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Published: January 15th 2009
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Yet another very early morning pick up by a shuttle bus to get me to Belize from Flores. The dilapidated bus is full of backpackers, took about 3 hours to get to the border, we were asked to carry all our belongings and walk accross the border after immigration and we hopped on the same bus into Belize City, I have to pay 20 quetzals to leave Guatemala but none in to Belize. Anotehr 2 or 3 hours later we arrived at the port in belize, we got dropped off and most of us went staright to the boat for Caye Caulker. We waited for about an hour before the boat left, a good 25 minute boat ride, turqouise blue waters, the reef seem to be shallow and lots of mangroves along the way, we finally arrived at caye Caulker, about 8 of us hurriedly went to tina's backpacker hostel recommended by Lp and just right next to the dock. Good thing they have rooms for all of us, the dorms are alright, a bit messy and toilet in the 2nd floor does not flush very well but will do for now. Decided to look for the only ATM in town,
CAYE CAULKER
ME AND BRENTON cant seem to make it work and approached the customer service and she told me the card strip thing has to face up, oopps so stupid of me. Got my money and went for lunch, tried the conch fritters at Rose's grill, very good food but a bit pricey for me. Then decided to go to the beach, the receptionist pointed me to the split, literally a split in the island caused by hurricane Hatie in the 50's i think, strong current in the split but good swimming area and lots of small fishies!! had a swim and then sunned myself a bit, there is a cool bar next to it and lots of bodies sunning in any available concrete or sand they can find. Walking back i noticed walking in front of me were the Aussies from Santa Cruz, Linda, Brenton and Nishal, hung out with them for the rest of the afternoon, had my 2nd lunch with them, tried the conch ceviche, i did not like it it is tough and chewy. Rained very hard while having lunch, but quickly let up.
Got back to Tina's and got my camera and walked back towards the split, met
up the Aussies there again and i went with them to their apartmenet place and met some cool people there who invited me for a night BBq, i paid my share of course, the sunset in their side of the island was fantastic! and we saw an odd looking fish which turned out to be the batfish. Anyway dinner was excellent, the Dutch couple who organized it fed us with lots of chicken, beef, and fish prepared by a crazy local, red snappers with a hint of coconut milk and spices, yummy!! between me and Linda and Brenton we had at least 6 fish! there is also a weird French Canadian dude from Montreal, who passed us a card that has his web address for all the photos he had taken on this trip, why we want to see it we dont know, its all diving photos and none of us dive. Walking back from the BBQ to my hostel a young man called my attention while walking the already empty streets at 1030pm, he said the ladies with him are lonely, i said well i am not and bid him goodbye, pimp!!!Rained very hard again tonight. Life here is
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LOBSTER TRAPS so laid back backpackers walk the streets barefoot, and at the hostel eveyone is in hammocks reading, just taking it easy, vacation away from vacation!
Next morning went to see my Aussie friends and we just hang out at their place, I did not chill much at my hostel, the people there are a bit clicky, cant be bothered breaking into their circles really. Brenton and i borrowed Nishal's snorkel gear and we went snorkelling just around the area where their hostel is , near the split. Did not see lots of varieties of fish but it entertained us for a bit, we wa bone fish, and some colorful fishies, we swam towards the split, and we both struggled trying to get to the mangroves, the current is quite strong. We went to lunch at this Chinese takeout place recommended by the Dutch couple, food was good but quite salty to my liking. Then we walked around and shopped around for the best snorkelling trip for the next day, of al we chekced out, the best was Raggamuffin tours, Charlie the woman owner was very helpful and informative for 85 belizean dollars we signed up for the whole day
CAYE CAULKER
TINA'S BACKPACKERS snorkel trip to Hol Chan on a sailboat. We met up for dinner that night and had some happy hour drinks at this sports bar near my hostel where there is free wifi for some interntettting, Nishal and Linda has computers so we borrowed it for a while. We had an amazing lobster dinner than brento and Nishal found, only 3 lobsters left so Nishal lucked out and he had the barracuda, the lobster was very good and good size for the price of 15 US, with cocktail drinks and sides. I decimated mine. Another rainy night and some breeze that night.
The next day was a bit windy, got up and went to raggamuffin to pay up and met the Aussies for breakfast, i had a lobster omellete, because i can!! The boat was full of snorkellers. We stopped at 3 spots, immediately on the first we saw lots of colorful coral fishes and a nurse shark!! WE snorkelled for an hour and then to the next we have to follow the guide, they fed and we saw lots of sting rays and some more nurse sharks!! We started snorkelling on deep waters and saw 4 turtles!! more
sharks a moray eel and lots of fishes. we are at the Barrier reef the variety of fishes are impressive. the third one same thing, manta rays, etc. After all the snorkelling is done we had cocktails, all you can drink and shrimp ceviche, apart from the lunch of sandwiches earlier on, we were well fed and this company runs a good trip, highly recommended. Back onland, as i was walking back, met Lance, the Aussie friend of George we met in Flores, he just got here and we chatted a bit, had my shower in the hostel then met up the Aussies again for dinner we opted for Chinese again as there were no lobsters tonight, food was again salty but filled the void. Met Lance again on the street and turns out he knew my Aussie friends as well, small world. Sad goodbyes and off to bed for me. As we were walking down the street we also come accross Rusty, and his parents, the owner of la iguan in Livingston, Guatemala where i planned to stay if i made it back to Guate. Very friendly and down to earth guy, saw him again at the wifi sports
bar and hang out with him for a bit.
The next day was raining hard, the 830 am shuttle back to belize city did not leave on time i was soaking wet walking to the harbor, and it is only 3 minutes walk, soaking and cold we boarded the ferry and off to the city. It stopped raining as we approached the city and since Topi did not turne up, the Finnish dude was supposed to travel with me to Placencia, anyway i waited for him at the port, he took the 10am ferry, then we both took the taxi to the bus station and there the bus for Dangriga is leaving and so we quickly hopped on, this is my first chicken bus!!!
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