Seeing St. Martin (as it may never be seen again)

September 10, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Our very kind host at our Playa del Carmen Airbnb delivered us to the ADO bus station, and within moments Aaron and I were on a nice, large tour bus headed for Cancun. I have forgotten the exact cost, but I'm pretty sure that the 2-hour nonstop excursion to the airport didn't run more than $8 US per person.

At the airport, we had a small issue. Apparently when we paid the 500 pesos per person to enter Mexico a couple of weeks before, they had issued us paperwork that we were supposed to keep. I distinctly remember throwing it away, since I didn't want to carry around more stuff than I needed. Well, it turns out that it was needed.

Next time, I'll pay more attention. We had to fill out the same forms again, which wasn't a huge deal. What was kind of a bigger deal was that we had to pay 500 pesos each again. Thankfully, I still had that much cash on me, but it was a bummer to part with around $60 US unnecessarily.

I nearly went crazy on a family mid-air after one of their children spit on me (she was trying to spit on her brother... but still... ugh). Unfortunately, we had to go through customs and security in Miami, even though we were headed back out of the U.S. again. Aaron told me to run ahead because he had gate checked his guitar and would have to wait for it to be unloaded. I understood that he would meet me at customs. I waited and waited, but never saw him. Finally, after becoming certain I must have missed him and even more certain that I was about to miss the flight to Saint-Martin, I went on through and ran like a track star to the gate. He hadn't been able to find me and had headed on there to wait. Our flight was a bit delayed, so all was well and I had a few moments to compose myself again.

Around 9 p.m., we arrived in Sint Maarten, the Dutch side of the island. After going through customs, we were unhappy to see that TSA had inspected our checked bag and not bothered to close it properly. It was whirling around the baggage claim half open, our stuff scattered about the carousel. We scanned the area for our belongings, stuffed them in the bag, and thankfully saw the bag that contained our shoes just as we were leaving.

The delay meant that the rental car area was deserted. A few airport workers remained, and they managed to find someone to take us to the area where the cars actually were, a small drive down the road. A little bit of luck was shining on us. The driver lamented how far we would have to drive, all the way to the other side of the island where the French rule and its name is spelled Saint-Martin. After we got the car, it took us about 30 minutes. What a trek! :-)

Our accommodations were at a huge development called Mont Vernon, which I doubt is much like the Mount Vernon that was inhabited by George Washington. There were buildings and buildings along the mountainside, named after various Caribbean islands, looking down to Orient Bay.

During our stay in Saint-Martin, Aaron and I spent the most time at Orient Bay, on the island's east side. It was a nice walk from our place, and a beautiful beach, even if they were contending with the smelly sargassum seaweed that had also plagued beaches in Belize and Mexico. The water was a beautiful clear blue-green, and several islands could be seen across the bay.

We visited one of those islands, taking a short $10 Euro per person ferry across (they use Euros on the French side, and primarily U.S. dollars or the Antillean Guilder on the Dutch side). Pinel Island was a lovely little uninhabited mountainous spot. We hiked around most of it, then settled at the area near the ferry where there were two beachside restaurants, taking a dip in the water to cool off.

Another day, we headed to Friar's Beach, a calm, clear spot on the island's north side. The northern beaches didn't have the seaweed of the eastern beaches, and have very few waves. Taking a short trail on the east side of the beach, we climbed through an iguana-filled wonderland to Happy Bay Beach, a rocky and isolated spot with few visitors. Snorkeling was fun there, with little schools of colorful fish about the rocks.

We explored other beaches on the island, including Cupecoy and Grand Anse, but our favorite besides Orient Beach was the one along the town of Grand Case, also on the island's north side. There were patches literally covered with sea glass, and we spent two full days gathering pounds of it to take home. It was a fun treasure-hunting adventure, and each day after our "work" we relaxed at a LoLo restaurant, which is basically a local open-air diner.

There was delicious food to be found at the grocery store, too. I ate far too many buttery croissants and way too much Emmenthaler cheese. It was amazing to see how many items were imported all the way from France, including milk, cheese, fresh mushrooms, yogurt, and much, much more. Things are pretty pricey there, and I'm sure that trek across the Atlantic doesn't help. Another thing I noted in Belize, Mexico, and Saint-Martin is the lack of refrigeration. All the milk sold in Mexico and Saint-Martin is shelf stable, meaning you don't have to refrigerate it until you open it, and all the eggs in all three locales are stored unrefrigerated. Think of the energy we would save if we did the same in the U.S.!

A fraction of the sea glass we collected at Grand Case Beach

Our time in Saint-Martin was so enjoyable that we extended it to a second week, and considered staying a third. We thought about heading to Puerto Rico or Miami as next stops. I'm not entirely sure why, but we decided on Tucson, Arizona instead. We truly had no idea what a fantastic idea that would turn out to be. We left Saint-Martin on Sunday, September 3, and it was sadly hit by Hurricane Irma at category 5 strength on Wednesday, September 6. I have no idea what the state of Mont Vernon is, but the latest news says that 70% of the homes on Saint-Martin were badly damaged or destroyed. And of course, Puerto Rico was hit and Florida is currently under siege. We're thanking our lucky stars to be at 2,400 feet above sea level in the Sonoran desert.

The beautiful sunset on our last night in Saint-Martin

Checking Out Playa del Carmen

August 19, 2017 Teressa Jackson

We left our Airbnb in Tulum Sunday morning and headed up to the main highway. Our load in tow, we flagged down a van marked "Colectivo" and wedged ourselves and our baggage inside. These vans run from Tulum to Playa del Carmen 24 hours a day, and are mostly utilized by locals. As passengers indicated their stops along the way, the van let them off. It also continued to pick up people, even though at times I was unsure how they would fit on board. They always did.

The trip was around 40 miles. Colectivo rides cost the same no matter where you get off, and we took it to the end of the line at their station in Playa del Carmen. The cost: 90 pesos, or around $5, for two passengers. Our cab for the final leg of the journey was what we came to know as the typical fare for most destinations in the city, a reasonable 50 pesos or just under $3.

We headed down to gaze at Playa's beach. The seaweed that has plagued most of our trip was, indeed, still an issue. Although the water was pretty, it was also a bit smelly. Next, we strolled a bit of Playa's Fifth Avenue, which we found to be mostly a tourist trap with aggressive sellers and trinket shops sprinkled amongst chain retailers. Not really our scene. Hungry, we caved and ate at a taco restaurant here, and were rather shocked at the bill of over 500 pesos, or around $30US. Considering we had better meals for less than 100 pesos in Tulum, it felt a little like a delicious robbery.

The cenote flowing into the sea at Punta Esmeralda

Over the course of our week here, Aaron and I sampled a few different beach areas, and found Punta Esmeralda to be the winner. This spot on the city's northern edge was packed with locals enjoying a slightly rocky beach and a cool, clear freshwater cenote spring/sinkhole that sent a constant stream of water gushing toward the sea. I couldn't resist chowing down on an elote (Mexican style corn on the cob with mayo, cheese, and chili) for 15 pesos (85 cents) while we were there. Delicious!

We spent a much more expensive day in Cozumel, which is located just across from Playa. The ferry cost $17US per person round-trip, and we rented a scooter for $40US to enjoy some freedom and avoid paying a fortune in taxi fare. The beaches on the island's east side were beautiful, but the rough waves made it impossible to swim. The island's west side is rockier and mostly geared toward snorkeling, but the area near Chankanaab National Park had a nice little spot where you could enjoy some beach and do some snorkeling.

While we enjoyed the jaunt to Cozumel, we decided we would definitely not be heading there for a stay due to the cost. Prices were inflated and mostly stated in dollars. The vendors would then charge you at a rate of 20 pesos per dollar, while the official exchange rate is actually $17.71 pesos per dollar. This created an artificial rounding on already too-high prices, meaning we lost 13 cents for each dollar spent. I just felt a little taken advantage of at this dishonest tactic, even though I know that this type of thing is somewhat to be expected in tourist areas. I suppose most cruise ship passengers wouldn't know the difference, but that doesn't make it right.

Aaron and I really enjoyed the quiet little neighborhood on North 28th Street in which we stayed in Playa, which was comprised of older but well-kept row houses. The Airbnb where we stayed was the best run of our trip so far, as well as being the least expensive. We were near enough to the beach but also close to plenty of authentic shops and restaurants on North 30th Avenue and the surrounding neighborhood. It was lively at night but did not feel unsafe, with lots of locals out for a bite to eat and people singing or playing music for tips.

We have definitely enjoyed Playa, although admittedly not as much as Tulum. Tulum's beaches, less touristy vibe, and low cost of living have probably made it the overall winner of this trip abroad so far. We'd go back to Tulum, and I'm sure that we will in the future.

Next up, we are headed out of Mexico, which makes me a little sad. I've loved our short time here and haven't felt unsafe or threatened one single time. I think if more people from the U.S. would spend a little time in this country, we'd have a lot more love and understanding. I think if I spent a little more time here, I'd really start to get those high school Spanish skills back, but I'd also probably gain 20 pounds from all the delicious food.

Speaking of food, one other aside - vegetarians and vegans, rejoice! Mexico is your friend. I have been truly amazed at the number of vegetarian and vegan restaurants I have spotted in both Tulum and Playa del Carmen. I actually haven't eaten at any of these specialty establishments, but most of the more "mainstream" restaurants have plenty of options for us non-meat-eaters, too. A pleasant surprise!

So, where will tomorrow take us? We are headed to Cancun International Airport, from which we will fly to Miami, but after two hours in the U.S., we'll leave again - this time to Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, a French/Dutch island in the Carribbean.

Taking on Tulum

August 12, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Bright and early Tuesday morning, Aaron and I packed our bags and checked out of Gumbo Limbo, our Airbnb in Caye Caulker. We were supposed to be at the water taxi dock at 6:30 a.m. Luckily, we scored a golf cart taxi almost immediately, so we didn’t have to lug our bulky load too far across town.

The water taxi took us to San Pedro first, where we had to clear Belizean immigration. It was pouring rain off and on, and the line moved at a snail’s pace. One man input our passport information into his computer, another woman took our $20 US exit fee per person, and another man stamped our passport to indicate we had left the country. There was a separate line for each – a study in inefficiency if you ask me.

When I purchased the tickets to Mexico, the woman working at the water taxi had told me that we had to pay the $20US Belizean exit fee and a Mexican entry fee of $25US. We learned on the way to San Pedro that she had told us the wrong amount for Mexico, so we had to quickly locate an ATM to get more money so they would let us into Mexico. Of course, in typical Belize style, the first one we found was out of order. Luckily, the second one was up and running.

Back at immigration, the line was nearing an end and almost everyone was ready to board again. We lined up, shuffled on, and off we went.

I don’t think that the water taxi ride is ever totally smooth sailing, but the water was especially rough due to the front end of Tropical Storm Franklin heading toward us. For nearly two hours, we rode what felt like a roller coaster while leaky windows dripped on passengers.

When we finally reached Chetumal, Mexico, we had another line for Mexican immigration. This one was far quicker and far more efficient than the one in Belize, and we soon paid our 500 pesos per person entry fee and were cleared. We scored a taxi for around the same price as the bus would have cost us, and settled in for a nearly 3-hour ride to Tulum.

I began to get an inkling of how much less expensive Mexico is than Belize on the ride to Tulum. We passed several vendors selling pineapples on the side of the road, and most were 5 or 6 pineapples for 50 pesos – which equates to around $3US. In Belize, we typically paid anywhere from $2-3 for a single pineapple.

Our accommodations also reflected this pricing change. The brand new, large, nicely appointed one-bedroom apartment was cheaper than nearly everywhere we stayed in Belize, and definitely the nicest place we’ve stayed on the entire trip.

Tulum pueblo (the town) dazzled us right away with its abundance of restaurants, shops, paved roads, streetlights, and artistic flair. While plenty of the type of bare-bones structures you might picture in Mexico do exist there, Tulum has equally as many new, modern, architect-inspired buildings. Murals line many of the streets, and an eye for décor and design is apparent. Tulum feels more like Europe than it seems related to any Mexican border town I’ve visited.

We rarely ate in restaurants in Belize, but the abundant establishments and the low prices of Tulum were too much to resist, so we typically ate out for a meal a day. These culinary delights included chile and egg stuffed and rajas (strips of poblano pepper) and cheese stuffed gorditas (like a stuffed thick tortilla), cream cheese stuffed and hard boiled egg stuffed tamales, loads of tacos al pastor for Aaron (like shawarma made of pork), quite a few vegetarian tacos for me, and a delicious stuffed pepper that was probably the best I’ve ever eaten. Most meals, including tip, were $5-10 for both of us together. Amazing.

I actually did do some shopping in Tulum, even though I try to keep my possessions minimal. My one pair of earrings had broken, and I just can’t stand to not wear something in my ear holes, so I picked up a nice new pair in a local shop. I also lost my sunglasses, so those were replaced as well. I am so grateful that I was in Mexico when I needed to make these purchases, as they would have been so far more expensive, or even impossible to even make, in much of Belize.

Our first outing in Tulum was to the beach, and it was breathtakingly gorgeous. Jungle-enveloped cliffs tumble down to some of the most beautiful waters I’ve ever seen, crystal clear and turquoise. The rocky shoreline reminds me a bit of California’s coast, but obviously the tropical temperature makes taking a plunge into the water a whole lot more inviting.

We couldn’t leave the area without visiting the Mayan ruins that sit atop the cliff along the sea, so one day we took a cab to this attraction. It’s immediately apparent that these ruins are the reason Tulum pueblo is here, and every person trying to sell tourists something within a 20-mile radius seemed to be on the scene to take advantage of the multitudes.

The blazing heat and big crowds at the ruins made our time there a little less enjoyable, but we made the best of it. I was excited to see a coatimundi just inside the entrance, and the views of the sea from atop the cliff were spectacular. It’s always amazing to think about what it must have been like to live in such a place, and to walk where these people walked, lived, loved, and worked.

One of the most enjoyable excursions during our time in the area, though, was a jaunt of around 3 miles west to the Grand Cenote. A cenote is basically a sinkhole cavern filled with freshwater. The Grand Cenote was home to a plethora of bats, fish, turtles, stalactites, and stalagmites. The water was jarringly cold, but we quickly became used to it. The gorgeous blue water was a great place to snorkel, and it was really intriguing to peer down into the dark and mysterious depths and see the formations.

We had planned to leave this morning, heading to Playa del Carmen, but it appears that our adventurous eating has gotten the better of Aaron. He’s on the mend, but we’ll be in Tulum one more day while he recovers. Meanwhile, I’ve had time to craft this write-up!

La Isla Cariñosa

August 6, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Scene along the island's southeastern side

A 30-minute water taxi ride was all it took to go from La Isla Bonita to La Isla Cariñosa, better known as Caye Caulker or Caye Corker. Aaron and I disembarked, headed up the dock, and grabbed a taxi to take us to our Airbnb.

This was no ordinary taxi, though. The only motorized vehicles navigating the sandy streets of Caye Caulker are golf carts. We even spotted a shop selling rims for these little open-air chariots.

The mantra of Caye Caulker is "Go Slow." I have to admit, I thought the slight downshift was pleasant compared to the exhaust fumes and maniacal drivers in San Pedro.

Caye Caulker is very walkable, with most things around a mile in any direction. This was good since, as we have found with many things elsewhere in Belize, the bikes that our Airbnb provided were in far less than prime condition. After our first experience with flat tires, slipping chains, and a bike lock that didn't work, we decided that our feet were as good or better than wheels.

Similar to San Pedro, there are basically three north-south streets in Caye Caulker. Also similar, "Front" street (closest to the reef, or east side) was the most populated and tourist-oriented route. The restaurants and shops to the west seem to have more reasonable prices and less frills.

In some ways, Caye Caulker seemed to be slightly cheaper than San Pedro. Snorkeling tours were as little as $30US per person, and you could get a big, delicious, filling-stuffed fry jack at Errolyn's for only $1.50US. However, the Banana Factor was the lowest thus far, with a purchasing power of just 4 bananas for 50 cents US.

We stayed at "Gumbo Limbo," located just one lot back from the beach on the reef side of the island, but the water near us was tainted with smelly seaweed that our host said was a recent appearance. The view was pretty, if you held your nose. :-/

The far north side of the island had the best spot for enjoying the water, at a beautiful area called The Split, where there is a narrow channel separating Caye Caulker from North Caye Caulker. The Split has a sea wall with stairs leading down to clear, blue-green water, a high-dive, several bars and restaurants, and no stinky seaweed. I even braved the high-dive once... fun, but one time was definitely enough for me.

Night time on Caye Caulker was relatively lively, with the streets lit up and people out strolling. Vendors sold burritos, pupusas, tostadas, salbutes, and other treats for reasonable prices. Who needs Taco Bell when you can get a big, fresh handmade burrito for $1.50US?

Belize's ongoing "charm" of things being broken, half-functional, held together with string and masking tape is wearing a bit thin. The water taxi here has a route that goes directly to Mexico, so we decided to head to Tulum and points north for a while. We may return to Belize in a bit... time will tell!

La Isla Bonita

July 31, 2017 Teressa Jackson

View from the plane as we crossed from Belize City to Ambergris Caye

From Punta Gorda, Aaron and I took off in a tiny 12-passenger Maya Island Air plane. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the airport, which was around the size of a small one-car detached garage back home. I sarcastically said that I bet they had wifi... but they actually did. The place was a one-man show, but that man was doing a great job running all facets of the operation. No security, moving sidewalks, baggage handlers, bars, restaurants, shops, or other amenities here. I will say, though, that it seemed far more efficient in many ways than the larger configurations in the U.S.

Our flight was due to leave at 11:40 a.m., and around that time, the plane landed, we boarded, and were off in a matter of minutes. We made a quick stop in Dangriga, where we picked up some more passengers, dropped some people off at Belize City International Airport, and had a short layover at Belize City Municipal Airport.

We boarded our second plane, returned to Belize City International to pick up some more passengers, and took off across the clear turquoise Caribbean waters. A few minutes later, we landed at San Pedro Airport and rode a taxi to our new abode on La Isla Bonita.

Yes, that's right. When Madonna sang, "Last night I dreamt of San Pedro..." in La Isla Bonita, she was referring to this place. They embrace the moniker, and it appears all over San Pedro town on businesses, hotels, and even trash cans.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the town of San Pedro. I knew it was the tourism mecca of Belize, where most everyone goes who visits this tiny country. That had given me the impression that it would be more polished and less authentic. I was pleasantly surprised to find that to be far from the case. After nearly a week on the island, the only familiar company name I've seen was far north of the town, at a Wyndham development.

While there are full-sized cars on San Pedro and Ambergris Caye (the name of the island that the town inhabits), the primary method of transport for most passengers is golf carts. Constant traffic, gasoline fumes, and noise result from these little carriages. I don't know what the hurry is, but everyone certainly seems to be in one, and I'm surprised I didn't see any accidents from this giant bumper-car experiment.

San Pedro Cemetery at sunset - not a bad view for eternity

Ambergris Caye is a short distance from the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world and probably Belize's biggest claim to fame. On the island's east side, you can see waves breaking on the reef a ways out from shore, across the beautiful blue-green water.

We had been warned that San Pedro was pricey, but we found if you worked at it a bit, you could manage pretty reasonably. Aaron and I continued our diet of mostly beans and rice, and enjoyed a couple times out at restaurants, too. However, it had the most expensive Banana Factor to date, at a cost of 5 bananas for $1 Belize.

Snorkeling turned out to be far less expensive from San Pedro than we had been seeing on the mainland, and we booked a trip to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley for less than $40US per person. We've snorkeled a few other places in the Caribbean, but this was definitely the most impressive variety of sea life I've seen.

I got a huge blister from my flip flops a few days in, which meant it must be time to rent our own golf cart. We found a reasonable place to rent one and found it to be a great way to see more of the island than we would have seen otherwise, including a long and bumpy ride out to Secret Beach, which was a beautiful calm expanse of clear, shallow, blue water. Aaron nearly lost a shoe when it vibrated out of the cart on the way back, but thankfully we back-tracked and located it.

We had heard that theft was a big problem before leaving for Belize. Until San Pedro, we hadn't been the victim of theft or any other crime, or even an unkind word. One afternoon, we stopped at an El Salvadoran pupuseria for some amazing pupusas. When we got back, we were one beach towel lighter. As they belonged to our Airbnb, we ended up paying $15US for this incident. I think we'll live. :-)

Our next destination is Caye Caulker, a smaller island south of Ambergris Caye. The locals in San Pedro all say that Caye Caulker is what San Pedro was like twenty years ago, with sandy unpaved streets and a slower pace.

My Artwork - July 2017

July 31, 2017 Teressa Jackson

July was my first full month in Belize. Aaron and I started out in Hopkins, then spent two weeks in Placencia, traveled to the country's southernmost civilization (and the end of paved roads) in Punta Gorda, and then flew to San Pedro, a.k.a. La Isla Bonita.

Despite being in four different locations, I managed to be relatively prolific, painting nine pieces. The pace of life in Belize is generally slow, and that helps. My work bounced around a bit, from Belize-inspired to pieces reaching back to my travels in the U.S. I certainly have a large stock of inspiration after 9+ months of being a nomad.

Feel free to e-mail me to be added to a list to be notified when artwork is available again (a.k.a. when I return to the U.S.).

Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming: 6/6/17, 18:50:29 — Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming: 6/6/17, 18:50:29

Redwood National Park, California: 5/26/17, 15:05:25

Avenue of the Giants, California: 5/25/17, 16:12:03

Avenue of the Giants, California: 5/24/17, 16:30:59

False Sittee Point, Belize: 6/30/17, 16:01:29

Punta Gorda Town

July 30, 2017 Teressa Jackson

In my last blog, Aaron and I had just arrived in the sleepy town of Punta Gorda (a.k.a. "PG"). PG didn't get much more exciting, with the exception of the enthusiastic storms that felt like they might carry us away to Oz each night.

My main takes on PG were that people were generally really friendly, often intoxicated, and seemed to want to give us things.

Our first experience with the generosity of locals was at the market. Gomier, a super nice guy and owner of a PG vegetarian and vegan restaurant, began talking to us about some of the produce. During the exchange, one of the vendors gave us some fruit to try. It wasn't my favorite, but Gomier was certainly a nice guy and I appreciated his hospitality.

It didn't matter if it was 10 a.m. or 7 p.m., it wasn't uncommon to encounter people who had clearly been sipping (chugging?) some rum or a few Belikin beers. One afternoon, we encountered a man who told us he went by "Taz," "The Devil," or the "Tasmanian Devil." Taz was enjoying some beers, and wanted to buy us some, too. We politely declined, but listened to him talk about his escapades around Belize and the U.S. for around the next 30-45 minutes. He apparently really liked us, because he pledged to protect us from harm from anyone around town. While nice, this was an unnecessary gesture, as we've yet to have an unkind word uttered to us by anyone in all of Belize.

We finally agreed to let Taz buy us a seaweed drink from the guy on the corner. I was a little leery, but the thick off-white concoction was actually pretty good. It was slightly sweet and tasted of nutmeg. He and his friend were adamant that it "cools the body" and that it's "good for you, it's from the sea!" True or not, I'd sip one again.

A man who told us that his name was "Bug" stumbled along beside us one day, asking where we were from and about our travels in Belize. He was insistent upon giving us some conch shells, and we gratefully accepted his gesture of hospitality.

We also renewed our tourist visa while in PG. They had an immigration office there, and as our first month in Belize was coming to a close, we were due to take care of this bit of bureaucracy. If you are in the country for an extended period of time, you must get your passport stamped every 30 days and pay a $25US fee. It was hard to believe that almost a month had already passed since we descended upon this tiny Central American country.

While the residents were kind, our time in PG had two big strikes against it. Although the town is bordered by the Caribbean Sea, there isn't a bit of real beach to speak of, and we really missed the option to enjoy a cool dip in the water. Secondly, the apartment we rented was miserably hot and humid. We rented an air conditioning unit, but it generally only made about a two degree difference, and it was almost impossible to sleep or motivate ourselves to do much of anything because of it. Yes, I suppose we are a little spoiled.

Unable to take the heat any longer, we decided to cut our time in PG short and booked a flight to San Pedro. I'm still glad that we got to experience Belize's southernmost town and its hospitable people, though.

Just outside of PG, shortly after takeoff

Hokey Pokey to Punta Gorda

July 21, 2017 Teressa Jackson

A little Punta Gorda wisdom along the waterfront

It almost looked like it would be a rainy travel day again, but thankfully the skies dried up just before Aaron and I headed out of our accommodations at Imperius Rex. We took a relatively short walk (thankfully, given our heavy loads) to the Hokey Pokey water taxi station, arriving around 9:30 a.m. for the 10 a.m. boat.

I guess we may have been the last tickets before the trip was full, because by 9:40 we were loaded and zipping up the lagoon toward Independence/Mango Creek. The Hokey Pokey is the quickest way to get back to the mainland from the Placencia Peninsula, especially if you are heading south. Cost: $5 US per person.

We had planned to walk through Independence to the bus station. When we got there, though, a taxi driver gave us the irresistible price of $5 US to drive us, and with our loads, we accepted.

Waiting at the bus station, we munched on some snacks and watched the people come and go. There were a few Mennonites and more than a few Mayan people, most of whom in both groups were wearing traditional dress. Even with our unexpected early arrival, the 10:45 bus was at the station before we knew it.

This 2-hour ride took us through jungle, mountains, and several Mayan communities, with lots of large rectangular buildings sporting palm thatch roofs. Somewhere along the way, the Mennonite woman behind us tried to talk to me, and her English was some of the worst I've experienced in Belize. I felt bad, but it was rather hopeless. I do not speak Low German. She seemed nice, though.

The view from the veranda at Mango Manor

At the town called Dump (no joke!), the bus hung a hard left and we were soon gazing at the Caribbean again. In a few more minutes, we were in Punta Gorda. The bus trip cost: $4.50 US per person.

A short hike and golf cart ride later, we were getting settled in at Mango Manor, our new abode. The house overlooks the Gulf of Honduras, and if you walk to the water's edge, you can see Guatemala across the waves.

Punta Gorda is the southernmost end of the paved highway in Belize, and it also appears to be the most inexpensive place we've been. I was able to book Mango Manor, inclusive of wifi and utilities, for just $500 for a month. More importantly, though, is what I'm going to term the "Banana Factor:" it costs $1 BZD (50 cents US) for 6 bananas in Hopkins, $1 BZD for 7 bananas in Placencia, and $1 BZD for 8 bananas in Punta Gorda. We will not develop a potassium deficiency here in Belize.

Having only been here a few days, I'm still taking in Punta Gorda. It's definitely vastly more authentic than Placencia, and even Hopkins. There might be a handful of tourists here at most. There is no beach to speak of, with the land dropping down to the sea, but that doesn't mean you can't dive off a dock if you feel the need to quench yourself with salt water. So far, the highlights have been visits to the Cotton Tree Chocolate Factory and the large outdoor produce market that operates four days a week (MWFSat).

I'm not sure if we'll stay here a full month, but it's nice to have the option. Although PG (as it's known) has four times the residents of Hopkins or Placencia, it's a pretty sleepy feeling place. We're also in the wettest region of Belize during the rainy season... probably a fantastic locale to crank out some artwork if nothing else.

Lots of rain has its plusses - a rainbow over the Gulf of Honduras

Peaceful Placencia

July 18, 2017 Teressa Jackson

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.

Hopping Down to Hopkins

July 4, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Aaron and I landed in the tiny Belize City airport around 11 a.m. on June 28. We spent around half an hour collecting our bags and clearing customs, and then met Marlon, our driver, outside. The first thing we noticed was the humidity... the Ohio Valley has nothing on Belize, which regularly sees levels of 80-90%.

Marlon of Belize Shuttles & Transfers was very friendly and told us about Belize as we drove the nearly three hours south to Hopkins. Although the distance is less than 90 miles, the roads aren't great and the speed bumps, which seem to be randomly placed along the road, are rather vicious. That's one way to keep speedometers in check.

Two kids played with bottlecaps on the Hopkins pier

We passed through Belize's capital of Belmopam, which was gone in nearly the blink of an eye. With less than 400,000 people in the entire country, there is no such thing as a big city here. After Belmopam, the landscape became more scenic, with dense jungle vegetation, citrus orchards, mountains, and even a glimpse of Mennonite farmers on a horse-drawn wagon, wearing the same conservative dress as they do in the U.S.

Hopkins is 4 miles off the main highway, and consists of only one real street (a pothole and puddle-ridden dirt road), running north to south along Hopkins Bay. The Garifuna, descendants of West African, Central African, Island Carib, European, and Arawak people, are the majority population of this village.

All Seasons Guest House, our home for the next week, is located near the edge of the south side of town. We were greeted by Becky, All Seasons' owner, who is from northern Indiana. She and her husband Gary packed up and moved down here just four months ago, and are almost constantly painting, power washing, sweeping, and fixing.

It was 3 p.m. Belize time (5 p.m. Eastern), and most restaurants were closed. We hadn't really eaten much at all, and dinner the night before had been gas station food in Indianapolis. Mango and cantaloupe smoothies and Guinness chocolate cake at the coffee shop down the street were a good way to tide ourselves over.

Lorraine, who was working at the coffee shop, made us feel right at home. After preparing our food, she followed us out to the porch and sat down with us to chat. She spent several years working on cruise ships, and her favorite location was, of all places, Alaska! Hopkins is home, though, and she recently returned with hopes of finishing her associate's degree in accounting.

The friendly faces in Hopkins certainly aren't limited to Lorraine's. As you walk down the street, most everyone greets you. Alex, who sells his creations at a shop near our guest house, is no exception. One morning he told me that he gets up every day at 5 a.m., rides his bike for an hour, swims in the ocean and is often joined by manatees, takes a shower, and starts his workday. Each time we walked by, he greeted us with a smile. Aaron had Alex make some custom guitar pics for him, and he was excited to try his hand at a new challenge. They were done in less than two hours, and the quality was fantastic.

There was a Garifuna holiday during our time at Hopkins. I didn't get the name of it, but the people drummed off and on for three days. They are known for their drum making and playing here and it was a beautiful and exotic sound. The holiday's final evening, I'm pretty sure the drumming lasted until daybreak. Apparently the occasion celebrates the dead, and takes place every three years. During that time, many of the women dressed in what looked like traditional African clothing, the fabric adorned with bright colors and patterns.

Alex, hard at work. I think this is the only time I saw him NOT smile. :-)

There are several businesses run by the Chinese in this town of 1,500 people, including pretty much all the grocery stores. As we waited on Chinese food one night, a four-year-old boy came up to our table, took my bottle cap, and began playing with it. He and Aaron began a game of "hockey" on the table with the cap, and he was more than happy to tell Aaron "You lose!" each time he failed to hit the goal he made between his two tiny hands.

Dong Lee Supermarket, where we did much of our shopping

Walking back to the room that night, we encountered a group of kids, all of whom were probably under age 7. They were "shooting" each other with sticks and boards, and we became part of the game. We became victims of a "holdup" and they loved that we played right along. After being released, we got excited fist bumps from the kids. I really wish we'd had room in our luggage to bring a few treats for them. They are so sweet.

We tried to eat at restaurants only once a day to stretch our budget, which was challenging since we had no kitchen. Between the grocery stores, fruit stand, and the back of a guy's truck, we purchased plenty of mangoes (the hugest you've ever seen), tangerines (which have a green peel here), avocados, plantain chips, tortilla chips, Marie Sharp's hot sauce, and fruit juices (soursop juice is pretty awesome). Restaurant meals consisted of mostly beans and rice for me. Aaron enjoyed chicken fried rice and one night he was served a whole fried fish, complete with head. Oh, and I can't forget the fry jacks, which are a breakfast delight - big pieces of puffed fried bread you can fill with beans, eggs, and lots of other fillings. Delicious!

We didn't go on any fishing or snorkeling excursions in Hopkins, instead spending our time walking the street, riding bicycles, sitting on the beach, swimming in the ocean, and trying to get used to the humidity. I'm not sure I have ever sweated so much in my entire life. It's been a nice place to get acclimated to Belize and to get some clue as to how things work here, although we still have a long way to go before we have it figured out.

Next up, further south to Placencia!

My Artwork - June 2017

July 3, 2017 Teressa Jackson

June was busy, busy, busy... but unfortunately not with art production. As I discussed in my last post, I am in Belize. June included a visit to my sister in Oregon, a cross-country trek from Oregon to New Albany, Indiana, and preparation for life in Central America.

I have a lot of inspiration from my many locales waiting to take shape into artistic expression, but the craziness of June saw me paint just three pieces. Two were commissions I was hired to paint and one will be for sale when I either figure out shipping from Belize or return to the U.S. (potentially several months from now). One of the commissions was 10" x 13", quite a bit larger than my usual 5" or 8" squares.

Feel free to e-mail me to be added to a list to be notified when artwork is available again.

Belize Bound

July 3, 2017 Teressa Jackson

I arrived home with two commissioned paintings to complete, contract work to do, immunizations to get, and other loose ends to tie up. My husband and I were headed to Belize on June 28! The plan is that we will be here for several months, but we will see how it goes and how our cash flow looks.

There was a lot to think about to prepare. First things first, I knocked out the two paintings that I'd been hired to produce. Without a real idea of how difficult or expensive it would be to ship artwork from Belize, I wanted to make sure those were finished. Two happy customers in check (see right for the one I did for my friend Kate, along with the photo that inspired it), I then got as much contract work done as I could before we had to really pack up shop. The little left that we own went into storage, and we had to time that just right so that we wouldn't be "homeless" for too long.

Travel arrangements required some logistical wrangling. We booked one-way tickets to Belize, but there was a chance we'd be denied entry because we had no return ticket. So, we purchased refundable one-way tickets home that we would cancel after we arrived. The bus schedule didn't sync well with our arrival time, so I found a reasonable shuttle to our first stop. And, of course, I booked the first week's accommodations... except the host cancelled them a week before we departed, so I had to find another place to stay. Such is life on the road, and even more so in Belize, I think. You have to roll with the punches.

Another dilemma was that I had to determine where to get a typhoid vaccination. My doctor tried to send me to a travel clinic, but even a month ahead of time, they were all booked up. I luckily discovered that Walgreens provides travel vaccinations, and was able to get it and my Hepatitis vaccination taken care of quite efficiently in one day without leaving New Albany.

There was also the quandary of what to bring. We won't have a car in Belize due to the very high cost of renting (think $80 or so a day) and the insane gas prices ($5-6 a gallon). We are essentially "backpackers" and need to be able to carry everything. Toiletries and medications were the source of many difficult decisions, as they are heavy to carry but also more difficult to find and expensive in Belize.

My final clothing inventory was:

1 long sleeve button down
1 sleeveless button down
4 pairs of underwear
3 pairs of socks
3 sports bras
A swimsuit
1 pair shorts
1 skort
2 tank tops
1 short sleeved t-shirt
1 pair flip flops
1 pair hiking shoes
1 pair Chacos sandals

Just like I knew it would, time flew right by. I was sad to leave home without being able to get together with most of my friends, but hopefully I'll be packed with great stories to share upon my return. With only the first week's locale known, Aaron and I boarded an airplane out of Indianapolis bright and early June 28 to visit a Central American country we'd had never seen before.

Are We There Yet?

July 1, 2017 Teressa Jackson

The sunset as I left Devils Tower National Monument

After a week filled with love, kisses, and birthday celebrations, I had a long haul ahead of me and a lot to accomplish before the next leg of my travels. How quickly could I drive from Corvallis, Oregon to New Albany, Indiana (around 2,500 miles)?

I decided to take the "northern route" since it was June and many other times of the year the locales I'd pass through would be buried in snow. Leaving bright and early Monday, I wound my way past Salem, through Portland, and along the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. After passing through The Dalles, the Oregon landscape began to shift from lush green to desert. I have to admit, it wasn't the most picturesque desert I've seen in the past year, but then again, I didn't get out to explore it either.

Next, my route took me through the corner of Washington that is home to Kennewick and Spokane. I made a brief effort to see a bit of Spokane, but it was rush hour and I decided that my attempt was taking up too much time (plus, I really detest traffic). Back on the highway, I was soon passing through the gorgeous Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and traversing the Idaho panhandle through beautiful forested mountain wilderness in the Coeur d'Alene National Forest.

The amazingly bright green hills near Garryowen, Montana

After around 10 hours on the road, I took a rest in the lovely town of Missoula, Montana. In the morning, I was right back on the road again. It took me almost the entire day to drive from the western end of Montana through Butte, Bozeman, and Billings to its eastern end. I loved the state's scenery, which looked precisely as I'd pictured Montana... mountains covered in trees, sloping down to valleys criss-crossed by clear rocky streams, and a railroad running beside the highway for most of my trip. I wanted to stop and explore more, but nothing in Montana seemed like it would be an even remotely fast stop. So, I put that on my list for a future adventure.

I dipped down into the northeast corner of Wyoming to make a special stop at Devils Tower National Monument. I couldn't resist working this unique landmark into my route, and it was truly worth it. The formation of the tower is totally unexpected and bizarre in the context of the rest of the area's landscape. I arrived just before dusk, with just enough time to hike the trail around the monolith and perfect timing to gaze at a beautiful sunset scene in my rear view mirror.

That night, I stayed in Rapid City, South Dakota. I worked in a couple more scenic opportunities there, taking a jaunt down to Mount Rushmore followed by a drive through Badlands National Park. I could have stayed at the badlands all day, with their unique formations, colors, and contrasts. I had always wanted to see the park, and it certainly lived up to my expectations.

On the highway again, the day went from beautiful rolling green South Dakota landscapes to the cornfields of Iowa. Western Iowa was more picturesque than I'd imagined it to be, with curving plots of hilly farmland, but I was becoming too exhausted to appreciate it. I finally dropped onto a bed in Fort Dodge and called it a night.

The next day, my goal was to make it the rest of the way to New Albany. Never before this past year would I have imagined that anyone would drive from Iowa to New Albany in one day. It didn't even sound possible to me. Forging ahead, I crossed the Mississippi River at Davenport, and made my way across Illinois.

Home was feeling closer, and when I made it to my home state of Indiana through Terre Haute, I got pretty giddy for a moment. Of course, I've driven to Terre Haute before and I knew that I was by no means close to home. The landscape down I-65 south of Indianapolis looked a little different than it had the last time I set eyes upon it, with some new solar farms and some added lanes on the expressway.

I started to wonder if I would make it without stopping for another night. My eyes were getting bleary and I was feeling a bit loopy, but I finally arrived in the city I've called home since I was three years old. Strangely, I didn't feel especially at home or out of place, but I suppose my sights were focused on the next leg of my travels and my giant "to do" list to accomplish before I embarked upon it.

Oregon Family Fun

June 26, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Dee, Teressa, Sarah, and Case enjoying some gelato

I left the Medford Airport before sunrise, driving north through foggy mountains. I had a date, and I had promised that I would be there for Memorial Day morning breakfast.

Teressa & Dee at Tyee Wine Cellars' hazelnut grove

It had been nearly two years since I'd seen my sister Dee and her lovely family, who reside in Corvallis, Oregon. Thankfully, as it often is with family, the two years melted away almost immediately. In fact, my sweet 9-year-old niece Sarah was outside when I pulled up, and I got a good preview of her running skills as she rushed to be the first to hug my neck. As I had hoped, she was by no means too big for me to pick her up and swing around.

Sarah and her brother Case, 6, also demonstrated their enthusiasm with a chanting session: "Auntie Tree! Auntie Tree!" They sure do know how to make an old lady feel kind of cool (I still have no idea why I'm such a big deal, but I'm really grateful that I am). Flanked by one of them on each side, we chowed down on a yummy breakfast and got reacquainted.

The afternoon was spent in a field at Tyee Wine Cellars, sipping wine, snacking, hiking through the woods, listening to bands play, and hanging out with Dee and her husband Steven's friends. The kids frolicked through a mossy hazelnut grove and my nephew got a little carried away collecting the little kernels.

The week flew by. The kiddos relished waking me each morning to snuggle a bit, Sarah would make me her special oatmeal for breakfast, they would head off to school, and on a few days, I was able to enjoy lunch with my "twin" sister before school let out. It's fun to relive the part of our childhood where we are incessantly asked if we are twins (we aren't, but we are just a year and a half apart in age). We've spent our entire adult lives thousands of miles apart, so most people in our daily lives haven't seen us together. There were definitely more than a few double-takes.

Friday night was a carnival fundraiser at the children's school, which kind of gave me flashbacks to the fundraising events of my career. I found myself giving advice, watching to see if people were using the correct starting bid and bid increment in the auction, and also tucking away a few cute ideas for possible future reference. The kids had a great time eating cotton candy, playing games, and selecting prizes. They were a bit wild with sugar by the time we got home.

Sarah had a 5K race on Saturday, and Dee accompanied her on the trek around Oregon State University's campus. Case and I saw them off and then had a coffee date while we awaited their return. After the race, Case had asked to surprise me with a date to eat Mexican food, and we filled our bellies. The afternoon was completed with pedicures, a first for Sarah, who enjoyed it tremendously. A perfect way to top off a 5K run!

Sunday was my last full day with the family, and we had a leisurely afternoon. We chowed down on pasta and then the kids practiced riding bicycles. They made lots of progress in such a short time. We capped off the day with some early birthday cake for my 41st celebration. I couldn't believe that Steven found an almost identical cake to what I had described as my favorite from Sweet Stuff Bakery at home (lemon with buttercream icing and lemon curd filling).

I was sad to say farewell on Monday morning, but I had a timeline to keep. I headed east for a change, full of Sarah's special oatmeal, lots of love, and many kisses.

Tall Trees and a Terrific Twosome

June 24, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Kerri and Teressa at King Range National Conservation Area

After my day at Yosemite and a bit of rest and work in my Sonora, California Airbnb, I awoke in the pre-dawn hours (4:30 a.m.!) to pick up one of my favorite people in the world in San Francisco. My friend Kerri was in the area for work and had arranged to extend her stay for some adventuring with me. Unsurprisingly, the San Francisco traffic meant that it took four hours to drive 140 miles. It was all worth it, though, when I saw her joyous face smiling at me.

Kerri had always wanted to see the "big trees," the California redwoods, and I wanted to help make that dream come true and add a check to that bucket list. We took off over the Golden Gate bridge, ready for rocky coastline and towering tree canopies. San Francisco can be fun, but a peaceful time in nature was much more enticing.

Lunchtime called for a stop at Francis Ford Coppola's Sonoma winery. We enjoyed a tasting of some of their wines with a bartender who looked an awful lot like Philip Seymour Hoffman's doppelgänger and was an insane treasure trove of television and movie trivia. After adding a layer of Italian food to our bellies, we were off once more.

Our accommodations for the next two nights were at the Benbow Historic Inn in Garberville, California. Although the hotel was under renovation, its interior and grounds were still really lovely. It's amazing to think of what it must have been like to stay there when the inn first opened, 90 years ago. The inn's back lawn sloped down to the Eel River, a beautiful blue-green waterway that we would follow on most of our redwood escapades.

Garberville was conveniently located near the southern entrance of the Avenue of the Giants, a section of old Highway 101 that has been converted to a scenic byway, with lots of stops where you can park and walk among these behemoth trees and the lush green vegetation that accompanies them. There are also several quaint little towns with restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, and other tourism-related amenities. We enjoyed patronizing several of them, as well as communing with the largest trees in the world. I had been to this area a few times before, but it's truly hard to fathom (and easy to forget!) how massive these trees really are until you are in their presence.

While in the Garberville area, we also wound through miles and miles of mountains and forest to the King Range National Conservation Area. This preserve was home to giant redwood driftwood, beautiful flowering plants, a black sands beach, loads of seagulls, and powerful crashing surf. It was beautiful, rugged, and isolated. We also hit beaches at Patrick's Point State Park and Trinidad State Beach, where we weaved our way from redwoods to breathtaking Pacific cliffs and back again.

Our next stop was in Klamath, California. On our way there we popped in to Redwoods National Park and got a bit lost on the roads up past the majestic Ladybird Johnson Grove. Atop the mountains and off the beaten path, we saw acres and acres of fragrant purple lupine. It was like something out of a movie!

In Klamath, we stayed in an Airbnb apartment above the office of an RV park. Let's just say that the space was probably more suited to big burly men who were interested in casting reels and cooking up some salmon, but we took a drive up to Crescent City and limited our time at the apartment. I'm pretty sure that we were the only patrons at SeaQuake Brewery who weren't wearing plaid. Welcome to the northwest. :-)

Teressa in Lithia Park's giant rhododendrons

The next morning, the redwoods were looking a bit gloomy and mysterious, shrouded in fog as Kerri and I said our farewells to them. In a short time, we were cruising across the Oregon state line, through Cave Junction, Grants Pass, Medford, and then Ashland. We dined on vegetarian fare in Ashland, checked out the historic town and the rhododendron-filled Lithia Park, and then found our way to our Jacksonville Airbnb.

Our time together was coming to a close, but Kerri and I had time for one more big destination. Crater Lake National Park was too close to resist, so we made our way to this imploded volcano. Unfortunately, I think that the unusually (even for Oregon) ample rain and snowfall over the past several months had caused the snow bank to be even deeper than usual. It might have been just a couple of days away from June, but the park was nearly entirely inaccessible beyond the historic lodge. We made the best of it, enjoying time in the rockers overlooking the bluest of blue lake and dining in the lodge.

That evening, we relaxed back in Jacksonville with Rogue Creamery cheeses and accompaniments, gazing at the mountain view from the hot tub. It was definitely not a bad way to close out a spectacular time with a super-duper friend. I was sad and sleepy as I dropped Kerri at the airport at 5 a.m. the next morning, but put the pedal to the metal and continued north...

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