Wandering for my birthday! I got the urge to take a birthday trip. And then witnessed it unfold. I checked flights and found good affordable direct flight . Then I cleared my calendar. Suddenly, I was busy with only 10 days to plan my trip and pack!
Several people made comments to me like “I’d like to travel but have no idea where to start.” Here’s a suggestion for you….START! Or you will never learn! If it is truly a priority, make it happen. Experience and knowledge comes from…experience! Get no experience, you’ll never learn.
And let me know how I can help? Over the years, a lot of people have consulted me planning their trips. Over the past 30 years of traveling, taking risks, leaping into the unknown, I’ve learned a lot! I’ve been considering creating an online course to help people plan a trip like this. Let me know what questions you have and how I can be helpful!
Those of you who know me know I follow an intuitive path. I plan and use some logic but never plan everything in detail. Some connections require careful planning. Do it when required. Then, let go and see what unfolds! For me, I read about options and possibilities, get clear on my intentions, then, I feel where the flow is and go with it. Yes, magic happens.
Years ago rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, I was struggling and watching other rafts moving faster and more effortlessly. I was inexperienced. Then Bob suggested I feel for the current and let that guide me. At first, I had no idea what he was talking about. Once I focused on it, I could definitely feel it. And feeling that, rowing with it, made me feel a part of the river rather than passenger passing on the surface. There is a flow to every trip I take and I feel for that.
Priorities! Everyone has priorities. Travel is one of mine. Life shows up to support that priority. Things always work out for me! Most of that is the attitude of choosing to make the most with whatever shows up. Most of it appears as surprises, unanticipated opportunity showing up in the moment, and those opportunities that happen seemingly support my dreams coming true. Awesome!
Joseph Campbell spoke with Bill Moyer in an interview revealing advice he gave his students, “Follow Your Bliss.” Bliss being what feeds your heart and your Soul. Here’s what else he said about that:
BILL MOYERS: Do you ever have the sense of… being helped by hidden hands?
JOSEPH CAMPBELL: All the time. It is miraculous. I even have a superstition that has grown on me as a result of invisible hands coming all the time – namely, that if you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.
That’s what happens with me and why I’m a devout listener! Magic happens! People show up. Things that aren’t “possible” happen and help me along on my way! Awesome! Yes indeed, things are always working out for me!
Once I chose to buy a ticket, I consider the experience I wanted to have. I’m flying to Cancun in the Yucatan. Direct and convenient and affordable flight. But I don’t what to experience Cancun or Playa del Carmen. What options speak to me? And what kind of experience do I want?! I begin with that end in mind and work backward and things always fall into place.
After the past 6 1/2 years of parental care, which was totally rewarding and absolutely exhausting, it’s the first time in years I have felt like I have energy for adventure! Before, I wanted to go somewhere and sleep in a hammock for four or five days!
Adventure! I want to see and experience nature. Tikal began calling me. I love the ruins and jungle there. And I want to see friends on Caye Caulker. And I want to experience birds and forest and jungle and water. And I want to be in a peaceful place to simply BE. And I want to experience a culture where people slow down and connect with each other.
Piece by piece, the journey unfolded. For example, I know ADO bus and their schedule from Cancun Airport to Bacalar. However, the bus from the airport requires roughly a 3 hour wait? Ok, next option?
So I’m taking the bus to Playa del Carmen, walking four blocks and taking a colectivo to Tulum. I might be able to catch a South bound colectivo from there to Bacalar. If not, the ADO bus will work from there to Bacalar for me. I’d much rather hang out in Tulum, have some shrimp tacos and eat some amazing gelato, than wait for three hours at the airport or Playa del Carmen bus station. Perfect! Options: I don’t know how I’ll actually get all the way to Bacalar yet. But I do know it will work!
Travel options: And now for a few pieces of how the trip comes together. Read, see your options, feel, feel some more, and start reaching out to people who can help. Hostels, hotels, message boards, etc. Just be aware that people tend to respond by “telling” you what to do rather than offer options. Be prepared for that and listen to your inner guidance and sort through the noise to find the gems.
MY plan: One spot I want to visit is Caye Caulker, Belize. The most recommended way to get there from Bacalar: take a colectivo or bus to Chetumal, then take a taxi to the water taxi for San Pedro. However, it that takes most of the day and gets in late at night. I began checking on alternative travel. Schedules there are difficult to find. It sounded like I’d need to take a collectivo to Chetumal. Take a bus or taxi to through Mexico immigration. Take a bus or taxi to the other immigration to enter Belize. Then find a bus to Belize City. Ok, I was ready if that is what it takes. I would rather get into Belize before 8:30 or so at night so could leave early.
Then I found the email address for a company that operates to Belize City from the border. I wrote about how to connect with them at the border? They wrote back and offered to pick me up at my hotel at 8:00 am, in Bacalar, and deliver me to Belize City around 12:30. They charge an extra $5 for pickup. Total cost: $30 US. Perfect!
From Belize City, the next scheduled boat to Caye Caulker is 1:30. I should be on Caye Caulker before 3:00. Awesome! Rather than a late night arrival, I’ll have the afternoon to settle in and have lobster for dinner!
Every trip, I connect with people from all over the world. That’s the primary reason I have Facebook! Today, I got notes from friends in Peru, Hawaii, from London and Hungary, a friend in Belize, questions about living in Bulgaria and more.
I am about to meet new additions to my “travel family” and reconnect with old acquaintances. Awesome!!! That’s one of the highlights of travel for me: authentic connections! Here are some of the amazing people/friends I stumbled into on my journeys. Friends, road family members, from previous trips…
On and on, these type of magical connections materialize. When I leave Belize, I must arrive at my hostel in Flores by 6:00 pm to assure my reservation. Bus travel is a bit sketchy! Then, a company wrote me about an early departure they have which picks up next to the water taxi’s in Belize City. They leave at 10:30, go direct to Flores and take four to five hours to get there. Other services get in much later. Perfect! No worries!
Here’s an overview of the route I’ll travel starting in Cancun:
Here’s the link….Larry’s Travels Belize & Guatemala Map….go explore a bit. Click on the locations and get some more information. Change to satellite view to see the terrain I’ll be in.
The hostel I’m staying in Flores, Los Amigo’s, has been extremely helpful. Rooms are affordable, people from all over the world stay there and they have a travel service which offers very helpful travel information!
I searched and found an affordable room in Tikal National Park. I choose to BE and STAY in the jungle rather than passing through on a day tour. Los Amigo’s not only helped me with transportation, but also had interesting links on their site about other places in Guatemala! I found two!
I’ve been to Rio Dulce before. I hadn’t thought of going there this trip but, that changed. I found two interesting sounding places there that I will explore. One is close to the village of Rio Dulce with boat transport from a local restaurant. It’s new since my last visit years ago. It looks amazing! Have a look: http://www.casa-perico.com
Looks terrible, doesn’t it! View below is from their website.
The other is about an hour down river. It is El Hotelito Perdido, “Little Lost Hotel”. http://www.hotelitoperdido.com/main.php?res=1024×768
Thatched roof structures, located on a river and in the forest. Lots of birds, waterfalls, close to hot springs, kayak or hike in the jungle and, LOTS of hammocks.
Yes, it looks horrible as well! No wifi or cellular! Little solar electricity. Mostly, lots of peace, quiet and nature! Awesome people to communicate with and help me set things up!
And from there….who knows? I have left the last week of my trip open to wander. Lots of flexibility to play and explore.
Cheers!