You betta Belize it!

Coati checking it’s a Trialmaster here in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala.

Just traversed Belize and now partly through our Central America itinerary, which will be limited to these two countries due to moratoriums on right hand drive vehicles any further south.

Our Belize itinerary featured a couple of riverine/maritime detours, to Lamanai and Caye Caulker respectively

The transition from Mexico to Belize is sudden and surprising, with Belize immediately feeling both wild inland and relaxedly Caribbean at the coast.

We continue to explore the traces of Mayan civilisation as we track south however present-day Belize is a remarkable encounter, not just the landscape but the welcoming Garifuno people.

Continuing to study Mayan astronomy - here surveying quadrant bearing for conversion to azimuth and hence celestial alignment

One highlight for us was a couple of different locals we met who had been beneficiaries of foreign medical assistance, including a guide whose vision (and therefore livelihood) was preserved by a visiting East Coast ocular surgeon.

That said, all sorts of challenges present with locals being displaced by development, and infrastructure in some areas in a pretty basic state.

Caves Branch river valley, inland Belize

Had all lockers activated in low range for the first time while navigating a saturated track nearby San Ignacio, Belize. Iggy marched through the mud as methodically and relentlessly as he marched over Big Red. Cautiously confident to take on wetter conditions as we proceed south.

Other than that highlight, zero issues to report with Iggy. Planning to do an oil change in Puerto Barrios before container shipping to Cartagena. More photos of Belize here.

Chilling nearby Hopkins