http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/wandke/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from wandke en-us Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:26:40 +0000 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:26:40 +0000 At this point we had known Angela for one week and she was threatening to continue traveling into the interior of Belize without us Tyler Ant and I would hear none of it and immediately began throwing out ideas of how we could all do some adventuring together. Ant had recently acquired the privilege of driving his bossrsquos vehicle so his keys were thrown on the table first. We decided http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Caves-Branch/blog-460459.html As soon as I got back from the Great North we had one week until Aly and Zach moved back to Wisconsin and we knew we had to maximize every minute Karaoke called Karleoke here after our gracious host Karl was the usual spectacular of performances and we met some legendary people that week. One in particular was a girl that was rapping with Zach all night long Angela from SF who is traveli http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-456604.html I have always been curious about our friendly neighbor to the north and after visiting 31 other countries it was finally time for me to make the trip hellip to hellip CANaDA I am educated about their ways and customs through a litany of Canadian friends accumulated over the years. My momrsquos friend Jennifer is a hockey pusher Jodie and Erin tease my stomach with tales of poutine Fre http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Ontario/Wawa/blog-455693.html As June approached it was already coming up on an entire year since I had been home I couldnrsquot stay away from my best friends and family any longer and I was really looking forward to a trip back. My ticket was to return to Las Vegas and this was just the relaxation I needed after the last two weeks of May in Placencia With my roommates gone our house turned into the teenage day cam http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Wisconsin/Peshtigo/blog-453455.html Ever since arriving in Belize I have been bombarded with the propaganda of the Whale Shark. Itrsquos such an elusive giant itrsquos found in only a handful of places on our planet and itrsquos migratory and reproduction habits are only guessed. But some things are known for sure like each spring during the weeks of the full moon they visit the Belize Barrier Reef at Gladden Spit to fee http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Belize-Barrier-Reef/Gladden-Spit/blog-453247.html My life is definitely ruled by the seas these days...each choose your own adventure ends with me the reefs the fish and the beach. As the Pohlmanrsquos and I settled into our life and apartment in Placencia the walls were slowly filled with maps and lists. There were maps of the world the Caribbean and of course our new home country Belize. And there were lists of the World Capitals im http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Belize-Barrier-Reef/Tobacco-Caye/blog-448816.html The regular boat leaves for the Glovers Atoll Resort every Sunday at 9am from Sittee River a village about 2 hours north of here. So Chris Jackson and I loaded our grocercies his dive gear and backpacks onto the 6am bus out of Placencia. It was a beautiful ride up the peninsula at dawn until we went over a huge pothole and heard a large cRRaCK from the back wheel area The driver kept drivin http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Belize-Barrier-Reef/Glover-s-Reef-/blog-439934.html Birthdays are my favorite time to be happy wear crazy hats and drink brightly colored drinks This year was no exception as I was sharing my birthday with two other Aries legends Zach Polman and Chris Jackson As per every other birthday I had about a weekrsquos worth of events planned for me and anyone who was lucky to be caught in my hurricane. The festivities started on April 4th when http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-438924.html I have been lucky to spend a great deal of time observing and thinking about the seas this summer through snorkeling and diving with educated guides and reading some amazing scientific and sciencefiction books. The ocean is a living breathing and adapting organism with a geologic evolution we can barely appreciate Because Belizersquos entire coastline is protected by a 170 mile barrier re http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-438250.html Hello friends and family I am writing from my new apartment in Placencia Belize and hoping to spend some time catching you all up on my latest adventures Latest starting...six months ago I have a lot to share with you from underwater in caves and even some new countries visited I think of you all often and hope you are happy from head to toe I hope you enjoy the stories and I wil http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/San-Pedro-La-Laguna/blog-436088.html The Wandke Wanderlust hit me about 3 months after settling in Placencia and I immediately looked to my southern neighbor for an adventure I started mentioning Guatemala to people around town and everyone had a fantastic review or fond memory of time spent there so I knew this was my ticket The week before leaving I heard a friend of a friend was planning on sailing his boat down to the Rio http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Rio-Dulce/blog-396328.html Hello my dearest family and friends A heartfelt birthday THANK YOU to every one of you who made my day soooo special from so many miles away Especially MOM The Friday before my birthday I was able to find the 39 minute slot our post office was open and had duty tax receipts and excited to see a huge birthday box from my mom Now in order to pay duty tax we are required to open the b http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-395555.html I sit here at my six month anniversary of expatriation and wonder where the days have gone I came to Belize hoping to accomplish many goals and finish numerous projects all of them still patiently listed on the back of a Suduko puzzle. Somehow when making that list I forgot to factor in the People of Placencia I recently read a captivating story called ldquoTherersquos No Place Like H http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-376876.html The last time I visited Belize I had the fortune to go on one of the most unique tours on this continent the ATM Cave Tour. Since being in that wet dark cave I have learned alot about the unique creatures that live in absence of light and heat and swore I would never be crazy enough to enter again. Until St. Hermann's cave last November....and now the cave at the mouth of the Blue Creek wate http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Toledo-District/San-Pedro-Columbia/blog-376880.html When Aly and Zach and I moved to Placencia in November we were surprised and delighted to find that we were not the only newbies in town As a matter of fact quite a collection of young people have moved here recently from Austria Canada NY and England In particular we have become good friends with another threesome from Canada Jodie Erin and Brad. They have opened a fantastic restau http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-375721.html Hello family I'm doing my best to keep the stories coming but I have been just too busy living them to document Although its a few months later I hope you still enjoy them A few days after returning from our adventures up North Megan arrived for a Holiday Extravaganza She was our first visitor to the tiny peninsula we call home and also my first time being able to meet my friend ou http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Cockscomb-Basin-Wildlife-Sanctuary/blog-371333.html Happy New Year to all my favorite people The holidays were a whirlwind of new friends and adventures and I canrsquot wait to share them all with you I have been very busy making new friends and being a part of my new community I have been training to be on the volunteer fire department tutoring math in the small village north of here housesitting singing karaoke and hosting and atte http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Belize-District/Crooked-Tree/blog-363112.html Its Day Ten in Placencia and I have my laptop with me on our front porch. Irsquom looking at the two kayaks we paddled all morning the coconuts our neighbors gave us and my snazzy new Big Red Bike Irsquom settling in remarkably well and every day Irsquom learning a little bit more and knowing Irsquoll be staying a little bit longer Within days of relocating to the tropics my inte http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Toledo-District/blog-348268.html As so it goes from one great adventure to another... I look forward to sharing this international relocation adventure with you But first a recap After returning from ATW over the summer I visited most of my friends and family all over the country and the world My sister Alyssa and I took a 2000 mile road trip through Utah NV and CA and took in hikes and awe at Bryce Canyon Zion Lake Ta http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-342940.html Home.Well as most of you know I've been home for a few weeks and well already I feel like it's time for me to hit the road again I was meandering along my international pathway for 249 days and loved every single MINUTE of it I think i got homesick once when the Packers were in the NFC Championship Game....it really made me miss my friends and family MY TEAM and only got sick from http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/Las-Vegas/blog-266476.html