Jungle Ride

Our last planned adventure in Belize was a jungle horseback ride. Valerie had never ridden a horse before but she was willing to humor my burning desire to be horseback once again! After another gorgeous morning, with coffee and sunrise swim, we headed to a nearby stable.

This will remain one of my favorite places to drink a morning cuppa!

Val enjoying her first coffee of the day

We were each assigned a horse and then in the company of three guides, off we went. We rode through several orange groves and then into the jungle. Several of the guides have seen jaguars, but we were not so lucky (although perhaps we were lucky not to see them!) Partway through the ride, we dismounted and had the option of a cooling dip in the Sittee River. I was the only one crazy enough to go in the river completely, and it was worth the slightly damp clothes on the return ride. 

Sittee River

Silver and I

Upon our return, Michelle, the owner of the stable, gave Valerie and I some fresh starfruit! I have never seen this fruit on the tree before.

Following Michelle's advice, we decided the best way to combat saddlesore-ness was to spend the remainder of our day in the water :) 

The only challenge was deciding on which way we wanted to enjoy the water. The day, as you can see, was gorgeous.

Belize

May and June were difficult months, simply for the reason that I didn't know what I should do next. I love teaching adults English as a Second Language, but it is difficult to full-time work in that field in the USA. I kept agonizing over what I should do. A wise friend, David, kept reminding me that I can't plan everything and sometimes I just need to let go. I also felt that I just needed to go! Finally, my dear friend Valerie said that she could take a week of vacation at the end of July. In a quick turn of events, my mom found a small seafront inn in Belize that was doing a summer special. Valerie and I both had enough frequent flyer miles for free tickets to Belize, so we booked the hotel and started counting days.

On the Friday of our departure, I drove to Valerie's, parked my car, and then we drove together to DC. We found a cheap place to park near the airport, and arrived right as the shuttle to the airport was departing. Not good. We could see it driving away, despite the fact that the driver knew we needed it! When he came back, he insisted in his strong West African accent that the shuttle had to leave right on time. Valerie teased me about my increasing anxiety as each minute passed. Half an hour later, we hopped into the shuttle, dropped my bag off at the baggage drop, and headed through security. A few funny conversations later, we were at our gate! We have some interesting memories from the same terminal from our last trip together (to Arizona), and we were in high spirits by the time we reached our gate.

Despite the full waiting area, I wanted to get a picture of me in my happy place...passport in hand, and an airplane waiting to be boarded. I intended for it to be a somewhat discrete snapping of the cell phone camera, but that was not to be. Valerie and I were both cracking up with laughter, and the end result was that we had the attention of the entire lounge, most of whom probably assumed that I excited because I was getting on an airplane for the very first time. Oh, how little do they know...

Before too much longer, we were able to board our first flight, which would take us to Houston.  We continued to bring smiles (and occasional smirks) to the people around us, particularly the fellow in front of us, who at one point discretely paused his music on his phone but left his earbuds in his ears so he could eavesdrop shamelessly on our banter. 

Houston airport closes overnight, and our flight was one of the last ones to arrive. We could stay in the airport, and I had very excitedly told Valerie that I had two passes to the United Club. Valerie, utilizing her super-sleuthing skills, found out soon after we booked our tickets that the United Club was not open overnight but opened at 5 a.m. We arrived in Houston at about 12:30 a.m., and quickly located a fairly empty gate with access to a wall outlet for the all important charging of electronic devices. The next four hours are a blur of nodding off in the most uncomfortable positions as I tried to wrap myself around the metal arms of the seat, waking because of obnoxious country music trumpeting through the loudspeakers at 2 a.m., wrapping my scarf around me to try to find an extra degree of warmth, and then finally, joyfully, realizing it was 4:45 a.m. We gathered our belongings and went to the United Club. After submitting our passes, it was like the world instantly brightened! We took the escalator up to the second floor and saw a delightful buffet with warm oatmeal, plenty of hot beverages, and soft chairs. 

Warm and happy, we enjoyed our breakfast before boarding Plane #2, which took us to Belize City. Upon disembarking, we both sighed in relief at the sticky wave of heat that greeted us. We walked into the airport, and proceeded to shuffle through the queue for immigration. Then, it was a quick stop at baggage claim before walking to customs, and then following the signs to our next domestic flight to Dangriga. 

We found our tiny little airline and dutifully handed over our printed confirmation of tickets (again, Valerie's good planning, not mine!) and our passports, and in turn received handwritten tickets. After a short wait in a somewhat chaotic lounge, where we could purchase plantain chips, Cheetos, and water, we were escorted onto the tarmac to board our tiny little plane to Dangriga. I love tiny little planes. The pilot helped us settle in and then said, "We just have to make a quick stop at the other Belize City airport to pick up another passenger if that's alright?"  I wasn't sure if he actually needed permission, but I smiled and said that was fine! A quick hop and a jump, and we were at the next airport. Then, up and away we went and Valerie and I forgot to speak as we just looked out at the amazing blue beneath us.

I could look at this water for days and not tire of the view. 

Entirely too soon, we were flying over a little bit of land and then we arrived at Dangriga. 

We disembarked and Valerie and I both paused at the tiny little metal cart, where our suitcases and one other passenger's suitcases were being unloaded from the plane. Unsure if we were to simply collect our bags there, we started to ask the man, who looked a little offended and told us, "No! You get your bags from baggage claim!" The pilot rushed over to us, clarifying, "This is Dangriga! Are you getting off at Dangriga?" After assuring him that yes, we were where we were supposed to be, he walked us over to "Baggage Claim"....which was a metal sign a total of about 25 feet from the plane. There we could collect our bags from the little metal cart. And then our pilot waved a tall, slender man over and said, "Stephen, these are your guests for Beaches and Dreams!" 

Stephen gave us a wide grin, shook our hands, and then collected our bags from us to put in the vehicle. He warned us that we would have jungle air conditioning...windows down! And so began our vacation, as we drove over a slightly bumpy paved road and headed a little further south to Hopkins, Belize. 

Arizona Mini-break

Once again, this is a "later-post" from my mini-vacation to Arizona at the end of May. Val and I spent our first day in Sedona, Arizona. We drove from Flagstaff with our mouths gaping open. Thankfully, we had chosen to take the scenic route, but really, it all seemed scenic. The red rocks were different but identifying the rock formations echoed my childhood in the Matopos Hills. 

Snoopy Rock

Batman

Valerie and I wandered around the town of Sedona, and after a little while, found a jeep tour company offering a good deal. Our jeep left the paved road and reached the "off roading" road, and I had to laugh at the guide's warnings. It might qualify as off-roading in the USA, but it seemed like almost every road in Moz! Still, it was a delightful way to spend an afternoon.

My mother has slowly won me over. I now love plants. It fascinates me to see the variety of flora in different locales but also the similarities. I was surprised to see plants that I knew from Zimbabwe in Brazil. Arizona offered a wonderful array of plant life in its many landscapes. I particularly liked this pink-tipped grass, which I've learned is called muhlenbergia.

In Sedona, we saw prickly pear cacti, a familiar sight for this Zimbabwean.  We also saw century plants, agave americana. 

Prickly Pear

Century Plants

Near the end of the century plant's lifecycle (which is about thirty years, not a century as the American Pioneers thought), the plant grows a really tall stalk, which looks like a giant stalk of asparagus. This stalk can be up to 30 feet tall! That tall stalk you see in the picture below? Yep, that's a century plant!

Of course, one can't be near the Sonoran desert without noticing the incredible Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea).  I did not expect to see hills covered with Saguaros, nor did I realize that they are so tall!!!

Apparently, the tallest recorded Saguaro was 87 feet tall before it was blown over in a storm. They don't grow arms until they are least 75 years old, and some never do! Most live about 150 years. Saguaros have expandable ribs to help them store water. A large Saguaro can store up to 6 tons of water, accommodated by expanding its ribs, but it can also lose up to 2/3 of its water and still live. I also learned from the Phoenix Botanical Gardens that Saguaros have "rain roots", which are additional roots that grow within an hour after rainfall to allow the Saguaro to absorb as much rainwater as possible. 

Val and I also learned about the relationship between the Palo Verde tree and the Saguaro cactus. Apparently (I wouldn't know), it was observed that a Saguaro often grew under a Palo Verde tree. Birds might have been feeding baby birds in the branches of the Palo Verde tree, and seeds dropped. The Palo Verde tree then acted as a "nurse plant" for the Saguaro. Eventually, the Saguaro might outlive the Palo Verde, because the Saguaro has a shallower root system and the Palo Verde will not get enough water. 

Palo Verde and Saguaro

Sometimes, noticing the plants had additional benefits...we saw a jack rabbit! 

Farewell to the tropics

Today is my last full day in Mozambique.  I'm surprised by how sad I feel to say goodbye.  The church had a special place in the service to say goodbye to me.  I was given several really thoughtful gifts and during the process, I started crying.  I think that was actually a source of great entertainment for the church, although not in a malicious manner.

The community pool for my parent's little complex has been a source of much joy for me.  In the last few weeks, the pool's temperatures have soared to perfection.  It may not be an ideal pool by American standards (considering the water is very chlorinated and usually has a variety of palm fronds, ants, and occasionally a roach floating in its depths.  But I'll miss it.  I'll miss the little Bronze Mannikins who line up side by side on a branch of the almond tree to catch the last rays of the day.  I'll miss the pink blossoms of the frangipani.  I'll miss the bliss of warm water on a hot day.

 

My parent's house has been home for four months.  I keep snapping "just one more picture," wanting to capture people, places and memories in megapixels for preservation.  I have mementos taped into my journal to accompany my written notes and souvenirs packed into my suitcases.  But the best parts will still be here in Mozambique, waiting until I come back, whenever ever that may be.  In the meantime, I'm so thankful that I will be able to picture my folks at home and at work.  Mozambique and her people will have a special place in my heart.  

 

The next step of my journey will begin tomorrow.  I have a sneaking feeling that the East Coast of the USA will offer weather a teensy bit colder than I like.  Although goodbyes are making me sad today, with every goodbye there is another hello.  The hello at the end of this journey will be my US family :)  See you the other side of the Pond!

Back in London Town

Well, the brief mini-break is over.  Yesterday, I got a bus back to the airport (woke up way too early) and had an uneventful flight back to London.  Thankfully, the tube was running a normal service!

Goodness, looking back through my pictures, I feel so thankful for this short trip.  Wow, what a lovely part of God's green earth!  Scotland has become the 33rd country I've been to and it was a delightful one.  Here are some of my favorite pictures:

St John's Church

Palace of Holyroodhouse, as seen from Calton Hill 

The National Monument, and me, in the gale force winds on Calton Hill

Abbey Church

Abbey Church

Me at Edinburgh Castle

On the way up to Calton Hill in the wind.

Oh goodness, the memories I have.  You know, my overwhelming reminder on this trip was that I am blessed.  And I've not done a thing to earn it.  I have so much to be thankful for and trips like this are the sweet, sweet icing on top of a very large cake.

The Abbey pictured above was one of the highlights of me.  It is all that remains of an Abbey built by King David I of Scotland in 1128.  1128.  Wow.  It is attached to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, also pictured above.  This is a working palace and the royal family stay there when in Scotland.  It is also the historic home of Mary, Queen of Scots.  I paid my entry fee and walked into the palace, listening to the audioguide as I walked.  At one point, I was directed up a tiny winding little staircase, to the private bedroom of Mary, Queen of Scots.  I'm not a huge fan of that particular part of history, but for some reason, this impacted me the most.  As I carefully climbed the stairs, a father behind me pointed out to his daughter, "Wow, Mary, Queen of Scots would have walked up these steps too!"  Just wow.  What a reminder of the footsteps of those who have walked before us in history.  Now Mary wasn't exactly a role model, but history fascinates me.  That tour was a great reminder of the fact that history is people just like you and I, who lived and loved and dreamed.  Mary probably would have found it odd that one day, her bedroom would be a tourist site.

Edinburgh, day two

This is not a vacation I will soon forget for both lovely scenery and more memorable reasons.

I'm staying in a lovely four star hotel. I got a great deal! My first night, the power went out for ten minutes. Last night, the fire alarm went off at 1:30. I had to grab layers and go down six flights only to stand out in incredible wind with everyone else on the hotel while the fire department came. Fortunately, after about twenty minutes, we could go back inside. Rather than wait for the lift, I took the stairs back up six flights. Crawled back into bed. Woke up at 3:00 to the fire alarm AGAIN! We were experiencing intense wind at this point, and when I got to the lobby, the staff directed us to a large room rather than outside. Once we were allowed to head back to our rooms, I heard one of the firefighters explain that it was faulty wiring complicated by the wind. I'm note sure that answer actually comforted me! Again, walked back up six flights of stairs. So ready to crawl back into bed again. I pulled off one boot and the alarm went off again.

I groaned. It was turned off. I went to bed and didn't wake up until ten. Got ready to head out the door and wouldn't you know, it started pouring. Maybe pelting is a better word. It was painful rain. I ran across the street and found shelter in Starbucks, figuring I would wait out the rain. After a little while, it seemed to clear and I headed to the Scottish national gallery. It started pelting again. It almost felt like hail. I reached the national gallery in desperation and then found out that I had come to the paid exhibit. The free gallery required going outside again. So I did. By this point, I was nearly jogging across the courtyard.

The gallery was worth it though. It was really nice and also let me warm up.

Then I headed out and made the bold choice to go to Calton Hill, a public park wth great views over the city. Great views because, as the name suggests, it is a hill. it was deserted due to the wind. The sky cleared enough that I could get some pretty pictures but then the rain came back with a vengeance. I started to head back down the hill. Literally the wind was moving me along. Then the pelting rain reached monsoon levels. And started to include snow. By the time I needed to cross the north bridge, I had to stop at one of the bus stops for shelter and a reprieve from the wind. Let me tell you, the BBC headlines include "Gale force winds batter Scotland.". No joke. This is not just my flair for storytelling. Winds have reached 53 miles per hour here in Edinburgh, and 90 miles per hour in other parts of Scotland. I felt like a physics calculation crossing that bridge...125 lbs moving one direction at a brisk walk and 50 mile an hour winds moving another way...

I just read that the castle was closed to visitors because of the wind so I'm very glad I went there yesterday! I'm still headed in the direction of the Palace of Holyrood, home of Mary Queen of Scots at one point, but in the meantime I'm in Pizza Express enjoying a free coffee and snack thanks for a voucher from a friend. The sky is blue now. What are the chances that as soon as I bundle up I'll be back in the rain?

Edinburgh, day one, part three!

First view of the castle as I started walking around the city. Many more pictures followed! I think the buildings in this city are so pretty!

And of course, this warranted a picture for my sister.

This is Victoria Street, which winds it's way around to the Royal Mile, the oldest street in the city. I love the different colors to the doors and shutters. It adds such color on a bleak winter day. By the way, I say bleak because of the gray sky, but it really wasn't that cold today. Tonight and tomorrow the weather is to be rainy and windy, with winds up to 70 miles per hour tonight, but it should clear up by morning.

Tomorrow is another day! I'll plan to spend it much the same as today. Outside in the daylight and relaxing in my hotel in the evening when it's dark and cold outside. Then Thursday morning, I will be heading back to work!

Edinburgh, day one, part two :-)

Me standing in front of Edinburgh castle :-). Most of my pictures will have to wait until I'm home but here are some to start with! next you'll see edinburgh's camera obscura (the white building) and the spire of the Hub, a cafe and ticket office for the famous festivals.

Adam Smith, the father of modern economics

Edinburgh, day one

Oh my word. This city is gorgeous. I fell on love with it just walking around to find coffee! As I write, I'm sitting on Castle Street, and the castle is literally just down the street. I have plans to visit there first but there is so much to see! Originally I thiught this would be s low key, meditative sort of holiday, but now I think two days won't be enough to see all the sights! I could just walk and walk around the streets here. It's not a very big city, population 500,000, but it is lovely, especially with Christmas lights still up. Words will not do this justice so expect lots of photographs!