Go Slow

Caye Caulker is my favorite place so far.  

It is the cutest little island and you can walk from one side to the other in ten minutes.  It is the best thing ever.  There is nothing more relaxing than not hearing or seeing any cars or having a care in the world other than what place to eat or what snorkel tour to pick.

Ok back it up a minute... School Friday was crazy!!  My kids are tattle tales and that is the one thing that drives me crazy!  WORRY ABOUT YOURSELF. I can't tell you how many times I have said that since I have been here.  I was very ready for a weekend away!

So Friday after school we come home and pack everything for the weekend in a backpack.  I love packing for the island.  I packed two bathing suits, two pairs of running shorts, a tank top, and a t-shirt.  So easy.  So we load up and go to the water taxi and that is always an adventure.

So there we saw a prisoner handcuffed in the front with a guard who is carrying a gun stuffed in his pants.  So the guard walks away and the prisoner guy starts unloading matches and sticking them in his socks and then rips up the match box and takes the parts of the box that lights the match and then stuffs those in his sock too!  

So immediately I think, this guys is going to blow up our boat for sure.  Someone tell my family I love them, kiss Evan and Ziggy for me, cause I'm going to die for sure.  Then Lauren, Ms. CSI, was like, "OMG have you seen him take a drink out of his coke bottle?" and I was like, "NO!"  and she said calmly , "Well that could very well be gasoline."  Thanks Lauren that calms my nerves for me.  Well thank goodness he didn't blow up the boat and we all made it out alive!  Barely.

We get to Caye Caulker an hour late and because the taxi never leaves on time (shocker).  But it was pouring and pitch black.  So we are thinking that we will get off the boat and the golf cart taxis will be lined up to pick us up. NOPE. Not a soul.  And let me just tell you that we got off the water taxi and had no plans.  No reservations for a hotel or even an idea of where to stay!  So we started walking, hoping it was safer than Belize City. (which it was, so don't fret) We stopped and asked the police where Poncho's Villas were and they were right around the corner from the pier and they had a bolt lock, wifi, and ac, so we were sold.  We were soaking wet and were using our towels for ponchos.  So we shook off a little and then went to dinner.  Happy Lobster.  NEVER GO!  It was gross!  My fried fish had a head, eyes, tail, skin, fins, and bones. (barf).  So I made sure I asked the waiter if this was the fried fish and he assured me that it was. Bummer.  So I ate none of it and was just sad.  But we made it safely and I had a Lighthouse Lager to fill me up!

We woke up Saturday morning and it was cold and cloudy. (I swear I have been saying my prayers, being nice, doing good, tipping well.  SO why is the day we are going snorkeling the only nasty day in Caye Caulker in the past year?) 

Oh well.  After a short scare that the snorkeling tour might not go out... it did.  We went snorkeling with Raggamuffin Tours which is a sailboat snorkeling tour that has full day and half day tours.  We chose the full day with three stops and it was $45 US!  Is that crazy or what.  3 snorkeling stops starting out at 10:30 am, water, OJ, fish sandwich, rum punch, snorkel and flippers, and a sunset sail ending at 5:00pm for $45 bucks!  

First stop was the Coral Reef.  We saw lots of coral and many fish.  I learned to snorkel and dive down underwater.  I felt like a fish and I loved it.  Second stop  Shark Ray Alley.  We swam with feeding Nurse sharks and stingrays that were Huge!! I touched a shark and tons of them were just swimming underneath me!

The last stop was really long.  We swam out into the channel area. and it was like 40 or 50 ft deep.  We saw three spotted eagle rays, lots of fish, and then a turtle! It was awesome!  

When Evan comes, we are definitely doing that again!

We finally got back to Belize City today and had to clean our rooms, bodies, and clothes!  We are happy to be back and I was actually a little home sick for my apartment bed!  

All in all Caye Caulker weekend trip was a success!!  

Sorry it was so long and boring with no pictures :(  but the camera and retainer are in the mail tomorrow!  So pictures to come soon!

Love :)