Time to kill after heavily armed Police Escort

[Clark White]

Well we're winding down our short tour of the Yucatan. We've been diving in Cozumel for a week, and spent a few days in Belize, but now our rental 4Runner has destroyed it's front differential (I think it blew a carrier bearing, but it could be one of the other bearings too, it makes a terrible grinding noise unless it's in 4x4 and torque is going to the front left). So that leaves us stranded in San Ignacio up on the Guatemalan border until we can convince the rental agency to come get us (they're bitching about how far away we are and want us to see if we can get it fixed...). We spent the whole day yesterday at Caracol which in order to appease the American State Dept requires a Police escort (they take you in and out at set times with about a dozen heavily armed Para Military Special Police). We have a few more days to kill before we return late Christmas Eve, so we're not sure just what we want to do for those few days. Maybe Tikal (though that is quite expensive) or maybe Cayes, but that all depends on our rapidly depleting budget.

Clark White

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

You needed an armed escort to the Caracol ruins? Why???? We were planning a trip that way one of these days.... crazy.

They look like a fun bunch.

 

[Clark White]

Haha, yes you do. I have limited internet time now, but I will give a full writeup with pictures when I return. Your pictures actually isn't too far off though, no arrangements need to be made for the escort, it's really simple. Like I say, I'll give a full writeup soon.

Clark

 

[Clark White]

Well the rental company came out and met us with another 4Runner so that we could get back to Belize city and catch our ferry....but the replacement 4Runner had every warning light imaginable lit up and has a pretty serious misfire...and it's a 2002! But what ever, we made it back and were now sitting on beautiful Caye Caulker, enjoying the sun and waves, sitting in a hammock, and reading books....it's a tough life I tell ya...

Clark

 

[benedmonson]

We love Caye Caulker! We were just just there for the 3rd time this spring. One of the best things we did a few years ago was get on the Raga Muffin sailboat and sailed all of the islands inside of the reef. We got off at the bottom of Belize and took the maya air back to Caye Caulker. Have a great trip, we leave for a 10 week trip down that way this Saturday.

 

[Clark White]

Well we made it back to the US. In the last few hours on the Caye a couple gang banger types showed up smoking and drinking and throwing their trash all over the beach. I was furious and almost lit into them, but we were also frantically trying to catch a ferry (ours had been canceled at the last second and we were risking missing our flight). I decided getting home was more important and bit my tongue. We managed to just barely make it on the last ferry out, but one of the gang types didn't, got pissed off and threw a full liter bottle at us, hitting a German kid in the face. All our flights ended up being delayed due to snow in Dallas. After being sent in all the wrong directions at Dallas we finally made our flight back to Phoenix at 0230, and back to Prescott at 0600.

Dallas closes almost all of the security checkpoints sometime before we were all trying to get through at almost 10. The airport security guard we found to ask directions ignored us while talking on his phone for about 4min and when he finally hung up we learned he didn't speak English (I can't believe they hire security guards who don't speak English!!!!!!!!!!!!). I finally got directions to an open security checkpoint and the walk way to our terminal, but got separated from my friend who was told it was impossible to walk between terminals and was told he had to take the bus. Well because the tram was closed the buses were over loaded and it took him over an hour to get on a bus, then the bus couldn't make it up the on ramps because of the snow (he walked on the plane 1.5hrs after I got there, but luckily for him they held the plane for hours waiting for people to come in from other flights since it was the last flight to PHX). We finally made it to Prescott at 6am Christmas morning, just in time for Christmas Monkey Bread breakfast.

We are going for a weeks camping, so I don't know if we will get pictures and write up in the next 18hrs before we leave, but hopefully soon we shall get around to it.

Clark

 

[Thuri]

Where did you rent your 4Runner from?

I rented one in Belize last year and toured around got down south to Punta Gorda also.

Reason I asked, We were at a remtoe ruin and it wouldn't start popped the hood to fiddle around adn the battery cables were barely hanging on, just had to reconnect them.

 

[Clark White]

Where did you rent your 4Runner from?

I rented one in Belize last year and toured around got down south to Punta Gorda also.

Reason I asked, We were at a remtoe ruin and it wouldn't start popped the hood to fiddle around adn the battery cables were barely hanging on, just had to reconnect them.

HAHA, we rented from a family place called Buy Belize. The daughter who we mostly dealt with is a really smart and nice girl (nursing student) but clueless with cars. Her parents impressed me as being rather pig headed. I tried to explain to them that I have repaired/replaced every part on those vehicles and tell them what was broken and what needed to be done to fix it and they would not listen to a word I said. What ever, their loss. Where did you rent yours?

Clark

 

[Thuri]

Yup same place, I chose them because of my familiarity with 4Runners. Their daughter was in school in the states at the time.

Didn't mind the husband, but when we returned the 4Runner his wife tried accusing us of scratching the paint, which I didn't buy into. It was an early 90s 4Runner with piant far from perfect, (plus I took photos before we left) didn't end up having to use them though.

 

[Clark White]

Was it a white 4Runner? They have two early 90's there now, a white one that we had and a green one. The green one was missing many lug nuts...I sent them an e-mail requesting a partial refund, we shall see how forceful I have to get to even get a reply. Their daughter was very friendly and helpful, the Dad all but refused to deal with us, and the wife was a total jerk. Their daughter is still going to nursing school but now in Belize instead of Miami.

Clark

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

Enough about the stupid 4runners and hows about some pictures of the adventure!

 

[Clark White]

Roger that! Unfortunately (for those who want to see pictures) the adventure continues, only now were in UT in snow over our heads rather then a tropical rain forest, LOL. Modern travel is amazing is it not? I Promise to get pictures as soon as I return home though!

Clark

 

[Extreme Steel]

I wanna see the Daughter:wings:

 

[Clark White]

Haha! I wanna see her again too! Sadly, I don't have a single picture of her. I guess I forgot to post a link, here are the pictures from our trip: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37622

Clark