Island Paradise Day 1

We have finally arrived on Utila, and I say finally, because it is not the easiest of places to get to. There are several different ways you can come, all of which involve some combination of buses or planes, then little planes, and then littler planes (or a ferry).

We were already on the east coast of Mexico, so we took a bus to Belize City (comfortable and uneventful), then overnighted there before taking a Tropic Air flight from Belize to Roatan. Belize City is not exactly beautiful - in fact, there really is nothing there worth seeing. So I will not bore you with details of our worse than mediocre B&B and our less than pleasant stroll around town. (Though I did see the most amazing dreadlocks of my life on a old guy whose dreads hung down to his knees!)

The Tropic Air flight was great – a small plane with only four of us on it (not counting the three pilots). The Caribbean Sea looked magnificent from above. I tried to take some photos, but unfortunately they did not begin to capture the colour and beauty that was.

After arriving, we also had to overnight in Roatan, as the ferry to Utila leaves there only once a day at 2pm. I have been to Roatan before, so we had no desire to stay there longer, but for anyone making the journey to Utila, it is worth it to stay a few days and enjoy that island as well. The two island are quite different - each with their own vibe and look.

The next day we took a catamaran ferry (large and fast) to Utila town. Even though the water was quite rough, the ferry was smooth and comfortable.

I will talk about Utila Town more in another blog post - as we will surely spend some time there. We decided to overnight there before heading out as the trade winds at this time of year make the water quite rough in the afternoons, and since we arrived around 3:30pm, we thought it best to wait until morning before buying groceries and heading out in a small boat to our island paradise called Big Rock Cabana.

The 3 days of travel to get here were worth it!

Our little cabin on the beach is much nicer and larger than we expected – despite the copious amounts of gecko poo on every surface. There are two sizable bedrooms each with its own ensuite, a cozy living room, and a large screened porch that lets in the ocean breezes but keeps out the bugs (but apparently not the geckos).

The water is stunning, nicer than I remember - and we have 362 feet of deserted beach all to ourselves.

The Eastern Trade winds blow in and keep things relatively cool, and the sound of the waves is more than delightful – it is simply mesmerizing. (Steph is enjoying the constant sound of the waves because it drowns out my constant chatter!)

The views can also be enjoyed from a large two story cabana on the end of the long dock. The cabana has chairs and hammocks that make for a comfy place to read or snooze, and the water all around is warm and clear. Just out from the dock is some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world. We are looking forward to snorkeling, and Steph has hinted that maybe he will try diving.

This trip to Utila is not about travel or vacation. As you know I have done lots of that. The purpose of this trip was to see how "the dream" of living on a tropical island compares to "the reality." I am truly curious, and so we decided that rather than dream and wish we could do it, we would just do it, and see if it is all it is cracked up to be in our imaginations.

We will be here at least 2 months - maybe longer, and plan on blogging daily about our experiences. So follow along and you too can live the dream – if only vicariously!

Mas manana!