Action-packed day

Wow!  I'm not sure we've ever had as many thrills in one day as we had today. OK, we had 2 big adventures - that's a lot in a place where time moves slowly. 

After a leisurely morning we trooped up to the zipline at 11. After orientation and outfitting by the guides, we broke into 2 groups (me and the families, and Matt, Caleb and the students) I'm not sure I've mentioned Caleb Williamson - he is Brooks '03, St. Lawrence '07, and has been teaching in the Bowens' school in San Pedro for the last 2 years, so he is our second Belizean contact down here.  Caleb secured a week off from teaching 7th and 8th graders at Island Academy to join us for the duration of our trip, and we're thrilled to have him. He not only knows the country well but he is closer to the students' age and relates with them quite well. He is an excellent addition.

So, ziplining. The students did a tremendously good job listening to the guides minding their equipment, and all had a fantastic  time. As we made our way from platform to platform through the canopy one could hear the occasional scream - of glee, I'm sure - and a few Tarzans emerged from the crowd. I'll put some photos up later. Those who confessed a fear of heights were really brave, trusted their guides and equipment and had great growth experiences. At the last platform the only way back down is to rappel (about 80 feet), and the guides Elian and Hector gave the kids a bit of a thrill by letting them drop quickly for a moment - lots of squeals there, and I think Lindsey's may have broken glass in the restaurant down the hill ... I'll post pictures later.

After a great lunch of local fare - rice & beans and baked chicken (and local coleslaw so good Mr. Grant and Andy got in a fork fight over extras on people's plates - jungle manners prevail, I guess), the kids took a break and hit the pool. Later in the afternoon we met in front of the lodge for some quality time with Gumbo the monkey (Andy was his favorite yesterday) and for our next adventure - "Jungle Tumble".

This is a new addition since last year; it is essentially a knock-off of the New Zealand sport of "Zorbing" (look it up for a pic of the giant hamster ball it involves). In this case, they have carved a half-tube path down a hill and lined it with tarping. The inflated ball - perhaps 10 feet tall, has a few gallons of water inside it and the victim - I mean adventurer - accesses the inside through a hole that is then sealed up. The ball rolls down the half-tube and is caught at the end by a large net. As a responsible adult, I felt I had to be sure it was safe, of course. First, I vetted it with an American couple staying here who had done it earlier in the day. Big thumbs up. Then when we got there I sent my own kids first - the little one bounces, so I figured he'd be OK. Finally, I tried it myself, so I could faithfully report the experience to you. Once sealed in the ball and sitting in the water, one feels adrift from the outside world. As the men set the ball rolling down the tube, the water suspends the adventurer and keeps her/him facing forward and positioned in the bottom of the ball. The ride is wild, nearly surreal, and thrilling. Thankfully it does not toss the rider around (as I suffer from motion sickness), and at the end the "catcher" unseals the ball and releases the participant. The well-mannered adventurer then assists the guides in pushing the ball back up the incline, which I did right up until my months of treadmill work ceased to pay off.

All of the students participated, some were nervous, and all were exhilarated at the end. Another great character-building victory! I feel moved to add that I was the only adult to do it...

Tomorrow, another leisurely morning and cave-tubing in the afternoon. We're looking forward to it!