my first use for duct tape

I arrived in Caye Caulker without a place to stay. This was not by choice, rather budget accommodation in Caye Caulker is only available on a walk in basis. The only hostel on the island was full when I arrived, as were the first 6 hotels I went to, another group of hotels reception desks were closed so I don't know if they had a room. Finally as it was getting dark and I was getting desperate I found, Bella's, a hostel like place owned by a family. The one room they had to offer me was really more of a shack in someone's backyard than a room, it was made out of a combination of tree branches, metal panels, cardboard and a tarp. It was also a mosquito breeding ground. Nonetheless, it was all I could find and for $5 I decided I could take the room and then keep looking for another option.

After the Tulum incident I had no intention of being the main course for mosquitoes once again, so I kept searching the island for another option. Finally after knocking on closed reception doors and asking questions, I found Merlen's a slightly better option, I thought, was mosquito free. So I paid another $10 and stayed there for the night.

When I turned off the lights to go to bed I noticed the boards in the walls had huge cracks to the outside alley. Then there it was, that noise...NNNNnnnnnnnNNNnnnnnn! Mosquitoes. I got back up, turned on the light and tried to kill as many as I could, covered myself in bug spray and then, covered the cracks with duct tape (good call Kate). I slept OK but still woke up with more mosquito bites. I got up very early and wait at the only hostel in Caye Caulker until something opened up. The only thing that did open up was a private room for $27 a night, but it was worth every penny. Glad I brought the duct tape.

i did so much in one day!

While I was on the boat to Lamanai I meet a group of older travelers: a couple Rose and Pat and Rose's mother, Marilyn; they were staying in my hotel. They were from Washington state and very nice to talk with, they invite me to join them on their day tour around Belize, I was concerned about the price, so I said I would think about it that day. After walking through the ruins, I asked Rose some questions about the tour and the price. She said I could join them for $100. On a backpackers budget that is a big expense for one day of activities, so I sadly declined the offer. Then after a few beers and rum punch cocktails, Rose and Pat invited me along again, this time for $5o, saying I reminded them of Rose's children and they wanted to treat me!

Treat is a great word to describe the day! It was a treat! It began at 6am with a delicious breakfast (including homemade sopapias and horchata, cooked by our local guide/driver, Raul, as we sat beside the New River Lagoon. Then to a tour of the sugar factory where we saw dozens of trucks piled with sugar cane waiting to bring in their load. It was really cool to see all of the work going on at the sugar factory as well as the power plant the sugar factory built to not only power the factory but also most of northern Belize. The remnants from processing the cane are used to create energy, making the process sustainable and more eco-friendly. We also passed by the country's largest rum distillery(Belizians are very proud of their rum) on the way to the Crooked Tree Wild Life Sanctuary.

A fishing and farming village, Crooked Tree and the 5 square miles surrounding the village are a protected wildlife sanctuary. The area has a wealth of wild and migratory birds who feed in the waters around the village. Fortunately, the water level was below normal and it enabled us to see more birds standing in the water and feeding. We then went to a cashew "wine tasting" in the garage of a local villager. The cashew wine was very sweet and very strong.

From there to the Bermudian Landing Community Baboon Sanctuary. However, the monkey's who call this area home are not what we know as baboons, they are black howler monkeys locally referred to as baboons. During the course of our hike through the sanctuary our guide showed us local plants that are used for natural medicines and of course the monkeys. We saw a large family unit including a few mother/baby combos. I loved seeing the babies holding onto the mothers as they swung through the trees and hung from their tails to great us. One mother came up to us and I had the chance to feed her a banana. It was so cool! She gently took my hand to eat the banana and then smiled at me.

After lunch at a restaurant filled with German tourists and Mennonites, we drove to the Cayo district to go cave tubing. Getting to the point in the river where you start the cave tour requires a forty-five minute hike carrying a very heavy rubber tube. Fortunately, the hike went fast because our guide was very funny and educational teaching us about the plant life in the area along the way. At one point we stopped to look at a termite nest and our guide ate a few termites before encouraging us to try one as well. I went for it, how many times in my life will I get the chance to do something like that! The termites were minty and sour tasting, not something I would seek out but, I can see how they have an appeal to other people and primates.

Once we were in the water it was very cold and dark. The caves were beautifully formed and had many intricate details. At one point we float our way into a cenote, an underground freshwater sink hole, with a large rock formation in the center, it was interesting to see how different portions of the cave were formed by different geological events. The trip down the river was very relaxing and really fun.

Back in the van we made it Belize City just in time to catch the boat last boat to Caye Caulker where I was headed to dive the Blue Hole. I am very thankful for to Rose, Pat and Marilyn for including me in their day tour of Belize and I did more and saw more than I ever could have on my own and had a great time!

The New River boat ride to the Lamanai Ruins

Orange Walk, Belize was not in my original travel plan but after the trip to Tulum with Monique and Itamar, I decided to continue on the way with Monique and see what the little town was all about. The primary reason people go to Orange Walk, is not Carlos Pizzeria, it is to take the boat trip up the New River to the Lamanai Mayan Ruins. According to our knowledgeable boat driver/guide, Melvis, the New River is more of a lagoon than a river by Belizian standards. The 30+ mile boat ride was a slow nature ride, we saw many jungle birds, turtles, large fish and crocodiles. The boat cruised past the country's rum distillery and a massive Mennonite community. (Yes, Mennonites in Belize, they came fleeing war and religious persecution in Germany almost 100 years ago and today provide more than half the dairy consumed in Belize.) The boat was a great way to see Belize from another angle.

Hiking to the ruins was slow as we stopped to learn the history of Lamanai(submerged crocodile) and Spanish presence in Belize. Apparently, when the Maya abandoned Lamanai they buried the buildings and many of the ruins at the site were still buried today. Leaving certain portions of the site under excavation. The temples were very impressive, the construction and artwork were intricate and as we learned, changed over time. The High Temple sits above the jungle line and if you climb the narrow and steep stairs to the top you can see for hundreds of miles.

On the boat ride back from Lamanai our guide gave everyone rum punch and beer. Maybe I haven't traveled enough but I have never gotten to drink on a tour. The local rum was very tasty. Shortly before our boat docked, we stopped at a tree where spider monkeys were playing. The monkeys were not afraid of the boat and one jumped on board to get a banana. He then sat right in front of me to eat it. The Jungle River tour to Lamanai was a wonderful spontaneous decision.

Where to Eat in Orange Walk on a Sunday Night

Getting to Orange Walk, Belize was surprisingly easy, the border crossing and bus rides were uneventful. The hotel had a beautiful room which, split between Monique and I was only $23 a night. I was happy to be away from the mosquitoes and in a nice small town.

But, where to eat in Orange Walk on a Sunday night? Orange Walk was like a ghost town on Sunday, everything was closed including the grocery store. As Monique and I wondered the streets looking for food we found only very sketchy-greasy Chinese fast food. In fact, we found several Chinese fast food places but nothing - I mean nothing else. At the hotel an American who was living in Belize attempted to tell me about a pizzeria about half a mile from the hotel. He was really obsessed with the idea of us going to the pizzeria. He drew a crude map and Monique and I went looking. We walked all over that town, the map made no sense, and could not find the pizzeria; just Chinese restaurant after Chinese restaurant. Then we walked up a hill and around a long curve in the the road. There in the middle of a residential area, in the dark was Ristorante-Carlos Pizzeria.

Hungry and knowing it was our only non-Chinese option we sat at a table. The menu was basic Italian food but very reasonably priced including a 10oz steak for $6. We ordered drinks and Carlos came to introduce himself, a classically trained french chef born in Africa to French/Italian parents. A funny old man with an ambiguous accent he claimed to speak "only seven languages". He served in the French foreign legion and trained as a chef in Paris before moving to Canada to become an International Lawyer. He said he did that for about 25 years until he became bored and decided to go back to food. He began to regale us with tales of feeding the Queen of England and moving to Belize to open, "the best restaurant, in the whole country". Carlos was wonderful, joyful and after 15 minutes of stories finally took our order! The food was fantastic and truly earned its recommend.

The next day I found myself raving to fellow travelers about Carlos, insisting they eat at his place for dinner and try the steak; which Carlos farms himself, along with Lamb and more. Of course we went back for a second night and although the restaurant was very busy, Carlos came to welcome us back and thank us for sending more people. After another lovely and inexpensive meal we sad goodbye to our funny friend. But I promised to tell everyone, if they are ever in Orange Walk, eat at Carlos Pizzeria.

why I itch everywhere

It is not a secret, I prefer to travel alone. Among other things, if you travel alone you do not need to worry about the needs/wants of others. So, when I decided to join to fellow back packers on a trip to Tulum I was hesitant of the experience. The day we went to leave Isla Mujeres came and the others were slow to get going, we didn't leave the island until 230pm and I was worried about finding a hotel/hostel before dark in Tulum. I tried to relax said to myself, "Hillary you are in the Caribbean you need to chill out and move at a Caribbean pace."

When we finally board the boat back to Cancun I went on the roof deck to get some sun and some perspective. My travel buddies, Monigue (from Australia) and Itamar(from Israel) went inside the boat; where they met a local man who offered to drive all 3 of us from the boat dock to the bus station. I am nervous about taking rides from strangers but since I was with two others decided to go for it. The guy turned out to be really cool and the owner/builder of several hotels and clubs in the Cancun area. Found the only bus leaving in the next 3 hours for Tulum and got on board. When the bus arrived in Tulum we took a collective taxi to a place Itamar had heard about, it was getting dark.

The Lobo Inn, was a low quality hostel with an even lower price tag. But since it was getting late and we thought, we were miles from other options we decided to stay there for the night. After we had checked in, we started to discover just how many problems this place had. First, the bathroom situation was a disaster! The bathroom for the 8 bed dorm we were staying in was broken, so we had to go upstairs to the 16 bed dorm or across a mosquito filled courtyard to the 6 bed dorm to use one of those. The bathroom in the 6 bed dorm was very dirty, filled with bugs and had a clogged toilet! The 16 bed dorm bathroom was very dirty and very strange, it had two toilets in 2ft x 2ft stalls, if you closed to door a reasonable size person would not fit inside with the toilet and be able to use it. The showers were more or less the same. When we attempted to sleep we noticed the room had several mosquitoes after attempting to kill a few, I gave up and went to sleep. In the morning we agreed to look for new accommodations.

On the way to the ruins, we passed a few other budget hotels and Monigue (who had already seen the ruins) offered to check them out, while Itamar and I went to see the site. Tulum was beautiful. Monique met up with us at the entrance and suggested El Crucero, a budget hotel with a clean and functioning bathroom, I thought it would be an improvement. After switching hotels we head to the beach. The sand was so fine it got everywhere, nonetheless I loved sitting on the sand and watching people kite-surf, I even had a Pina Colada. Finally, back at the hotel I showered and felt relatively clean for the first time in days.

That night, I fell asleep very early but woke up to a familiar and upsetting sound, mosquitoes! Everywhere! There must have been 30 in our room. I could hear them making high-pitched whining sounds as they passed by my head. They were all around me and as I would discover taking turns feasting on all of us. I wrapped my self in my blankets, to get some protection and attempted to sleep. In the morning, everyone in the room was covered in bites. I itch everywhere! I have at least 20 screaming red spots from that night in the hotel. I was ready to leave Tulum and the mosquitoes.

Ancient Beachiness

The Tulum ruins are beautiful, expansive and filled with tourists and iguanas; but if you go there you can see why, so many buses drop off in front of the entrance. It is a rare sight to see beautifully preserved and protected Mayan ruins right on the coast of the Caribbean's clear blue water. Arriving early to avoid the tour buses is the recommended way to avoid the crowds, i did not take this advice and regret it.

Abandoned around 1600 due to the Spanish conquest. The site is easy to see in about 90 minutes and includes a beach if you want to go for a swim. I can not adequately describe the Tulum ruins further, so here are some photos that I hope will do it justice.

one of only five narrow entrances through the very powerful city wall

a view of the structures right on the ocean

iguana

walking the site alone the bright blue waters

Tulum

The Sleeping Shark Caves

Really the sharks aren't sleeping, they are resting. Yes, sharks do rest! In the case of the caves, reef sharks, mostly nurse sharks, rest in the caves on the bottom of the ocean floor in a manner that looks as if they are asleep. As a diver and shark enthusiast, something like this is a must see!!!

Getting to the dive boat was a bit of an odyssey, the cab driver did not know where he was going and finally I asked him to stop and decided to walk the rest of the way and find the port myself. I arrived at the boat just in time to get my gear and jump on the boat. Once I was on the boat I realized that my dive master did not speak English, additionally, they expected me to assemble my own equipment, which I have not done in years! It was awkward at first, I was nervous, especially since putting one thing in the wrong place could be deadly, but I managed to get all off the pieces together on my BCD, regulator and air tank. The dive master then explained the dive plan in Spanish, I understood almost everything and was excited to see los tiburones.

It was an easy and relaxing dive with great visibility. The sleeping Shark Caves were amazing! I saw at least 20 sharks, including a nurse shark sleeping in one of the caves. The reef was so colorful and I saw a sting ray that was at least 5 ft in diameter. On the way to the second dive site I got sea sick. (I am not sure what to do about this motion sickness thing as it makes the things I love; traveling and diving, very unpleasant.) The second dive was also very cool, we wound our way through a series of low hanging caves and coral formations and saw a school of barracuda(didn't know they travel in groups?). Diving is relaxing and exciting but also makes me very-very hungry. I spent my afternoon on the island eating burritos, mangoes and churros while laying in a hammock on the beach and pondering how I managed to get a sunburn only on my knees.

Isla Mujeres

Or the Island of Women, considered the backpackers (budget) Cancun, has the same sandy beaches, the same clear blue water; it is a paradise with the slow pace of the Caribbean and none of the crazy corporate "Mexico" in Cancun. I am in love!

Isla Mujeres name comes from the a time when the island was sacred to the Mayan goddess of childbirth and medicine, Ix Chel. When the Spanish arrived in the 16th century they named it "Isla Mujeres" meaning "Island of Women" because of the many images of goddesses located on the island.

I woke my first morning in Isla Mujeres to pouring rain and a pounding headache. After breakfast I decided to go back to sleep and nurse my headache. When I woke up, I decided, I did not want to waste a day because of rain and forced myself to walk around the island, go to the market for food and search for a dive shop. I discovered the south end of the island has a temple to the Mayan goddess, Ix Chel, but it is badly hurricane damaged and hardly worth the visit. When I arrived back at my hostel I set up my computer and used the time to finish and post updates to the hillapinnia blog and send email. The woman I was sitting next to offered to share her lunch with me and I graciously accepted the offer of free lunch (hey, i'm on a budget!).

That night I met a group of travelers at my hostel who invited me to dinner. I declined, my headache was back and I need to get plenty of sleep for my diving trip in the morning. But more on that in my next blog. The next afternoon I again ran into my new friends, this time sharing coconuts and pineapple with people passing by. They invited me to travel with them to Tulum and then encouraged me to continue my travels into Belize with an Australian girl, Monique. I hesitate at first since I prefer to travel alone and joining their trip would mean cutting my time in Isla Mujeres short. After some consideration and a trip to the beach to see the sunset. I decided to go for it and see what adventures this invitation would hold. Off to the Tulum ruins we went.

Getting Started

Day 1 - Starting my trip

Monday night I didn't get home to pack my bag until midnight. After packing and re-packing 3 times, I finally crawled into my bed to sleep around 2:30am. When the alarm went off again at 4am...i wanted to cry, i won't be sleeping in my wonderful bed for 3 months! The past 2 weeks have been extremely sleep deprived and very exhausting, FUN but EXHAUSTING! I took what will likely be my last good-hot shower and got ready to head to the airport. I arrived at the airport with my mother and I could tell she wanted to come in with me, she was very nervous.

Continental's check-in was a mess, they had no idea what they were doing and i think the automated ticket machines slow people down. I would have checked-in at home, but Continental's international flights require you show a passport to check-in. So I waited in the chaos for my boarding pass. I said goodbye to my paniced mother, I thought she was going to cry and went to security. I would love to tell you about my flight from Phoenix to Houston, but I fell asleep before the plane even took off and did not wake up until it landed in Houston, like I said I am exhausted.

The Houston airport is a mess and I had to walk a long distance from my first flight to the second one, I was very glad I had a 3 hour lay-over. I grabbed some lunch and walked to my gate, where I discovered my flight was delayed 2 hours!!! OK, now I had a 5 hour layover! Yikes! I feel asleep on the airport floor! oops. I woke in time to board my flight to Cancun.

As the plane was taking off, an 8 year old boy, Jared, sitting in the aisle seat(I had the window) was leaning over the guy in the middle seat and exclaiming how cool take-off was and looking out the window with joy. I realized he probably had never flown before, and offered to switch seats with him once the plane had leveled off. Jared, spent the next two hours glued to the window narrating what he saw the whole way, "cows, on a farm! o another farm...those cars look so small!...WOW! is that the ocean?...I think i can see waves. hey look! the beach...we just flew over a volcano!...the clouds are so cool, do you think it looks like that from the front of the plane?!" It was mildly annoying but also, an amazing reminder of how fortunate I am to fly and travel regularly and that I let my (somewhat irrational) flight anxiety get in the way of truly enjoying my adventures. Thanks to Jared for reminding me that the airplane ride is just a part of the experience.

When the plane land at the airport, the sun was setting so i decided to buy a more expensive(than the local bus) group-taxi-van-thing to the ferry port. The van took forever and made me car-sick...instead of going directly to the port, the van took many other tourists to Cancun resorts and finally after an hour(it was now dark) dropped me and a German guy off at the boat. I bought my round ferry trip ticket in Spanish! (SO PROUD), board the ferry and enjoyed a warm breezy boat ride to Isla Mujeres. Turns out the German guy was headed to the same hostel and offered to split the cost of a golf cart taxi with me. I was so tired and haggered from my day I jumped at the offer!

I arrived at my hostel, checked in and ran to the beach bar to have a beer and start my adventure!

the feeling that something is missing

As I prepared for and began my journey i found myself experiencing feelings I had never felt before a trip; I was sightly depressed that I would be away from my friends, family and social events. I know its silly as this adventure is something only a handful of people experience. Still the feeling that I would be gone for such long time hit me. I am simultaneously putting my life (at home) on hold and living my life to the fullest. I feel quixotic. In the past when I have left home for an extended period i did not have these feelings, instead I was excited for the break from my everyday life.

So what is the cause of my sadness? Am I co-dependent or less misanthropic? Do I have stronger-better relationships with people than i have in the past? Have i become comfortable with my day to day life?

I imagine it is a mix of all these things and neither a positive nor negative reaction just something to take note of...

Things I miss:
*my bed
*my cats
*friend and family
*the gym
*Friday nights
*spring weather and events in AZ

But then again, it feels wonderful to sit on the beach and be alone with my thoughts. I am conflicted and nonetheless, having the time of my life.

my thoughts on packing

Since I first announced my trip to Central America people have been asking me questions about what/how much I plan to bring with me. The majority of these people almost passed out when i told them I planned only one small backpack.

The lighter the better. The last thing you want when traveling is to be weighed down by too many things. It is costly, time consuming and expensive. Checking a bag on an airplane now costs money, so does hiring a porter to carry your luggage, not to mention tips for every cab driver who puts your bag in the trunk. Save time, save money and save your back: pack light.

In preparation for this trip i challenged myself to take less than ever before, I committed to one 26L backpack (about the size a student takes to school for the day). I spent months creating and refining a packing list that would provide me with most of my needs, although you can buy almost anything you need or want for your trip anywhere you go.

The list below is what i took with me on this trip:

Bags and Packing materials
• Backpack
• small side bag for day(fits computer)
• ziplocks of varying size
Tops
• camisoles/tanks x 4
• t-shirts x 3
• long sleeve top
• zip up hoodie
Bottoms
• black cargo shorts
• jeans (controversial among travelers but i can't live without)
• green zip on/off shorts-pant
• gym shorts
Other Clothing
• cotton sundress (also can work as a skirt)
• socks x 3
• bra x 2
• undies x 4
• sports bra
• bathing suit
• sarong(can double as a beach blanket/towel)
• waterproof rain jacket
Shoes
• hiking boots
• flip flopz
Things I Might Need
• sunglasses
• earplugs
• hair ties
• hair brush
• tweezers
• safety pins
• duct tape (good idea Kate)
• face-wash
• moisturizer
• deodorant
• conditioner
• shampoo
• hand sanitizer
• insect repellent bracelet
• sunscreen
• chapstick
• hair moose
• toothpaste/toothbrush
• laundry soap
• tide pen
• Q-tips
• bandaids
• neosporin
• condoms(the sexual health advocate in me usually ends up giving them away at hostels)
• tissues
• Razor +2 refills
• insect repellent cream
• Mascara/eye shadow/nail polish/makeup remover
• prescriptions/inhaler
• excedrin
• imodium
• dramamine
• travel towel
• carabineers

Technology/fun
• netbook/case/charger
• blackberry/charger(works as a calculator($ conversion), alarm clock)
• ipod/headphones/wall charger
• head lamp(great for dark hostels and night hikes)
• camera/2 memory cards/charger
• power strip(plug in all your electronics and be popular in your hostel dorm room)
• deck of cards
• books
o history of central america
o spanish phrases
o lonely planet central america
• journal/pen
• bottle opener(trust me, you will want one)

Travel Docs/ID/$
• drivers license
• passport
• student ID
• reservations papers
• cash
• debit Cards
• PADI Card
• coin purse

And yes, i am crazy!

Something I love, Something I am proud of:

One year ago today my doctor weighed me in at a staggering 249lbs. I covered my eyes as i got on the scale expecting a number near 220 and not wanting to see it. When the nurse said, "two hundred-and-forty-nine" I began to cry. I was shocked, I couldn't believe it, wrap my head around it, understand it. How had i gained SO MUCH weight(at least 50lbs) in only a year. As I wait for the doctor to come in the exam room, I was running every excuse I could think of for the weight gain through my mind. I knew it had to be a combination of things in my life and I knew I wanted to do something about it.

I knew thyroid disease (which due to lack of insurance-was untreated and unmedicated for 18 months) was the first offender. My 80 hour a week stressful job was on the list as well. But the cause of such a significant increase in my size was more than anything else, a lack of physical activity and poor eating habits. I would stay at my office until 9pm and then grab drive-thru before going home and passing out. Just to start another stressful, long and sedentary day all over again.

I felt unhealthy and unhappy. It wasn't just about the 249 on the scale, it was about my life. It was about working a more than full time job and going to school. It was my desire to have fun, sleep and travel. I felt like I was drowning and food(fattening food) was a comfort. I resolved to change my life. Step one, quitting my job, my supervisor and I were unable to communicate and there was no sign of improvement. I began saving money so that I could resign as soon as possible. Step two, making better choices about food: I cut out the drive-thru, I stopped getting coffee drinks with sugar and whole-milk, and i decreased my portion sizes. From March until my last day at work in May, I lost nine pounds.

May and June I attempted fad diets (no-carb, no-fat) only to freak out and binge within 5 days. But thanks to leaving my job and increasing my activity level I did manage to loose another 16lbs.

Then in late June I was visiting two friends in Portland who had both successfully lost weight with Weight Watchers. During my week long stay I observed them enjoying and not suffering with their diet. I saw them making choices and even splurging on a VooDoo doughnut. So, on a whim, I joined. Weight Watchers online is amazing! From the first day I logged in, I was hooked and within 2 weeks I was obsessed. I loved it!

Weight Watchers didn't put limitations on what I ate, it didn't have strange rules or require me to do anything but track what I ate and not eat more than my given number of points. The online module was goal oriented and asked me to track my food, water and exercise. If I did well it congratulated me, if I had a setback it encouraged me. I found an added support system in the online message boards and blogs. At first I spent hours online tracking every bite and looking up every food but as the weeks went by and I lost pound after pound it got easier. I was making really healthy choices without any effort. If I wanted to splurge I did and if I had a bad week I didn't beat myself up. For me Weight Watchers was working and working well!

As of this blog I have lost a total of 70lbs and am set to keep going. I still have setbacks and struggles. The Weight Watchers method is slow and losing only 1-2lbs a week can be frustrating. There are days it is still difficult to stay on track or feel motivated, sometimes I give in to a tempting and not so healthy craving but I never feel like giving up, instead I turn to my support system (friends, family, co-workers). I go to the gym and sometimes enjoy it. I celebrate my struggles and successes. I am proud of how far I have come and look forward to where I will go. I feel good and feel healthy!