We said our goodbyes to Pam on shore, as she wasn’t going into town with us. Pam will stay in Belize a few more weeks then head for Chile, England, and the rest of the world. Landy helped us onto the boat and we left the mangrove island one last time.

After spending an interrupted two weeks on the island, it really began to feel like home. I spent the last couple of days wandering around trying to find a way to put her back together after the storm. But then, in the end, Mr. Gilroy is right—we’re just guests here. The Belizeans will take care of this little mangrove island just as they always have.

The ride across the 8 miles of sea was rough. The winds were kicking up pretty good and Landy was going pretty fast to try to beat a thunderstorm headed for the city. The boat skipped across the wavetops all the way to the mouth of the Belize River. Landy dropped us off at the "office," just on the west side of the swing bridge. I tried twice to remember to go see them open the swing bridge, but never found myself downtown at the right time.

We said our goodbyes to Landy and finally to Caryn. Although, I suspect it will not be the last time I see or hear from her. She is an amazing woman and an inspiration. Watching her do something she clearly loves, makes me realize that at any point in your life, you can drop everything and do something totally new and different. After a very successful career in one field, it is possible to have another successful career in a totally different field in the same lifetime.

The five of us—Debbie, Dalen, Jack, Clifton, and I—pulled our suitcases through the dark, empty, pre-dawn streets in the light rain to the Raddison. It was all very surreal. Once Dalen checked into the hotel, we all dropped our bags in her room.

Jack’s flight is today, so we all said goodbye to him in Dalen’s room. His plan for the day includes a tour of the Belize Zoo and then off to the airport.

The rest of us, now down to four, head for a cab and a ride to the bus station. Twenty minutes later and we’re standing in front of Novello’s, the bus operator—and nearly the only one in Belize. The trip to San Ignacio costs us $5 a piece. At 6:08, we boarded a converted (actually, just re-painted) old bluebird school bus and headed out the Western Highway.

The trip took 2 and ½ hours. We stopped every time someone on the side of the road flagged down the bus driver. There always seemed to be seats—but a lot of people got off and on. We went out of the city past a large cemetery. Since Belize City is really below sea level, they "bury" their dead above ground like in new Orleans.

We rode past farms and houses and even an orange orchard that had recently been planted. We stopped for a break outside Belmopan, the capital of Belize. I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t get to see more of Belmopan. What I saw looked a lot like Belize City but with wider streets.

At the bus stop in Belmopan, kids enter the bus with milk crates on their heads full of snacks. I bought an orange Fanta and some chocolate cookies for about $2. Not a nutritious breakfast to be sure, but welcome just the same.

We continued our trip to San Ignacio. The Cayo District has more hills and mountains than the coastal area around Belize City. From a distance, San Ignacio looks like any other town settled into the foothills. But up close, it’s all Belize. The town is sort of a funky mix of Mexican border town with English speaking residents offering tours to the adventurous.

We found our tour company, Mayawalk, right where Caryn had told us it would be. It had taken us ½ hour by boat, 20 minutes by cab, and a little over 2 hours by bus, but we were here! Our guide, Eric, was going to take us to the cave in Cayo.

To get there, we’d have to travel back down the Western Highway 45 minutes to Teakettle (which incidentally, is where Jerry, Landy, and Harold live). At Teakettle, you follow a dirt road for several miles to a river crossing. Then you go another couple of miles to the trailhead. It is then a two-hour hike through the jungle—crossing and re-crossing the river to an underwater entrance to the Cave. Once in the cave, it is a 45 minute climb to the Mayan temple inside. It’s no wonder it wasn’t discovered until the 1990’s.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see it. The bridge at the first river crossing was flooded. Actually, you couldn’t even see the bridge as it was underwater.

So, back to San Ignacio we went to catch the 11:45 express back to Belize City. This bus was more like an old Greyhound bus—complete with air conditioning!

Clifton gathered his things and said goodbye. He left for his aunt’s house. From there, he’ll head back south to Punta Gorda in the morning.

I checked into the Fort Street Guest House and then Debbie, Dalen, and I had lunch at the Raddison. I had fish and chips, my first non-rice-containing meal in some time.

We then went shopping for souvenirs and t-shirts, etc. Came back to the Guest House, had my first real shower in two weeks, then to dinner at the Smoky Mermaid. The food wasn’t that good and the service was lousy. Worse yet, tourists surrounded us. (Not Americans. At least we could be thankful for that!)

Got to bed late, about 11:00, and slept by myself in my own room and soundly.