first impressions - southern belize

What a couple of days I have had! Aside from sleeping on a bench in the airport for 3 hours and taking 4 flights in one day, I have also taken a 3 hour bus ride full of locals (and I mean FULL) south to Dangriga. So far, this trip is very quiet. I am the only patron in Vals' hostel down here. And since this, like many places, isn't somewhere you want to go out after night by yourself, I have gone to bed early. I knew that heading straight to Southern Belize was going to be difficult just because it isn't as well travelled. So I am definitely out of my comfort zone. This is the first time I have ever been the only white girl around. In the bus station, the entire ride, walking around the town I am in, I have been the only one. That is, until today. I took a boat ride out to Tobacco Caye (no tobacco grown there) and it is an island that is so small you can walk around it in 5 minutes. Coconut Palm trees were swaying in the breeze, the water was turquoise, and only white retired (or nearly retired) americans were walking about. All of them were too tan for their own good, and 80% had a southern drawl. The boat ride out was crazy - a dinghy that holds 10 people, just surfing waves for a little over thirty minutes. I still can't believe I was really out there. Me? On a tiny island in the Caribbean?! I must be dreaming...on the way back we stopped by a bird sanctuary and the boat "captain" even cut and cleaned a lobster for me to eat. And didn't charge. That was really nice, and it tasted amazing.

Today I snorkelled for the first time! It was fun, but awkward to get used to. First of all, when you put your face in water the last thing your brain wants your body to do is breathe. Second, you have to breath out of your mouth. If you forget to do that, it feels like you're suffocating. But I got used to it after our first short trip. I loved it though - its crazy to see all what lives underneath you! I saw corals, small barracuda, schools of big fish, tiny fish, krill, tiny tropical fish you see in aquariums and starfish. So awesome. Afterward the two British girls and I got our first Belikin beers and local drink called the panty ripper. You could drink 5 before even realizing alcohol is in them - its coconut rum and pineapple juice. Its simply the most perfect I'm-hanging-out-on-an-island drink.

Tonight I hung out with Donna, the lady who runs this hostel. She is truly a wonderful woman. We talked about our families, my work, my travels, and shared a meal. I also got to get to know her husband and two kids, 23 and 18. I think everyone visiting Belize needs to come here! I am leaving town tomorrow, and I am not sure I feel ready yet. The next few days hold a lot more travel in them, including breezing through Guatemala to get to Honduras. But once I'm in Honduras...scuba baby.

There is free internet here, so I am taking advantage of it. I don't think I'll write again until Wednesday or Thursday. By then I will be chilling on a bigger island, that is sure to be filled with more backpackers like me! Until then...