Caves by candelight

Crossing the boarder from Belize to Guatemala was like entering a different world. Suddenly the English-speaking stopped, there was chaos at the boarder crossing, and the roads and cars became noticeably worse; however, the landscape became more beautiful. The country's frequent flash flooding creates a lush green expanse of landscape like I have never seen before. The hills and mountains are almost void of human settlement and you can see for miles through sporadic mountain peaks. Such stunning views outside the window make for a much-welcomed distraction from the experience inside, where drivers navigate giant potholes and fearlessly storm over some of the roughest roads I've ever been on. But I survived and arrived in Flores unscathed, despite getting caught in one heck of a monsoon downpour!

Flores is a sleepy island (although it's joined to land, so I guess it's technically not an island...not sure what that is classed as!) housing backpackers and tourists looking to explore Tikal - a Mayan archaeological site found within a rainforest. Although the ruins are impressive and they let you climb them (health and safety is not really a consideration here), the best thing about the site was hearing howler monkeys and seeing the tucans.

After a few days' recuperation at a fab hostel, 15 of us got picked up in a mini-bus that was probably more suitable for 9 people (Mayan people are on average about a foot smaller than westerners) and braced ourselves for a 9-hour journey. Despite not being geographically too far away (approx 180 km), the condition of the roads makes this a pretty long and arduous journey (the last 14km took 1.5 h). Needless to say, we were all best friends by the end of it ;o)

Now in Lanquin at another great hostel/lodge, generations of travellers have flocked here to explore the beautiful caves and waterfalls of Semuc Champney. Thankfully the area is untouched by mass tourism - although for how long remains the question - and essential activities for every visitor are cave exploration by candlelight, swimming in the lagoons and jumping off bridges and waterfalls. OK, so I managed to pluck up the courage to do the first two but not the second two... the waters in the lagoon were the clearest I've ever seen and the landscape just breathtaking. Thus, I saw no reason to ruin a relaxing outing with fear and panic.

I move onto Antigua tomorrow - a must-do guidebook-essential city. However, my must-do essential for tomorrow is laundry... I simply can't go on turning t-shirts inside out any longer!!

Crab with a fag

A lagoon retreat

Although sad to leave beautiful Tulum and the people I met there, it was time for me to head to Chetumal at the Mexican boarder where a boat runs to the Belizian island of Caye Caulker. But before I left Mexico, I decided to take a detour to a destination slightly off the Lonely Planet beaten track known as Bacalar, the site of a giant fresh water lagoon. Getting off the bus at Bacalar, I met three wonderful American ladies from California who let me jump on a pickup truck they´d flagged down at the roadside and headed to their guesthouse. The guesthouse they booked was absolutely beautiful and they were kind enough to offer me the spare bed for the night! That evening we sat and chatted on the mini pier in the garden and had a well-needed early night with a book. A true retreat!

After my swift mini-break Bacalar it was time for country number 2: Belize.

Caye Caulker

Leaving my blissful retreat, I rejoined the backpacker trail to Caye Caulker, a teeny tiny island siting just off the coast of Belize city. The island is famous amongst traveller circles and many a passing backpacker has stepped foot here. The island is a small jem, in a world of its own. It's maintained the traveller 60s hippy vibe and the brightly coloured hostels, restaurants and bars make for a very picturesque island. With 3 days there, I decided to go snorelling again - what a way to cure a hangover! - and got the chance to stroke a nurse shark and a stingrey! Kinda slimey, in case you're wondering.

I met loads of really great people here and definitely have lots of great memories! Although the most notable one is the crab with a fag...one of the most hilarious things of my trip so far!!

Anyone for piña colada chicken?

Swimming with turtles

My first night in Playa del Carmen left me feeling like a true traveller - I´d been attacked by an onslaught of mossies. No doubt this is just a taste of what´s to come over the next few months! Better keep the DEET on hand at all times...

Playa has a beautiful beach but is another town that suffers from an excess of tourists and associated tat. So, after some obligatory strolling around the town on my first day, I decided to leave the city on my second to go back to nature. So I jumped in a collectivo (dirt cheap taxi-type mini bus used by locals) and went snorkelling for the first time. Following a recommendation by my hostel owner, I went to Akumal beach, famed for its giant turtles and coral reef. After a bit of haggeling I managed to get an hour and a half of one-on-one snorkeling for around 30 pounds - it was one of the best things I´ve ever done! I saw loads of giant turtles, exotic phospholuminescent fishes and even stingreys. It left me questionning why I didn`t become a marine biologist?!

Leaving Playa, I made my way on the bus to Tulum. Now, apparently Tulum beach frequently features very high up on "Top 10 beaches of the world" lists. And it really was stunning. Not only was the beach a mini paradise, it is juxtaposed next a collection of excellently preserved Mayan ruins known as the city of Zuma (city of dawn) because they face the sunrise. The Mayans couldn`t have picked a more idillic location.

Piña colada chicken

After a couple of consecutive days of lunch and dinner at restrurants, some of us at the hostel decided to make use of the BBQ and cook up something special. Meet and fish are incredibly cheap in Mexico so we trotted off to the supermarket and bought steak, chicken and giant prawns. With a craving for coconut one girl and I decided to cook a chicken and prawn coconut curry. After 20 minutes of hunting every corner of the shop for coconut milk, we gave up and used our broken Spanish to corner a sales assistant who kindly found it for us. Getting back, we fired up the BBQ, cooked the meat and made the sauce adding corriander and lime to the coconut milk (like professionals). The meal looked fab, but something about it didn`t taste quite right, it was ever so slightly sweet...

...Maybe it was a bad idea to buy coconut milk from the booze section!! On the plus slide, we invented piña colada chicken (minus the piña)

Chicken Pizza and an Island of Women

I´ve arrived and hit the ground running! First of all, I stand corrected on my opinion of Cancun...The city is colourful, buzzing and full of character - at least, that is the case in the downtown hub of central Cancun where my (fantastic) hostel was. However, I saw a very different town when we drove through the main resort area. In this part of town, huge sterile, impersonal hotels take over the skyline and it´s a shame that most people staying in these resorts - and lining the pockets of the Hilton family - will probably not see, smell or hear the real Cancun.

The hostel I stayed in was a great introduction to backpacking life! It was clean, colourful and run by an extremely friendly team. Dinner and breakfast were included in the price and were had on a table outside with all other hostellers. A great way of meeting people! 

On Day numero uno I went on a tour of Chichen Itza (also known by the alias of Chicken Pizza) - a Mayan temple holding a "new seven wonders of the world" accolade. It was a pretty impressive ruin and is renowned for its accuracy as a calander. It unfortunately suffered from what so many of these world-popular attractions suffer from: 1) too many tourists of the American persuasion 2) too much tat for tourists to buy. Nonetheless, it was interesting and worth seeing.

I then spent a night on Isla Mujeres, a small island (where pirates used to store their women friends) about 20 minutes´ boat ride from Cancun with some lovely people I met in my Cancun hostel. The hostel I stayed at was located directly on the beach and had a strong new age vibe (lot´s of enviromentally conscious, aging hippies camping or hammocking on the beach front).

Returing to land, I embarked on my first Latin American bus journey to Playa del Carmen, a beach resort about an hour outside Cancun. Latin America is famed for it´s excellent and cheap bus journeys that travel through the breadth of the continent. Being an avid bus user (thanks London) and supporter of public transport, I am actually looking forward to the hundreds of bus journeys I will have over the next few months (although don´t quote me on this - I am fully aware this feeling may change!!)

Tequila shots are free during dinner

...is possibly the best thing I've ever read on a hostel booking confirmation email. What a great welcome to Cancun!

However, I can't help but expect Cancun to be the US equivalent of our 18-30s holidays, with sex, drugs, rock and roll, and purpose-built hotels featuring heavily. Although it may not be too bad - and I won't be there during the infamous 'spring break' period and I actually only have 3 nights there before heading down Mexico's stunning Caribbean coast and the Mayan Riviera.

Now I have less than 24 hours before walking through those Gatwick departure gates, the countdown has begun. It's very surreal to know that following an 11-hour flight and copious amounts of slim-line G&T (I am flying BA after all), I will be starting my travels. After a week of feeling a tad apprehensive about the whole thing, I am finally starting to feel excited again! I'm not even daunted by the 4am wake-up tomorrow morning - I'm more concerned that the associated early night means I will miss tonight's TOWIE (will someone please keep me updated on all things reem? Cheeeerz).

So all that's left to do today: final 'admin' stuff; line backpack with nice-smelling laundry sheets; charge mp3 player; look at google images of places I'm going; eat last supper; and try and sleep (!!)

Last day of work, first day of a new chapter?

Perhaps it's fitting to begin this on what is my last day of work. 

Walking through the city of London this morning felt like a stereotype – drizzly rain that soaks through you, city folk with heads hung low, Pret coffee in hand (not the best conditions to listen to my teach-yourself Latin American Spanish podcasts) – I must admit that I happily moved my state of mind forward a week to when I will be doing one of three things: lying on a stunning Mexican beach; exploring ancient Mayan ruins; or using my Spanglish to purchase ingredients for burritos (let's see how well those podcasts worked). 

Now in my office in Farringdon, it's 11am Kisstory, the rain has vanished and the sun is streaming through the windows. Nothing beats a beautiful, crisp day in London – it's making me feel quite sad to be leaving the best city in the world. Strangely, it feels a bit like I am about to be left out of the loop of some juicy gossip that's about to emerge – like I'm going to be missing out on something. But no doubt London will be exactly the same as I left it. 

It still hasn't sunk in that my RTW backpacking adventure begins in 5 days. At least 15 countries in about 6 months is a big feat but I feel ready for the challenge. I am slightly apprehensive about how I am going to fit everything I need into my backpack – how can 60L actually be teeny tiny?! I need to be ruthless. The ultimate test will be whether all those mornings spent walking to work in my walking boots have truly broken them in. 

Leaving goodbye M&S treats for my lovely colleagues on the communal table, all that's left to do is clear away the evidence of my existence from the office, enjoy our retro 70s lunch, and get prepared for a leaving speech. 

Maybe I can also learn how to defy the laws of physics to condense everything into my backpack…