Getting Here - Part 4 - Leaving Mexico

Leaving Mexico: 5 hrs later, at 6am, 8 January, we arrived at the Chetumal bus station, the last city in Mexico before you cross over into Belize. of course i knew i had to clear immigration from Mexico, customs, then the same thing for Belize. But, it's not as easy as that .... because you don't do it there! i had been having an email dialogue with Gwyn from the Seabreeze Hotel in Corozal. Corozal is the first town in Belize after you leave Mexico. she was the most helpful in sorting out this part of my journey. according to Gwyn, you take a taxi to the little local bus station in Chetumal; and that bus will take you through immigration/customs for Mexico and Belize. This is the bus station, the bus and the street. i didn't really understand how it was all going to work, but i did it anyway, because i trusted her, and she was exactly right. This old beat up American Bluebird School Bus took me and 5 others exactly where i needed to go, covering 14 miles and 3 stops at immigrations and customs, where they waited for me to go through each process of red tape, climbed back into the bus, drove a ways, then out again, then back in, about a 1/2 hours worth ..... all for USD 1.75 ... Amazing! i should mention that it is possible to do this with a taxi driver, for around US$50, just make sure the driver has a passport. ... but then you are missing the 'experience'. so, the bus delivered me in the border town of Corozal, Belize at 7:20am. My water taxi left without me at 7am :( but Gwyn had told me i had a 'Plan B', ....i could fly there at 10:30am! so, i asked a taxi to take me to the ATM and then to Gwyn's. it was early, not sure if they were up yet, but eventually this man appeared. i asked for Gwyn .... he said 'i'm Gywn' .... only, he pronounced it differently. i laughed and told him right out that i thought he was a woman all this time! he laughed too. he was from Wales, and had moved and bought this hotel in Corozal 2 yrs ago. I had a nice visit with him and then he took me to the airport, where i flew to San Pedro for USD38 in 20min, rather than the water taxi that i missed for USD23 and 2hrs. For once, i was glad that 'i missed the boat'. i really love flying in those small planes, it is so cool to see the reef and islands from the air Check out the Baggage Claim area for Mayan Air in San Pedro ! This guy was 'weed wacking' the grass to keep it nice and short. i arrived in San Pedro, it was sunny and hot.... i was quite pleased with myself :) it was now late Fri morning. i had not slept since Tues night, and my contact lenses had been in my eyes since Wed am! i spent the night in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, at Ruby's, nice little budget hotel, right in town, right on the water, no frills but clean. since i had just been in San Pedro in Dec, it felt really nice and comfortable to be there again ... something familiar! Ruby's Hotel: View of Room and View from Room to the Sea.