TRAVEL MEMOIRS
A Belize Adventure — From the Jungle to a Deep Sea Scuba Dive
It was a serendipitous trip.
Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else. — Lawrence Block
We had no idea when we selected Belize for a diving trip that it would be our greatest family vacation.
My children and I are comfortable, experienced travelers. We only had an itinerary once we began traveling with others. We chose a destination based on an activity that we wanted to do.
I turned fifty in 2013 and wanted to get dive-certified. Steve, the eldest, was already certified, and Kate, the middle child, also wanted to get certified. Lucy, the youngest, was twelve. She wasn’t interested in diving because she often experienced issues with her ears when flying and thought diving might cause similar problems.
We agreed a family dive/snorkel trip would be fun. Belize’s barrier reef is comparable to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and is much closer.
We traveled from three different airports and met at the car rental. Once we had greeted one another, we quickly got in the vehicle, excited for our adventure. Lucy and I were in the back seat; Kate was co-pilot. Steve asked over his shoulder, “Where to?”
The gentleman next to me on the plane had suggested where to start our adventure. From the backseat, I said, “How about the Baboon Sanctuary?”
In a little under an hour, we arrived at the entrance. A barefoot man of medium build, an inviting smile with eyes that matched, long coal black hair in dreadlocks balancing an undersized fedora, and an openness as expansive as the jungle approached us as we got out of our car. “Welcome to The Baboon Sanctuary; I am Shane and will be your guide.” Dangling from his arm were four handmade fly swatters.
Before heading into the jungle, Shane briefed us on animals we might see, how to move appropriately and safely through the jungle, and what to do in an emergency.
The Baboon Sanctuary is home to a family of Howler monkeys. Shane has grown up with them his whole life, having lived on the property since birth. They know his walk, voice, and the treats he is sure to offer.
Pulling a banana from his pocket and pinching a piece off, Shane reached out to me: “Mamma, please give me your hand.” Seeing the proffered fruit, the monkey descended, delicately curled his fingers around the banana, and transferred it to his mouth while the other hand held my hand.
As he saw Shane pinch another piece and hand it to Lucy, he released my hand and reached for hers once it was within his reach. Shane repeated the process with Kate and Steve.
While enveloped in the canopy above and mossy rich soil with ferns, flowers, and tree roots below us, we learned about the jungle, the life of the Howler monkeys, the role his family plays in their preservation and care, and the balance of nature in the wild.
Shane’s instincts in the jungle were acute, allowing him to walk barefoot. He would point out plants, animals, or insects every few seconds and explain their importance in the ecosystem. We were fascinated when he explained how the mandible could suture wounds.
After the tour was over, we hung out chatting. Building friendships while traveling is part of the experience, and we were not in a hurry to leave this charming man.
Before leaving, Shane suggested we visit Altun Ha, where we were to ask for Wilfred. Shane and Wilfred hadn’t met in person, but they knew one another through a shared passion in a spiritual group focused on the light we give in our relationships to build more significant connections. With each hug, his eyes connected with ours as he said, “Love and light be with you today and always.” We felt lucky to have met Shane, a consummate tour guide and a genuinely warm person.
When we stopped for dinner, we met an American couple. Both now retired, they expatriated decades ago for his job in Belize and never left. As someone who often considered retiring overseas, I enjoyed hearing about their unencumbered lives. Before we left the restaurant, the wife told us, “You must have lunch with Ms. Emma.”
When we arrived at our Airbnb, it was nearly 10 p.m. The property manager showed us the apartment and gave us the keys. Before leaving, he asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?” Not knowing what that included, I asked, “Such as what?”
He suggested fresh coconut and other fruits. Daily, we woke to find a box with a ready-to-pour fresh coconut and fruit outside our door.
Mayan Ruins
We visited Nim Li Punit, Lamanai, and Altun Ha, each suggested by someone we met. Of the four countries in Central America where Mayans lived, Belize has one of the highest concentrations of ruins.
The children and I enjoyed exploring and were surprised we could walk freely among the temples and grounds. We had expected roped-off areas instead of grounds resembling a living community without the inhabitants.
The museum tour guide at Lamanai suggested an eatery nearby. We pulled up to an area resembling a backyard with a few picnic tables. There was no menu to order from. Instead, a jubilant six-year-old approached, letting us know our dining options and taking our drink order. With four bottles laced between her fingers, she placed them on the table before opening each. She was adorable.
After placing the drinks on the table, she stayed to talk for a bit. Then she brought her little brother to our table. We provided babysitting services while their mom and grandma prepared the food. It felt like we were dining at their home instead of an eatery.
Snorkeling and Diving
We met our crew, who went by nicknames; Boo was our dive master, and Home Alone was Lucy’s snorkel guide.
The journey to Glover’s Atoll took approximately two hours across the open ocean in an aluminum runabout with an outboard motor. After coming down hard a few times, we held the rafter above to move with the boat’s rolling. A few waves were high, causing the boat to crash fiercely up and down, and for us to wonder about its structural integrity.
After getting our gear on, I dove down in the water a few feet and saw my son motioning with one hand over the other, palms down, thumbs moving in circles. Turning around, there he was, a gorgeous turtle staring back at me. It doesn’t get much better than that for your first dive.
The visibility was at least one hundred feet, and sea life surrounded us. Boo took us on a 45-minute adventure along Manta Wall and The Pinnacles, where we saw colorful coral, barracudas, lobsters, sponges, groupers, lionfish, mantas, eels, and octopi. I felt like I had a bobblehead pivoting this way and that to try to take it all in.
We climbed back in the boat and went ashore to enjoy a lunch of fresh fish before heading out for the second dive. Lunch was a relaxed affair, during which we swapped stories about our lives and got to know one another.
The return ride was just as bumpy, but our bodies felt too heavy to remain standing. We bounced along with the waves, eyelids heavy and skin lightly pink.
The following day was our “invitation” to eat at Ms. Emma’s. We pulled up to a large farmhouse. She was not quite five feet tall, with a petite frame and smile wrinkles at the edges of her eyes. Ms. Emma welcomed us into her home.
The food, a mix of vegetarian, fish, and chicken dishes, was served family-style. Guests were seated on benches around a long rectangular table. We socialized during and between courses about our travels.
As I began to take a bite of my dessert, Ms. Emma leaned in close,” Would you like to see my garden?” That would be lovely, thank you!
We learned about her life while she drove us around her 2,000-acre garden. For over twenty years, Ms. Emma was the personal chef for a diplomat from the Philippines. She traveled the world and met royalty, presidents, and movie stars.
Once her employer’s youngest child left for university, Ms. Emma resigned. As a gift for her years of service, they gave her the land and home she resides in and facilitated her immigration status to remain in Belize.
Of all the fruits we tried while touring the garden, my favorite was the ice cream bean. It looked like an overgrown string bean with fluffy, covered beans inside. Only the fluff is edible.
We spent more than four hours with Ms. Emma between lunch and seeing her garden. We left Ms. Emma’s satiated and full of stories, and recommendations from fellow guests of things to do in Belize.
By the time we got home, it was nearly dusk. The property manager greeted us and asked, “How would you like to take a ride on the canal?” It was relaxing and offered a beautiful river view behind our Airbnb.
The following day, we headed to a waterfall — the instructions from a guest at Ms. Emma’s lacked traditional instructions such as road signs or street names. We drove through the orange grove behind the banana trees off the main road about 20 minutes from Ms. Emma’s. Undoubtedly, both the banana and orange trees were on private property. We finally found the makeshift gate the guest described. A petite woman wearing a non-matching floral skirt and blouse approached us with a baby at her breast.
“Hi, we were at Ms. Emma’s and learned about a waterfall on your property. Would it be OK for us to enter?” She opened the gate, ushering us through with warmth and clear instructions on how to proceed.
The road was precarious as we bounced along. After hiking nearly one mile, we came to three connecting pools with a tall waterfall — paradise.
The following day, we met Wilfred at Altun Ha. We enjoyed building a friendship with him and discussing our shared connection through Shane.
Before leaving Wilfred, we exchanged contact information, wished him love and light, hugged, and said goodbye.
Driving towards Belize City, there was a toll station. It also functioned as a transmission of diseases control station for livestock, fruits, and vegetables. The bags of fruit from Ms. Emma’s were confiscated, except those that we could eat. We stood outside the toll station chatting with the guards and eating until we thought we’d explode. They were amused by our determination to eat what we could. It was too good to waste.
We started and ended our trip at the Baboon Sanctuary. Shane invited us to explore the jungle at night.
My youngest found a red-eyed tree frog within minutes of entering the jungle. Lucy seemed very excited about the discovery. As a reward, she was moved forward in our single-file line to be upfront behind Shane.
Years later, she told me she found it because she was on high alert and terrified of a big cat jumping out. Big cats had been on the trail, as evidenced by the remaining footprints. Shane pointed out the sounds they were making. They were watching us.
It was a glorious night full of exciting sounds and sightings of several plants, reptiles, animals, and birds. A half-moon provided enough light to turn headlamps off occasionally to witness the jungle in the dark.
The trip to Belize was sublime. We were unscheduled, didn’t think about what was happening in a few days, and enjoyed the people we met and the places we visited.
It was the last vacation for the four of us together.
My children are extroverts, open-minded, and curious — a winning combination for travel companions. Each contributed to a deep level of engagement with others.
I feel nostalgic when I think about our time in Belize. As we were leaving, I saw a house for sale and seriously considered buying it, though it might have meant the end of my marriage. I didn’t want the trip to end, and having a place might help us hold on to the magic of Belize.
It may be time to return to Belize and create new memories in one of my favorite destinations.
What about you? Where would you travel back to?
Thank you Darren Weir for all your support with my story!
