Hanging out on South Padre Island TX

My cousin Kevin Dre's, who owns a construction/remodeling company in Phoenix, decided he needed a break and will be taking a week off to drive through Mexico and down to Belize with me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate his doing this with me! Besides having the company he has a lot more experience towing a trailer than I (and you'll see how little I have in a minute) and speaks some Spanish. Not sure if I wrote why I'm still in the U.S. or now so I'll briefly tell you, and if I did please bear with me.

Early last week one of my nieces posted on Facebook that my step-mother Jean had passed away. After a panic phone call I found out that she was still alive but Hospice was now taking care of her. She passed early Saturday morning. I've been having sniggle little problems keeping me from crossing into Mexico and I decided that my Angels were holding me up until Jean left us and I while I was still in the family loop. Friday Kevin sent me an email asking if I was up for company. I jumped at the chance and he booked a flight to Brownsville for Wednesday so he could take care of some outstanding business. So, once again my Angels helped me out.

So now I have a few days to wait so I thought I'd take a ride out to South Padre Island. My Houston cousin Pat Coyle loves the place and it's one of his top two beaches in the country, Destin FL being the other. I hitched the trailer yesterday and dragged it out and parked along the road and walked onto the beach to talk with some of the RVers parked on the sand. I found out it only costs $18 for a 90 day stay. Of course there are no facilities and you're living off the grid but who cares! Here's what happened though. I drove onto the beach and looked for a suitable spot to park until Wednesday morning, finding one about a mile from the beach access building. Now I'd passed quite a few RVs and trailers parked prettily on spots with excellent views. So I found one that I liked and did a U-turn so that I was parked parallel to the water and where I thought it was above the high tide mark. Bad move!!! I immediately started to bog down and tried heading back for the firmer wet sand of the beach path. I didn't make it. Well thought I that's why I got a 4 wheel drive jeep, for just such situations. Wrong answer. The sand was just too soft and the trailer a bit too heavy to pull forward or push back. I placed a couple of the 2x12's I carry for placing under the stabilizer jacks under the 4 wheels of the jeep and was just about to unhook from the trailer. My thought was to get the Jeep out using the 4 wheel drive and then hook to the rear of the trailer, since it was closest to the firmer sand, and yank it out with towing straps. My Angels are always around me though and sent a 4-some with a monster pickup to help me out of my predicament. They hailed from northwest Iowa and are "winter Texans" as the snowbirds are called here. We soon had their pickup and my Jeep secured and they pulled me out with one big tug. I certainly thanked them, God, and my Angels as soon as I hit firmer sand. One of the guys mentioned that they were staying at the Best Western and had remembered seeing my trailer parked in the McDonalds parking lot. He laughingly remembered the large blue garbage can (about 75-80 gallons) on the back storage deck. The 4 of them jokingly said I must be planning on generating a lot of garbage but were glad that I had somewhere to put it. I actually brought it for water storage (I have another 40 gal one that will go on top of the trailer for showering, heated by the sun) for when I find my plot of land in Belize. I won't have access to city water or a well, at least not in the near future. I'm familiar with the water catch containers on the Cayes. There aren't any wells and no city water so they catch rain water and use reverse osmosis to purify it. Me, I'll use household bleach. Don't believe me? Here's a website that gives you all the info on using bleach. Bookmark it because it may come in handy one day when your city water is turned off due to a water main break and they tell you to boil your water until further notice.

http://www.newjerusalem.com/PureWater.htm

So anyway on with my tale. I drove up the beach toward the entrance and stopped to talk with a guy who had a trailer much like mine. I came to find out that they use sections of 2x12 plank to ease up to where they will park and then leave the final section under the tires. Since I didn't think of that in my earlier planning I decided to be safe and head for somewhere off the beach. I'll have to hit Home Depot and pick up some planks for the trip because I may run into the same situation when I go looking for my plot of paradise. As I was headed back to the local Walmart to park I passed a really nice small motel offering $23 a night. Hmmm...a hot shower, free continental breakfast, and 24 hour Internet... So here I sit, checked in for 2 nights for a total of $52, writing on my blog and waiting for Kevin to fly in at 5pm Wednesday. Not sure what the next couple of days will have to offer but I know I'll be spending a few hours of it in my beach chair, enjoying the warn sunny weather staring out at the Gulf Of Mexico, smoking cigars and reading a book. Another of my TX cousins, Matt, recommended a seafood joint that he says is really good so I may try it tonight. But if nothing else I'm getting in some very restful days. Now you may think that all I'm doing since I retired is resting but that truly is not the case. I've spent many long days investigating the requirements for possibly living off the grid, finding a trailer to live in, outfitting it foremost for basic survival and then comfort, and preparing for the drive. So I'm pretty worn out from all that and having a few days to just kick back before the long drive to Dangringa BZ is just what the doctor ordered!

More later!

Another delay...and a very good reason for it

Well I didn't get to cross the other day due to minor, but critical, electrical problems. But I decided it was my Angels keeping me here in the states for a reason.

Cause and effect: My fridge stopped working the other day. Stupidly I thought about not bothering to fix it. That thought lasted all of 10 seconds. I bought it on to a repair shop on Saturday and they found a short in the wire to the heater, which is on the same circuit as the fridge. That's fixed now. But stupidly failed to check my electrical outlets. So when I parked for the day I plugged in my cell phone charger and it didn't turn on. That clued me to the new problem. So it's back to the repair shop on Monday morning. I decided that these and the other sniggly problems are what my Angels were placing before me to delay my crossing the border.

Reason 1: I had heard from my brother Tom that my step-mom Jean, who has been in a nursing home in a Chicago suburb for 4 years, had died. It turned out that she was still alive but critical. She finally passed early Saturday morning. In talking to a couple of my siblings, and due to the funeral arrangements that were made I can't get up there for the service. So I went to the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Brownsville and lite a candle and said a prayer for her and my Dad and Mom who are already enjoying heaven.

Reason 2: Now this is worth sticking around for! My cousin Kevin, who is a world traveler, contacted me about traveling with me on the drive through MX and BZ. Having a traveling companion is going to be GREAT! Plus he has a lot of experience towing a travel trailer, which will be a big plus. And he even speaks rudimentary Spanish. I can ask for a beer and the bathroom and that's about it. So anyway Kevin flies into Brownsville on Wednesday at 5pm and we're shooting for crossing the border at sun up on Thursday.

Since I have a few extra days here I'm thinking about taking a side trip to South Padre Island. My cousin Pat says it's one of the prettiest beaches he's ever seen here in the states. He also favors Destin FL.

Fatboy In Belize - The Adventure Begins...tomorrow...

Well I got a late start from my cousin's house in Houston yesterday and was slowed by rain and fog. So far my delays have been due to inconsiquencial causes. Thank God for that! I'm sitting in a McDonalds in Brownsville using their free AT&T internet service. I parked my trailer in the furthest Walmart south and spent the night and will spend tonight there too. I'm about 5 miles from the MX border. As a matter of fact I crossed it this morning to get an idea what I'm in for and to get my paperwork. I'm definately going to be getting a crash course in Spanish! I can undestand having to learn the language when I move into their country. And not to be politically incorrect, I think it only fair that they learn ours when them come north, not us having to make concessions for them, like press 2 for Spanish. I'm sure there will be very little of that in Mexico. The people working the various bureaus on the MX side of the border spoke very little English, and me no Spanish but the pleasentries, so lots of hand signs and other novel gestures by both parties got the issues settled.

Since I didn't have the trailer with me I couldn't get the temporary vehicle permit but I did get my 6 month visa. I also found that it I will set off alarms when I cross the check point. They have a chemical reader that was set off by one or more item I had in the back of the Jeep. I was carrying 3 gallons of bleach (for water purification), enough oil for 2 oil changes, 2 gal of windshield wash/bug remover, 2 gal of antifreeze, a bottle each of brake and transmission fluid, and 2 spare tires (not on rims). I also have 2 spares (not on rims) for the trailer plus, of course 1 spare each on rims. See...I'm prepared for most possibilities. The guy inspecting the car said it wouldn't be a problem bringing that much spare stuff with me so that was a relief.

So the rest of today I'm going to take it easy and get some rest. Getting ready for this move I've been on the go for the last couple of months and am a bit worn. I know I'll be getting a lot of rest over the next weeks but I wouldlike to cross feeling as fresh and relaxed as possible.

I'm not sure when I'll next have access to the internet but I'll try and update this as I go and will keep you all informed of where I've been and what's happening. Hasta mas tarde!

Fatboy in Belize - The Adventure Begins!

Well it's Monday night and tomorrow around noon central will be the start of my journey to a new country and a new life. While I'm very nervous about moving alone to a foreign country, possibly living semi-off the grid, I'm excited about the possibilities in front of me. I know that I WILL have some obstacles to overcome hopefully all the planning I've done will make my move easier. Only time will tell.

My plan tomorrow, Tuesday January 19th, is to drive to Brownsville where I plan to cross the Mexican border, park for the night, and get an early start on Wednesday, crossing over and driving far as I can before dark. Since it is advised not to drive at night I'll drive sun up to sun down. And since I really don't have a schedule to keep I'm thinking of taking the eastern route along the coast, stopping in Tempico, Veracruz, Campeche, Cancun and Chetchumal. So it may take a week or more before I head into Belize depending on how much fun I'm having in each place. Of course all that may change if I get antsy to get to Belize.

So keep your eyes on my blog and I'll update it with where I've been and what I've done as I find internet cafes that will have me...

Not going to be able to leave on January 13th...

Well I was hoping to be on my way south on January 13th but I didn't make it. And I sure ain't waitin' until February 13th (remember that 13 is my lucky number and I left Orlando on Friday November 13th). I still have 1 important issue to clear up that has to be completed before I leave. Hopefully I'll get it done early next week and I can be on my way.

I'm repacking the trailer to distribute the weight correctly and that's going swimmingly. But I've had to discard a bunch of stuff that can't support more than 1 function to maximize space. I remember a couple that I was friends with years ago who sold everything to retire and move onto their sail boat. They did what I'm doing now. I didn't realize how difficult that would be. But I'm almost done now. One more thing to scratch off my list...

As a side note I've been looking at house sitter websites and have submitted on a few that were at least 6 months long. I figure that maybe I can do some sitting around Mexico and Central America to see if maybe there is somewhere else I might like more than Belize. So far I've not gotten 2 of them because they wanted a couple but I'm still looking.

Christmas in Orlando

Well I was then I wasn't coming home to spend Christmas with my kids. They convinced me otherwise in no uncertain terms. Boy were they mad when I said I wasn't. I'm so glad that I did though. I've enjoyed spending every minute possible with Rich (whom I'm staying with), Matt, Nicole and and my grand baby Kayla (she's 2), and Carrie. We've dined on all kinds of wonderful foods in all kinds of great restaurants. And Christmas Eve with all of them, and especially Kayla, as this is her 1st cognizant (of Santa and the meaning of) Christmas. It was such a trip watching her open the family gifts Christmas Eve!

I spent my birthday in Disney Studios with my Carrie. In 2009 Disney had an offer of free admission to any 1 park on your birthday. So we went to ride the Tower of Terror, the Aerosmith (the band) roller coaster, which is indoors and semi-dark, with a start that goes from 0-60 in 3 seconds and right into a loop. Plus they have the Osborne Christmas Lights at night. Over 5 million lights that are synced to music. Pretty cool! They did change the location of the lights from the last time I was there so I didn't think it was as impressive as previous years but it was still pretty. Last time I was there the lights were in the "back lot" area which contained 6 or 8 houses (one from the Golden Girls, one from Herbie the Love Bug, and another that I can't remember what TV show it was used for. Plus the NYC street. Now it's all on a street with back drops of NYC and San Francisco. Well worth the price of admission though...especially when it was free!

My sister Eileen and her husband John are flying in from Charlotte NC on Friday and will stay the weekend in Daytona Beach. My sister Diana (Bunny to those of you who know her), who lives in Madeira Beach FL is driving up on Saturday and she and I will go spend the day with Eileen and John.

Soon after that it will be off to Houston again to make my final preparations to head south. The only remaining holdout to crossing the border is my lump sum pension payout check. I want it in my hand when I finally get underway. Belize has very attractive saving account interest rates so I'll deposit some there, which will be in Belize dollars and readily accessible and some in a U.S. bank to have access to American dollars, accessible through ATM. I'm covering all of my bases...

But, when all is said and done, it's going to be hard to leave my kids again for God knows how long, until I visit FL. They CAN come down and visit me though! I'd really enjoy that. And remember that you are also welcome to come for a visit. The scuba diving, snorkling (for those who don't dive), fishing, sightseeing, and just plain hanging around is GREAT!!!
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My new home

Well I thought I had posted a picture of my new home that I'm dragging to Belize but I guess now. So here it is. It's a 1994 22 foot Coachman Catalina. It's been checked out by an RV dealer who said it was in excellent shape. It has 1 bedroom with a full sized bed in the rear and 2 bunk beds up front, and a full kitchen and bath.

 

While I was staying at my cousin Pat's in Houston for those couple of weeks in November I was sleeping in it and it was very comfortable so I have no reservations about living in it full time. If I don't have an electric hook up anywhere everything will run nicely off the solar/battery string except the AC. I have a gas generator that will run that. The fridge will run on either electric or propane, also depending on whether I have electric or not (if for some reason the solar/batteries lose power). The stove runs on propane but that's plentiful in Belize because everyone cooks with it. And of course I have a BBQ grill.

 

I do plan on adding 2 additional batteries to the 2 that I already have, so that my storage capacity is greater. They can also be charged directly from my Jeep when the engine is running or from the generator so I think I have all my bases covered there. That's not to say that I won't have an electric hook up in Belize. But for the 1st week or 2, while I'm looking for that perfect spot to call home I may not.

Hopefully I've prepared for every possibility when it comes to living in a trailer out of the country. God knows I've done an awful lot of research on various websites supported by people living off the grid and survivalists. They had some great info on keeping safe and what works well in the wild. I've taken it all in and bought some of the things recommended like a solar/crank operated AM/FM/Short Wave/Weather radio (it can also be plugged in). I also purchased a very portable water filtering system that allows you to take the dirtiest of water and make it drinkable. Now whether it tastes good or not remains to be seen but I'll have plenty of packets of lemonade to help flavor it.

I've added 2 tires plus a spare for the Jeep and the trailer as well as 2-2 ton floor jacks and 2-2 ton bottle jacks just on case of a flat tire or blow out. I also put locking lug nuts on all of my tires so I don't have to worry about someone stealing them without having to go through a lot of trouble. I have a tongue lock to prevent someone from pulling up towing my trailer off if I'm not there plus every hitch pin has a key lock.

 

So while it sounds like Belize is a dangerous place it really isn't. To tell you the truth most of these precautions are for my drive through Mexico and just for peace of mind as I do plan on traveling Central America and doing some camping in the rain forest and mountains of Belize and Guatemala. Lots of Mayan ruins, wildlife preserves and other interesting places to visit on day trips and longer. I have my 17 foot canoe with me and canoe trips are a possibility too.

 

My son Rich has an account on a website called http://caretaker.org/ that lists caretaker jobs all over the world. I answered an ad last night for someone to just live on their property while they aren't there, which is 90% of the time. They provide electric and water hook up if the person selected has a trailer or a room in the house. They also supply Internet and satellite TV. And best part is they are near where I want to be. So, keep your fingers crossed for me!

 

Well that's about it for now. I just wanted to post the picture of my new home... More later!