Belize-Here We Come!!!!

I'm back!!!!!!, sorry it has been a while since my last blog post but so much has been happening.  We sold our house in October and had to be out in 2 weeks.  So the race was on to get out.  Thank goodness we had actually been packing and moving things out for the last year, I really don't think I would have ever made.  I actually had everything moved out of the house and had the house clean and ready for the new owners a day ahead of time.  It was such a relief, I just cried because I truly could not believe I got everything out of our house that quick. 

We rented a storage building for things that we plan on having shipped to Belize.  Some family pieces of furniture were taken to my sisters.  Everything else was moved to my dad's and put in a large storage building.  We will start trying to sell off everything else in the next few weeks. 

We are living with our 3 dogs at my dads house until we figure out when our actual move day will be.  Things have worked out pretty good at my dad's and it is nice getting to spend time with him before we move to Belize.

Belize-Surviving the City

Belize City

If you are traveling to Belize, you will most likely encounter a brief or maybe longer stay in Belize City before you get to your final destination. A few months ago I wrote a blog post about "Crime and Personal Safety in Belize". I find that no matter where you live or travel there will always be areas of crime and you should always take certain precautions for your safety.

I recently read a great blog post on "How to Survive in Belize City" which gave some great safety tips if you plan on traveling through Belize City.

Belize City is the largest city in the country of Belize and had about 70.000 citizens at the time of the last census. It is the former capital and home to most companies. From a tourism point of view there is not much to do in Belize City and it is a launchpad to the safer areas in the country or on the Caye's.

If you’re an expat, or a volunteer, you may live here. If you arrive on a cruise ship you will disembark here.

You may have heard rumors or surfed websites that made a violent death seem like the inevitable result of a day spent here.

We’ve been here for almost 2 months now. We haven’t been killed, though a newbie carelessness quickly resulted in a snatched mobile phone.

Your trip to Belize city can be pleasant and uneventful. If you follow some basic rules:

To read more: "How to Survive in Belize City"

Gene Simmons, "Belize it or Not"

Last Tuesday was pretty exciting for Belize. The season finale on the A&E channel “Gene Simmons Family Jewels”, Gene asked longtime girlfriend of 28 years Shannon Tweed to marry him on a dockside bay in Ambergris Caye, Belize. It was the most watched episode in the show’s history. However, we did not get to hear Shannon’s answer. The episode was actually filmed in Belize back in May and fans will not get to hear her answer until Family Jewels resumes on September 6^th. 

Photo: A.J.Baxter

Moving With Your Pets Abroad

Alina, our Nervous Nellie

Last year I blogged that we would be moving with our furbabies to Belize. You don’t want to wait until the last minute to make plans for moving your pets abroad with you. It takes time and careful planning. First, find out whether your dog or cat will be subject to quarantine. Belize falls under live animal importation rules and these rules are regulated by the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA). Dogs and cats can be brought into Belize without quarantine. Pet owners must have a valid import permit, and an international vet certificate within 48 hours before shipment. The vet certificate should state that the animal is free from infectious diseases and has been vaccinated for rabies not less than one month and no more than six months prior to departure.

Restrictrions or Acceptance Exceptions

You will also want to check with your airlines to make sure that they will carry your breed of cat or dog. I found that American Airlines will no longer accept brachycephalic, snub-nosed or mixed breeds of snub-nosed animals of certain dogs and cats. Also, check for any other restrictions or acceptance exceptions the airline may have.

Kennel Guidelines

Kennels must meet the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animal Regulations. We have some really large doggies. Two of our dogs are between 75 and 100 pounds. The kennel must be specific to the height and weight of your pet. I told my husband this morning that we were putting our pets on a diet. NO more treats. Make sure you follow international guidelines when purchasing your kennels. 

Helpful Tips

1. Bring your leash and collar so that your pet can be walked if necessary.

2. Make sure you have attached ID tags with your name and phone number.

3. Never transport an animal with a choke collar or muzzle.

4. You may need to sedate your pet for travel. Our dog Alina we call a "Nervous Nellie", she gets very upset with change. So we plan on asking our vet for something to give her during the flight

5. Purchase the kennel in advance to allow your pet to become familiar with it. Hopefully this will ease some of the stress of travel.

6. Airlines will  not transport warm-blooded animals if the actual or forcasted temperature exceeds 85 degrees Fahrenheit at any city on the the routing.

You may also want to check out this Live Warm-Blooded Animal Acceptance Checklist.

Getting Married in Belize

Prince William and Kate Middleton were married on Friday at Westminster Abbey. Kate followed the Old Wedding traditions of wearing "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue", meant to bring good luck to the blushing bride.  Today, many brides are looking for ways to put a modern twist on this dated custom.

With Belize's natural beauty getting married in Belize is an idea place for a destination wedding and your marriage in Belize is legal everywhere in the world. 

Legal Requirements for a Non-Resident Marriage.
1. Fully completed marriage license application-notarized by a Justice of the Peace.
2. Copy of your passport with picture and date of arrival in Belize.
3. One of the parties must be in Belize 3 days prior to getting married and filing the license.

Photo: Magnus D

Belize Travel Information

Getting to Belize
Belize City is approximately a 2 hour flight to Houston, Texas. Many international airlines service Belize on a daily basis and fly into Phillip SW Goldson International Airport (BZE) located 9 miles outside of the city. Most airlines in the United States connect through Miami, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles.
Tropic Air and Maya Air are the main local carriers and offer connecting flights almost every hour to most of Belize's major towns and resorts. Keep in mind that they do not fly at night.

Entry Requirements to Belize
Adults and children require a valid passport for at least 3 months after the date of arrival and a return ticket to enter Belize. US citizens do not require visas if they have a passport and return ticket. You can stay in Belize as a visitor up to one month and must get an extension after 30 days.

Time in Belize
Belize is in the Central Standard time zone the same as the United States. Belize does not observe Daylight Savings time.

Belize Currency
The Belizean dollar is the country's official currency but most US visitors use US dollars which are fixed to the Belizean dollar at a rate of approximately BZ$2 to US$1. Most tourist areas accept major credit cards, just note that the transactions fees can be expensive. You will find ATM's throughout the city but most are for the local banks. U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere in Belize.

Departure Taxes and Fees
Departure taxes that use to be collected at the airport are now included in the cost of most airline tickets. 
If you are departing the country through land borders you will be required to pay a border exit fee of US$18 per person. There is a standard 9% hotel tax. A 9% sales tax is charged on most goods and services in the country.

Belize Weather
The hurricane season normally runs from June to November.

Prohibited ExportsPre-Columbian articles, marine products, unprocessed coral or turtle shells.

Safety Tips
According to TravelBelize.org you should follow certain basic safety tips.

• Keep your travel plans, including accommodation details, to yourself.
• Only make reservations with tour operators who are licensed. Ask them for a direct contact in cases of emergency.
• Don't hitch hike.
• Try not to travel at night.
• Avoid quieter areas of the cities you visit, especially at night.
• Ask your hotel manager for advice on 'safe' versus 'unsafe' local areas.
• As a general rule, city streets that include children and women suggest the area is safe for families.
• Carry with you at all times the contact details of your home country embassy click here for embassy listing in Belize. If your country doesn't have local embassy, find out which other country's embassy is available to help you, such as the British or US embassy.
• Keep a photocopy of your passport and all other important documents in a safe place.
• Use ATMs during the day, when there are people around.
• Try to rely more on credit cards and travelers checks than cash.
• If you are mugged, don't fight back. It is better to lose a few dollars and a wristwatch than get injured.
• Avoid incidents such as fights, riots or civil disturbances at all times.
• Report all incidents to the Belize police department nearest to you.