Feeling Sicky on the Hokey Pokey
I loved Caye Caulker, but I finally made it off the island. It was becoming a bit of a local joke where I would say i was leaving tomorrow and then people would see me the next day saying the same thing. Still, when it’s good it’s good – time’s on my side.
Sunset on Caye Caulker
Monday was the day of escape, taking the water taxi back to the mainland, then a couple of local buses – Belize City to Dangriga, then Dangriga down to Placencia. When I say local I mean really local. Stopping at every pothole in the road to pick people up/drop off. Finally arrived in Placencia after nightfall and we were greeted by an old man offering lodgings, which turned out to be perfect, especially as were strangers in a strange land with nowhere to stay. It felt like we were the only people in the village on the first night, but the next day more backpackers turned up and the place started to come to life. Had a beautiful day on the beach with sunshine and tranquil waters, followed by much rum and coke in the evening.
Proceeded to spend the next 4 days in Placencia, and while the weather never returned to the form of Tuesday, it was still a cool place with beautiful friendly people. The faces from Caye Caulker kept popping up as the week progressed and ended on a high on Thursday night – perfect for getting that hangover for travelling Friday morning!
Managed to get to the Hokey Pokey water taxi at 10am Friday, took that down to Independence where we (just) caught the bus up to Hopkins for the Garifuna Settlement day celebrations. It’s been pretty shitty weather since we got here, which has put a bit of a dampener (!) on the party but there’s more fun tonight so all will be good.
Out of interest, since starting my trip in Mexico I’ve been hearing the Gasolina song all the way along – has this made it to England or is it just sweeping over this continent?
Tags: Belize, Belize, Belize City, Caye Caulker, Central America, Central America, Dangriga, Placencia, Travel
Ed
It was all over the radio in blighty in July/ September. Is that Papi Papi, Papi Chulo one still doing the rounds too?
And I’ll never understand why it’s Hokey ‘Pokey’ on this side of the pond. Sounds downright immoral…
Not heard it myself but would it make it to Classic FM!!! the one I hear is big is the Brad Paisley song: alcohol. It’s got some brilliant lines like: I can make someone apper pretty, I help white people dance and I can make you wear a lampshade on your head! Of course this is beyond my understanding or experience.
Sounds like you biggest decison is where to go today. Or maybe it’s shall I go anywhere today!
Bristol is chugging along – it reached 2 degrees cent today. Glastonbury Tor was an island in the mist. It looked like a Tolkien elfdom suspended in the sky. Not sure the photos would come out
kee up the Blog
Matt
You managed to miss Gasolina over here during the summer? Making up for it now tho eh? It makes me want to pull off my head!
E
Funny how you lived around the corner for years and we never spoke, now you in south America I know what your doing all the time.
Sounds great and I have never heard of Gasolina!
Jason
Alright chap,
Good to hear you finally left Caye Caulker, I thought you might get a bit comfortable there and who can blame you!
Pissed off to be back here working. Minus bloody 8 degrees in the morning according to my car thermometer. Bit of a change from the tropical weather you’re enjoying (even if you are getting wet, ha ha).
Hope you find some more cool places.
Al.
Well it seems like a lot of people have heard the Gasolina song before now, but as I’m being bombardeed by it here it’s probably just as well I hadn’t. Not sure about the one you’re talking about Gwyn but there’s a couple of songs that are always played around the gasonlina one so it’s a fair bet that it is. Erika, you would have no head on your shoulders by now if you were here, but you have to go with it, or lose it completely.
Glad to hear about life back in Bristol Matt, cold it maybe, but it’s home and we love it.
Jason, yes you’re right, it’s been too long and that’s rubbish, but you’ll have to let me know what you’re upto back in Bristol. How’s life, did I hear the word marriage mentioned in relation to either of the brothers Dickson?
And finally Al, good to hear from you, glad you made it back safe. You should feel honoured that you’ve made it to the rogues gallery on a couple of occasions – check the grand photo of you and your cigar. Go and get the phat gold chain round your neck, a chunky Rolex and a sheepskin jacket and you could be knocking out hooky gear in the market before you know it.
Yes I am now a married man bought a house and finaly having to plan stuff. When/if you come back we can catch up.
Anyway I like you photo’s I’m turning into quite a good photographer myself.
Keep up the good work and stay away from the loose women.
Jason