We left Nashville before dark on that Wednesday morning. There was a light flurry and snow was still on the ground. At 4:15 am, Max drove us and some luggage and Devin drove some more baggage to the airport. I may not be much for keeping up with some stuff but even though I didn't get to sleep much for the previous 36 hours because of packing and many last minute obligations, when we unloaded at the airport, I said "There were suppose to be 9 pieces; where is the black trunk?" Amazing Max ran back to the house while we checked in the other stuff. It was difficult saying goodbye, even "just" for four months. He returned with the black trunk in the nick of time. When I say 9 pieces, I do not mean small pieces; one of them was the 70 pound "portable" air conditioner that I promised Pete for Belize. But we did make it without having to ship anything. After two flights, Nashville to Memphis and Memphis to Cancun, we arrived in Mexico. After one hour of watching bags, we were able to collect all 9 with only 2 of them damaged, pack them onto 4 carts and wind serpentine through about 5 laps of bag check. When we told them we were going to serve in a clinic in Belize, they sent us through without opening bags. Gerald, my friend Carla's brother, was waiting for us with his big SUV and a luggage rack on top; there was exactly the right amount of space for everything. We began south on the old road from Cancun towards Xel Ha. The last time we had been there was with 7 year old Max when I was 7 months pregnant with Jake. The main thing on my mind was that I was 7 months without Jake now. How different the road was!...physically, emotionally, spiritually. The physical road to Xel Ha was so changed. It was no longer a one lane in the midst of the brush along side the ocean. It was widened. There were strip malls. It had a Sams Wholesale. We didn't stop and linger at Xel Ha and watch the tropical fish as we did then. We zipped down the Yucatan stopping just twice but it took over six hours. We stopped at a McDonald's early on so Pete could eat and say goodbye to his civilization. Later we came to an old Mexican village that was unmodernized. I disappeared into the market, mildly alarming Daniel and Pete, and returned with the last avocados we will see for a while because it is not avocado season in Belize. We finally came to the border, stiff legged, and were instructed by our wise driver that only Daniel need get out and say "cancelado" VERY firmly. This was effective. Then we saw our dear Miss Dorothy, principal of Presbyterian Day School returning from Chetumal. What a great welcome to Belize! We had to stop again at the Belize side of the border, get out all the bags, carry them in, pay entry fees and import duty, and return the bags to the car. We drove through a quiet dark Corozal and down the long dirt road to Patchakan. I think our dear driver, who told us previously that he was not afraid of going anywhere in Belize at night, was a little concerned. When we finally drove up to the house, he breathed a sigh of relief and said he had begun to be concerned for us. We said our goodbyes, found the nightwatchman, Elario, for the keys, went in and fell on the beds. So...an uneventful trip.
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