Stuff

This is Elise.  As I am writing this Mike is dropping off two large suitcases full of stuff that we don't need to a charity.  One of the hard lessons we have had to learn on this trip is that just because it fits in the car doesn't mean we should be hauling it all over Central America.  Some of the stuff are things we use everyday at home (makeup), some of it are things we thought we needed in case of emergency (water purification and mylar blankets).  We had to accept that having too much stuff was making it hard to find the things and detracting from our trip instead of making us more comfortable.

     Belize is a hard country to define or put into a box.  The inland area is highly influenced by the surrounding Latin American countries.  Most people speak Spanish and many are from Guatemala or El Salvador. (Not counting the hordes of ex pat Canadians.)  It is jungle and mountain.  The coastal areas are more Afro-Carribean.  The people here often speak Creole.  Every where people are very friendly and helpful.  I haven't felt like I was in danger or about to get robbed at any point. (We haven't been and aren't going to Belize City which is the place rumored to be crime ridden.)  Placencia is a pleasant little town on a peninsula. We chose to stay here to avoid the hassle of getting to the more popular Ambergris Caye or Caulker Caye.  If those islands look anything like the small cayes we took a boat ride out to then we really missed out. So often though the reality doesn't measure up to the hype.