Belize

San Cristobal

Hail in the mountains - San Cristobal 

It was another sleepless night on the bus from San Cristobal, which was a lovely little town in the mountains but very touristy. On the Saturday afternoon it could have been any small town on the European Continent with people of all nationalities sitting at cafes on the street drinking coffee and chatting. The budget tourists looking scruffy and sometimes bewildered, and some of the local people also looking equally bewildered!

I was dropped off at Escarcega at 3 in the morning, a town about 260km from Belize from which I had decided to cycle the last leg.

Tried to catch another few hours sleep at a petrol station before dawn, and then headed off towards Belize, quite anxious to get there. The first day was fine with 100km under my belt, trying to juggle the last of my Mexican Pesos ($) so as not to have to exchange any more US$ or use an ATM, which I have to add were now few and far between. But the juggling did not go too well and was running out of water and food.......and after another 100km on day 2, the wheels finally fell off on day three with 60 km to go to Belize. I was completely dehydrated and on the last of my food. I had also picked up quite severe tendonitis in the right knee, so it was out with the Ibuprofin!

In spite of everything had to laugh - I guess Batman has left Gotham City - "The Dark Knight Rises".......somewhere else!!

I stopped at a resort and had a delicious bacon salad sandwich, but again the carbo reserves had dwindled too low and this did not sustain me for long. I found some water, but again it was too late to rehydrate, and with only 16 km to go to the border, I was ‘man down!‘ I could not go another km on the bike - I was just wasted! I had a sleep in a bus shelter for an hour and then the last of my pasta and tuna, and this gave me enough fuel to get to the border and through to Belize.

Another 11km to the nearest town in Belize and all I could dream about was a litre of coke and a large Pizza. But alas, the wheels fell off again with 5 km to go and I literally could not move. It is quite an unusual feeling actually - literally having no energy to move - all I could do was lie down by the side of road. A police pick up truck stopped and kindly took me into Corozal and to Sea Breezes Hotel, a Hotel I had seen in The Lonely Planet, and........sorry we’re full!! Actually he wasn’t full, he had just had a really busy week and decided to close for the weekend, but on seeing the state of me, he gave me a room (US$20 a night).

So it was a cold shower, a liter of coke and a large Pizza, and the following morning 2 Full English Breakfasts back to back for US$13, which didn’t even touch sides and a large Beef Chop Suey for lunch....and I haven’t stopped eating and drinking for three days..........and am starting to feel a little more human again.

But it is great to be in Belize, where English is the official language, and Corozal is so multi cultural - Hispanic, Blacks, Chinese, English, Americans. Will be here for three days or so and then bus to Belize City and then inland to Belmopan and San Ignacio.

So thank you Mexico - thank to the beautiful friendly people, to the scenery, to the history, to the mountains, to the lessons - you didn't want to let go of me, but it was time to move on. Thank you.