Planning Belize trip...

Change of plans.  There is a property on Ambergris Caye, Sapphire Beach, that is offering a free, three-day stay in return for viewing the property.  So I will stay February 19-21 on Ambergris Caye, then take the ferry from San Pedro to Belize City and pick up a rental car to head south.  I would like to look at property here anyway, so this makes sense.  Talking to someone who is pitching a sale will help me to ask better questions later on and get a handle on some of the issues involved in buying and owning property in Belize.  Besides, maybe I will like it and quickly conclude my search.

Actually, I seriously doubt that I would buy something that quickly.  First of all, this is the first country I am visiting with an eye towards permanent residency.  Second, from everything I’ve read, most real estate (both purchase and rental) is found through sources other than brokers or the marketing of a specific development.  Unless I can see a positive cash flow from the start, it doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Since I have toyed with using my IRAs to purchase a property, I’ll have to go see that attorney my accountant recommended sometime between now and February.

Getting to Belize is not cheap; I presume it's because there just aren't enough travelers to create the competition you find for, say, Cancun.  Even so, I found good flights on American through Miami, so I will fly directly into Belize.  If I were traveling for a couple of weeks instead of one, then driving from Cancun would make more sense -- maybe next time. 

Being in Belize during the best weather will be nice, but I realize that I will have to return during hurricane season to see what the heat and bugs are really like.  I have time off right after Labor Day, so maybe I will go back at that time.  I have the weather for Belize City, Corozal and Tulum, Mexico on my Yahoo homepage.  Although the weather is staying warmer for a longer period of time in that part of the world, it doesn’t appear to be much different than Tampa Bay, where I am.

Now that my plans are being set, I need to read more on Belize and have a set of questions to be answered so I get the most out of the trip.

Tough times...

I realized that I hadn't written in a while and figured I better get something down before I get out of the habit totally.  I am still struggling without Andrea.  I spent last Saturday in bed sleeping... I was just so emotionally exhausted that I couldn't do anything.  I've been pushing myself to the point where I just couldn't do any more and crashed.  I felt guilty at the time, but looking back it was what I needed.  The next day was very productive and I felt much better and had a lot more energy.

Well, my Belize trip is on for the end of February.  My plan is to rent a car and head south to Placencia and maybe as far south as Punta Gorda.  Then I will take my time going back north through Dangriga and back up to Belize City.  I would like to spend a couple of days on Ambergris Caye since it seems like a prime spot to relocate to.  From everything I have read, Belize City does not seem very appealing, so I doubt I'll spend much time there and instead will head north to the area around Corozal Town.
 
If I fly to Cancun and drive down (it's about a five-hour drive to Chetumal, which is across the border from Corozal Town) then it makes sense to save this area for last.  If we fly into Belize City, then I think it still makes sense to head south and make my way up the coast, take a ferry from Belize City to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, take another ferry to Corozal Town and backtrack to Belize City for the flight home.
 
Either way, that's a lot of traveling to do in eight days, but it's only about a five hour drive from Corozal to Placencia. 

Making sense of it all without her

I haven’t posted in a while because I’ve been avoiding thinking.  If I didn’t have a job or have to feed the cats, there are many days that I just wouldn’t get out of bed.  What’s the point?  When I have something to laugh about or interesting to share, Andrea is not there to listen and it’s as if I’m dead inside.  I get up and start working at 6:00 because if I don’t I’m afraid that I’ll just curl up and die.  I’m all alone within myself without her.  I have little sense of direction because my point of reference is gone.  If it weren’t for planning for the future, I would have no direction at all.  You don’t realize how important someone is until they are gone… it’s as if I have no context.  God, how I wish I could have her back just for a minute so I could tell her how much I love and miss her. 

Don’t get me wrong – I am not on the verge of committing suicide and I don’t mean to be depressing, I guess the point is that planning my expat existence is the only thing that gets my blood going.  Am I planning a future or just planning on running away?  I hope I find out soon.  I am looking at making at least two trips next year (to Belize and Mexico) and I’m hoping that will help to focus my planning.  I’ll be looking at things differently when I travel this time.  I have a friend who used to live in Belize who will accompany me – it will be good to have an expert along to help interpret what I am seeing.

I have to go to the dentist soon and that has gotten me thinking about medical care abroad.  Maybe that will be the topic of my next research effort.