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@KaliCAwhat camera equipment are you using? thanks, Jim  

Yes!!!      This!!!     Thank you for highlighting it.......  I think most folks book a first trip to Belize,   and hit Ambergris Caye,  and Caye Caulker.    (and shark-ray alley,   where you bait animals to come at certain times of day and there are literally 300 snorkellers in the water).      But,    if you don't want that......... even though it is a tiny country,   you can escape that mad-house.     And now you have me on google-flights - and looking up Rio Bravo and Gallon Jug!      

I’ve never been to Indonesia myself, but I’m sure some others have. They will not see your message here, but by putting it on Safaritalk —>Travel Talk ->Trip planning, ( pasting the link does not seem to work on my iPad) I think you may have more succes. Good luck!

Another guest at the flotel, who was there to work on his newest photography project came up to inform us of a Tapir that was swimming across the river not far away so we made a beeline for the sighting. We watched him as he paddled towards the bank, shaking off the water as he emerged from the river. When he finally disappeared into the undergrowth we carried on.    P9194536 South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194554 South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194569 South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194594_01 South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194633_01 South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194636 South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194641 South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194659 South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194667 South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194700 South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194723 South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194728 South American tapir (also called the Brazilian tapir or lowland tapir) by Jo Dale, on Flickr   It wasn’t long before we came across another of Ti’s offspring, this time it was Guaraci- a female cub of Ti’s from 2021, Littermate of Alira. She was just resting and didn’t seem inclined to move. She is named for a Tupi god, the protector, creator and director of all living things.   P9194774  Jaguar Guaraci--Cub of Ti from 2021 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194806  Jaguar Guaraci--Cub of Ti from 2021 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194850  Jaguar  Guaraci--Cub of Ti from 2021 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194867  Jaguar Guaraci--Cub of ti from 2021 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194874 Jaguar Guaraci--Cub of Ti from 2021 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   When it became clear that she was well settled in for a nap, we went on to find more sightings. We encountered a pair of Giant Otters, fishing. One was making some very funny noises as it tore into a particularly tough fish.    P9195057  Giant River Otter by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9195071  Giant River Otter by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9195074  Giant River Otter by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9195078  Giant River Otter by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9195109  Giant River Otter by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9195110 Giant River Otter by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9195111 Giant River Otter by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9195114  Giant River Otter by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Giant River Otter by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9195120  Giant River Otter by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9195136 Giant River Otter by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9195144 Giant River Otter by Jo Dale, on Flickr   As the afternoon drew to a close the smoke from bushfires drew in, affecting our visibility. An osprey was spotted in the murk. As we headed back, the locally migrant snail kites had gathered together in a grove of trees. Were they arriving or leaving? We didn’t know, but we didn’t see their number again.    P9194907_01  Osprey by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194955_01 Osprey by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9195182_01   Migrating Snail Kites by Jo Dale, on Flickr

After lunch we met Tingana’s mother, Ti (AKA Ryan). She was resting on the riverbank. Ti is the cub of Jeni born in 2015, Littermate of Juru. She is the mother of Mateus in 2019, Mother of Guaraci and Alira in 2021, Mother of Kyyaverá and Tingana in 2023,  mate of Vaikue 2017, and mate of Inka in  2020. She got up and started hunting and so we followed her. Sadly she wasn’t successful, eventually settling down after scaling the vertical bank of the river.    P9194067  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194086  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194116  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194165 Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194173  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194176  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194191 Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194194 Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194199 Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194208 Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194217 Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194238 Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194239 Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194271  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194282  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194285  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194291 Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194298  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194327  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194335  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194341_01  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194358  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194359  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194379  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194447  Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9194447_01 Jaguar Ti--Cub of Jeni from 2015 by Jo Dale, on Flickr  

Video worked for me @Chakra.  Enjoying this report very much.

@Towlersonsafarithank you This is good preparation for retirement. We knew you had been with Fynbos Guy, and that helped us in choosing him. I have edited my first post as although I mentioned your trip report, I actually put the wrong link in!   Thank you @michael-ibk@Peter Connan  

Did you manage to see the video on You Tube about the 1000 feet waterfalls? 

Wow, that's a cool sighting! And the lions in the sun are beautiful too.   As for what lens to choose, I have contributed a contrary opinion. 

Post video on YouTube first then copy the link in the post.   Excellent narrative, as expected from you. Don't expect similar historical sites in Panama.   

Walking among the Caracol ruins gives you a real sense of walking in an old jungle. And you glimpse remains of the ruins through the jungle which adds to the charm. and then add the blood curdling screams of the howlers.  Birding was fabulous and despite my dodgy gear I managed to capture a few including a Rose throated Beckard : a lifer for me. And I missed out on Emerald Toucanets !! Lovely birds. Seen in CR though.  I love Montejuma's Oropendola and their swinging antics. They are locally known as yellow tails. The name comes from Oro = yellow/golden, Pendola : from their swinging motions like a pendulum during courtship.  They live in colonies and are polygynous breeders, meaning that one male mates with many females. The dominant oropendola will father most of the young in a colony that can have over 100 nests. Females build these nests, which may hang three feet or more below the branch. It is thought that this long, deep shape protects the young from predators and prevents eggs from falling out of the nest in heavy wind. Sujata did capture them in her video. I'll see if she is happy to share with me.   BTW, does anyone know how I can embed videos directly in the post ?   I talk to old trees, like this Ceiba tree seen in Caracol, national tree of Guatemala. I know it's weird but they talk back to me. How often do you get the chance to touch, smell and interact with a five hundred year old living organism ? Some Ceiba trees are thought to be 1000 years old. This tree was most likely alive when Cortez and Pisaro left a bloody trail of destruction through Central America in their greed for the golden city of El Dorado. The Ceiba was the most sacred tree for the ancient Maya of Central America. They believed that a great Ceiba tree stood at the center of the earth, connecting the terrestrial world to the spirit-world above. Its roots were said to reach down into the underworld, its trunk represented the middle world where the humans live, and its canopy of branches arched high in the sky symbolized the upper world and the thirteen levels in which the Maya heaven was divided. The long thick vines hanging down from its spreading limbs provided a connection to the heavens for the souls that ascended them.       Mr and Mrs Antshrike          Gartered trogon          Rose throated Beckard : a lifer for me        We also witnessed a kidnap and murder happening in front of us. I have seen this in Attenborough's series before and considered myself lucky to watch it live. The Tarantula wasp attacked a small tarantula, injected it with its venom, within a minute the tarantula was immobile, the wasp lifted it, dropped it couple of times but eventually managed to get it to its hole. Now she would lay eggs on the belly of the tarantula while the spider is alive, but immobile The eggs would hatch soon, and the larvae would burrow into the soft belly of the Tarantula and eat it alive. What a gruesome tale. But nature is gruesome. I'll try to upload the video later.   The wasp is trying to lift the tarantula.       Oropendolas        Yellow tail        I'm very fond of reptiles.    

@Scooterthanks for your appreciation. Yes I was fully aware of the problems of Cruise ship. The places where i went were usually beyond the reach of the cruise ship day tourists. I had absolutely zero interest in visiting Caye Caulker or Ambeghis caye and then jostling with hundreds of tourists to snorkel while the guides threw fish chum in the water to attract the reef sharks. I can guarantee no cruise ship day tour would ever reach Placencia or even Hopkins and go to the small cayes from there.  I wanted to see Lamanai ruins , which I knew was a top draw for cruise ship. So I went after 2 pm and the site was practically ours, even on a cruise ship day. In the morning it is usually jam packed.  Belize I believe is building another bigger port for Cruise ships.  Caracol : I met about ten tourists.  La Milpa at Rio Bravo and Chan Chich lodge at Gallon Jug are also way beyond the reach of cruise ship crowd with fantastic birding. 

Truly a beautiful area.  Two big years and a trip report all at the same time! That's some commitment Tony!

It is a Black Mamba - hustling to get into the bush,   ahead of the mongoose that is chasing it.    I struggle to get photos......the distance is great.    (we are giving this sighting quite a fair berth).      I am just ENTHRALLED tho!!     (and so is Spencer!!).   It disappears into the centre of the bush.   We drive around the back side - and here,   the lighting is even poorer.    But binos are working......and we are all caught up in the "movie" in front of us.     The snake has caught a bat.    Has half-swallowed it.......but a wing is still caught outside its jaws.     And therefore,   it cannot strike and defend itself.       The mongoose takes advantage,   and bites the snake from behind.        And Spencer says,    "we really have to get going to the airstrip".   We stay,     as long as we dare to.        I would have LOVED to have seen the ending.      (If I had to bet......I would have bet on the mongoose).   Such a great send-off sighting.              

Last morning at Lagoon.    I am super-sad about leaving a place I am SO drawn to.    But we are headed to Pom Pom,   and I am also drawn to that place.     The flight time has changed a couple of times......so we've just resigned ourselves to having bags packed and we will be ready to "rock and roll" in the am.   The same lions from last night......are now in beautiful golden light.    We visit for a bit:               We have early coffee stop - and decide then,    that we should visit the hyena den on the way to the airstrip.     Perfect plan!    Let's go! But.......on our approach,    our tracker says "SNAKE!"