HomeTestimonialsVenessa Posavec (Feb, 2006)

Venessa Posavec

(Reefs and Cayes, Feb 2006)

Adventure Life & Future Explorers!

I need to let you know how incredibly amazing our trip to Belize was on the 6 Day Reefs & Cayes excursion. We landed in that charming village of Placencia on Day 1, soaked up the culture and walked the Narrowest Street in the World, according to Guinness Book of World Records. We enjoyed purchasing handicrafts from the Mayan children who create them and travel to the village to sell their wares. The Creole signage everywhere really gave you a feel for the place. We passed huts wafting the smell of broiled chicken and fried plantains, smelled the fresh laundry drying in the sun, and breathed in the warm salty air. Our stay at the Westwind Hotel was relaxing, and we enjoyed laidback conversation with George, the easygoing hotel owner. Fish dinner at De Thatch, a rosewood floored and thatch roofed restaurant on the beach, was fantastic. The next four days were heaven. The seven of us ‘adventure tourists’ were a motley crew: an Italian diplomat that had a knack for making balloon animals (don’t ask), a doctor and cop newlywed couple from Houston, a bookseller from England, and a Chilean whose mother is a classical guitarist. And then me and Halle, two friends from a small suburb of northern Ohio. It was a dynamic group. Our amazing guide, Arthur, really made the trip. He was so knowledgeable about the species of fish and flora in the water, the many uses of a coconut, and how to keep his guests happy and entertained. He was also practiced at spear-fishing (the proof was in the dinners of trunkfish and red snapper), and managed to reel in a nurse shark with a fly fishing rod. His assistant, Eric (or Rico as he liked to be called), was also a great help skippering the boat and preparing meals. Ian was our godsend. The chef. He set up a little tent and a butane grill and managed to conjure up some of the tastiest meals I’ve had in a while. I guess it helped that he only had the freshest ingredients to work with. We loved the feeling of being comfortable castaways, spending our days kayaking, snorkeling and taking siestas in the hammocks on our own personal island. We got to swim alongside stingrays and barracuda and watched our guide make children’s toys out of coconut tree fronds. We kayaked to deserted islands filled with conch shells and hermit crabs. Nights were spent sipping on Belizean rum mixed with coke and picking out constellations as we lay in front of the campfire. One night, we even took our waterproof flashlights and did a little night snorkeling. Arthur caught a lobster with his bare hands. By the way, did you know lobsters swim backwards? That was neat to see. When we got to Placencia, the seven of us were like a family, and decided to have one more night of fun before the trip was over. We had a great dinner together at the Cozy Corner, accompanied by two of our guides. Afterwards, we went to the Tipsy Tuna, a pool hall/karaoke bar on the beach. The floor of the pool hall was filled with about a foot of sand, so “No Shoes” wasn’t merely an option, but a luxury to be enjoyed. After a few games of pool we sat out on the patio overlooking the coastline and listening to music. At the end of the evening, we all felt like we had to do it one last time together. We met for breakfast the next morning before everyone’s scheduled departures, and reminisced about the amazing experience. The pace of life is so slowed down there that those six days felt like a month to me. Halle and I dragged our feet getting to the airport. (No, literally - we called the airlines and delayed our flight a few hours). As we flew away, I realized I had had a connection there, and resolved to go back. Me being the spontaneous one with a fair amount of moxie, I booked a flight to go back for the entire month of June to look into housing options and job opportunities. After that, I’ll get some paperwork in order and go back for the entire month of August to work on a boat, write in my journals, and take photographs of my experience. I realized I wanted some time to get away and nurture my soul, and I found the place to do it. Thank you so much for putting together such a well-organized trip, with wonderful guides, a beautiful setting, and the perfect sunset.