Hello and welcome to my last podcast about Belize. I jump off the bus to see Belize Zoo on my way west, which is a zoo worth seeing because all the animals are native to Belize and have been rescued in one way or another. I continue on to San Ignacio, the main city of the Cayo District, and have a blast in a lovely hostel there called the Old Hostel . I see the Maya ruins at Cahal Pech and Xunantunich. A group of us hire a car and go on a day trip to the Mountain PIne Ridge Forest Reserve, with its caves, pools and waterfalls. I hold several iguanas at the Green Iguana Conservation Project. I have pretty much all my hair cut off. I eat pupusas and fry jacks and drink a lot of beer and rum. I meet some funny new people and catch up with others I've met before. I do the famous ATM cave tour. All in all, I have a great time!

Continuing my adventures in Belize, I catch a bus south to Dangriga and on to Hopkins, a Garifuna town on the coast. From here I visit the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, independently via buses and hitching. I have a Garifuna drumming lesson with Jabbar at Lebeha Drummers and enjoy the local food, I hitch and bus up the beautiful Hummingbird Highway, stopping to explore Billy Barquedier National Park and St Herman's Blue Hole National Park. I arrive back in Belize City soon after a state of emergency has been declared in response to a surge in gang-related violence. Nevertheless, I enjoy BC, it's food, houses, museum and people. And I visit the ruins of the ancient Maya city of Altun Ha, which is only 50 km north but takes me a long time to get to!

I cross from Chetamul to Belize in a water taxi, which is both the easiest and most cost-effective option. I got to spend about half an hour in San Pedro and then several days in Caye Caulker. The highlight was an amazing snorkelling trip to the Hol Chan and Caye Caulker Marine Reserves. To put things in context, I also discuss some background about the history and culture of Belize.