My 2019 Summer Aspiration List: Plans for the Slow Season

The long holiday weekend is over and summer has unofficially begun!  In the northern climates, the change (pre- vs. post-Memorial Day weekend) seems huge…as days get markedly longer, the weather is warm (rather than snowy) and flip-flops, shorts and tank tops come out of winter hibernation.

The difference in Belize is much more subtle.  Our most noticeable seasons, from my perspective, are “Tourist season” & “Slow season” which are very similar to “Dry Season” & “Rainy Season”.

These Belizean seasons are not black and white.  There is no date that all tourists leave or when heavy rains move in.  It’s a transition…visitor arrivals slow a bit into the summer and then things are downright sleepy in September and October.

So for the past few years, I’ve put together a list – objectives for the summer months when I have a bit more time to get out and about.

Here are some from previous years:

2016 – Wonder why I never bought that clothes folding robot?

2017 had two parts!  One, I actually DID win Truck Stop Trivia. 

And Two…I didn’t go to Glovers Atoll OR get re-certified in SCUBA.

2018 – I still need to do that mainland road trip!

This year I’m going to make this more attainable…I think. Baby steps right?  I’ll start particularly small with this one.  And then move up to the biggest one.  The most exciting one!

Make Sun Tea

This is a bit of a cheat since I’ve already purchased a bunch of large Mason jars and a big box of Lipton tea bags.  Fill that jar with water, put in a few tea bags and into the sun.  (We have plenty of that in Belize.)   Around mid-day, remove the tea bag and place in freezer.

Sun tea – which tasted awful to me as a kid…is now DELICIOUS.  So ridiculously refreshing.  I’ve grown into this stuff.  NOW…if I can wean myself off Coke Zero and go all SUN TEA, things would be perfect.

Also handy is a guard dog for your tea

Join the Gym

Since it’s summer, many of you might be heading outside to exercise but for me?    I think strong air conditioning, a readily available shower, solid AC and a long list of good podcasts are going to fuel this new habit.  No heavy lifting…or fast paced classes…I just need to GET MOVING!

Or so I hope.  I’m going to join Belize Fitness for a month and see how it goes.  I’ll most certainly report back – especially letting you know how it goes with the French Bakery located just beneath it.

I wonder how many steps on a treadmill = one almond croissant?

Head out to one of the Outer Cayes

Ambergris Caye is the largest of hundreds of cayes sprinkled up and down the Belize coast.   And despite the fact that I’ve lived in this beautiful country for over twelve year, I can count the cayes I’ve visited on one hand.  Or maybe two.

St George’s CayeLighthouse CayeTobacco Caye – Caye Caulker – Rendezvous CayeBlackadore Caye (aka “Leo DiCaprio’s island”)Calabash Caye, Turneffe Atoll – and some of the smaller cayes on the west side of Ambergris

Here’s Blackadore – not a bad view

Oh…and we stopped at tiny Goff’s Caye on an epic wind surfing trip from Ambergris Caye to Placencia.  

I almost forgot “Sanctuary Caye” – I’m sure it has a new name now….

Photo of that caye in 2014

But one thing that I have not done is spend a night at a beautiful resort on one of the other cayes.  There are SO many gorgeous ones out there.  From rustic Glover’s Atoll Resort to luxurious Coco Plum Resort down south.

Just a short trip.  Me in a hammock, Jeff out chasing permit.  Perhaps Turneffe Flats Lodge?  

All are on my wish list.

The Costa Maya Pagaent

This is getting ridiculous.  This one has been on my list every single year.  The Costa Maya Festival is the largest and oldest festival on Ambergris Caye.  International singers and entertainers come to the island to perform in English and Spanish.

The weekend is ALWAYS started with the Costa Maya Pageant – with local pageant winners from all Central Americans countries and Mexico.  The “Costa Maya Queens” do appearances all over town for the week or two leading up to the big night.  I LOVE running into a bevy of beauties in full make-up and sequins while I’m looking like Ms. Middle Aged Old Navy Sweatball.  I always try to get a picture.  The one below was taken last year – beauties and my friend Jamie.

Eat Mangos Every Single Day they are in Season

Late Spring and Summer is Mango season in Belize and this year, the mangos are plentiful and DELICIOUS.  It seems like all the vendors in San Pedro have a few varieties for sale.

But mango season can end just as quickly as it started so eat them while you still can!  I’ve already eaten one today.

Lake Bacalar Visit

Just about 50 miles from us (as the crow flies) is the magical Laguna Bacalar.  The second biggest fresh water lake in Mexico.  A STUNNING limestone-bottomed freshwater pool as blue if not bluer than any ocean.

It’s unique in its size, it’s unique in the amazing color, it is unique in that it has some of the oldest life on the planet (almost like coral called stromatolites  – see pic below) and it is only just starting to become popular to tourists – mainly travelers and backpackers on their way down from Cancun and Tulum to Belize and Central America.

I was last there camping in 2012 – picture taken then – and I’d LOVE to get back!  It’s close by!

Publish a book

This is the scariest most exciting one on my list and with all things coming together, this should be available IN THE NEXT MONTH!

While Belize is filled with big-ticket experiences like towering Maya ruins, crystal-lined caves and the great Blue Hole, it’s the little things that made me fall in love with Ambergris Caye.

Here are my Top 50 Experiences!

Coming soon to Amazon!

I can’t wait.  For updates and information and announcements PLEASE sign up for my mailing list below this post!

So there it is…big and little things that I hope I tackle before the summer is over.  I’ll give myself a bit of extra time – the “tourist season” doesn’t REALLY pick up until mid-late November.

Exciting, right?

I know, I know.  “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”!  It’s time to get doing!  I’m off!

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