So  now we’re home in the states for a week so we’ll take this opportunity to take stock of how we’ve done so far and what it is we need to change.  Overall, it looks like our preparation has paid off.  We’ve rarely been without something we’ve needed and have never been completely unprepared.  Since leaving the US we have not met another backpacker with smaller packs than we have (we do have the added benefit of being able to share a few things) but we have met many with things we wish we did have.
Our supplies have treated us well but we are swapping a few things out that don’t seem to be standing up to the wear and …

Central America has been wonderful, but after almost 4 months (including Mexico) we’re itching to move on. By the time you read this we’ll be in the USA for a mini break. Yay!:) The timing and finances worked out so that we’d be able to take a week or so in the States before heading to South America. Fortunately for us it coincided with the 4th of July (my favorite holiday) and the wedding of our friends Aaron and Alexis. Sometimes the stars just align like that!
Anyway, we’re really looking forward to South America. (Really we just need to verify if the toilets do indeed swirl the other direction!).  We’ve met so many incredible people, other travelers, expats and locals …

Opening my email a few weeks ago I found a very welcome surprise, an invitation from my Uncle Gary to join him and the amazing Pam 2 in Belize. A very welcome invitation, we were unsure if we’d be able to make it to the house he had rented. Belize might be more touristy than the rest of Central America, but we are still in Central America so transportation information is usually not trustworthy until verified independently by several sources. Finally it seemed like Belize might be do able so we hatched a plan to get there.
Belize was a welcome break for us after moving in rapid succession from Antigua to Copan to Utila to Comayagua. …

Survived last night’s 7.1 earthquake with no injuries or damages.
Although we didn’t feel our first two earthquakes in Guatemala, this one was unmistakable.  Shaken awake somewhere around 3am, at first we were unsure what was going on.  Groggy one of us finally said earthquake.  For what felt like minutes we held each other waiting for the shaking to stop, unsure of what else to do.  (They don’t teach earthquake preparedness in Elementary School in Pennsylvania or Florida!).
Even though it was dark we were jostled awake with such force and could actually see the house shaking.  When the quake started to subside we shouted for the others in the house and started to get outside but with everything still moving, only …