micky mouse

Travelling alone with frugal habits is a grinding experience. You tend not to buy into things. Imagine setting out to Disneyland for and indefinite period of time just to try gain an appreciation of the place. When people ask you how long you are staying, you say "Oh, I don't know... a month maybe", "Oh, you're lucky" they say right away, "but it isn't really Micky Mouse", you want to say back, "it is just some guy in a suit."

I don't want to sound bitter, I am just saying this is an aspect of things down here, it is geared for tourists, and I knew that going in...I can say that I have learned two key lessons from the experience:

1. It is easier to buy into the charm of things when you are in a group
2. Having set plans for the day is a big determinate of success and happiness

This second is the most evident. Everyone makes plans and obligations for themselves when no one else decides to impose some on them, and it is a big part of human happiness. I don't know if it is because having tasks and obligations are such a powerful form of distraction, or if people just need structure in their everyday lives. But I do know that having plans makes a good deal of difference.

Thus it is that I am going to go see some Mayan ruins tomorrow, then go snorkel at a coral reef game reserve on Thursday. Then on Friday I have been invited to tour a school where I might go on to volunteer the next week.


Today I went to Caye Caulker, It is a lovely island town, with sandy streets, one central main street, a few grocery shops, restaurants, laundry, and a post office. The rest is hotels and one hostel. It all seems nice, and to me, it seems like it is "set-up" for young backpackers, as those were the people mostly around, other than a few locals and east-asian business owners.

After Caulker I stopped by the library here on San Pedro. It is mostly a library for kids, and it was nice to see them smiling at me as they looked at their books and joked around with each other. Seeing them is an encouragement to go volunteer at the school. I also wish I had brought a few books or magazines, as the library could probably use them.

....

Oh, and before I forget I met a student from UCLA today who is here to save the crocodiles. She was actually inspired by the crocodile hunter and so is now making this her mission before going on the grad school to study crocodile pathology. It was inspiring, and I think the next time I travel, it would be good to have a mission like this, which is in line with life goals...