Livin' Easy Belizy

My summer started off with a trip to Belize. We had a ton of fun and felt like we were able to see much of the country on our trip.

Some of my favorite photos from the trip

Belize seemed like a perfect mix of adventure in the jungle and relaxation on the beach. For the first half, we stayed at Sleeping Giant Lodge. We had a different activity for each day and started the week with cabe tubing. Within the cave, we floated in a line of six with only our head lamps to illuminate the inside. We spent the afternoon indulging with the included rum drinks and sampled at least one of every color.

Entering the cave for some tubing

Afternoon drinks

We spent the next day exploring the Mayan Ruins of Xunantunich and Cahal Pech. It was amazing to see the massive monuments and living quarters. Cahal Pech was smaller, however, there was a lot to explore. The afternoon included reading in the hammock and relaxing.

Xunantunich

One of my favorite parts of the trips was the Black Hole Drop in which we hiked through the jungle for about an hour and a half, and then rappelled down a 300 foot sinkhole. The views were amazing and the rappel was exhilarating. We enjoyed lunch at the bottom before hiking out.

Starting the Black Hole Drop

On our final day at Sleeping Giant, we started out disappointed when the Waterfall Hike was cancelled, but we were able to go horseback riding instead. When we arrived, our group had just left without us, so we were able to look at the birds and jaguars within their animal area, and then we took a boat ride up the Belize River. Along the way, we saw howler monkeys and giant iguanas. It was pretty cool to ride through the rainforest and encounter some more howler monkeys.

Boat Ride on the Belize River

Horseback Riding

When we arrived back at the lodge, we were informed that there were two surprises for us. The first was a giant coconut with a straw. The second was an over the top dinner on a private balcony, complete with candles and flowers.

Surprise #1

Surprise #2

For the second half of our trip, we drove to Placencia, and then took a boat 20 miles off shore to Hatchet Caye. While on the island, we snorkeled, kayaked, and relaxed on the beach and at the pool. We also took a boat to a nearby turtle spot. When we arrived, there were several boats cleaning their catch, which attracted turtles, sting rays, and sharks.

Dock Handstand

Sea Kayaking

 

Marine Life while Snorkeling

I also had a goal to do a backflip on the beach, which I finally attempted on our last day.

First Beach Backflip

Our final day travels included a boat ride back to shore, a small plane from Placencia to Belize City, and two more flights back to Denver. I had been anxious about the small plane considering it would be my first time in over 20 years. While it was a bit emotional, the flight was relatively smooth. It was a long day, but well worth it for the trip.

Small Plane Flight to Belize City

The day after returning home, we participated in Challenge Nation with a few friends. We dressed up in an 80's theme (Let's Get Physical) and ended up taking 4th place overall out of 54 teams.

Our photos at each checkpoint

Team photo near the halfway point

Everybody in!

It has been a great start to the summer so far!