Flying with cats and dogs....

Leading up to our move, there was more than just packing moving boxes and saying good-byes.  We were moving with two large dogs and two cats via airplane.  In my mind (Amanda typing), this was my biggest fear of the whole move.  So many times I have heard of horror stories about animals that have died during flying.  We love our four legged family.  It was my goal to prepare them for this event.

With our two hounds weighing in at 85lbs. and 105lbs, the logistics alone had me a bit puzzled. First, we purchased jumbo dog carriers about a month before the big move.  With them in our home, we would pal around with our dogs and say in a happy voice.."wanna go bye bye?" and lead them into the crate to help create the association of "something good".  During the last week, we would actually lock them into the crates for small amounts of time to get used to being crated, as they have never been crate dogs.

We also purchased new "airline approved" cat carriers which fit under our seat.  The thought of a cat meowing the whole time, as they do on the way to the vets, was a constant fear.

The airlines did not want our animals drugged and we abided.  They received their health checks from the local vet, made sure they were current on all shots 30 days before travel, and received our Belize Health Certificate from BAHA via fax.  We even did a dry run with Continental Airlines official animal lady in Vegas nicknamed the "Dog Nazi"; who will not let an animal travel until every sticker is correctly located on the crate, every crate must be within size and regulation standards, and every i must be dotted and t crossed for travel to happen.

The airlines do not take the dogs out of the crates and they had, with layovers and early arrivals...11 hours of crate time.  11 hours of bladder holding.  I hoped the extra cheese given the previous day would keep them constipated for a while.  We did not need an accident to happen.

Thanks to our friends, we had a Cyphers caravan enroute to the airport.  One vehicle held the humans, cats, and luggage.  The other, carried the dogs and their crates.

Actually, the dogs held it well, with no issues, no stress, and no barking.  It was our old cat named Bobby.  He is such a pain in the butt, I actually named him after a prior Henderson Mayor.  The name fits.

So we make it to the Las Vegas airport and Bobby aka "pain in the a__" decided he is scared to death and peed himself.  The canvas cat tote was soaked along with the cat.  It you know cat urine, you know this was not a good moment.  We haven't even got on the plane yet and we already had an accident.  So off to the ladies room I go, with cat and tote in hand to clean the tote and give the cat a bath in the sink.  I don't have to mention cats and water don't mix well.  If not for the sounds coming out of a scared wet cat, then I'm surprised PETA wasn't called for me holding onto the cat by the neck with one hand as I wash the tote with the other.  you should have seen all the double-take looks we got from ladies entering the restroom door to find a wet hairball, and me half covered in water.  Of course the site of me trying to dry the cat with the auto air machine was another first in my life experience.

While all of this was going on, I was a walking zombie trying to function and walk straight; a true scene out of "Weekend at Bernies".  My doctor made sure I was well medicated for this moment as I was scared to death about moving on top of freaking out about flying.  I've experienced panic attacks on my last airline flight and was told kindly from the flight attendant that people like me should not fly.

Poor Michael, dealing with a drugged wife, and 4 un-drugged animals, and a crying kid as he had to say goodbye to his best friend that night.


 Our trip consisted of a red eye to Houston,  a 3 hour layover and a flight to Belize.  We arrived to our new country at 10:30 in the morning.  From what I am told, (remember I was drugged here)  the cats and I did not make a peep the whole trip.  There were many forms and permits to pay to get the dogs in Belize, I'm sure the dogs had all four legs crossed during this time.


So we walk out of the airport and what an AWESOME MOMENT!!  We were greeted by our Belize friends Sam and Shelley, and our Pastor Patrick, his wife Deana, one of their sons, Caleb, and Deana's visiting dad.  Patrick brought the church bus (an old yellow school bus) to pick us, our luggage, animals, and dog crates to take us 80 miles to our new home.

As you know we sent our belongings a month ahead via container, which was here for us when we arrived.  A quick call from Mike to the shippers and the truck filled with our boxes arrived at our new home the same time as our bus crew.  Everyone rolled up their sleeves and carried our boxes to the appropriate rooms for us to un-pack.  Wow, we were blessed right away with a group of people who understand the real meaning of community; as we can only experience  life, with the help, understanding and companionship of one other.  No training needed on our end.  Belize immediately felt like home.  We are home.  Of course I realize this a few days later when I woke up from the chemical fog I was in.

The last few weeks was all a blur...

As of this date we are here in Belize, but I want to take some time to catch you up with our experiences on this journey.  I'll be posting a few blogs over the next week or so.  The movers picked up our stuff as promised (about a month before we left for Belize ourselves) and we found homes for all the stuff we didn't take.  We lived in a half empty home (we still had our fridge, couch, bed, washer and drier) up until the final few days when our friend who had purchased those items took delivery.   We spent the last week on an borrowed air mattress, a borrowed card table and chairs and many of our friends had us over for dinner since my pots and pans were packed...darn.

Two things happened during this time.  With all our "stuff" packed an on the way to Belize before us, we pondered if we needed such "stuff" to begin with.  Second, we had to rely on our community of friends for help.  It has never been easy for us to borrow things, but we learned the necessity of each other, a lesson heavily needed in Belize.

Personally, (Amanda typing) I had a rough time with the thought of moving.  Everything, I mean everything was changing in my world and there was nothing I could do to stop it.  This was a true leap of faith, a lesson I never am strong to learn.  I'm not proud to say, but I cried many tears of fear, I was held by many friends, and prayed many prayers for strength.

With our stuff on the way to Belize, there was no turning back.  Our things left on a container ship from LA, to a dock weeks later in Guatemala.  From there it was transported a few hundred miles through Guatemala to Belize.  I did have my worries about the safety of our possessions as we did not get moving insurance nor was it offered.  We found out our earthly possessions were all transported via a Chiquita Banana Container on its way to pick up more bananas from Guatemala/Belize.

It turned out our container (minus bikes, a mattress, couch & love seat which will be here in mid-September) made it to Belize without a hitch.  None of the boxes were opened at Customs and our boxes arrived a week before we did.  The moving company just stored the boxes until we arrived.  I would say we had a hand full of broken glasses/plates, but nothing of importance.

Michael retired from his career at same time House Hunters International was filming us for an upcoming show.  We were crazy to respond to House Hunters.  Dealing with the show taping, emotions, and retirement celebrations was exhausting on top of all the normal headaches of moving.

On Michael's last day of work, I met him at his office and hand in hand we walked out of the building he has worked in for 12 years.  He thought it wouldn't be an emotional big deal, as he continued to have his head in "cloud nine".  But he soon realized this wan't a typical day.  A new chapter was starting for us, as our professional lives had ended.

The last Saturday night in Vegas we were able to hold a bon voyage gathering at our typical weekend stomping grounds...the marina.  We had a wonderful turnout of friends and some surprise visitors and we will treasure the memories of that night forever.  For as many years as we dreamed of moving to Belize, we have dreamed of what our going away party would be like.  We hit it right on the head, a laid back gathering with good friends.  Two friends in particular and very close to us, were especially hard to say goodbye to.  One slipped out of the party and I didn't get to share a goodbye with, the other part of the dynamic duo, did stay and we had a hard time saying goodbye with many "monkey face" tears from both of us.  I don't know which is harder to deal with, saying goodbye or not saying goodbye.  But I do know this...you don't know the true depth of love for a friend until you have to say goodbye.

T minus 8 days until the movers are here...

Well, it's been 60 days since our decision to make the "big move" to San Ignacio, Belize.  I (Mandy typing) knew once we came back from our 19 day Belize Adventure, our lives would turn hectic until we unpack the last box in our new home.

I want to be truthful about this move.  It isn't easy.  Oh, everyone says, "How exciting!" or "Wow, I wish I were you!"  I just kind of chuckle inside because moving to another country is more fearful and overwhelming than one might think.

For the last few weeks, we have been sorting our possessions into piles...sell it, store it, take it, gift it, throw it, donate it, and my favorite...I'm too overwhelmed with this, I'll think about it later pile.  It's coming down to the wire of when the movers pick up our "take it" choices.  They show up at our home with a moving van, drive to Los Angeles to load on a shipment container.  Then they will pick up in port of Guatemala, and drive our things to our new home with a target date around August 16th or so...and this may be the easy part.

Traveling with two cats and 85lb. and 105lb. dogs via airline can be a hassle itself.  Shots have to be within 1 year and not less than 30 days. Health certificates have to be within 10 days of travel. Purchase of extra large dog crates and carry-on cat containers are not cheap.  Also, the airfare for the animals is over $1000 for all four.

Once the movers leave, we have 4 weeks in town until we depart.  This should allow us time to have some sort of "bon voyage" gathering, on top of filming for House Hunters International "back story", and Mike's celebration of "retirement at 46".

While Mike continues to have his head in "Cloud 9" about closing this chapter of our lives and starting another, I have my moments of questioning my insanity while I drag my feet on the long list of to do's before the big day.  Well, back to the packing, making final doctor and dental appointments, and all the details and logistics of international moving.

It's Official...Changes in Latitudes

At the end of our last blog we shared this quote of Alan Cohen..."It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new.  But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.  There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power."


In our past blog titled...Mayan Ruins, Monkeys and Ruins, we mentioned we were "up" to something, but we just couldn't share what it was.  Well, the time has come to share...we have found a house and a home in the Cayo District.  This will be an extremely busy summer for us as our target date is to be in Belize by the time school starts end of August.  We will be traveling light so we will be selling the majority of our material life away.


Although this is an exciting, exhausting time in our lives, there will be many "emotional" moments, as I (Mandy typing) don't handle good-byes very well.  I am sorry as many of our close friends will be hearing the news by this blog.  We just didn't have the time to call everyone personally to share the news.  For those we have personally spoken with and have followed us on Facebook and this blog, we are shocked that many of you didn't get it...come on...we were pricing dishes and refrigerators, and finding a church home for us!!!  Mike's official last day of work is July 28th.  As one of his favorite songs states. "I'm not calling in sick, I'm calling in gone."


We look forward to seeing everyone near and dear to our hearts during this summer.  Our future home has plenty of room for all our friends and family to visit.  We wouldn't have it any other way.  Yes, there WILL be a future bon voyage celebration.


In the meantime, we will have some fun with our situation. Do you ever watch "House Hunters International"?  Well, we will be playing the game with all our Facebook friends.  Let's see if you can guess which one we bought!


You may now have insight to the name of our blog "Our Belize Adventure 2011", it just doesn't include the research trip.  Stay tuned and follow as we post about the adventure of selling practically everything, and traveling with two dogs and cats to the small country of Belize.


Our Belize Adventure has only begun.

Last full day in Belize

Today was our last full day on Ambergris Caye.  We spent the day snorkeling, exploring, and getting to know the locals.  We learned from our guide that lion fish have become an invasive species and each tour operator dives with a small spear “gun”  to take any lion fish they find.    The company we were with is a smaller operator but they reported over 2000 lion fish caught.  Some of the bigger companies have a great many more.  We appreciate this common sense approach to the problem, and during our trip he caught two small juvenile lion fish.  

Our tour guide was also one of the people who won the “sea lottery”.  This is when the Mexican/Columbian drug boat runners ,traveling just 5 miles off shore in international waters, are intercepted by drug enforcement.  They throw over the side of the boat their product and drug money.  Our guide found a suitcase washed up on one of the Atolls (mini islands).  Inside was another suitcase filled with USD, the money was so water soaked, it just fell apart upon handling. 

As we finished this day, we were informed of a possible buyer for our property, and we are in negotiations that will have to continue from the States.  Ambergris is very booming, and as we reported in an earlier entry, there are still a great many people who find “La Isla Bonita” a hugely desirable location for a vacation, second home, or retirement.  

As we watched our final Belize sunset of this trip, by the crocodile pond we both agree our dream of retiring here is Belize is not dead, just altered a bit.  We are grateful for all our newfound friends and life’s lessons we have learned along the way.  Belize is a magical place that continually steals our hearts and molds our future.

  
Alan Cohen once wrote..."It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new.  But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.  There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power."

Where There is Opportunity, There are Opportunists.

Those who knew San Pedro 10 years ago all agree this place has changed.  Information booklets compare Ambergris Caye to a Mini Miami with California beach prices.  Those who have not been here before, see this town with new eyes full of awe and excitement.  The first-time visitors have fallen in love with the “New Ambergris” and study the homes/lands listed in the windows of every very busy realtor here.  The infatuation we have held in our hearts, is evident in the hearts and minds of the 20 something hipsters chomping to buy a piece of the island dream.  This is good for us since we have a Realtor, and we are already in conversations with a potential buyer of our property.

Mike was out driving in the golf cart yesterday when he spotted a woman with two young kids coming out of the polyclinic (medical/dental building).  The little girl had gauze in her mouth as she just had two teeth pulled. Mike offered to give them a ride, which is more customary in the Cayo District.  She was a single mother who subtly let Mike know that once she drops her kids off at home, she will head back to town to “hustle” for money.  I (Mandy typing) died laughing at him while he shared this story.

Six years ago, we stayed at a split level home rental here.   There were two US business men who rented down stairs.  One evening, they brought back two women with them and they started tequila shots, and more shots and more shots.  Over a period of too much alcohol, the guys passed out and the gals ran off with their wallets, money and credit cards.  The next morning the local police arrived to take their reports.  Later they pondered what story they could come up with as they needed to call their wives to wire them money.  How do we know this?  People take advantage of the cool Carib breeze and open their windows.  You pretty much know what your neighbor is up to...better known at the “Coconut Telegraph”.

We met a California transplant on the beach walking her two dogs.  One was a golden retriever.  As we are dearly missing our own goldie back home, we asked if we could visit with hers a bit.  She too, visited Ambergris about 10 years ago and didn’t like the changes she has seen.  Living here for about a year now, she is a veterinarian on the island.  She complained about the lack of money she makes compared to the States and how she longs to go back to the U.S.  She pretty much lives on her boyfriends income here.  She says the vets and the doctors don’t make any money here and what she charges for an office visit is insanely low, but she needs to compete with the local vet who has been here for many years.  I told her in the Cayo District, the veterinarians do not charge for an office visit and make house calls, they make a minute income off the procedures and medicine.  She was appalled.  Well, the docs don’t drive Mercedes or have mansions. I know that all the doctors and vets who are practicing in Belize are not here to make money, they are here to serve their country.  In Belize, you will find many medical doctors, pharmacists, veterinarians, and such living in modest homes in modest neighborhoods.  Being educated is about service and assistance, not wealth accumulation.  She just didn’t get it.  Truly, I didn't get it until this journey.

In all the Belize towns and villages we have traveled, Ambergris Caye is the only place we see children used to sell trinkets or hand woven goods comparable to the chicklet selling kids found throughout Mexico.  Just as in Mexico, they have been taught to be aggressive, not taking the first “No, thank you” for an answer.  Using kids to sell products has never sat well with me.

We have been invited into a prominent business Belizean family home.  Their possessions were humble, they had what they needed, and were very active financially in providing for their community.  From the typical US standards, one would view their standard of living as poor.  In all actuality, they were rich in happiness and rich in their community provisions and activities.  I know if their family would face any hardship, the community would be there to assist them.

I wonder what the U.S. could learn from a little country like Belize. With limited government, Belizeans thrive and help and depend on each other.  With high import tariffs, this country creates opportunities for internal business and product growth.  As poor as this country is, you will never see a beggar asking for money while holding a cardboard sign on the side of the road.  Not one person has asked us for a financial handout.  Not one.

Toto, I don't think we're in Ambergris anymore!

Ten years ago, we fell in love with Ambergris Caye, Belize.  Ambergris’ town of San Pedro holds what I feel is the best Caribbean Sea view in all of Belize,  the worlds second largest reef can be seen from it’s shores.  There is much to do here, snorkel with nurse sharks, beach combing, and enjoy the typical life of a beach town with cheap prices.  We purchased property 100 feet from the sea with beach access right in front of our future retirement home, in a neighborhood promising mid-level development.  

I don’t know if you know the U.S. musician, Jerry Jeff Walker, his home is just a few lots over on beach front.  You can sample his songs on Itunes. We love his song, “Hey come away to Belize with Me”.  Over the years, we have come back to visit our beloved island and to watch the progression of our this community.  Although it has been six years since we were last here, a friend of ours visited vacation on Ambergris just last year and checked on our property.  We heard that our neighborhood is doing great and our lot location is awesome.  Plus the rumor that Jimmy Buffett, who frequents here and is a friend of Jerry Jeff, had purchased a home here next to Jerry Jeff.  A tour guide had pointed out Jimmy Buffett’s home buy in our neighborhood.  If you know us, you know we are “Parrot Heads” and dream of living the life Jimmy sings about.  We always dream about simple life retirement, removed from all the hustle and bustle of the U.S., enjoying the cool Carib breezes.  The daily excitement would be to go feed the crocodiles and hanging out at the local joints listening to our new found friends share their “Glory Days” stories as retired people do.  Then when Buffett comes to town,  I could casually see him walking the beaches.  At a Buffett concert we attended a few moons ago, Jimmy did a tribute to Johnny Carson.  Jimmy said the last time he talked with Johnny was when they crossed paths on the beaches of Ambergris Caye. Johnny was walking the beach and Jimmy landed his sea plane as he was coming in to stock up his travel supplies for his journey to Costa Rica.  Madonna’s song “La Isla Bonita” was written after her visit here.  A few years back, the buzz was all about that Oprah Winfrey and Leonardo DeCaprio just bought the Caye behind Ambergris Caye.  There are many “celebrity sightings” here.

As we have gotten older in our lives, and have a “tween” in our home, our desires have changed a bit.  We prefer to do family things together over sitting at a bar listening to exaggerated stories.  Interests have changed too.  My youth dream of sunning in a bikini (Mandy typing) and sleeping the day away by the pool is no longer my focus.  So after 10 years of planning the island dream, we see our interests change which is why we spent 13 days driving over 1000 miles to see all that Belize has to offer and to maybe refocus our goals.

If you have been following along with our blog, you know by now the Cayo area tops our Belize mainland picks.  So this week is about relearning this island paradise of Ambergris and weighing the pros and cons if we should sell our property here on Ambergris and focus on Cayo.  Oh, and to go snorkel with the nurse sharks.

So what have we found so far about Ambergris?  IT HAS CHANGED!  It’s not the slow paced town we fell in love with so long ago. There are expensive condo projects developing everywhere.  Real Estate is hopping. We spoke to a realtor, he alone has sold 11 high end condos since January with the price ranges from $400,000 to $600,000.  Who is moving here?  It’s the rich from the U.S. who have cut their losses from the economic woes of the states, and taking what money they have left and buying up this island of Ambergris.  The problem is, the people coming here want the fast paced life and treatment like they are used to in the U.S.   Food options have exploded, with any cuisine available...however, the prices are pretty much the same as the U.S. and extremely high compared to what used to be available.  We even compared some pharmacy prices and found them to be much higher (like a .10c BZ/pill in Cayo is $2.50 BZ/pill plus a $15 prescription fee!).  

We sat in a restaurant where people ordered sushi and wine, while being glued to their computers and smart phones. Remember the movie “Matrix”?  The majority of people were sedated and plugged into a computer system and unaware of life around them.  This is the how I compare our lives in Vegas.  We are all plugged into our laptops, smart phones, wii systems, and TV’s, and nobody is really enjoying each other and learning about the people around them.  Electronics have replaced our social interactions and true community.

The infestation of ego filled US businessmen with large incomes are killing the essence of San Pedro Town.  

We also went shopping in one of the supermarkets we had frequented in the past.  Where there used to be a smattering of U.S. goods available (for a lot more than local or Mexican equivalents), the entire store now looks like a U.S. Grocery store!  There were virtually no local goods and the prices...ouch!  How about a pack of Oreo’s for $7.00 U.S.