Caye Caulker, Belize to Clayton, North Carolina

Tuesday, March 25, 2008-Day 17-Caye Caulker, Belize
Last night I headed over to Syd's restaurant, a local favorite on the island, known for their fried chicken platter. I tried to order it, but the guy told me that it would take almost an hour, so I splurged on the fried shrimp platter; which costs $18 BZ. Everything here is the same price as in the US, they just double it on the menu. It ends up taking nearly 45 minutes anyway, but once it arrives it is well worth the wait...the mashed potatoes are the best I've had since I last made my own and for a moment I think Syd has somehow gotten ahold of my own recipe. There is a creepy guy at the bar who keeps trying to make small talk with me, so at this moment I think it's important to write that there are 2 types of men in Central America...there are locals (those born and raised here) and American transplants (those who are retired or divorced and forced to move here b/c of the restraining order put on them by their ex-wives).

This morning I woke up early and went exploring the island. This didn't take long as Caye Caulker is only 4 miles long and about 650 yards wide. All the island is sand...there are no roads and no cars; only about 20 golf carts, which are shared by everyone. Early in the morning it's mostly kids ont he streets, riding their bikes without any shoes on. No one here wears shoes in fact, and I have found myself doing the same. The houses aren't really houses, just shacks-wooden 2x4's on top of 4 poles-painted bright colors of turquoise blue and flamingo pink-it's a crayon box gone wild. Everyone has their laundry hanging in their backyard and trash litters the street. This is the part not written in the travel books. There is trash EVERYWHERE. Yesterday I watched a lady unwrap a snickers bar and throw it on the ground. If the 2nd largest barrier feer wasn't just a mile away, this island would certainly never see tourism. After enjoying some nice coffee and a cinnamon roll for only $1.50 BZ (75 cents US) at a place called Glenda's, I walk to check and see if my Turneffe tour is heading out today, but it turns out the wind is still a little to much for the boat.

Instead, I signed up with EZ-BOYZ tours to go to Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Shark Ray Alley, and the Northern Cayes. On the trip out there the water is choppy from the wind and I get scared as we bounce up and down. O close my eyes and imagine my tour guide Salvador is really George Clooney from that movie with Mark Wahlberg, so that when we sink it's George I'm gonna die with, not Salvador. We end up making it to the N. Caye safely. There are seven people on my tour, one guy and six women, they are all from Canada and I'm the lone American. After hopping in the water, I realize that my day is about to be spent in a huge grown up aquarium! I saved the best snorkeling day for last. Right away I see fish so big they don't fit in the lens of my camera! Salvador leads me to more green moray eels and I find out those blue fish I like are called blue chromis. There is something called a peacock flounder, which floats on the bottom and is just as beautiful as the bird. Just as I am enjoying all of this the Canadian guy kicks me in the face with his flippers. Okay, once no harm, but then he does it 4 times! So do the other family members-if you don't know how to snorkel, then DON'T COME! You don't see me coming to Canada and riding a moose, do you? Our next stop is Shark Ray Alley; we have been told there are nurse sharks and as soon as we pull up they swarm the boat. The Canadian wife sceams 'I'm not going in there'...good, more for me to photograph! I jump in and as soon as I do I realize what the hell I just did...there are 7 nurse sharks right beside me...okay...just breathe. More stingrays follow and as I get back in the boat I look behind me just to make sure "JAWS" isn't back there. The boat heads into San Pedro for lunch, which is North of Caye Caulker on Ambergis Caye. This is where the resorts are, more nice restaurants too. Ambergis is about 25 miles long and its Northern side adjoins MX. For lunch I head to Elvi's, a local place known for great seafood. I think about a salad (for like a mili-second) and decide it's my last day in Belize, so I go with the lunch special of fried conch, fried shrimp and fried fish w/ fried french fries. YUMMY!!! A Carribbean Breeze completes it and I enjoy a very nice lunch all to myself.

At 3 pm the group reconvenes and we head to our last stop at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, the 1st marine reserve established in Central America. The park encompasses about 5 square miles of protected area and is 100 feet deep in some parts!! It's dotted with coral formations and I feel like NEMO! I see the biggest fish in my life, like grouper and barracuda, but the main thing I notice is the hundreds of schools of fish. Often times I think they are coral formation and then realize it's a school of fish. There is a cave Salvador says we can swim through, but I can't hold my breath that long. I have learned to pressurize my ears though, so I am able to swim deeper and get better photos. As I swim out, I suddently come to the 100 foot drop off, which scares the crap out of me, so I think it's best to turn around; who KNOWS what might be lingering out there, looking for my yellow fins? On the boat ride home, everyone begins noticing my camera and suddenly wants to be my friend. The Canadian guy become real chatty; however, until he takes a few swimming lessons I'm not that interested in discussing Olympus photography with him. My mouth is very salty from all the water today and I'm really looking forward to brushing my teeth tonight.

When I return to the island I find that a BBQ is planned at the hostel for everyone's last night, so I shower and cleanup before we all head to the veggie market. ON the menu: rice, veggie curry, tuna salad/bread, fresh fish and rum punch. There are 20 of us peeling potatoes, chopping onions, mixing rice-someone puts their IPhone into some speakers and the dancing starts! A party is going on, stories are flying and friendships are being made. Tomorrow I will leave Belize, most of my new Caye Caulker friends will head to Western Belize or North to Mexico. Tonight was the perfect way to end my time on the island.

Wednesday, March 26-Day 18-Caye Caulker, Belize to Clayton, North Carolina
Today I woke up and finished packing my backpack. I went to Gladys' again for some coffee and drank it as I watched the sunrise over the ocean. I said goodbye to everyone in Caye Caulker and caught the 8:30 am water taxi to Belize City. I approached a couple to see if they wanted to split the cab fare to the airport, so we shared a ride; when I got tot he airport the driver tried to up the price (double it in fact from $25 BZ to $50 BZ) and I told him "NO." So, then he went to the male of the couple as I simply walked over to US Airways to check in. I had no problem checking in, but I was a little worried about my luggage since I'm meeting mom and dad in Charlotte and not continuing on to San Diego; the bag is tagged to SD. There was no food in the Belize airport-only 4 Duty Free shops so I waited until the plane to buy food. Although US Airways mastercard urges you to shop on the plane with your plastic, the lady would only accept cash and then wouldn't take my Belizian dollars (funny how that works) so she told me I owed her $7 for my stupid airline sandwich, but she never came calling. The plane ride to Charlotte was short...only 3 hours and 15 minutes...but once I landed I got stuck at US Customs behind another plane from Jamaica and EVERYONE had hit up the duty free there with their bottles of liquor. My parents were very excited to see me and I ran through the airport to give my mom a big hug! On the way to Clayton I shared some stories (mainly mom wanted to know why I picked such dangerous places to go visit) and we stopped to get some American food-a nice big, healthy salad. Once arriving in Clayon (or C-town as we call it) I got a nice night's sleep with no roosters and spent today doing my laundry. I am on a tight schedule though as tomorrow we ship out at 1:30 prompt for Miami where I'll sail around the Carribbean for a week on the Carnival Imagination. Keep you updated and see you soon! Happy Birthday to all my friends!