First Contact - Car rental Agents

As you leave the airport doors, you are greeted by a row of TAXI's and then across the road there are about 10 car rental agencies waiting to rent you a nice car.

We had thought about it and decided to rent one from Crystal or Jabiru. At Crystal, they told us it would be $60 + 13 for Insurance and that was that. No internet special, no choice what so ever. We said, Thank You, but NO.

Jabiru was closed. Another wanted $75 US. We went back in to secure a local flight from BC to San Pedro and on to our final destination of Corozal. They wanted $90 US each one way. This was about 3PM.

At this point we were getting disgusted at being LIED to about prices. We had researched and checked on the internet for weeks. The two were not jiving!

We hailed a taxi to take us to the bus terminal in BC since we were actually in Ladyville about 8-10 miles out of Belize City. Our driver, George, was skeptical about us getting a bus since Wednesday(Sept 10) was actually St Georges Caye Day. A national holiday in Belize and he hadn't seen ANY buses running north all day. He suggested that we take a taxi to Orange Walk for that day and go on to Corozal the next. For $90 US we were on our way. George took us to several hotels.

We had to avoid the main avenue in Orange Walk because of the St Georges Caye Day Parade that was just finishing in the afternoon. We went from hotel to hotel looking for one that was on a ground floor and had air conditioning. This is a near impossible quest as most air conditioned rooms are on upper floors, but not all.

The accomodation that stands out in my mind as having the best advertisement on Toucan Trail but absolutely the worst actual room has to be LUCIA'S GUESTHOUSE on San Antionio Road. It was a little off the beaten path, but when thee woman opened the door to show it, the odor and overall appearance conveyed the aura of a cheap rent-by-the-hour flop room. As the advertizement suggested an 'orthopedic mattress', it appealed to us initially. The mattress 'may' have been orthopredic in 2002 on initial opening, but 7 years of wear and tear have taken its toll on the place. Our driver would NOT consider leaving us there. So onward with our quest. It was getting later and later and I could sense Georges frustrations. He would ask each proprieter for the next closest accomodations that may meet our needs and each time it would either be full, no air conditioning or on a top floor or have a bed that was wood slats and very little matress padding.

At last - A room: As the sun started to fade, we pulled up to the St Christophers Hotel. Its warm brick orange facade gleaming in the afternoon sun. We looked at #16 which had a nice spacious area, refrigerator and large window type AC unit on the back wall and a queen bed. For $45US, we felt this was a fair price.

I am quite sure that George was relieved as we were to finally get a room. He unloaded our baggage and went on his way.