodge.com One of the best jungle resorts in Belize, it's situated 40 miles or so from the Guatemalan border in the heart of pristine rain-forest and could be described as 'exclusive' Each of the rooms is a self-contained on-suite cabana nestled around a Maya ruin plaza with views of the jungle canopy. (The honeymoon suits are a little further away for privacy though!) Very nice. We find ourselves spending our days ensuring all the guests have everything they need for a comfortable and fulfilling stay. As 'stand in managers' we welcome the new arrivals with a refreshing drink at the bar before showing them to their room. We discuss with them what they would like to do in their time with us. A little early morning bird-watching perhaps before an adventurous trip into ATM cave. Or would they rather a guided horseback ride through the jungle followed by a dip in the crystal clear waters of Kingfisher pool, an easy stroll down one of several forest trails on the private reserve. We serve drinks and dips at 6:00pm sharp while making easy conversation with the guests as they watch the humming birds come to the sugar feeders or relax in a comfortable chair prior to joining us for the evening meal at 7:00. Over dinner we mill around the guests chatting, ensuring all their needs are met and their chosen tour for the next day has been arranged. That's the guests perspective on what we do anyway.

The reality is that we do all that but its intermingled with sneaking into each of the cabanas as they eat to ensure the tarantulas and scorpions have been removed, getting lighthearted back-chat from the kitchen staff and trying to make sure that the guests trip to Tikal has been organized and the guide booked even though the telephone company has been on strike for over a week. We have learnt to judge how smoothly things are going by the number of T-shirts we get through in a day. There's nothing more unpleasant than a host sweeting profusely over their guests. The more running around we do the more showers and T-shirts we have to have. A normal day entails at least two showers and T-shirts by 8:00am! A good day will be a 3 T-shirt day, a bad day can be as many as 6 in this heat! The reality is though that we both love it. There is nothing quite as satisfying as saying goodbye to a guest who leaves with a tear in their eye because they have had such a good time with us. The fact that we eat like kings every day, sleep in luxurious rooms and get to go on some of the best tours in the world free of charge helps too though! Its a far cry from our days with Wildtracks, which was much more rough and ready. We don't know how long we'll be here but we do know we have to be out of the country by 2nd May when the temporary importation certificate expires.

In some ways we've made a rod for our own backs. Come mid May the heavens will open as the rainy season begins. We know we're going to face days on end struggling over mud roads as we try to head south. We'll just have to see how things go. Whatever the cost though, its been worth it. Eight days in Belize was the plan but its turned out to be four wonderful months. Our daily budget for this trip is around £30 or $55 per day. While in Belize we've only been spending that each week. Its opportunities like this that will stretch the trip out for us and that can only be good.

So what have been the highlights of Belize for us? Well, the first thing has to be the people we've met here. The Belizeans are wonderful, friendly people who have gone out of their way to make us feel a part of the country. We've been to everything from baby showers to fiestas with local friends. They are some of the best people in the world. Then there's the 'international' friends we've made. Other volunteers and the ex-pat communities here. There is a spiders web of people here who have made Belize their home and helped us get to grips with the red tape of the country, or just kept us supplied with alcohol and conversation. I think the most bizarre assistance we received though had to be someone offering to flying a packet of Oxo cubes out to us in the jungle by helicopter. We can't say too much about that though. The natural wonders of Belize are on a par with anything the rest of the world has to offer. Many travelers miss Belize and go straight to Guatemala as its perceived to be expensive. In comparison with the rest of C. America it is but it's worth it. Here on our doorstep at Pook's Hill we have the world famous ATM cave.

Rediscovered in 1986, it has revealed itself from amongst the trees and hillsides as an archeological treasure trove of the Maya world. A trip into the cave is a mixture of swimming, wading, walking and climbing as we make our way up the underground river that has been carving the cave out for millennia. As we pass stalactites and stalagmites, flow-stone and a hundred other formations we edge nearer to the jewel of the cave. Climbing a large bolder and struggling over a rock ledge we take our shoes off to protect the site. Then climbing a final ladder we enter a world of broken pots, offerings to the gods and the bones of human sacrifices.

The chamber is littered with close to a 1000 artifacts and human remains that have lain hidden for 800 years or more. Its an incredible sight that demands respect. We haven't seen anything like it before in our lives and its got to be in the top 5 of out favorite places to date. There have been so many highlights for us in Belize I don't think we could write them all here but trust us, they're here. If you ever get the chance come to Belize, you'll not be disappointed. Just a few pictures to wet the appetite.

It would be so easy for us to settle here and we've had offers of help with the red tape but we must move on. We can't hang up our boots so early in the trip. Its only been 15 months now - we've only just started and there's still so much to see. All being well our next update will be coming from a country other than Belize. Which country remains to be seen but whichever it is it will have to be something special to live upto Belize. From a 'bikers' perspective its an easy country to travel through. The major roads are good and the more minor roads are not too much of a challenge at this time of year. Coming into Belize from Mexico is a relatively hassle free experience. If all your paperwork is in order you'll receive a temporary importation certificate for the bike for a month, the same as your tourist visa. Both can be extended with out too much trouble if your finding it hard to escape the country, as we have. Like the rest of C. America its who you know here. We got a letter of support from the ex-Deputy Prime Minister without any trouble. You can't help but bump into an ex-pat as you travel round Belize and many of them have contacts here, so just ask!