49 - Sunday, December 4, 1988 - North Shore News Belize courting tourist trade WHAT DO travel writers talk about when they get together? Travel, of course, but usually something out of the ordinary For exampie, one friend of mine spends months at a time mucking through jungles in Southeast Asia as the regional! editor for a well- known travel guide. ‘‘I can’t imag- ine anyone going to some of those places by choice — but I get paid for it. Anyone on a holiday down there must be nuts.”’ One thing about travel writers — they're dead honest, at least with each other. That’s why I have no hesitation about recommending an unusual destination — and one that } haven’t checked out myself. It comes with rave reviews from a friend of mine, Wayne Wirtanen, a feature writer for a California publication, International Travel News. I forgot to ask Wayne how he stumbled on to this particular des- tination — Belize — probably because I couldn't get a word into the conversation. As I said, he raves aliout the place. For openers. | needed a map to show me wher: }‘elize was situated (on the east coast of Central ‘America, just south of Mexico). The location, close enough to EI Salvador and Nicaragua to be neighboriy, earned Wayne my raised eyebrows. “Safe and serene,’’ he assured me. What’s so great about Belize? To start, the prices. Just as tourists flocked to Mex- ico 20 vears ago to live in luxury for a few pesos, tourists today can enjoy the same benefits in Belize — lobster dinners for $3 (Wayne also writes a food column so I ex- pect they are GOOD iobster din- ners!) and clean, comfortable ac- commodation ai bargain prices. Another selling feature for North Americans is that English is the main language —- Belize used to be che British Honduras. The habits and customs have re- tained a British flavor which both Wayne and his wife found charm- ing — a bit iike Victoria, perhaps? You know those Americans! The best months to visic Belize are March, April and May, with October as a second choice. During the summer the weather is hot and rainy. During the peak winter months — December through February — tourists over- crowd the available accommoda- tion and reservations need to be made months in advance. This eliminates spur-of-the-moment island hopping. Travel within Belize is inexpen- sive. Loca! boats run between the islands for the convenience of the residents and tourists climb aboard along with the cargo. Buses are regular and travel to all parts of the country. Where there are airstrips, small planes can be hired. Taxis, 100, are quite cheap and there’s very little opportuniiy to dicker over fares — they are generally standard. travel wise Barbara McCreadie visitor is One scam that the warned about — never pay a fare round-trip in advance. ‘“‘I’H be back to pick you up at three o’clock’’ as you are deposited by a boatman on sore island probably means you'll te swimming back. One of my major aversions in the tropics is bugs. Wayne assures me that there are very few during the dry (winter) months, They were there until the end of May and were bothered on- ly at the tail-end of the trip. Living is casual in Belize. Wash and wear clothing is recommended along with bush-clothing for trips into the countryside. Be prepared to carry your own bags so pack lightly. Bring a jacket. The currency in Belize is the doliar which is worth 50 cents U.S. At the beginning of the trip Wayne converted his U.S. cash to Belize dollars but after a while he simply used his American dollars and found that he always got the proper exchange rate and everyone accepted the dollars without ques- tion, The capital, Belize City, is the only ‘‘touristy’? spot where you'll find a bit of huckstering in the side streets. Wayne warns that Belize takes its statutory holidays very seriously ~— the whole country closes down. Aside from the normal Christmas, New Year’s Day and Easter, watch out for March 9, April 21, May |! and 24, Sepr. 10 and 24, Oct. 12 and Nov. 19. You Travel tight. travel Tiley travel happy! Drop in, Phone or Write Christmas Hours December 2-24 Mon -Thurs. & Sat 10:5:30 Fn 10.9:00 Sun. Noon-5.00 TURKEY TREK Dear Alex - My husband and | had a great trek through wy eastern Turkey Thanks fo our Tiileys. we endured. with class. the heal and dust. the cold showers. spectacular scenery and 3rd Millenium BC ruins . Tilleys are the answer for ail kinds of travel Out ma Most particularly the “rougher” trips : In this photo. we are “Tilleyed at Hosap Castle, 25 kms from the Iranian border Barbara Tilley 1537 West Broadway Vancouver, B.C. V6J 1WS Ph. 732-4287 or SEA-HATS Sept 15,1988 Beverley Smin, Jock Jennett Clarksburg. Qntano Thanks, Bev and Jock! Remember, Dear Readers, it 1s also civilized to socialize in your Tilleyst Alex Tiley may find it hard to get a meal. For mere information on visiting B-lize: Belize Promotions 720 Worthshire Huston, TX, 77008 They have a toll-free number, good only in the U.S.A.: 800- 451-8017 (Tone) 537. Free guides and an excellent map ($3 U.S.) are available from: Belize Tourist Bureau P.O. Box 325 Belize City, Belize, Centra} America The most convenient way to reach Belize appears to be TACA Airlines out of Los Angeles, how- ever, that flight makes two stops enroute -—- San Salvador and Guatemala city. There are non- stop flights from Houston, Miami and New Orleans that might be preferable. Local travel agent, David Moon of Discover Your World Travel in North Vancouver, has visited Belize often and is interested in getting a package together — so interested that he made a point of meeting the delegates to the Com- monwealth Conference when it was held in Vancouver. He tells me that Belize is really courting the tourists just now. 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