28.03.09
Chetumal (MEX) to Crooked Tree (Belize)
After 4 ½ months it was time to leave Mexico. We left Chetumal at 7am and were soon at the border to Belize. No problems at the border. I didn‘ t get a stamp in my passport when I arrived in Mexico, but now I got one. Another stamp for entering Belize, and there we were.
In the country where the motto is Keep cool. Good idea to keep cool, it‘ s hot enough already! After 80km we reached Orange Walk and I had a flat tire again. While Max and Wayne looked for a bikeshop and had dinner in town I changed my tube under the looks and comments of about 10 Belizeans who surrounded me quickly. Great, a situation I don‘ t like at all but keep cool!
Ok, done. Though I checked the tire and the rim I had another flat 100 m down the road. The comments of the locals started to annoy me big time. But it got even better. I ripped the valve out of my spare tube. Then fixed the other one and met the guys in the park a long time later. I bought a tube at the bikeshop, with a bigger valve but I found out that I can take a piece out of my rim so that it should fit. We bought some groceries and were at 4pm on our way again. About 40 more km to go to Crooked Tree.
We wanted to get there before dark and pushed it a bit. I couldn‘ t keep up with the guys – and had another flat after 40km at the junction to Crooked Tree. No problem, just got out my spare tube but it didn‘ t fit!!! There was some stupid rubber around it and it was too big! So I put another patch on my tube and cycled the last 6 km down a dirt road in the dark. It was more by accident that I found the place where Wayne and Max where. The Campground didn‘ t exist anymore but the owner of the Bird Eye View Lodge showed us a place next to a house that‘ s just being build where we could camp. Only their bikes where there when I got there, they had gone to a nearby restaurant. So I had the pleasure to talk to a local who worked there he told me his whole life in 40 minutes, about being in prison, having changed, living an honest life now, washing his own cloths, growing his own vegetables … I know, you don‘ t wanna know but I didn‘ t wanna know it, either. Don‘ t get me wrong here, I enjoy talking to the locals and in Belize it‘ s suddenly possible again cause almost everybody speaks english. But after 128 km in the heat, some flat tires and cycling down a dirt road in the dark all I really wanted was to enjoy the beer that I could luckily buy at the Lodge though it was overprized.
Finally Max and Wayne came back, the guy went home, I drank another beer, pitched my tent and went to sleep.
Anja