What a present I got...my passport arrived Christmas Eve! That's quick. Only 12 days rather than 30! Guy that took my picture at Post Office said they don't want you to smile...so I look like I just got a mug shot for jail...at least I'm not in jail for Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Tentative Timeline

Tentative Timeline...leave in April 2015...stay one year on Tourist Card. Return? Maybe. Fly to Punta Gorda, Belize (pictured) Traveling light, no vehicle. Figure most everything else out when I get there.

Punta Gorda is in the rain forest by the sea. Southern most town. 170 inches of rain per year. Town of about 6,000. Friendly people I'm told, at least four ethic groups, languages, and cultures, Mayan ruins, caves, lots of jungle, jaguars, tropical flowers and fauna, snorkeling, relaxing, fishing, relaxing, cuban cigars, relaxing, volunteering at something, relax some more. Chocolate Festival, music festivals. 40% of Belize is designated as wildlife reserves. Plan on visiting a mutual friend of many of us, Hector in El Salvador.

Planning on renting a two bedroom place so if family and friends want to come down for vacation, honeymoon, whatever, your accommodations will be on me. I have two friends moving about two hours away by end of January. English is the official government language, US money accepted most places. If you fly down through RDU and Charlotte, it only takes about 3.5 hours to Belize City. There are puddle jumper flights to Punta Gorda, or you can take the bus.
Belize is about the size of Massachusetts and only about 325,000 or so population. Most of the touristy expat communities are in the northern half of the country but this area is more amenable to eco-tourism. Sorry, no malls or CVS stores or Walmarts! How much "stuff" do you really need anyway?

Oh, yeah...it's 70 degrees right now there with a high of 88 today. — feeling excited.