The Last Day - by Sydney

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Trip Start Jun 29, 2008 Previous
Entry Trip End Jul 10, 2008

  Belize City, Belize
Thursday, July 10, 2008

After our day of snorkeling next on the agenda was visiting Mayan Ruins for the day. We woke up, packed our bags and went out for breakfast. After having breakfast Kate and Suzie had agreed to baptize Bri and I in the Carribean Ocean. We all walked down to the beach together and on the beach was a washed up and dead Portugese Manowar Jelly Fish. Bri got a little bit excited and ran over to it. "I want to pop it!" she said very excited. Of course, she was wearing flip flops. The jelly fish popped but as its last revenge the tentacles swung around and stung her foot. Then we waded into the water and Suzie and Kate baptized each of us. With the baptization of us Kate and Suzie has now officially baptized everyone on the Belize Missions Team.

We then got on a water taxi and went to Belize City. Once arriving in Belize City we got on a bus and drove out to a boat launch. Once there we got on another water taxi and took and hour and a half boat ride up a river leading into the jungle. In the boat we passed a Menanite village where there were people in horse drawn carriges. We arrived at the Laminai site and started walking through the jungle to get to the Mayan Ruins. It's true when people say that everything is almost ten times bigger in the jungle. I've never seen mosqiuitoes that big in my entire life. The forest was buzzing with the sound of massive insects that we thankfully could not see. As we were walking through the jungle our tour guide was pointing out herbs and plants that the Mayans used. He showed us this one plant that had these tiny little balls on it. He pulled one off and told us that it naturally had novacaine in it. Sophie and I got really currious so we pulled one off and bit into it. Our tongues were completly numb for a good time after. We visited three Mayan Ruins: The Mask Temple, The High Temple, and the Jaguar Temple. The most impressive one was the High Temple. We climbed to the top of it and had a view that only birds would get to see. We stood there and looked out at the top of the jungle canopy and at the distant hills of Mexico. Climbing down was a bit of an adventure. The stairs were very small, extreamly steep and over all pretty terrifying; but it was well worth it. As we stood on top of the Jaguar Temple we heared a deep screaming very close to us in the trees. A band of howler monkeys were apparently not too impressed with our presence. If I had heared one of those in the night time I probably woud have peed my pants, they were so loud and menacing. As we walked back towards our boat Dougald found an innocent looking snake. He approached the snake with a stick and proceded to try and pick it up. Our tour guide, Stanley, took one look at the snake and jumped away very quickly. The innocent looking snake Dougald was bravely trying to tame was infact the seccond most venamous snake in the world with a striking range of up to 12 feet. If one was to be bitten by one of these vipers they could expect an hour left of life if medical attention was not immediately seeked. We were well over two hours away from the nearest hospital. So mustering up some courage Dougald grabbed a large rock and dropped it on the snake, decapitating it. Walking on the dock we ran into some more wild life. A red rumped tarantula was standing right in our path. It was easially three times bigger than the tarantula we had encountered earlier on in the week. As we speeded down the river on our way back we saw two crocodiles. One of them dove down in the water right in front of our boat and it was massive!

We got back to the dock and all pilled into the bus. As Stanley tried to turn on the bus we all heared the engine pathetically sputter and then, die. We had no idea what was wrong with the bus so as they tried to repair it the team sat cathing small fish, skipping rocks on the water and chatting. After about two hours of no sucsess in fixing the bus a new one came to get us. We drove back and all went out for dinner at a Chinese restaraunt called Friendships. Once we got back to the hotel we all went swimming and had our final team de-brief. Then a tropical storm set in and we retired to inside to hide from the torrential down pour.

Being in Belize was, I think, the most amazing experience for all of us girls that went. With the help of our amazing leaders, our two body gaurds and of course from Ma, Basil, Papsi, Darita, Dores, Delroy, and Big Bad Leroy Brown this trip will be one that will never be forgotton and always hold a special place in all of our hearts.

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