I was hot, and impatient, and growing more so by the minute. It was June 2005 and my first time in Belize, and I was waiting at the airport for a friend who was in Belize to fly fish and look at real estate.
I’m not the most patient fellow and neither is my friend, less so if anything. A tall, hard-charging sophisticated big city guy, he’s a born salesman who loves life in the fast lane. In the four years I’d known him at that time I don’t think I’d ever seen him without silk slacks and high-dollar dress shoes.
We’d crossed signals and were late to reconnoiter, and I could imagine what kind of mood he was in; the two of us would be a real pair until we could get somewhere out of the heat and relax.
So imagine my shock when a rental car pulls up in front of me, and out steps a guy who is a dead ringer for my tall friend, except it can’t be him. The guy is wearing sunglasses, a mostly unbuttoned Tommy Bahama shirt, board shorts and flip flops.
I know Mike couldn’t possibly even own flip flops, but to my shock, he waves me over with a big, casual grin, a cheery greeting to match the smile and fresh suntan.
He’d only been there two days before me but it was enough to make my hard-charging friend looked as relaxed as if he’d stepped out of one of those Jimmy Buffet novels.
His chill vibe was contagious and I very quickly forgot about how hot and impatient I’d been.
I have come to call this transformation “The Belize Effect.” It generally goes something like this:
DAY ONE: (early in the day)…”Where’s my hotel? Damn it’s hot. Is that a mosquito? Good grief these people talk slow….
(later in the day)…”Wow. I didn’t know they have mountains here. Look at that blue water. I didn’t know that color blue existed.”
DAY TWO: (early)… “Fish, scuba dive, hike…look at real estate…we’ll never get to do it all. What are we gonna do? I gotta budget my time…”
(later)…”Man, the air here is soft. How is air soft? But it is. Must be the ocean breeze. This place is like nowhere in the Caribbean. Look at that friggin’ palm tree. Wonder if I could climb it? I wonder how tall they grow? Maybe I’ll climb it after just one more pina colada….”
DAY THREE: (early)…”Look at that sunrise, man. Why do fish have to bite so early in the day? Where the heck is that other flip flop?”….
(later)…”I came here to slay bonefish but I’m starting to think a hammock beats a boat hands down.”
DAY FOUR: (early)…”Is it bad to drink before noon on a weekday? No way, relaxing is never bad for you…”
(later)…”During the weekday? Huh. What day is it anyway? I keep asking people but no one seems to be sure…”
DAY FIVE: “I’m getting a place here.”
…to be continued
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