Hello Belize!

"If the world had any ends, Belize would be one of them. It is not on the way from anywhere, to anywhere else. It is all but uninhabited.” - Aldous Huxley, 1934

Considering the fact that I traveled internationally and have poor (at best) travel luck, it was a smooth trip to Belize. I woke up at 4:45 am for a 7:10 am flight out of Richmond to Atlanta. Since we sat idling on the runway in Richmond for an hour, I had to run through the Atlanta airport to catch my flight. I landed in terminal A and had to get to E (not ideal). If running frantically through airports to catch connecting flights ever becomes a sport, I will have had ample practice. 

Three hours later, I landed in the beautiful Belize City. When we landed, water vapor started pouring into the cabin. I hoped this was not indicative of Belize's overall humidity level, but alas, it was. My hair immediately became frizzy and I envisioned myself looking like Monica from Friends at the end of the Barbados trip.

Me, 7 days from now

I moved through customs quickly, but as I was moving towards baggage claim, a highly inebriated passenger from my flight fell over his bag through customs. Literally, he catapulted through the customs checkpoint. It appears he started his vacation a little early on the flight. Too soon sir, too soon. In case you've never traveled internationally before, falling over in the customs line in a foreign country is frowned upon. The officials stopped him and I thought he would not be allowed into the country. (For the record, I saw him later, stumbling through the airport with sunglasses on. He was permitted to enter Belize). 

In Belize City, I boarded a flight with Tropic Air. By "flight," I mean a tiny plane that I was individually escorted to that had three other people on it, including the pilot. Their airline is essentially Uber, but with planes. Every time the plane landed, some passengers got off, some stayed on and new ones boarded. I am utterly perplexed by how all of the logistics worked, but somehow it went seamlessly. It was a little unnerving flying on a plane small enough that you can see the pilot's radar screen (Mina, you would 100% have not been OK), but the trepidation immediately dissipated once I saw Belize from an aerial view. It is just how I imagined it: tropical, green and lush; dotted with palm trees, lakes, dirt roads and wetlands. If you had a giant hand and could reach down and touch the landscape, it would feel like velvety, soft moss.

Belize Airport = slight chaos

My chariot awaits

Aerial view of Belize

I eventually connected with my friend Lauren and her friends, who made the journey from northern California. A little more about Lauren: we swam together at U of R for three years (she is one grade older than me). We went to 2008 US Olympic Swimming Trials together in Omaha, Nebraska. We lived together that summer in Richmond, training 5 hours per day and watching Johnny Depp movies in between (we tried to watch all of the movies he was in and had a month-long pass to Blockbuster: yes, we are old). Lauren is easily the most naturally talented swimmer I've ever had the privilege of training with. She is also kind and intelligent, and if you ever want a thorough report of the world's current events, Lauren is your girl. I am so grateful we get to spend a whole week together on this trip.

2008 Olympic Trials: Omaha, NE

2013 not Olympic Trials: Walnut Creek, CA

Hiking in Yosemite, 2013

As we drove through Belize to the resort, it struck me how dilapidated the homes were. They were brightly colored shantys, many on stilts, sprawled out next to the road. Many were crumbling to the point where I did not know how they were still standing. Traveling always reminds me that this is what the "real" world is like. Our experiences (for many of us) growing up in the U.S. is not reflective of humanity. While we may know this on a cerebral level, it is more emotional when it is right in front of you. We are more fortunate than we know. I am thankful for reminders like these and for authentic exposure to the world. 

We eventually reached our resort (Beaches and Dreams), which is right on the beach and is where all dreams come true. In all seriousness, it is a great balance between comfort and realism. We immediately went swimming in the warm, blue water. I have never swum in ocean water that warm. The views we have right at our fingertips are incredible. 

Later after dinner, Lauren and I sat on a pier over the water. The warm wind was blowing hard enough to breathe energy into you, but soft enough to lull you to sleep. The moon was partially illuminating the sky so you could see the water and the clouds in the soft light. The waves were lapping against the pier and the shore. I felt like I was having an out of body experience. My brain wasn't quite sure where I was. Travel is always strange in the sense that you can be a world away from your normal life in only a few hours. It almost makes you question if you're really here or if any of this is real. We sat on the pier for a long time, hesitant to move and end the experience. If you told me I had to stay there in that moment forever, I would have been satisfied. It was incredibly surreal, and is not something that can be articulated in words but something that has to be experienced. Something that makes you close your eyes and reminds you that you're present and alive.