Lisa and I are big Amazing Race fans. We even applied once with a stellar video, but never got the call. On Thursday we crossed the border from Mexico into Belize. It’s a good thing we held onto the taxi. They wouldn’t let us in!
Our Belizian taxi driver who helped us get from the border to Belize City.
Lisa’s mom is visiting Mexico on a 180 day tourist visa which is about to expire. We decided that a vacation to Belize would allow her to leave the country and start another 180 days ticking. We hired a dog sitter to stay with Luna. Off we went.
Pick up point, a lovely hostel in Bacalar.
After boarding a bus in Bacalar, we settled in for the drive to Chetumal and then across the border to Belize City, where we would catch a water taxi to Caye Caulker for some island snorkeling. Sounded like a plan.
“Adios” from Lulu at the Quetzal Hostel
We arrived at the Belizean border and hit a snafu. They wouldn’t let us in! We went round and round with the woman wearing the badge behind the glass box. She refused us entry into Belize because we didn’t have confirmed hotel reservations (hotels are always cheaper when booked in person). Our bus driver tried to help, but eventually left us at the border.
Lisa and her mom about to board the water taxi to Caye Caulker, BZ
A supervisor looked at our passports and confirmed that we could NOT enter Belize with Alice’s soon-to-expire visa. He directed us to return immediately to Mexico to get an extension.
Boat ride to Caye Caulker off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean.
In true Amazing Race style, Lisa ignored his directive and went back to the original agent and apologized. We would get the hotel reservation she requested, which we did. AND SHE LET US THROUGH! Apparently there is no communication at the border, surprise, surprise.
View from our hotel balcony. You can see the Caribbean in the distance.
As I write this we are still in Belize. To our knowledge, no All Points Bulletin has been issued for three “older women” trying to overthrow the government. No security risk here. The trick of course is to get Alice BACK into Mexico. I guess we’ll cross that border when we come to it. To be continued…DOS TORTAS
the adventures of dos tortas 
You three are funny!!! I assume you got Alice back!!
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We can’t give away the ending!
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I live for your SMB…Sunday Morning Blog..my own personal replacement for Charles Osgood Sunday Morning.
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Thank you Teresa. A boring life does not a good blog make!
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Well done you! Charm and ingenuity personified 😀
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More charm on Lisa’s part than mine, that’s for sure. Be bold, if that doesn’t work, act stupid.
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Anxious to hear how it goes on the return trip.
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There’s more good stuff in the middle too.
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Oh, my. the terror of three “golden girls” at loose! I was called that once by a cute twenty-something. I wanted to smack her. Please don’t smack me! I am not a twenty-something.
Have a Belizian blast and get Alice back into Mexico. Hopefully without a hitch.
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No smacking I promise.
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You girls rock!! Am looking forward to the end of the story!!
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Hey S. Guess you made it home safely. Holbox sounded like fun. Stay tuned for the rest of the story.
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We had similar problems a few years ago crossing from Guatemala to Honduras, but eventually we got in. Flying in is always easier than border crossings, I don’t know why.
I am also tone-deaf to people who want to be “tipped” aka “bribed” – which sometimes makes things go slower for me.
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It just never occurs to me to offer a “payment”. We didn’t have any Belizan dollars anyway. The taxi ended up taking us to an ATM so we could pay him. It’s the best way to exchange money.
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