In Belize, Caye Caulker

Shark and Sting Ray alley, they are so very friendly.
Tina´s backpacker hostel I stayed for 3 nights, great place, facing the sea
For the first time I had Sting Ray swept pass me and me touching and play with them
Beautiful sunrise taken from my upperdeck room.

Coming to Caye Caulker, north Belice, was a good choice, after leaving the Las Serenas sailing trip in South Belice. I took a local chicken bus (paid Q70 S$18) up to the border of Belice in Melchor (7 - 8hrs, should be only 3-4hrs) yet I do not have a proper seat, and many people standing. I got to squeeze myself near to front where the driver is. It was an experience for me. But thank God, I met a German lady and a Swedish man, and we traveled together, so as to help look after each other. When I reached Melchor, it was already dark and I got my way to Claudial house for the night before I go to Belice city to catch a water taxi to Caye Caulker.

This is the fun thing about traveling and meeting different travellers along the way. 2 weeks before, I wouldn´t had known this way to go to Caye Caulker or even to know this island exist until i had met 2 travellers from Holland who had went there and told me about the place. I did my famouse Blue Hole dive and it was awesome, we went as deep as 42m and got to see many big fishes and the lime stone in the water (too bad I did not have my underwater camera with me :( we also went to 2 other sites to do the diving and it was wonderful to see the coral reefs and the passage through each reefs, just so awesome. We also went to the Half Moon Caye to see the Boobies and Friget bird. It was so wonderful to see so many birds up perching on the tree, when we walked you to the observation deck, Amazing to see the male Friget blowing his red neck like a big balloon to attracts the female companions. I also went to do some nearby snorkeling and it was so amazing to have a close encounter with so many Sting Rays and Nurse sharks, they seemed so tamed and used to human being, as they cam swiming towards us and in betweens our leg.

One thing I like about Caye Caulker is the way of life on the island, it is so peaceful, quite and lazy, the people are so warm and friendly, one will feel safe in the island walking around in the night, but not in the Belice city itself. I could have lazed and stayed in the island for a longer time if not for my commitment to the 3 days youth workshop I will be conducting to the Guatemalan youths. Will shared of the workshop in my next blog.

Many of the Belize people speak English and majority of them are the blacks. When I first arrived in the City by bus, I was pestered by the taxi driver to that me to the water taxi and by the men along the pathway, throwing flying kisses towards me. The whole climate was so oppressive and indeed I do not feel safe. Infact the population of Belize is only in the 500000 ranges, not more than a million. Most of the people work in handicraft, agricultural and tourism to get income for their living.

my email: joydive@gmail.com