We made it!

Now that we've safely arrived I can say what I was thinking all of yesterday - wow, that went without a hitch!  Our flights were in time and efficient, our layover long enough to get food but not too long, our bags all arrived safely and we made our bus connection with no problem at all.

Carlos Lopez, ever-reliable tour guide extraordinaire, picked us up at eh airport and delivered us in style to Jaguar Paw, a 1.5 hour trip west into the rainforest. His knowledge ranges from the fascinating ("there are 4,000 plant species in Belize") to the ridiculous ("the Maya Mountains depict the profile of Abe Lincoln - look, there's his nose...!") and he's funny and thoughtful.

We were greeted warmly by the Jaguar Paw staff, quickly had our rooms sorted out and the kids set out exploring.

As the students go their bearings, Jake and I set out to find his "best friend", Gumbo, the baby black howler monkey. The 2 had bonded last year (they recognized kindred souls) and Jake has been looking forward to the reunion. the bad news came when Ralph at the front desk told us he'd been run over the prior month. He was alive, but had been at the vet for a month and had lost a limb. Jake was heartbroken.

the good news was that Donna, the American ex-pat owner of the resort and inveterate animal lover, had insisted on saving him. She arrived a bit later and we got the chance to cuddle with him as he began his new life as a one-legged monkey. While we won't have the exciting monkey hijinks Jake has been dreaming of, we'll get some experience in primate rehab - who knows, maybe a veterinary career will be launched!

Dinner was a more lavish affair than usual with several choices. With a long day of travel behind us, this adventurer retired early, and I imagine the rest of the group was not far behind (after an evening soak in the hot tub with the jungle echoing all around them, I'm sure).

Today's adventure is zip-lining, and we'll post more news and pictures later in the day.

All travelers are well and looking forward to the first full day in Belize.

More later!!