Chasing Waterfalls
Our journey to Belize began with a disappointing realization when we connected the dots that our layover in Dallas meant we’d be flying out of Ohare’s lounge-less domestic terminal. Spirits lifted a bit when we flashed our prechecks and breezed past the two-hours-long airport security line. Adam managed to only gloat once: “aren’t you glad I made you brave your global entry interview?” “Maybe” Helen conceded.
Once at the terminal, we fretted as the takeoff time creeped later and later. Adam walked up to ask the flight attendants to ask if anything could be done and, the moment he made it to the front, the pilot came out and said it was time to board. However, the damage had been done. The delay cut more than an hour into our Dallas layover, bringing our turn around time to just 30 minutes. When the plane finally landed Helen anxiously looked up the flight schedule and discovered that our flight going to Belize was the last one that day. We had to make it! Our row 36 basic economy seats, which seemed like a wise financial decision when they were booked, could now mean disaster. As we slowly deplaned, Adam tried not to fume when an old lady with a cane disembarked at a her own pace.
Finally past our innocent antagonist, Adam spurred the family into action. “Move!” Our honeymoon depended on it. We bounded up the escalator to wait impatiently for the sky tram. Bolting out the doors, we made it to terminal C with time to spare. We waited a full 15 minutes before we walked onto the plane with our group 9 compatriots and settled into our seats. “Whelp, guess I almost knocked over that lady for nothing, hope she’s not on our flight” said Helen, glancing around nervously.
We landed in Belize and walked out of the airport to find our shuttle driver holding a sign that read “Helen Collins.” Helen glowed with pride as she gazed upon her triumph of planning the airport pickup (not to mention every other detail of our honeymoon). She insisted Adam take a photo of her with the sign.
Hopkins is a small beach town in South eastern Belize. The local culture is called garifuna and their food is delicious, which was fortunate, because we arrived hungry and beelined to the nearest beachy looking bar with food, Ella’s Cool Spot. We ordered the local beers and garifuna dish, hudut. Hudut turned out to be a full fried snapper immersed in a delectable coconut broth and served with plantains mashed into a dumpling. It was incredible!
After dinner we were picked up for our first excursion, a night tour of the nearby river with an option to swim in the bioluminescent mangrove bay. Of course we had to swim! The mangrove bay felt like warm bath water, closer to a hot spring than an offshoot of a river. The water temperature report said 84 degrees Fahrenheit but you could convince us that it was over 90. This bioluminescence put our previous 5mm wetsuit-requiring biolum experience in Tomales bay, CA to shame. The plankton lit up at the slightest contact in a frivolous attempt to alert big predators to our location so that we would not eat them. We splashed around, feeling like wizards casting bluish green magic spells.
(Unfortunately we didn’t get a good photo)
The next day we ate breakfast near the ocean and enjoyed a Swedish massage on the beach. This is a honeymoon after all!
With all the stress massaged out of our bodies we threw our legs around a couple iron steeds and went chasing waterfalls.
Our private jungle waterfall hike was so fun we did the same thing the next day at the Cockscomb jaguar preserve.
