Feel the vibe...

Trip Start Oct 19, 2009

Trip End Ongoing

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Where I stayed

Drumming School, Guest House

(Hopkins hotels)

Flag of Belize Hopkins, Belize
Thursday, January 21, 2010

We wake at 6:45 for our last day on the tiny Island of Flores (connected by a single road on a bridge) the bus is due at 7:20 to take us to the border of Guatemala and Belize. In true Central American style we don't rush or expect the bus to arrive till at least 7:40 - what a surprise it was to see the bus waiting for us at 7:18! Typical! We arrive at the border around 9:45 and are promptly 'greeted' by 5 Cambio/Cash change guys trying to get out business. We needed to change our last 100 Quetzales to pay the Guatemala Exit fee and have enough money for a taxi from the Belize Border to San Ignacio. Thinking we didn't have enough cash, we attempt to change 500 lempira - we were given $25 Belize. Something didn't seem right as the guy had just offered $2 Belize for $1 US, a quick check on the XE Currency App tells me that the guy was blatantly trying to take the piss, so we decline and get our 500 lempiras back. We will wait till the next ATM and just pay the corporate exchange rate instead!
We walk across the border, get another stamp and pay the exit fee, 20 Quetzales (or $5 Belize), its nice to see the Queens face again on the bills. After passing through the border we grab a taxi to San Ignacio and wait for the next bus to Belmopan. After a 90 minute journey we arrive at Belmopan and wait for another bus to Dangriga - still unsure if we will go straight to the little town of Hopkins, or stay in Dangriga for the night. We will decide when we get there! Zan and myself tuck into a gorgeous tray of Noodles and Tofu (what, no meat for me?!), it's a steal at only $3 Belize (less than �1), the Chilli sauce might cause some repercussions later though. We arrive in Dangriga and decide that we will finish the whole journey and go straight to Hopkins in order for us to not have to travel (or do ANYTHING for that matter!) on Friday. After so many days of travel it will be nice to chill on the beach, swim in the Caribbean Sea and soak up the true Garifuna vibe. We kill 2 hours in Dangriga by walking around the town and chilling on the beach with a local Belikin beer, cheap and cheerful!
We board the last bus at 5:15pm and after an hour journey we arrive in the small, amazingly laid back town of Hopkins. Population - 1800. Sweet.
The final mission for the day was to now find a place to stay, after a couple of recommendations from the locals we find a small place has little beach huts and cabins, decide to stay - I think the leopard print bed sheet was the deciding factor for Zan. I'm looking forward to seeing this town during daylight, if its anything like Placencia, we're sure to love it! The Beach front Guest house is also a drumming school, this could be interesting! We can already hear a couple of local guys start to play some beats. After finding a couple of beers from a local restaurant we sit down and learn a couple of basics - easier said than done. Just listening to the guys is pretty cool, the rhythms quickly increase and the beats continue for the next hour or two. Just as I had expected, a nicely rolled joint was lit and passed around... (Now, Mum, just for the record, any partaking in smoking activities is purely for research purposes only. Love You!). The beats continue and you can quickly tell that these guys have played together many many times. They work so well, mocking each other and giving each other stick - one of the guys reminds me of Bill Cosby and the funny faces he pulls, he seems to trance out and goes to his little place. Awesome! Maddie gets involved with and plays along, learning a couple of different styles, she loves it! Our new friend Mike is also keen to have a play and something tells me that he's played before - he picks it up and plays pretty well.
The guys finish and we chat for a while, they were born and lived their whole lives in the town. Friday night is the best night for them to play one explains, so tomorrow it shall be. I climb into bed, dodge around the mosquito net and fall asleep with the beats still pounding round inside my head.... And just incase you were wondering, Yes, it was very good shit! ;-) Good Night!