Mexico to Belize boarder Corozal

Goodbye Mexico, hello Belize. 

We ditch the fairly decent collectivos in Mexico to board what looks like a relic of an old-style American school bus that must be about 60 years old. It’s ok inside, but definitely very well used! Next stop to cross the Mexican - Belize boarder. After reading about crossing the boarder and how we could pay the exit tax by card, we are bundled into this tiny little room with an armed guard where we find out that it’s cash only, and we don’t have enough cash. So, we thought long and hard, but decided to sell both children to the Mexican cartels, and went through the boarder nice and easily 🤣. Thankfully, thanks to exchanging all of Seb’s  Christmas money to dollars at Gatwick airport, we had exactly the right  amount of dollars stashed to get through without having to proceed with the child-sell but a few nervous minutes as we counted the dollars out. Next, we get back on the bus to get through immigration…the very kind bus conductor informs us that unless we are quick, the bus will go without us and needless to say, as the only non-Mexicans on the bus, this wasn’t quite as straightforward. Again, a few anxious minutes with the bus-lady huffing and puffing as she watches us sweat to get through. Not the greatest experience for the boys as our first boarder crossing but once again, they handled it all brilliantly. 

We continue on the bus to our first stop in Belize, Corozal. Corozal is a little town on the edge of a lagoon. The lagoon is filled with manatees, crocodiles, bull shark pups, and all kinds of bird life. The town itself is fairly run down with lots of drunk men walking around, although we are told they are just ‘laid back’, so laid back they seem to forget to get dressed and walk around with their willy’s hanging out of their trousers 😳. The boys didn’t point and stare at all!! (The pictures of Seb at the bottom are him doing an impression of the locals, with his zipper firmly up!!).

Apart from the side-show, the lagoon was very pretty with palm-fringed edges and the endless sound of birds. The town has a very different feel to Mexico and I must admit, it’s not the greatest welcome to our next country however, I guess if you arrive at Bognor bus station your initial impressions of the UK might be much the same! Our accommodation is very basic and double the price we’ve been used to in Mexico, but we knew this, so our plan is to move through Belize fairly quickly, seeing the coral reef and jungles as we pass through Belize.

A quick stop in Corozal before our next stop in San Ignacio, back in the jungle. So far, not the friendly helpful people we’ve been used to in Mexico but fingers crossed that’s just here.