Trying to decide where to go this winter.

Russia is a scary place. Unless you're looking at it from Nairobi. Then it looks pretty safe.

This morning I'm feeling inclined to settle on Belize again for my December get-away. Specifically Long Caye, Glover's Reef. The company is called Slickrock. Also on the same island is Off the Wall dive resort, for some of the world's best diving. If you stay at Off the wall, there's really nothing to do but dive, as Slickrock does not welcome anyone not in their own all-inclusive plan. But if you stay at Slickrock, you can dive with OtW all you like, because they welcome anyone who shows up wanting to dive. Of course, that's not included in Slickrock's plan, so you pay extra to dive. The diving is about a 5-minute boat ride from the pier, so you're back on land for surface intervals if you do multiple dives.

Very tedious trip to get there, but a fabulous place.

The pin on the attached Google Earth screen shot, and corresponding coordinates, are my best guess at the location. I'd attach the kmz file from Google earth, but PC does not allow attaching kmz files.

 

I've settled on Belize for December. Made my reservation and put my travel agent on the job of figuring out flights. Still might do one other trip around January/February. The first possible date to dive Mayaguana with Nekton is later than I'd prefer, but I still might do it.

 

There are beautiful women everywhere. There are even beautiful women on Prius Chat. :rockon:

I'll be spending just two nights in Belize City. Cutting it down to one increases the chance of missing the boat if a flight is delayed. My two weeks will be on a private island.

Yes, but Thailand is much farther away and many more hours in airplanes and sitting in airports for hours and hours. Very rough. Very boring. And once on Long Caye, the diving is a 5-minute boat ride away, and I can jump in a kayak to go snorkeling any time I like. Find me someone to go to Phuket with, to alleviate the boredom of the long journey, and I'm off!

On the other hand, there is a guard bunny on Long Caye (seriously! -- well seriously there is a bunny, and a sign that says "Beware of the bunny.") so that's something to be afraid of.

 

Yep. An honest to Bunny bunny rabbit. Long ears, furry, rodent-faced, the whole nine yards... well, maybe only twelve inches. If you can find it among the brush, it will let you pick it up, and it will lie quietly in your arms as it pees on you. (This happened to someone else, not me. )

Nope. Don't intend to, either. I stay away from war zones. Especially war zones where I'd be associated with one side, regardless of my true pacifism.

Long Caye has Slickrock and Off the Wall dive resort. Slickrock has sea kayaks, sit-on-top kayaks (for kayak surfing), wind surf boards ranging from beginner to advanced, so there's plenty to do. No night clubs, but I don't frequent night clubs anywhere. "Desolate" only applies if what you want is the ugly garbage of "civilization." The only people on the island are the staff and guests of Slickrock and the dive resort. There's all the fresh orange juice you can squeeze, and the beer and pop are at no extra charge. There's no air conditioning. The showers are out of doors and lukewarm (heated by the sun: best shortly before sunset). The only toilets are the outhouse. The cabins are rough planks with wide cracks and thatch roofs, and balconies looking at the surf. The food is not spectacular, but it's perfectly adequate. The staff are wonderful, and have infinite patience as they teach you how to use all the equipment.

Jacques Custeau called Long Caye wall one of the ten best dive sites in the world! Apparently he said that about more than ten places. But it is one of the best dive spots you will find. If you didn't find the diving in Belize spectacular, you didn't dive Long Caye. The snorkeling is less spectacular, but still nice. And much closer to home than the Red Sea, and in Belize there is not an ongoing race-hatred war.

If the Jews and the Arabs ever make peace, I'll consider the Red Sea. Not before. Not even if Rene were to leave her hubby and ask me to take her there.

You're very welcome.