Even though my husband has taken mission teams to Punta Gorda countless times in the past 5 years, we learned a lot that one only experiences as a tourist.

      For instance: the weather is unpredictable.  We had howling wind four days straight.  Nevertheless, we enjoyed walks on the beach, swimming in the pool, and gazing off the veranda.  I was thankful for my sweater, however. 

     We had rented golf carts to get around San Pedro.  Staying at the Villa Natalia rented from cayemanagement.com, we were 30 minutes by cart from town.  So the golf carts weren't a luxury, but a necessity. 

     Food and meals were much more expensive than we imagined.  There were 8 of us, and we planned to use the full kitchen and cook a lot.  However, our shopping detail dropped $250 US at a grocery, and brought back very little.  Meat, dairy products, and veggies are at a premium. In the future, I'll stuff my suitcase with groceries and buy clothes on location.  We ended up eating lots of beans and rice, like the locals.  A restaurant sold us homemade tortillas.  All flour products were about 4 times what they cost here.  I might have taken a couple of brownie mixes, some cornbread, spices, etc. had I known.  I did pack coffee and tea and granola bars--a wise move.

           I must say the Caye Management was quick to help us out with difficulties. We had trouble getting the cable to work.  They sent someone over right away.  The Villa was equipped with a PS 2 and games, a DVD player, TVs in all the bedrooms.  The mattresses were soooo comfortable, the linens immaculate.  (You don't always find that in Belize.)  The TV came in handy on the days where the younger set couldn't scuba due to the wind.

       We were glad we had packed light waterproof windbreakers.  It did rain occasionally, and it would have been a shame to remain indoors when temps were comfortable in spite of drizzle.

    The sea was spectacular, of course, and I spent long time periods painting and sketching. Our snorkelers saw an array of sea creatures that made fighting the current worthwhile, including spotted eagle rays, nurse sharks, and a moray eel.

Our villa was decorated with incredible ceramics--those big pots you can buy in Mexico, beaded textiles that come from India or Pakistan. If you go to Belize, research your accomodations well;  it makes all the difference in a comfortable stay.