(Daniel) Yerko, Daniel 2 and I drove into the centre of San Benito this morning, to discuss our separate plans for the future.  We decided that Daniel 2 and I would head to Tikal as neither of us had seen the famous ruins yet. Then I would return to meet Yerko later, the two of us would drive to Agua Caliente, a hot water springs next to a beach on the side of Lago Izobel.

The first thing we needed to do was get the vehicles cleaned.  A professional looking garage and carwash agreed to do the work for almost nothing.  I even persuaded their mechanic to take off the anti roll bar for me!  Yerko and I cleaned, wound and greased the winches. Then checked the route that we would take to Agua Caliente.  Meanwhile the boys jetwashed our shoes!

Daniel 2 and I climbed into the Wolf, leaving the carwash and driving for 40 minutes to get back to Tikal.  By the time we arrived, and had reconnected the trailer, it was already 5pm.  

We approached the gate at a jog, somehow no-one seemed to be around at the wooden hut to sell or take tickets.  Meaning that I entered for free, a good thing as the price had just tripled while we were in the Jungle!  The Jungle was filled with animal noises, most noteably the birdsong, which was astoundingly loud, punctuated by the multitude of sounds the parrots came out with.

Howler monkeys could be constantly heard breathing and growling loudly.  The first clearing we came to was filled with old ruins, temples and walls worn away and half buried in mud.  In the distance we could see a giant tower, we followed a path through the forest, coming out at the base of the gargantuan structure.  The evening light gave it a more magical air.  Surprisngly, only a couple of other tourists were around, adding to the eerie haunted feeling.  

Daniel and I climbed the tower, taking photos of the jungle.  We had to move fast if we were going to see the whole place.  At a jog we headed for the next tower farther into the jungle.

This place was even bigger, with a rickety ladder leading up the side to the top.  We climbed up through the canopy past troops of spider monkeys until we could look down on them hanging from trees with their long arms.  From the top it was possible to look out across the jungle to the other pyramids. Each one of them glowing in the setting sun.

With minutes of light left, Daniel and I climbed back down to run to the last temple on our route.  There wasn’t another soul around as we climbed up to the top to see the sunset over the jungle.  On the way back down, a strange creature was climbing up the trees to the side of the ladder.  Daniel 2 found himself face to face with the creature that looked like a big lemur.  

Tired from running, but satisfied that we had taken in a good chunk of Tikal. The two of us headed back through the jungle towards the Wolf, when I spotted a snake in the wall. We managed to take some photos before it slithered away.  It’s amazing how much animal life is here, and how it seems almost oblivious to human presence.     

We drove out of Tikal in the dark and back around the lake to San Benito.  I said goodbye to Daniel.  He had obviously enjoyed the adventure!  As he took the bus to Guate, I drove back to the carwash, where I had arranged to meet Yerko.

It was a bit risky to drive tonight.  So we returned to an island which I had seen close to the town of Flores, on the way past the huge lake.

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