Nov

I just got back from Belize! Kim and I are both about to turn 30 (!!!), and we have been talking for years about getting certified to scuba dive. So, as a birthday present to ourselves, we decided to do it, and then go on a trip to a fabulous dive area to celebrate/mourn and practice our new skills. It was *so* amazing! We stayed at Journey’s End Resort on the Ambergris Caye, just north of San Pedro (it’s where they filmed the first “Temptation Island”, in case anyone watched that .

Getting there was a bit of an adventure, since American Airlines (I know, I know, they suck, but we were using frequent flier miles) did there best to make sure we didn’t arrive y changing our flight without telling us. Luckily, we made it to Belize proper (though several hours later than we should’ve), and then took what was truly the smallest plane I’ve ever seen out to San Pedro, and finally a water taxi to the resort. Kim’s sister Kristen also joined us (we were supposed to meet up in Miami, but due to our last minute change, we didn’t actually find her until we got to Belize), and Julie, another friend of Kim’s and mine from grad school came down, too. We met her at the resort, since she hadn’t done her certification dives yet and had to come a couple of days early.

They call the resort “a barefoot adventure”, and that is a very apt name! It is one of those fantastic places where you can totally relax and veg, or stay incredibly busy with all the activities they have, or some combination of both (which is what we did). We went diving every day, and also did a night dive. The resort has its own dive shop Belize Ocean Divers, and they were really great. We had very small groups of divers on each trip, and they had a divemaster who would lead us through the site, but also give us autonomy to explore. As for the diving itself, it was really amazing! I have to admit that, during the training, there were several points when I thought I just wasn’t going to make it. But I stuck through it, and it was *so* worth it! Diving in the ocean was much easier than I expected, even doing the backward roll off the boat. I didn’t have any bouyancy problems like I did during the training.

Oh, and while I was off having a blast, Craig stayed home with Sami. What a great husband I have, eh?!!