I was booked for a September 21st arrival in 2001 with another fireman pal. We all know how that went. The airline honored my ticket and I rebooked for April, Easter week, 2002. I met Kristine in October and decided to bring her along, as she is MUCH cuter than my fireman buddy.
When we walked out onto the Belize Yacht Club property and saw the sea we both looked at each other and said "we're home".
We went up to the Palapa Bar and watched Dennis Wolf play and see a little kid with a mullet on drums. I have to look up now to that little kid now when I say hi.
Tanisha took us to Lamanai and Daniel invited us to his sons 10th birthday party. We stopped in and met the entire Nunez clan. That little 10 year old kid is featured in an ad to your right on this page.
As we rode up to the north across the hand ferry we saw a giant open field with two houses on it. I looked around, looked up and sighed. Kristine asked, "Is that all you think about is skydiving?" I couldn't stop thinking about how cool it would be to have a boogie there.
I went to the Tropic Air office and met Johnny Grief. I told him I needed a plane and the doors off and seats out for a week. He laughed, was nice and kindly said "no way in hell will the GOB let that happen".
I told some of the local BC regulars about my plan to bring jumpers. They were polite, but all thought I was nuts. (I am, so what?)
When we got on the plane we were so damn sad.
So all these years later have been amazing. We think of SP as home. We have spent wonderful holidays with great friends. We got married above the Blue Water Grill.
It's been a hell of a ride so far! I dream about being in freefall over the reef all of the time. Those of you that have experienced it can relate. Skydiving has taken me around the world, but nowhere is as amazing to see from above than Ambergris Caye. I think Monday is trip 19 or 20.
I'm so looking forward to Chapter Two.