We pulled ourselves up early in the morn for our ferry, and made the 30 minute crossing to Caye Caulker. Waiting for our lunch, we realised we’d arrived at the island that epitomised the Belizian motto; go slow. Everyone moved at a snails pace here, and after the events of the previous 10 days, it was exactly what we needed.
Our Airbnb location was a series of entirely wooden apartments, raised on stilts above a restaurant, and owned by a couple; one Belizian, one Dutch. Whenever one of us sneezed, it felt like an earthquake. David had been apprehensive of my choice before we arrived, but like everything so far, it was perfect for the vibe we were on at that particular time. Secluded, stocked fridge, with a hammock out the front. We settled in for an early night.
The next day we woke early, getting in a workout and meditation session on a private jetty we had access to. Id barely done a proper workout since Playa and sorely needed it. We chatted to the couple who owned the place, both were very interesting. The wife, Monique, had set up a makeshift veterinary practice on the island, to help the local dogs stay healthy and get vaxxed. The husband, a Rastaman called Maurice, ran the restaurant downstairs and had kids based in North London. We were all singing along to the tunes he dropped each evening, and they grew fond of us, and us them.
We reunited with Max on the island. He’d been around in San Pedro, but a bit under the weather, not his usually strong self. But he was here in a big way, on top form and stuck with us through our whole stay in Caye Caulker. We explored the island a little, did some laundry, but these few days were all about R&R. Given the downtime, I was able to start figuring out how to set up a website, which hopefully someone is reading this on now. It felt like the end of a chapter of the trip; the craziness of Mexico, the trials and tribulations of San Pedro and now the recovery time in Caye Caulker. We got to work booking accommodation for chapter 2, and I wondered what twists and turns Guatemala would have in store for us.