Saturday 4-23 Heading home.

Up early this morning. Packed and ready to go. Walked across the road to the office to say good-bye to Peter and the crew. Have to catch the water taxi to Belize City and then a ground taxi to the airport. I thought I was going to have to haul my luggage up the beach, but I was treated to a golf cart ride that was piloted by Dr. C. That was really appreciated. For the first time, I arrived at the water taxi and wasn't soaked with sweat.

The 75 minute ride on the water taxi to Belize City allows me the opportunity to reflect on the experiences of the last two weeks in Central America. The images swirl around in my head and across my eyes like flashing photos in a high speed slide show. I wish I could stop each one and jump back in time to that exact moment to relive it again.

The up and down motion of the water taxi, the loud drone of 600 horsepower of engines, and the wind blowing through the open windows begins to hypnotize me; the slide show slows down, and I drift off to sleep.

I awake when my body feels the speed of the water taxi suddenly slow down. We're at the Belize City port. A little foggy headed, I step off the boat into the bright sun, squint, and fumble to find my sunglasses. The essence of Belize City slowly wraps it fingers around me, the smells, the sights, the sounds...the heat. I head inside to the shade of the open-air lobby and look for a Coke-light to energize my senses. There's just something about those Coke-lights in Central America!

Feeling rejuvinated I walk outside, and the taxi drivers lined up in a row see which one can get to me first. In Belize City, anything with four tires, a motor, and a steering wheel is considered a taxi. I make a deal with a driver who owns an early model Toyota. He tells me to hurry. There is a bicycle race that will be coming through Belize City, and we need to cross before the police close the road--another high speed taxi ride throught Belize City. If you are not accustomed to these, you need to close as least one eye.

We make it to the airport. I paid way too much for the ride, but it's Belize dollars.

I pull out my passport, check my bag, and move to the waiting area to board the plan. I buy the last Coke-light I will drink for I am not sure how long. I don't know when or if I will ever be back here again. I can only hope so.

As the plane lifts off the runway and begins to ascend, the sight of Belize City disappears into swamp and jungle.