Go Slow Caye Caulker

Off We Go Slowly

10 months ago, we decided to take our first international trip with both kids since we headed south to Argentina with Sophie. This time we decided on the Central American country of Belize.

This trip was designed to be a week simply recharging our batteries from this last school year. There weren’t plans to hit a bunch of sites. We would just spend time on the island of Caye Caulker. Caye Caulker’s motto is “Go Slow” and that is all we planned to do, go slow.

Go Slow

There are three common modes of transport on Caye Caulker. Walk, ride a bike, or if you have the means, drive a golfing cart. Whatever you choose, slow down for island speed bumps, thick rope lying across the sand.

The Daily Routine

Our daily routine followed the island motto.

First, Dominic waked up between 5:30 and 6:00. A parent stumbled out of bed, responsibly gave him a movie to watch, most often Cars 2. Yes, he watched a movie every morning for a week, a strong indication of quality parenting.

After brekkie, we would jump on our three bikes and bike down the main dirt/sand roads towards the northern spit of the island that contained the only suitable swimming spot. A cement pier that crumbled into the water characterized our Belize swimming hole. Fortunately the spit didn’t coral or sea grass.

Lunch took place back at our rental house following our salty dip into the Caribbean Sea. Whoever won the nap lottery scored one in the only room with AC while the kids played or watched another movie. Another demonstration of quality parenting.

After lunch, naps, and Disney movies, we mounted our bikes and returned to the northern spit for an afternoon of swimming.

Evenings consisted of a laidback dinner and bed whenever the heat and humidity from the Belize day beckoned sleep.

Kiwis on Caye Caulker

That first morning on the northern spit, a Kiwi family with a 5 year old daughter and a 3 year old son had the same idea. Over the week, our two families spent mornings swimming together and a few afternoons swimming in their pool. Come to find out, both families had looked at renting the same house. Because it had a loft room for the kids, we decided against it.

A Doggy Treat?

As a language teacher, I appreciate words that people choose, even if the word choice is quite different from what we are used to.

Even though dogs haven’t completely overpopulated Caye Caulker, one must always be mindful of little dog “surprises”. One morning while we stood perusing the pastries in a café, Sophie accidentally stepped in some dog shit unbeknownst to anyone. While we stood in the café, the barista suddenly stated, “your daughter has smashed poo!”

“Smashed poo?”

Neither Nadine nor I immediately knew what she was talking about until she pointed at Sophie’s brown flip flops leaving tracks on the floor. Oops.

Little Sophie had found a little doggie treat outside.

Buzzing Nuisances

Sunny days, hot, humid afternoons had kept an unknown nuisance at bay. By the second to last day in Belize, rain visited the island and cooled it off significantly, giving this nuisance a free pass to feast. In only a day and a half, mosquitos unceasingly attacked us. If caught outside, you indulged their vampire tendencies. And then suddenly, as soon as our departure from Belize beckoned, mosquitoes riddled our bodies with big red, swollen mosquito bites.

I guess Caye Caulker gave us one last souvenir from a relaxing weekend.

Life lesson – Go Slow.