White rocks clunked onto the kitchen table the morning of our 35th wedding anniversary. They were not even close to the coral pendant that I picked out for myself.
Before tears hit that same table, my husband had me open my email. There was his redemption, a coral reef instead of a coral pendant. We were going to Belize.
As delighted as I was to be going to a hot island for a change, Central America was a daunting prospect. It does not exactly have a reassuring reputation for safety.
Adding to the stress, our final flight was to be aboard a thirteen-seat puddle-jumper. I reassured myself as I often do, by thinking about the statistical odds of disaster and that my husband hasn’t killed me yet. I go with the flow, holding on with white knuckles.
White Lotus Dreams
Why do we go to tropical places like this? Is it to live the White Lotus dream, lounging poolside, umbrella drink in hand, while people wait on us? God I hope not.
Is it the scenery? Honestly, all islands have pretty spectacular scenery. The Caribbean weather is a plus. Ireland sure doesn’t have that.
The scenery and weather are lures. In Belize, the scenery and weather are amazing. There is 190 miles of coral reef which hosts every type of sea creature imaginable. Awe-inspiring!
As awestruck as we are on our trips, we find that just seeing the sights is a pretty empty experience. It amazes, but it doesn’t stick.
I have a friend who “saw” all of Ireland in three days. She barely had time to get out of the car with that agenda, let alone interact with the natives.
She could have seen those sights watching Rick Steves. The only authentic experience you get like that is cramps.
Island Time
No matter how small and similar the world is becoming, islands are still singular places. There is an insular self-sufficiency about them, their own way of being.
They talk about island time where things move at their own unhurried pace. That is true of both Ireland the island we visited, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
We instantly felt some of the same things that visitors say about Ireland, the laidback vibe and the warmth of the people. The people that we met in Belize genuinely wanted us to enjoy their island.
We really felt like they were invested in our enjoyment. All of us have stayed in places where you see the side-eye or avoidance from locals. That takes the good out of it for me.
I don’t want to holiday in someone else’s hardship. But I think that the people in San Pedro value tourists coming and want them to come back.
They were consistently kind and open. That warmth spread like sunshine. When a woman was looking for a shady table at breakfast, we invited her to sit with us. We ended up having breakfast with Andy and Sue.
We shared travel tips and even a Cleveland connection. This pattern continued throughout our trip. We talked to more friends we hadn’t met yet than we had in a really long time.
Hijacking
Andy also shed light on our curious Belize City airport experience. On landing in Belize, our passports were scrutinized more than I have ever experienced.
We were vetted at least four times. It felt like overkill to get on the slightly terrifying puddle-jumper.
During that breakfast, Andy told us that one of those puddle-jumpers had been hijacked three days before. The hijacker was American.
Not only was he American, but he was a vet. I responded with a groan and saw a flicker of anger in Andy’s eye.
He asked me what was wrong with being a vet. We had a discussion about how countries use young people and how they prepare them for life after that.
We agreed at the end of it all. It was a moment to get beyond soundbites.
San Pedro
My husband and felt grateful the entire time for the things that we got to experience.
The turquoise water, fishing, sailing, snorkeling, going into San Pedro on bikes, all of it great. The people who live there have the same appreciation for where the place. They are also protective of it.
But what we found ourselves talking about the most were the people that we met. They all left footprints on our hearts, corny as it is.
CoPilot Baybee
Flying back after six days of bliss, I was seduced enough by the whole experience that when they asked for someone to ride with the pilot, I jumped at it. I am officially no longer afraid of small planes! The copilot seat is a great spot, like the front seat of a car.
Happiness is …
Happiness is not a market that we have cornered despite our privilege. Every single person, down to the last pilot in Belize, was so nice. It made you feel good.
Cycling into San Pedro, we noticed that every phone pole in town had a yellow sign posted. There were different slogans on them like “Be Fantastic, Be Kind” or “Be Nice”…
We asked back at the hotel what this was about. It was something they started during Covid and they decided to keep it going. It kind of sticks with you when you are reading it all day.
The other thing I noticed there, and I suppose I’m more sensitive to it now, is that people are trying to read us. They want to know who we are.
Are we selfish xenophobes? Or are we people who care about others and help where we can? Are we curious or are we self-satisfied?
No less than Mark Twain said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, biotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” Still true.
It feels like a good time to be a diplomat. You have a choice and a voice. Your footprint is your own.
