Saturday, May 29, 2010

Finally Here!

The countdown has officially ended! Tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn I'll be boarding my flight to Belize.

Packing has been chaos. Mainly because I'm so indecisive. I've never spent so much time trying to decide what size shampoo bottles to bring, or what kind of sunscreen to buy. One can never find enough ways to rearrange items in a hiking backpack or cut down on weight. I've been packing for nearly a week now. Every morning I empty my bag and repack it just to make sure I have everything...for the 10th time. If I brought everything I intended for "just in case" scenarios, I would be carrying a small whale on my back. Thankfully I cut down to strictly necessities (yes...Dum Dums, Pop Rocks, Warheads, and glow sticks for the Mayan kids are necessities), and I'm able to carry everything no problem.

My dad rented a satellite phone for me (I wasn't aware they even existed), so for $1.69 a minute I can keep in touch with the world even in the remote jungle and village areas. I'll mainly be using the phone for emergencies. The weight of a brick and the size of a shoebox, this is a very practical option for those looking for a new phone. I called a hotel in Belize to test it out. I'm sure the woman who answered was confused when I immediately hung up. Pretty cool!

I have a lot of very important unanswered questions. Do they have cheese in Belize? Can I lay on the beach without getting swarmed with sand flies? Should I be nervous about the crocodiles that can apparently be seen in the water where I'll be swimming? Will I pass out sitting 3 to a seat on the public bus without air conditioning in the 100 degree heat on my 7 hour bus rides? How does one sleep in a hammock without falling out when rolling over? Answeres soon to come.

I'm off to spend my last day home on the lake with the family. Tomorrow morning at 6 am I will dump my bag out once more...just to make sure I have everything :)

5 comments:

  1. Good stuff Alisha! Keep us posted as often as you can!

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  2. Stay safe and have a great trip Alisha! I'll be following and probably posting a link on my blog as you get underway. Love, Aunt Lori

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  3. Can't wait for your reports.
    G'ma

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  4. ...and always check your shoes before you slide your feet in. Spiders and snakes will leave you alone until you kick them in the face.

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  5. has anyone heard from Alisha?

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