What's the word, hummingbird?: 2024

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Pics and videos below in random order.

Walked through a beautiful jungle like area until I saw the 'main building'. It was the common area where you could have breakfast, dinner, watch birds, enjoy the views, etc. I met one of the owners. She was super friendly and after checking in, I walked to 'my humble hut' as I liked to call it. It was another beautiful short walk through plants, trees and tropical flowers. Mind you, I did walk into a spiderweb (or well string) a few times during the nights that followed. Birds were everywhere, or well you heard them everywhere but spotting them was quite the challenge. I walked down to the river, saw her husband building on the rock walls in the water. He added rocks every day to these kind of dividers of rocks and also your stop if you went tubing. The only place on the river that had these and so you would know when you were back. I went for a short tube myself. One of the reasons I picked this place and also why I didn't want to get in too late. The tubing was a bit of a walk 5-10minutes and might have gone in a bit too far. The water wasn't very appealing but got nicer along the way. It was a saturday and so the river was full of locals, they all looked at me when I passed by. Especially when I hit the super shallow rocky places and tried to kind of gracefully go over them whilst still in the tube. I just pretended I knew what I was doing without making too much eye contact and if I did, I just smiled haha. Got back to the rocks and got greeted by a fish spa. These little cleaning gobies were everywhere around the rocks. They nibbled a bit to hard sometimes. And it took a few days to find a spot where the currect was strong enough to keep them away but not strong enough so I would drift away haha. I met another lady that same day, also a solo traveler (who had lived in Japan!) and we would share plenty of stories about our adventures and other 'fun facts'. But more on that later.

The next day I went on an ATM tour (see one of the pics below to see what it stands for). The owner dropped me off at the tour office and told me where to get a taxi back. The people joining the tour and me waited outside and some people started talking to me. They were surprised thay I was traveling by myself and also that I didn't really had planned anything. We all got split up into 3 groups but I wasn't placed with any of the people I just talked to. We had a short briefing, got on a bus (similar to the one in Madagascar but they did not hold back in speed, even though some of the roads were just as bad)! After a short trip to the supermarket and an introduction round, we got to the parking lot where our walk would start from and end at as well (with lunch).

The relatively flat hike itself was nice, we crossed 3 rivers and so they suggested to wear shoes and socks from the start. Wet sock were okay though, kept the body cool. River water was also super nice. Our tourguide shared a looooot of history facts and stories on the way. I was more interested in the nature around me and kind of checked out wondering why I signed up for this haha. I didn't want to do this tour. Everyone was raving about it, even locals and because I did find that cool lodge and was there anyway, I decided to go and make up my own opinion. After the hike we got to the caves. Some parts we swam, some we walked (in water) and a lot we climbed. And all the while the guide was telling us about preserving the caves but also that there's no more bats because of 'us people and our headlights'. And so I had mixed feelings about all of it. It was also a big effort for the reward in the end. There were some skeletons and potts and a big climb. All very old and important but again I felt that some things needed to be left alone. But I might have enjoyed it more 10years ago when I hadn't seen that much. I did though made myself proud because of all the rocks that I climbed! And mind you, with age comes caution haha. The way back was a lot better. No more 'history lessons' but really cool swimming, rock climbing, walking through the caves in the dark. That part I really did like. And on the way back we saw a few hatched, small iguanas jumping out of a hole in the ground. According to the guide a month too soon. They reminded me of Jurassic Park, and one even jumped on and over my right foot. Lunch was nice and gave us a chance to talk to eachother as well. We left not too long after and I talked to the guide on the way back. He said he 'saw Asian in my eyes' when I told him my mom was born in Indonesia haha. We also saw a few fires on the side of the road. There had been a lot of that going on. Forced fires, normal and needed tot he locals. Although there were also a few bad ones where the fire department had to step in. The smell was strong and my bad still kind of smells of smoke, I've tried to wash it out a few times.

Got back, went into the river with the lady I met the day before and saw two other guests arrive. I was suppose to leave the day after but I couldn't be bothered too much. I was suppose to do Crooked tree Village but again, everything there was a minimum of 2 and also the water levels were to low to do the bird boating tour that I wanted to do. And so I stayed and stayed. Was also pretty tired and this whole trip, 4 seems to be the magic number. 4 nights in Florida, 4 in Hopkins, 4 in San Ignacio, 4 in Caye Caulker and in San Pedro only 2 but my room no was 4. And my gate flying back from was also 4. Anyways, spent my rest of the days petting the dogs, swimming in the river, looking for birds and trying to identify them, spotting agoutis outside my room. Swam with one of the dogs in my arms as well in the river, was sooo cute and a good headrest! Also talked to the other solo traveler, we also looked for birds together in the river. One night we shared a few horror stories on spiders and roaches. And I told her about the one in Madagascar, I said that I just couldn't do roaches. So we said good night and I walked to my room and guess what....roach!! Darnit haha. Nearly emptied my bug repellent on it and killed it with my sandal. So sorry...but no. Couldn't sleep right after but still decided to stay another night.

All of us, including the two girls were leaving on wednesday. And the one lady already had booked a shuttle so I told her if we could split yhe costs, I would stay an extra night and join her. So she checked and that was fine and then I said, let's ask the girls as well. And so the price went up a bit for the four of us, but still a lot less per person so it was settled. Went into town together, me and her, for a bit. Walked around, bought and send my postcards, had lunch and tried the Western Dairies icecream which was why I know it's yucky!! We took a collectivo back, another car with a cracked windshield. Haven't been in one without. And then went back for our last swim in the river.

We left that next morning. I really enjoyed the place and the owners and one of the girls that did the housekeeping who I talked to a few times. I loved waking up to the sounds of nature, spotting birds, swimming in the river, petting the dogs and cats. I spent my last hour just chilling in the hammock listening to the sounds of the jungle. I met the other 3 in the common area and the two girls also went to Caye Caulker. We decided we would take the water taxi together. I had Googled what to do there and found a bunch of the same things ánd a sunset tubing with rum punch. They got so excited about the idea and so we booked it for that night with Anda de Wata (haha say that out loud)! And on our way out, we spotted another tucan! We also saw a Guinness truck and I asked the driver about it. He told us that the local brand Belikin also had a Stout version and that it's the favorite and so Guinness just played into that.

Got to the city, said our goodbyes to the one lady! And were dropped off at the water taxi. It took about an hour to get to Caye Caulker, the island where the motto is: Go Slow. We also learned a few other sayings; You better Belize it and UnBELIZEable. And made up a few ourselves; Braless in Belize, Barefoot in Belize. And the one I came.up with; Living the life of a sloth. Because that's how I've been feeling all throughout this trip hihi.

The girls and I were about a 10min walk apart from eachother and so after we arrived, we went our separate ways. I stayed at a place on the beach, most of them were on the beach though and there was a pool. Never used that though. And the beach was full of seaweed again so also didn't go in from there. I met the girls later that day for our sunset tubing trip. There was another woman joining us, she lived there and had done about 13 already haha. She also was a bit drunk when we started haha. Our driver and bartender was Tyrese. We would see him a few times after that night haha. The boat left and a bit further from the beach we all went on our tubes, they were attached to the boat 2 left and 2 right. And the boat would tow us around the island and stop on the other side for the sunset. The captain/bartender would bring us back in by pulling the rope and gave us each a cup with a straw filled with rumpunch. And whenever you wanted a refill, you would just wave the cup and again he would pull you in. Everything was too funny. We laughed soooo much. And didn't eat that much either and so after the tubing followed a drunk night haha. But we had decided to go again the next day haha. It was just the 3 of us and again Tyrese as our captain/bartender. Both times we waved at all the people that were laughing at the sight they saw. Reminded me of my New Zealand tubing. And we would promote the tubing trip to anyone that would listen. Anda de Wata also became a thing we kept using over the next days, haha. We could not understand why not more people signed up for this haha. We did manage to meet up that second night for dinner, drinks and karaoke.

I was suppose to leave for a 3day-2night sail trip the next morning but not enough people signed up and so it was canceled. I had to swap hotels and picked one that was closer to the girls. They had booked a snorkling trip the next day @ Carlos and I decided to tag along. Last time was about 10years ago I think, but being with other people I kind of knew made me feel like it didn't matter. The snorkling was great! We went in 3 times and it was a bit exhausting in the end since it's quite the workout but we saw so many different fish, corals, rays (spotted eagle ray included!), a small turtle, nurse sharks (waaaaaaa some were bigger than me), aaaaand last but not least; a manateeee!!!! That was amazing! And quite rare as well they said. It was so serene and the first time going in, I got water in my mask because I smiled. I smiled because it was just all so beautiful. After the third time, we got back on deck, tried to blow a conch shell, succeeded but not on video haha. And had rumpunches (again!), also had a few laughs with the crew. We went out for dinner and karaoke again that night! And, just because we could, went on our third and final sunset tubing the next night haha. One of the girls that went snorkling with us joined us that night so it was four of us again. And no Tyrese, but two others and so both sides were pulled in at the same time for refills. We did see Tyrese on the way a few times and waved. We had also seen him the day before when we went snorkling and I said, see you 'anda de wata' and also asked him if he brought any rum punch haha. And that night, you might have guessed already, dinner and karaoke haha. Dinner was super nice, backyard island vibe and we ate whatever was left off the grill. Karaoke was fun, it started pouring outside and so we did 'umbrella'. The girls were suppose to leave for San Pedro a few nights earlier but stayed with me on Caye Caulker. Go Sloooow.

We left together to San Pedro on sunday. A lot busier, bigger and 100 times more golfcarts on this island!! We were again about a 10min walk from each other. They stayed in a hostel, I did not haha. Loved my place though, was greeted with a beer and another and another. Had two to go in my water bottle and met the girls at their hostel after check in. We went out for food and then looked for a nailsalon and/or massage place. Ended up near mine, the girls both had a massage and I had a 2hour pedi and mani. Not too relaxing and with purified water because the current had stopped and so they had no other water than the one the lady sold... I sat outside in a chair next to a busy road haha and half of it was done kind of in the dark haha. We went out to dinner and drinks later that night.

We had brunch together on de wata the next day and discussed what we would do. Not much more to do, except a visit to the Secret (not so secret anymore) Beach. Rented a golf cart that was delivered to my place and I picked the girls up short after. Off we went, on another adventure! The road was bumpy and rocky but we made it after about 40minutes. It was fun driving a golf cart again! I think it's been over ten years since I was in one. The Secret Beach was super nice. Overpriced drinks and food but the water was soooo nice and they had picknicktables in the water and floating lounge chairs. It was a great last day. Took the golfcart out when we went for dinner again and dropped the girls off after that. Went back to the room and looked forward to the super comfy bed one last time. Unfortunately I was met with another roach that night and so I was wide awake again. Managed to catch him though and not kill it. Got up early the next day, checked out, got gas, picked up the girls again and left for the airport where we would leave the golf cart behind again. We had the same flight but there were two planes and we checked in seperately so weren't in the same plane. It was only a 15min flight and so we met up soon after. Spent the last few hours together at the airport and then said our goodbyes. It was a bit of a joke the last few days that I was their au pair because the guy at Secret Beach called me momma and asked them for their ages when we ordered drinks. On our first tubing trip the girls had ask for my age and they had guessed 25-28, shocked faces when I told them my real age. Most of the people during this trip guessed under 30 or max of 30. The one girl called me ageless haha. Anyways when I walked outside towards my plane, it felt a bit weird to leave them behind. And also, I just didn't want to leave. But I had to! And it was also fitting to end it solo again!

Until my next adventure unda or ova de wata ;-)!

Byebye,