It's like being on holidays.

A bit sad and I admit, a bit nervous, to be leaving the security of Mike, I head east into Belize. To my suprise, I actually enjoy the ride, at my own pace and the border crossing is the easiest and quickest yet. I did embarrass myself with the Belizian border officials though, you see, they speak English and I'm only used to speaking to border officials in Spanish. So they had to politley remind me to refrain from my Spanglish and try, if I might, to speak English. It came out rather stuttered and slowly at first but I eventually got the hang of speaking in my native tounge and with a smile and quite a hefty insurance payment, I was waved through.

Belize is nothing like the rest of the Central America that I have seen. It is lush, green and colourful. The signs are in English, or a version of, there are many more Afro Carribean people milling about, and it is super expensive. It feels like a breath of fresh air.

I'd heard good things about the Belize Zoo, and when I whizzed past the entry sign, I did an about turn and went to investigate. It must be good, Camron Diaz and the late Steve Urwin had visited. And for the second time in two days, I wasn't dissappointed. It is a refuge for injured, confiscated and captive bred rare native animals. Everything from the howler monkeys, to the very rare Harpy Eagle, to a toucanette (Small toucan, obvioulsy) that sounds like a frog, to a tapir that may just pee on you. Mountian Lions and pumas and crocodiles. But what capped it off were the educational signs that went with each of the habitats, very funky carribean.

How could you resist the Toucan with a sign like this?

Unfortunately I then had the displeasure of arriving in Belize City. What a dump, and a dangerous one at that. I did find a 'decent' hostal where I could lock the bike up (read, 'park it far as possible into the garden at the end of the path to keep it out of view, god know's how I'm going to get it out of there!') and meet some Canadians and Belgiums. I heard good things about the Chinese food in Belize City but this time I was disappointed. So after an early dinner, I hide out in the hostal.

Early the next morning, no point hanging about, the Belgium lot and I head to the dock to catch a ferry to Caye Caulker. 50 minutes later, we're set up in Tina's Backpackers, sand between our toes and ready for the beach. There are a few backpackers, just enough to have the services that you want on the island, but not too many to ruin the lazy, chilled out atmosphere. I feel like I'm on summer holidays.

Not quite sure of the translation, but you get the idea. Bare feet only on Caye Caulker

Day two of my holidays, I'm off for a dive, might as well make the most of the little certificate I just got. I was a little disappointed as my mask kept fogging despite numerous attempts to clear it - it was like looking through my rather scratched motorcycle helmet visor. So visability was, in reality, probably a lot, for me it was less than an inch for my right eye. We did get to see a turtle, a bit like the ones in Finding Nemo, but there was only one and a baby drum fish, which is supposed to be a rare thing. A huge green moray eel and then, something that resembled a shark with an overbite, but he was only about a foot and half long. He took quite a fancy to me, much to my horror, and kept bumping into me. Maybe he had poor visability too! At least the Dive masters got a laugh out of it.

Back on dry land, I avoid the local men, who are almost as bad the 'overbite' shark and hangout with some Watford crew (Watford being to the north of London and where my mate Stevo used to live) and one of the Belgium girls. Time to try the local brew, Belikin Beer. Catch phrase of Belikin Beer - 'You´d better Belize it', Yup, bad ey!

On the mainland, I struggle to drag the bike kicking and screaming backwards out of the garden and down the path. Holiday over, time to get to Mexico.