After the amazing lake I never wanted to leave but we really needed to push on to Belize as we have been a busy arranging another wedding!! We stayed in Chetumal for 2 nights to use the internet and do some forward planning and for Alex to recover before we crossed into Belize.
The site was lovely and just on the waters edge. Sadly the water was not as beautiful as at the lake but there was an amazing breeze and HOT showers!
When we left for Belize we were ready for anything. We had prepared ourselves for a border crossing…you know the drill…no fruit or veg, passports and papers at the ready…you will all be so prepared for border crossings after reading our adventures!
We found the place to hand in ours and Peggy’s Mexican visas and made our way to border control where we were greeted by Robert. Robert is one of the porters who helps lost looking people like us through the border process. He asked us about goods in the van, where we were heading, and told us what we would need. He escorted us to the border desk and in his deep almost Jamaican accent introduced us to the lady at the desk. She asked us in her quiet voice about Peggy and our intentions in the country, told us about the best places to visit, stamped a piece of paper and said we could go get our spray certificate and be on our way. Luckily Robert was at our side to tell us where to go and how to get our spray certificate. This done Robert directed us to the insurance desk and told us we should now pay him. We had seen it coming of course but there is no indication anywhere on how to cross the border let alone how much to give this guy for helping us do a task we would have figured out ourselves…EVENTUALLY! The currency was new, fresh out of the machine and all we knew was that $2 Belizean was the equivalent of $1 US. Alex gave Robert $20 BZ and he looked at him like he had just shot his dog! Alex gave him another $10 when Robert asked what about the lady at the border desk and he still looked completely disgusted. Alex tried to explain that we were on a tight budget and eventually Robert left. Now, to us $10 USD is ALOT of money and $15 USD is a nights accomodation to us so we couldn’t understand his upset. We’re essentially in a poor country and THAT was alot of money to us so it must be to him? Right?
We signed our insurance documents (only $46 BZ for 2 weeks) and set off to see what Belize had in store for us.
As we passed through the inspection at the border crossing and the group of officers smiled broadly at us, stuck their heads into the van and waved us on our way.
The first obvious difference in Belize to Mexico that everyone was African-Caribbean which due to our lack of worldly wiseness we had no idea. The whole feel of the place was instantly laid back, the sub machine guns had been exchanged for smiles and the scenery was absolutely tropical. Most people were on bikes and waved as we passed.
Our first stop on the map was the wildlife sanctuary which offered camping. We tootled along and turned down a dirt track to Crooked Tree village, one of the oldest inland villages in the country.
As we drove along the dirt track we saw people walking and stopped to pick up one of the ladies. It was so hot and the road looked long. She was so thankfull for the lift and we soon saw why. The dirt track was 4 miles long and flanked either side by a river. The lady told us that when the water rises in the rainy season they have to go down the road in a boat. She told us how she walks the 4 miles to get the bus to work and then walks the 4 miles back after working all day! we were so happy to have helped out! The village was old and the houses dilapidated but the people were all smiling and happy to see us. Its a clear example to us that the western world has lost sight of the reality between needs and wants. Despite the fact that the village was a ramshackle of driftwood buildings, dirt roads and people in barefeet there was nothing but happiness in the faces of the everyone around us.

Find out what happens next on our travelling wedding adventure!