Having verified the logistics of the trip the day before, Aaron and I were set to walk to the bus station in Hopkins' main intersection at 8:30 a.m. Unfortunately, we awoke to pouring rain at 6 a.m. At 8 a.m., it was still coming down at a steady pace. Resigned to the fact that we would need to take a cab to the station, I went to ask Gary, the owner of All Seasons Guest House where we were staying, how we might go about hiring one.

Not "the" bus we were on, but one like it.

Before I could finish my question, Gary offered to drive us. I gratefully accepted, and off we went to the bus stop. Around 9:30, we boarded an old retired Bluebird school bus from the U.S. (purchased in Clackamas, Oregon according to the sticker up front). The seats were definitely smaller than I recalled from my school years, and one of them was a sweaty, uncomfortable fit for Aaron, his guitar, our army duffel backpack, me, and my backpack. Many stops were made for passengers to hop on and off as we cruised south. One of them had her phone playing Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" on repeat. Sigh...

Just over an hour later, we had completed a mostly-uneventful 40-mile trip to Placencia. The cost: $6 U.S. total ($3 each). Not bad!

The village of Placencia is located at the southern end of the Placencia Peninsula. Our initial reaction when we disembarked was that although the number of inhabitants was almost identical to that of Hopkins, Placencia was a very different place. This is a popular resort and vacation destination, and it shows, with its shop and restaurant-lined streets and large, brightly colored beach houses. It seems to be a bit more Key West than Belize - there's even a bar called the Pickled Parrot.

The prime method of transportation in Placencia is by foot, and much of the village is only accessible by a network of sidewalks. If we had driven to the town, we would have had to park blocks away at a lot, as the house where we are staying is back several "blocks" of these pathways. In fact, Placencia appears in the Guinness Book of World Records as home to the narrowest street in the world, the north-south Placencia Sidewalk.

Similar to our time in Hopkins, we didn't fork over the cash for any tours or trinkets. We spent most of our time walking the sidewalks and village road. Nearly every day, we visited a village fruit and vegetable stand, and sometimes we went more than once. We enjoyed having a kitchen in our place, and cooked almost all meals ourselves. For the most part, these concoctions consisted of beans, rice, fruits, and vegetables. There aren't a whole lot of other options here, even if you spent the ridiculous amounts being charged for imported food... most of that is just processed junk anyway. A package of Oreos will set you back around $8 US, and chances are, they're stale.

Our apartment was located right on the beach, with a beautiful view of the ever-changing Caribbean water. We saw it appear every color from bright green to brown to silver. We saw it look still as a mirror and produce huge crashing waves. It's the rainy season, and there were certainly a few strong storms. For the most part, though, the unsavory weather was limited to the hours when we were asleep, with beautiful blue skies during the days.

Placencia has a beach near its pier, and we spent quite a few days lounging down there enjoying the water, which is calmer in that area. We even saw dolphins there one day. There were always plenty of children about - mostly local - and watching them was quite entertaining. It's obvious that these kids have grown up as comfortable in water as they are on land. They play together with great joy, and I only once saw one of them upset. He got his foot caught in the dock climbing up from the water, and it scared him. His friends all stopped to help and Aaron stepped in and helped lift him to untangle his limb. In no time, he was running down the pier and leaping into the water again.

Unfortunately, I had a bit of a setback in Placencia when I came down with strep last Friday. I had noticed the telltale white spots on my tonsils the evening before, so I headed down to the Community Health Center at 8 a.m. to address the issue. Belize has socialized medicine, and I was told it should only cost me a donation to be seen there... however, the doctor wasn't working that day.

Not wanting to wait until Monday, or potentially who knows when, I sought out a private doctor who services the area and was able to score an appointment for the afternoon. I had to take a cab, as Dr. Alexis was located just outside the village, but it only cost me US $5 each way. Dr. Alexis, who is originally from Varadero Beach in Cuba (where I actually visited in 2001), provided a very thorough exam. He appeared to be running all facets of the office solo, managing patient flow, answering calls, running tests, and dispensing medications. He saw me promptly at my appointment time and shook his head when he looked in my mouth. I had the ick.

I don't currently have health insurance, and I've said that I'm probably better off (barring a major illness or catastrophe) here in Belize than in the U.S. I was not proven wrong in this interaction. Dr. Alexis performed an exam, a minor lab test, dispensed two prescription medications to me, and sent me on my way for a total of US $70. I think we all know that would have been far pricier at home.

Feeling puny has definitely had a bit of an impact on my level of activity over the last week, but Placencia has been a great place to recuperate and prepare for more adventures. Nearly mended, I'm looking forward to moving on to Punta Gorda tomorrow, departing on the Hokey Pokey water taxi at 10 a.m.

Following a lovely sunny last Sunday in January day at Encinitas' Cardiff State Beach, I wound my way through the hills to Fallbrook, California, the place I would call "home" for the next two weeks. In more ways than one, my Airbnb at Equinox Farms was sure to be a different experience than my previous temporary residences.

First of all, I would be staying in a camper. Although I did a fair amount of tent camping as a kid, I haven't camped at all in years, and had never actually slept in a camper. When looking at Southern California Airbnb options, this was certainly one of the most reasonable arrangements, so I decided to see how I fared in one for a couple of weeks.

Roosevelt the alpaca gives me the stare-down

More interesting than staying in a camper, though, was the property on which it sits. My host Tricia and her husband reside in their home on the property, and have created a beautiful and peaceful oasis of a little farm here. The camper looks out on their menagerie of critters, which include an alpaca, a llama, two miniature horses, a full size horse, two goats, chickens, ducks, a pig, and a couple dogs.

The day after I arrived, I came down with either a tremendous migraine or a terrible 24-hour stomach bug. Being sick is pretty miserable, but being sick all alone is even worse. I'm not one to ask for help, but when Tricia learned I wasn't well, I eagerly accepted the Sprite, crackers, and rice she delivered to my door. It did, indeed, cure whatever it was that ailed me.

Fallbrook is a cute little town that is apparently known as the Avocado Capitol of the World, and I have definitely eaten my fair share of these delectable fruits over the course of the past two weeks. I also enjoyed some local flavor at area restaurants, chowing down on a hearty breakfast at Fallbrook's Main Street Cafe and devouring some seriously spicy Thai food at Thai Thai.

My day trips have included time to enjoy the rugged and beautiful coastline at La Jolla's Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, the retro vibe at Oceanside's pier and downtown, strolling the streets of Temecula, foggy trips to Carlsbad's Ponto Beach and to the top of Palomar Mountain, and the artsy streets and breathtaking oceanfront of Laguna Beach.

After months in more rural locales, it took me a bit to get used to the way people drive here, but outside their cars, I've found them to be incredibly, surprisingly friendly. Aside from a brief trip to San Diego years ago, I have mostly experienced the culture in northern California. I don't care to delve into negativity, but I'll just say that the demeanor around here seems markedly different from my previous impression of Californians.

One of my favorite pieces I created in Fallbrook, inspired by a pelican I saw on the pier at Oceanside, CA

I have enjoyed the places I've visited, their lush green scenery in stark contrast to the ruggedly beautiful Arizona desert. The hills are covered with boulders that look like they were sprinkled there by a hand from the sky, and the roads in the countryside boast orchards of avocados, oranges, and grapefruit. In other parts of the country, we forget how much of our food comes from this gargantuan state.

However, I truly think what I will miss more than anything is this lovely place I have called home. The camper, while small, really has everything I need. I can gaze out my window and see bunnies, a pig, chickens, and a miniature horse frolicking - all in the same unbelievable scene. I have also been quite productive, cranking out paintings at a relatively quick pace.

Painting of Dolly Llama I created for Tricia in gratitude for her hospitality

But most of all, my host Tricia has been an absolute delight. I have had little interaction with most of my other Airbnb hosts, and really didn't want or need to. They have certainly been responsive if I needed them - this is just a much different arrangement. A successful photographer and businesswoman with a whole lot on her plate, Tricia always had time for a few moments of lovely chitchat. She made great recommendations. She made me feel at home. I'm delighted to have met her and shared her space for a bit.

I'm not ready to take up residence in southern California anytime soon, but this place has definitely carved out a little boulder-shaped niche in my heart. Hasta la vista, Fallbrook!

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