Topper’s International Journey
An Accidental Tourist, Daddy-Daughter Adventure
My father once told me, “never promise what you can’t deliver.” For years, Maddie has been talking about visiting Belize with her dad. As most of you already know, Ambergris Caye has been my international destination of choice for nearly a decade. Usually, I try to visit my home by the sea “Sorry Hampton,” three of four times a year. The decision originally came in the form of economics. It’s cheaper to travel to Belize than many United States cities. In time, (a short time) it became my favorite place. Great people, wonderful weather, and fantastic food! Earlier this year, her brother (Glenn Jr.) and I visited for his first international trip. Since Maddie didn’t have her passport at the time, she and I explored South Florida. It was far more expensive there for 3 days, than a week in Belize. I always told her, “I’m taking you before you go to high school.” For her, high school begins after Labor Day 2018, so Daddy was running out of time.
Late Houston Arrival
This journey would be a series of firsts for Maddie. I call her “topper,” “tunk,” or “box top.” Stay with me through this brief story as you’ll see me calling her by different names. The good thing, she always knows when I’m talking about her or where I am in the crowd while she performs on stage. Clearly a “topper” awareness. On this late August Thursday evening, Maddie (with a brand new passport) would be making her first solo flight from Maryland to Houston. Her mother tracked every mile Maddie flew, while I waited patiently at Hobby International Airport for her arrival. With the exception of her closest friends, Madison is very closed person. With her “crew,” she’s the center of the universe. The rest of us only get to see what Maddie lets us. At 10:25pm, her flight was wheels down and it was now a waiting game for tunk to exit the aircraft. I was on the telephone, while waiting to see the pretty young lady turn the corner. After a crowd of travelers passed, and then a trickle, Maddie casually walked through the exit, and it was on! The Maddie-Daddy adventure was set to begin.
We waited, it seemed like forever for her suitcase to round the turnstile. It was a first, as we were the last people to get a bag. But even before leaving the airport Maddie was already asking for Whataburger. They don’t have those in Maryland, and no matter where she lives Maddie is a Texas girl. In the front seat, Maddie is now looking at her old surroundings and slowly warming up to her dad. We talked about school, the summer, boys (not much intel there) and Belize. Maddie is quietly excited about going, asking questions about what she will see the next few days while in another country. We get to the Whataburger in Katy, and Maddie can only say “yes” to the speaker. She gathers herself, orders and we are on our way. At the house, she chats with her brother, takes a bath and quickly heading to bed. It’s slightly like Christmas eve as a young child, with a mixture of anxiety and wonder before drifting off to sleep. I would crash on the sofa, as Maddie would only sleep in Daddy’s bed.
Off to Belize
On this morning, Maddie slept in a bit. Who does that before an international trip? Most of you have not met Madison, as you would know that she does not easily follow the norm. Around 9:45 she stirred with her first words, “Daddy, what are we doing today?” Looking around the house, she had already found all stationary the night before and writing on all of it. Her second sentence, “daddy, can we go to Shipley’s donuts?” Again, Krispy Kreme dominates the east coast landscape, not so much in Texas. After getting all things organized around the house, and the car packed, we left Katy with Hobby Airport as our international point of departure. Hobby was fairly calm since we were departing during the early afternoon hours. After going through TSA, and heading to the gate we noticed the group waiting for the flight. I told Maddie, “remember these excited faces now, as they would have a different look on the return flight.” She didn’t know what I was talking about, but would understand in a few days. Earlier in the week, I secured pre-boarding, so we walked on in the “A” group. It’s a Southwest thing.
The flight across the Gulf of Mexico was smooth and uneventful. We went “feet dry” over Mexico and Maddie began to soak in the tropical view as we descended over Guatemala and into Belize. The clouds became puffy and distinctly Caribbean as we came in on final approach. It was fun to watch Maddie get excited about Belize. My only reminder to her: “This is not the United States, so let those rules go.”
I remember Maddie saying, “Daddy, this airport is small” as we made our final approach into Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport. Well, it is. One runway, with the same said runway being the main taxi to the terminal. Let’s be clear, it’s a very nice airport. It’s not MDW, BWI or FLL, but these are some of the nicest people you’re going to meet while traveling. Like the 1950’s, an outdoor staircase is rolled up to both the front and back doors for passengers to deplane. The key though, is to be at the front of the customs line as any agent would quickly tire of the obnoxious American tourists, quickly invading their country.
Getting through customs, we then moved to the next terminal for our connecting flight to Ambergris Caye. We had about an hour to kill and Maddie was already eyeing the tourist shops. “Be patient honey” I said, as you will see a ton of shops over the next 4 days. And yeah, my wallet is still cooling off from all the stops we made. When we boarded Tropic Air, for Ambergris Caye, Maddie was allowed to sit in the Co-Pilot’s seat. She looked quite comfortable there as we flew across the channel, in our 14 minute flight from Belize City to Ambergris Caye and San Pedro.
Ambergris Caye
We landed in San Pedro and quickly offloaded from the aircraft, all 12 of us. Waiting, was an assistant from our hotel, the Sunbreeze. We walked around the perimeter of the airport and were quickly at our property. The check-in was a breeze and uneventful. We took a quick walk along the beach to my favorite golf cart rental establishment in the center of town, and we needed to find food! After a brief ride around town, I took Maddie to Lily’s Treasure Chest for dinner and we sat under the canopy looking at the ocean as a gentle rain attempted to damper the Friday evening excitement of San Pedro locals. If you know Maddie, she wanted to go to the hotel for a bath and then time on her Ipad. Her routine is cut straight from both her and my mom. She gets it honestly from both sides of the family. In bed, Maddie was watching Greys Anatomy. Me? “Hey Maddie, I’ll be back in a few.” I took a walk along the beach. Back in the room, I was fast asleep, Meanwhile, Maddie was still up watching TV online. I’m thinking you can do that back in the States. But when you’re 14, making straight “A’s” and have your dad wrapped around your finger, the sky’s the limit, right?
Secret Beach
Up at 5:30 am, I headed to the beach to catch the sunrise. Maddie uttered “Daddy, I don’t think so.” And I was off, on my own with camera and tripod in hand. The clouds were plenty, and I was worried the sun would not peek out at all and this adventure would be a bust. Waiting for the sun, the morning peeps were out running, walking, or recovering from a cocktail-induced frenzy the night before. A normal Saturday morning in Belize!
Getting Maddie ready to go is like well, a process. Let’s not forget it was already 10:45 when she began to stir. Tack on an hour and we are out the door before noon. We stopped by Estel’s dine by the sea for breakfast. I think Maddie was enjoying herself. But to know “Tunk” is to know she’s pretty closed. If you’re one of her friends on snapchat, you already know the deal. Finishing up breakfast/lunch, we were off to Secret Beach. I had a surprise for her, but just a bit later in this journey.
If you read my previous blogs, you know the journey to Secret Beach very well. It’s a mosquito and crocodile-lined experience. The end though, is worth it. Well worth it, trust me. We pulled up to Secret Beach, without fanfare and parked near the water’s edge. Maddie jumped up and headed straight to the water. It was THAT blue and she wanted to be right next to it. I looked around, stopped, locked up the golf cart, and quickly caught up to her. Topper was on the move. We walked right (Northeast) down the beach. To our right were some of the newer bars, packed with Belize “newbies.” As an “old guy,” these places screamed of South Florida on spring break. Not trying to relive the 1980’s I kept my focus on my daughter and this day.
We found a couple of beach loungers and settled down. Maddie began watching saved episodes of Greys Anatomy, while I walked along the beach with my camera. I think she likes being around her dad (just a bit), but savored her personal time. As she enters a special time in her life, I tried my best to give her space. After about :45 minutes, she put her toes in the water, walked out 100 yards, then swam for a bit. As a person who is “swim challenged,” I watched her closely as she enjoyed herself in the water. Not that I could do a bunch if things went south. Regardless, I kept a watchful eye for Jaws. We spent several hours there, sipping on tropical juices while enjoying the silence. Maddie eventually, pulled out a notebook, put her feet in the water, and began writing. There were probably 15 people along the entire shoreline here. To us though, it seemed like we had the entire beach to ourselves. This Maddie-Daddy Saturday was shaping up quite well. But the best was yet to come. We left Secret Beach and Maddie was ready to swim along the Belize barrier reef. About 10 minutes after beginning our ride back to San Pedro, I said “Maddie, time for you to drive.” She looked like she’d either won the lottery or lost the worst bet of her life. Still, though, Maddie the warrior jumped in the driver seat of the golf cart and we were off! Keep in mind, in this part of Belize, we were one of perhaps 3 golf carts on the road. Still, we had canals on either side of the road and going into the water got us a bit closer to nearby crocodiles. So, driving straight was a good thing, as delivering her home to her mother unscathed was a priority.
Belize Barrier Reef
We arrived in San Pedro just in time to get to the beachfront pier. On this trip, Maddie would swim/dive along the Belize barrier reef at Hoi Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley. Topper listened intently to the instructions from the dive masters while waiting to depart. Me? I just proudly watch my daughter, reflecting on a different time when she was a baby girl, afraid to wade toward the deep end of the Waterside Estates pool.
Leaving the dock for Ecologic Divers, the crowded town that is San Pedro becomes smaller. Soon, we’d happily ride past the piers and beachfront hotels as we headed toward Hoi Chan Marine Reserve. The waters had a gentle chop as the reef slowly approached. Looking around, all on board had a distant look in their eyes, perhaps wondering what deep water mysteries would be solved. Better yet, would any one person be terrified of what they might discover once diving into the crystal clear waters at the mouth of the reef? The guide from Ecologic Divers kept the mood light, keeping all aboard positive and excited as we approached the protected waters at the edge of the reef. At the Reserve, you only get about 20-30 minutes in the water. The Belizean Government actually has a Warden on station to monitor and enforce the strict rules here. Protecting the reef is a big deal here, as the BBR is the second longest in the world, behind the Great Barrier Reef off the Australian coast.
After getting instructions, the group of six were soon in the water. As I drown easily, I remained on board. Maddie though, was in good hands as the Ecologic Divers guide volunteered to give her a guided tour while in the water. In case of emergency, I’d jump in. The water was perhaps 6 feet deep in most places, and I’d quickly look like the floundering and foolish American if needed. Now with the boat to myself, I sat in the gently rocking boat and surveyed the scenery around me. To the south, a storm was brewing. It would pass of Caye Caulker and like dissipate soon after. Other boats were here with both snorkelers (like Maddie) and divers. I saw one of the men from our flight to San Pedro. He waived briefly before disappearing into the ocean. Roughly 40 people were in the water while we were there. Over 700 people per day visit this one location. Soon, Maddie’s group slowly approached the boat. One by one they boarded, all with a look of glee in their eyes. Maddie’s first words, “Daddy I saw a huge green Moray Eel.” And then the guide said, “yes he swam around our legs for nearly a minute,” which is a long time while you’re in the water. She went on to describe the Rays, Turtle and Grouper she’d seen. As she looked over the horizon she said “Daddy, it was so vibrant.” We were soon off heading for Shark Ray Alley, our last stop before heading back to the pier.
Most of the same group visiting Hoi Chan, were now at Shark Ray Alley. The area is densely populated with Nurse Sharks. Before you start worrying, know that Nurse Sharks are kinda like Golden Retrievers. They are very loveable, docile, and don’t attack people. They get a bad rap mostly because they are from the Shark family. Don’t get me wrong, they are huge and gather around the boats because they get fed by the boat captains. As the group began descending in the water. I got a scared look from Maddie as the word “Shark” was not exciting for her. We put my phone in a waterproof pouch for Maddie to video the experience. After everyone was in the water, I looked back over my shoulder and Maddie was sitting there. She decided to wait for the Shark population to thin some before she’d join the group. Back in the water, Maddie swam with Amberjack and Grouper. She had a great time, but was now ready to get back to the hotel. The ride back to San Pedro was quiet and uneventful. It took about 20 minutes to get back to the pier, and then the short walk to the room. While Maddie showered, I went down to the Blue Water Grill where live music was already booming through the courtyard. Listening to the music was another reminder why I loved this place so much.
The day ended with a trip to Poco Loco’s for dinner. The downtown San Pedro restaurant is owned by friend Trevor and the food is amazing while still very affordable. I don’t remember what Maddie ordered, but I had wings and they were very good, of course. Back at the hotel, Maddie kicked me out of the room so she could Facetime her friends back in Maryland. I could only hear her laughter while I sat outside by the front door, listening to a gentle rain squall as the latin music slowly increased intensity around downtown. This trip was a drastically different version of my usual visits, but probably the best time I’ve had traveling here. Except, for that one time when..
Caye Caulker
The next morning, I was up again for sunrise photography and once again Maddie said, “no thanks Daddy.” The sun burst through the clouds before 6am and the day was off and running. We would take a mid-morning water taxi to Caye Caulker so “Tunk” could get a different taste of Belize. Caye Caulker is a laid back version of the island chain along the Belizean coast. The motto there, “Go Slow.” But first, breakfast. We took the Golf Cart down to Lily’s Treasure Chest for a quick bite. The water taxi pier is directly across the beach from the restaurant. Maddie had a full breakfast, while I had bacon, fruit plate, and coffee. When traveling alone, I eat on the back streets of the island, as the food is pretty awesome but with less than awesome views. And, you pay about ⅓-½ of the price of dining by the sea.
We finished breakfast, inspected a few of the tourist shops where Maddie found a bracelet she liked (but we did not purchase-yet) and we boarded the taxi for the 25 minute ride south for Sunday fun. The sun burst through the low hanging clouds and seemingly here to stay for the remainder of this day. Before this trip began, the forecasts had been for a rainy weekend. So far we mostly avoided the raindrops during this trip, at least during the day. Thankful and blessed for this fortune. God apparently, had outdoor plans for us during this trip. As the boat pulled up to the dock, I gave Maddie a brief history of the island, dating back to Pirate days in the caribbean and the lore of treasure in these parts. We disembarked without much fanfare and walked down the long pier towards the island. At the end of the pier, taxi drivers offered rides to all points of the island. But, if you knew better you already know you can easily walk to all places on the island except the remote southerly homes and the airport. We quickly found main street, and headed north towards the “Split.” Topper and I passed several shops and vendors cooking fresh lobster on grills to sell. On Caye Caulker, feet are the main mode of transportation, mixed in with the occasional bicycle and golf cart. This is NOT Ambergris Caye at all and the locals here love it that way. The Rasta community is strong here, dating back before tourism. They always give me a weary eye when I visit. I’ve often thought, they may see me as a traitor as these people are very close to caribbean and african roots. As for me, not so much. We approached the “Split,” and Maddie decided quickly it was a bit too busy for her, so we sought a quiet beach. We were on the leeward side of the island. Madison quickly laid out her blanket, pulled out her iPad and began catching up Greys Anatomy. The funny part, she said “Daddy, see ya later,” which was my cue to leave. While she got caught up on season “ I dunno,” I roamed around the area, picked up a punch and still kept an eye on Plunk from afar. We spent about 3 hours on the island, Maddie relaxing and me taking pictures. At one point, the sun began to win and we called it quits. We headed back to the pier for a taxi to take us back to Ambergris Caye. Standing on the pier, I reflected this will likely be the last evening we stand together in another country on a Sunday evening. Maddie would begin high school in the coming weeks. School work, cheerleading, homecoming, dance and eventually boys would change our unique dynamic. She will always be my “plunk girl,” but soon other factors would gain momentum and quickly put me in a different place..
The Journey Home
We wrapped up our trip with a late breakfast at the Blue Water Grill, checked out of the hotel and slowly made our way to the San Pedro Airport for our Tropic Air flight back to Belize City. Madison I think had a good visit, finally seeing the place “Daddy” loves. I was glad to show her my corner of the world. I would be back in December but without her. Our trip to Texas and her journey to Maryland would be uneventful. Every time she leaves, a certain emptiness kicks in. A feeling of failure as a dad. That story, likely never to be shared as there were no winners.
Don’t forget to tell someone you love them. It might make their day. This entire story is dedicated to Madison Taylor Jones. God does not do perfection very often. Outside of wanting a $600.00 purse for your birthday, perfection is you.
Glenn ~ The Accidental Tourist.
PS~ Maddie did end up getting the ankle bracelet, most expensive t-shirts, and pretty much what ever she wanted before leaving Belize.
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