For A Few Dollars More: Day 32 - Belize (Teakettle)

This post is entitled, 'Indiana Penn And The Cave of Doom'

Went for a bit of a stroll in the jungle today with my new travel companion and a local guide by the name of Lenny.

I ought to make it clear that we're currently in West Belize, one of the Jungley bits. And when I say jungle, I mean JUNGLE with a capital 'JU'. Our guide informed us that we were in a place where roam deadly Vipers, Jaguars, Pumas, Tapirs and Botflies (they're the ones that burrow into yourskin, lay eggs and then all the baby Botflies crawl out when you're sat in a meeting back at work three weeks later). Actually, in the end, we didn't see any of those and only managed to catch sight of some Leafcutter Ants, a Millipede and a badly wounded Stick Insect. Anyway, that wasn't why we were in the jungle. We were trekking to a cave, Actun Tunichil Muknal.

The journey involved wading through three rivers, avoiding leeches, up hill, down dale and learning from Lenny that the Belize Army plan for the defence of Belize against Guatemala was basically, try and stay on their feet for 24 hours before being overrun and hope that the UK manages to get the Paras over in time to save the day.

When we got to the cave, it really was right out of an Indiana Jones movie. One has to swim in through the entrance before wading through shallows, then over jagged rock and into the bowels. So Lenny, Short Round and I dove in and got cracking. I won't describe the journey in any detail but in the two and a half hours we were underground, we spent about an hour and a half in the water, and an hour cave climbing. Most of the cave climbing had to be barefoot for the following reason; This is a largely untouched Mayan ritual cave, with very delicate pottery and assorted artefacts barely a few inches away from where one was putting ones foot. There was a bit of archaeologists tape signalling the finds but it was very easy to overstep the mark and do damage, so bare feet rather than clompy boots required. The cave system was gigantic and goes on for about 5km in total although we only did the Mayan bit which was about 1000m in.

The whole thing was completely surreal, to be inches from artefacts that had lain in the same place for 1500 years, untouched and until recently, unseen. It felt like a huge privilege to be there. There were a bunch of skeletons dotted about they having been sacrificed well over a millennia ago That was truly spooky.

The return journey was again, cave swimming, wading, climbing etc. it got so tight at one point, that you had to squeeze your neck through a gap that would foil 95% of Americans. It was called the self decapitation point. If I'd tried it a couple of months ago, I might not have made it!

I wouldn't say that it was the most strenuous day I've had. Anyone with a moderate level of fitness and thin neck could do it. The trek there and back was pretty straightforward too. It does require a bit of get up and go though. Wading through rivers is chilly, swimming in a cave is not difficult but occasionally uncomfortable, cave climbing isn't dangerous but you have to pay attention. Plus you're soaking wet for hours. Personally, I completely LOVED the experience. I did get a bit lost in my own world of Mayan booby traps, ducking from imaginary poisoned darts and fleeing from illusory rolling boulders etc. but that's just my overactive imagination trying to make my life more exciting that it really is.

Once back in the open, it was a trek back to the start point, dripping wet, for a packed lunch from the lodge of cheese and tomato sandwiches, crudités, boiled eggs with salt and pepper and homemade syrup cake. All washed down with lashings of ginger beer.

If you take diving out of the mix, today was up there as one of the best days, with horse riding up a volcano. Big grins all round today.

P. S. I made up the ginger beer bit - but it would have been highly appropriate.

The site is SO culturally significant and fragile, no cameras have been allowed in since 2012. So I've had to use three internet pictures for the first time in my blog. You wouldn't get it if I just used words. I've also stuck a few in from yesterday to make up for that.