On their final stop of this North American excursion the pair landed in the frozen-in-time country of Cuba to explore it’s capital for a few days. Havana was a city unlike any other they had seen so far on their travels. The large concrete memorial to José Marti at Revolution Plaza was the communist architecture Peter and Penny had been hoping to see. They walked along the Malecón, as a cruise liner was sailing into port, and headed for Old Havana to try the local Cuban fayre. A visit to the Capitolio was next on the list before a dander down the Paseo towards the 2 Castillo that flank Havana’s historical port. The pair then took in a walking tour of the old city, and learnt how the revolution had shaped the architecture and the people of this island. As Peter & Penny headed off to the airport in a taxi from the 1950s, they reflected on the great time and fantastic food they had enjoyed on this trip of the Americas and especially #21 Cuba. Now it is time for the pair to start packing up their belongings in the USA and move their lives back to Europe again.

Just when they had settled into island life, it was time for Peter and Penny to leave Caye Caulker and set sail for country #20, Mexico. Two bumpy ferry rides and one very queasy tummy later, they disembarked at Chetumal. They’d heard that bus was the way to travel in Mexico, so on they hopped for a much smoother connection to Tulum. First stop was authentic Mexican food and on Tulum’s main thoroughfare they were spoiled for choice. To end a long day, an enchilada and taco stuffed Peter and Penny browsed the colourful wares of the local boutiques. Bright and early the next day, they set out to explore some of the Yucatán Peninsula’s famous Mayan ruins. They were delighted and surprised that they could wander amid the ancient ruins of Coba and even climb the 137-foot Nohoch Mul pyramid. Not wanting to miss such an opportunity and view, Penny had to summon all her courage, and try not to look down, as they navigated the 120 steep, often slippery steps. With time for one more stop, they headed back to see the stunning cliff-top ruins at Tulum. After a short stay in Mexico, the pair agreed that Tulum was among the friendliest and awe-inspiring places they had visited.

After too long being cooped up at home the travelling twosome headed for Central America. First on their list was the jungle covered nation of Belize, though on this trip the pair stuck to the coast. Having made it to the capital, Belize City, a water taxi took Peter & Penny to the island of Caye Caulker, to spend a few days on a land devoid of all cars. However, there were still enough golf carts to necessitate looking both ways before crossing the sand laden streets. The couple enjoyed the picturesque sunset at ‘The Split’ before heading to rest up for a unique excursion the following day. A big priority of this visit was to get a glimpse of the Meso-American barrier reef and Peter & Penny would not be disappointed. They arose bright and early for an all day snorkelling trip to the reef, accompanied by some local guides. After trying on their flippers (not that Peter really needed them) and finding a mask to fit around Penny’s ears it was time to set off on the open sea. Over multiple dives they saw fish of every colour, stingrays and even a few sharks who thankfully didn’t have a taste for pork or penguin. The coral itself was just as varied as the fish, coming in all kinds of shapes and colours. With the world’s coral reefs shrinking each year, the couple knew they had to take in every moment they could exploring this hidden ecosystem below the waves. It truly was one of the most fascinating things the pair had seen on their travels thus far and an excellent reason to visit #19 Belize.