guatemala | Travel Like a Scotsman

BELIZE

Published March 10, 2014

Today is Sunday and we have arrived at the Tikal Inn in Guatemala. Only a few days into this trip and I am ready to tell you that you need to budget about twice as much as you thought to travel around Belize, see the ruins, the beaches, etc.

There is literally no transportation system in Belize or Guatemala. We are accustomed to a bus system that is easy to understand and use. Here, the buses run only twice a week sometimes, or maybe only once a day, so your schedule is just completely shot. So, you have to hire a driver and a car or take a taxi – and they are not cheap! We had to pay $115 “plus tip” which means $120 or more, depending on what Bill decided to give him, to get from Belize City to San Ignacio. The taxi driver started out with a quote of 300 Belizean dollars for the trip, which would be $150 US, or $75 for each couple. In Ecuador, we paid $25 each couple from Quito to Cotacachi which included a stop at the equator and a stop for lunch and was about twice as far. Then, we paid $100 for the four of us to go from San Ignacio to the Tikal Inn, PLUS $18 to leave Belize going into Guatemala. Anyway, transportation is killing us. I guess it’s because gas is $6 a gallon. The young couple we met the first day said they rented a car and were complaining that it was so expensive – $500 a week plus gas. Now I think it wouldn’t make much difference. Thank goodness for credit cards.

So, arrived at the Inn, which is very nice. The cabanas are comfortable and spacious, and the pool is inviting. However, everyone comes here to see the Mayan ruins which, in my opinion is a bit of a scam. They really upsell the sunrise and sunset tours – one of those ” you gotta” deals. So, $20 entrance fee which is good from 6 am til 6 pm. So, guess what? They charge extra for the tours because the sunrise is before 6 and the sunset after 6. Cute, huh?,,

Somebody please shoot me if I ever say I am going to see ruins again. Whether it’s in Greece, Italy, or Central America, they are always up high! Duh, of course they are – the better to see the enemy coming, don’t you know. And my knees won’t let me climb steps anymore. So hiking up to the temples this afternoon was hot, humid, and painful. Once there I could see immediately that there was no way I could negotiate the steps to go up to see the sunset, so Ron, Bill, and Verda climbed up and I stayed down on the grass below.

When they came down, Ron and Bill both said they were disappointed in the sunset. I told Bill they should come to Arizona to our house. We will give them a spectacular sunset from our back porch and we will even include a free beer for only $10 per person!

Now if they will let us out of here and not hold us hostage for more money, we will be headed back to the beach – this time in Placencia – for more snorkeling!

BELIZE

Published March 12, 2014

Our next destination after Tikal was Placencia, Belize. We had not made arrangements for transportation, which we regretted. There was a woman at the Tikal Inn who told us, absolutely, that there was no way to get back to the border except by shuttle which would cost us $30 each person (or $120 US). But Bill and Ron talked to a guy who had a van parked in the parking lot who agreed to take us from there to the border for $75 total instead of $120 total.

Once we arrived at the border and made it through immigration, we had to find someone to take us to Placencia. Bill made the tactical mistake of talking to a guy on the Guatemalan side who agreed to drive us all from there to Placencia for $80 US. Thinking that was too good to pass up, Bill gave him the money and said we would meet him on the other side, the Belize side. Well, of course, the guy disappeared and we never saw him again. The Guatemalans will tell you whatever you want to hear to make a buck. Tip: you are better off renting a car and providing your own transportation. If it costs you a few more dollars, it’s worth it to avoid the rip-offs, the frustration, and the unexpected expenses.

So another taxi driver on the Belize side promised to take us all the way for $150 US. Jesus H . Christ! So tired of getting ripped off by taxi drivers! Now, today, we found out that we could have paid a taxi to take us just to San Ignacio, which was only 10 miles away, then we could have taken a bus to Placencia for about $20 US per person. Ok, enough complaining. My advice: stay out of Guatemala.

We arrived in Placencia and checked into Cozy Corner. Nice rooms with a/c and TV for $70 per night. And downstairs in the restaurant there is WiFi, where I was even able to download Wake Me Up by Avicii. At this moment we four are sitting in our swim suits on the beach with our afternoon cocktails, with a cool breeze blowing and the gentle waves trying to put us to sleep.