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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

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How I got Thrown into Belize Time at Home

by tacogirl 18/11/2017
written by tacogirl 18/11/2017
Caye Caulker Itinerary

You may have read in previous blog posts about how the island is like Sesame Street and a simple trip to the store can have you instantly on delay and often catapulted into a new direction for any number of reasons. You might run into friends and decide to hit a beach bar or, you could get “paraded”.  Island people love parades and there is nothing better to remind you why you came here than to get caught behind one. It forces you to slow down and appreciate life’s unexpected surprises and delays. 

Getting Derailed and Enjoying it

Home is not safe from getting on Belize time either and just like parades instead of being bothered by the delay I try to appreciate the moment and enjoy what I get from it over getting in a funk as I am increasingly veered off course. 

I had made my a list and my brain was set to maximum productivity to accomplish a few tasks before going out.

Suddenly I found myself starting to get derailed from my mission of playing tinder tour guide (a great way of learning about where you just landed) and was further pulled away from everything by unexpected company. Because I live in town, it is easy for people to do the “pop-in” on their travels.

It started with my friend Percy dropping by to say a quick hello on his way to pay the electric bill.

Then I was back to work writing the WestJet YYZ-BZE seat sale and Belize Airline Information post. I was making good progress towards finishing and the phone rang. Friends Lara and Richard were looking for a quick pitstop before heading out for a boat day.

I looked at the clock and knew I would not finish before I had to leave anyway. So told them to come on over. They had called from down the street and were there in minutes and just like Percy, they did not stay long.

Moving Onto Island Time

The place I had to be was GC Esthetic for my monthly cut, color and brows. I messaged Carole that I was on my way with a bank first. I was still ahead of my appointment at that time in spite of how off track my morning had gotten.

I grabbed my bag and transistor radio and booted it to Atlantic ATM on Front Street, stopping short at the corner. No need to hurry any further, the lineup was ensuring that I was now in Island time and longer walking to the salon. Hitching a ride or hailing a cab had just of my plan to get there as close to time as I could.

Belize Time

I walked as far as Carlo and Ernie’s Runway Bar before I caught a cab – seems they were also on Belize time ha ha. There were plenty of hitch-worthy rides (so easy with golf carts) and I bet I could have scored one but for some reason that day I did not feel like asking.

San Pedro Belize

As it turns out I made the best decision. My cab driver Fidel, had great music playing. “I Stop the World and Melt With You” by Modern English – 80’s era. Very fitting as it was an upbeat song on my “date day” I was getting all dolled up to enjoy a fun Saturday to myself. I told him I liked his music, we chatted a bit and minutes later I was at the Salon. If you ever need a good cab driver on Ambergris Caye with great tunes, I recommend Fidel’s Taxi Service 664-6484.

Ambergris Caye Belize Taxi Cab

My salon visit was relaxing and with Carole doing my hair and getting 5 minutes of chill time on the massage table while Kathy did my brows. You know you have a good team on your hands when your hairdresser reminds you “it’s time” when you see her out and about and your brow girl does not even ask but just starts including your upper lip occasionally (TMI, but often a true story when you age).

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the big December 3rd CG Esthetic party/fundraiser for Raise Me Up from Noon until 5:00 pm. Even if you do not want to get glamor shots done, there will be loads of other activities everything from tarot cards to teeth whitening. Their salon parties are great. There will be live music, plus a great clothing and stuff swap. $5 will get you some great shopping. If you have clothing or stuff in gently used condition to donate please contact Carole or Kathy at the Salon to make arrangements for drop off or pick up.

Belize Beauty Salon

My Haircut Passed the 4-day challenge

So I decided to take a rare couple of selfies, one after the salon and one uncombed 4 days later. It stood the test of time and that is the extended joy of a good haircut. (Ordinarily, I wash after 2 days)

 

tacogirl San Pedro Belize

I came out feeling uplifted and pretty. I was ready for a nice walk after I minorly got sidetracked having fun getting sprayed by the car wash as I walked down the lane.

Belize Car Wash

I enjoyed the road home, it was a bright, warm day. The kind that just makes time feel like it could almost stand still and you just want to soak it all in – the vibrancy and happiness of the day. Everywhere I looked I saw a pop of color and along with my music it made me feel good.

Ramon's Hotel area San Pedro Belize

Downtown San Pedro Belize

It also continued to be musical surprise day. As I rounded the corner by the Tropic Air baggage claim, I caught some Garifuna drumming in honor of the November 19th Holiday. They drew a large crowd. 

Garifuna Celebration San Pedro Belize 2017
Garifuna Celebration Belize 2017

As I got to my one stop along the way, Louis’s fruit market on Back Street, the same song came on my playlist that was playing in Fidel’s taxi.

Melt with You Lyrics

The future’s open wide
hmmm hmmm hmmm
hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm
hmmm hmmm hmmm
hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm

It made me smile and I thought about how imperfectly perfect this world is and even though it did not go according to plan, it was a great day so far. 

At that point, I had not totally decided how I was going to spend my “date evening” but TV led the way forward. While enjoying a late lunch of tangine chicken, I got pulled into watching three back to back thriller movies 😀

Related

tacogirl

Laurie Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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Laurie was super helpful in providing places to eat, things to do and best yet had ongoing blogs that allowed us to... look back on other places that she pointed out. A fantastic resource for both first time and return visitors of Ambergris Caye!read more
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Fantastic service .I needed to find a place where I could buy a local sim card as my UK sim doesnt work in belize and... Tacogirl put me on the right path .Decided to walk across town and discovered so much more in beautiful San Pedro.Many thanks.BWread more
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We have been using TacoGirl for what feels like decades when planning our trips to Belize! It has only been a few... years but she is the first place we stop to see what is happening in our favorite vacation spot. She knows all the best spots to get away and do so many fun things - whether it is relaxing or exploring! We are planning our next trip with our twins and she was the first person I reached out to. Knowing we have a resource like her, makes trip planning a breeze!read more
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Found tacogirl while doing some research on an upcoming trip to Belize. This is the place for all the information you... need to plan your vacation. Incredibly helpful and responsive. I sent an email with lots of questions and received a very quick and detailed response that helped us finalize our plans.read more
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We have been following TacoGirl for years now and before booking any trip to San Pedro we check to see what is... currently happening. We love the emails to let us know when a new blog has been posted. Keep up the great work Laurie, we feel like we know you.read more
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I first got my Passport in 2012 and Taco Girl was my first connection back then Great then and Marvelous Now! She's... blossomed and developed into a wonderful contact for any and all information Belize. She goes above & beyond to respond with information that you need whether visiting Belize or relocating! I wasn't able to fund the move then but now that I have much more equity I am doing it.This time she was the 1st person I reached out to! Now I am selling and moving to Belize. She responds immediately! Like I do in my Pet Sitting Business! I was so impressed I followed her all this time. And was not disappointed!Pamela Nixonread more
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Wanted to give a shout-out to tacogirl belize for helping us! She is a plethora of knowledge and was super helpful and... responsive in helping us find longer term stay on the island. Thank you so much for your help!read more
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I've spent the last month exploring Belize. I'm retired & seriously considering moving down to Belize permanently from... the US. I contacted the local San Pedro expert "Taco Girl" to help me get started in finding an apartment to rent. With her help, I've located several places that meet my needs & budget requirements. Thank you Laurie!read more
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I am very glad I found you and asked you a question about a spice in Belize. You helped me figure out the name of it... and where i could buy it. You went above and beyond to help. Thanks again.read more
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I am so grateful for the time and energy Laurie has taken to share about her experiences traveling to and living in... Belize as well as provide thorough recommendations for planning a trip there. I was so thankful (and honestly surprised) that Laurie took the time to respond to several of my questions via email. I highly recommend reading Laurie's blogs and helping to support her business. Thank you Laurie!!read more
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tacogirl was very nice to share her knowledge with us and assisted with planning our trip to Belize; thank you for the... help and info, it was helpful and allowed us to plan utilize our time accordingly while both on the mainland and islands of this great country.read more
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As a Canadian—tired of long winters—I cannot wait to spend some time in Belize. I haven't set foot yet, but I am... yearning for lots of Caribbean adventure. Thanks so much to tacogirl for her endless enthusiasm and generosity of spirit. She is a constant stream of up-to-date information. Her knowledge and love of the area is priceless, and I will need her expertise for future endeavours!read more
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We started coming to Ambergis Caye in 2014 and stumble on to Tacogirls blog, so glad we did! We used her 15% discount... at The Premier Duty-Free shop in the airport! It worked great all we did was let them know we read it on her blog . She has great information awesome pictures, we have tried several places she has recommended, all were amazing. Highly recommend reading her blog. Kathleenread more
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It was my first time visiting Belize and San Pedro so naturally I had a ton of questions when it came time to planning... the travel. Taco Gril's blog was an invaluable source of information for all the travel questions in Ambergris Caye. I was able to learn a lot of basic information, as well as many tips and tricks. In addition when I reached out to Taco Girl for advice on finding a local photographer and a restaurant recommendation, she was very quick to respond and gave me many helpful suggestions. She also provided a lot more information from a local's point of view, which was much for valuable than than a typical guidebook. Thanks to her helpful suggestions we were able to celebrate my daughter's birthday at a nice restaurant, and had a great photo family session with a local photographer. I'm very thankful for all her resources and knowledge.read more
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I started coming to San Pedro Belize in 2007 and that is when I met the online presence of Taco Girl. Her blogs on the... island and area are very personable and informative. She gives out promo codes from time to time so watch out for those. You cannot go wrong with someone who was a tourist and now lives here for quality info. Thanks Taco Girl for helping make my trips memorable!read more
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I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
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Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton!I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
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Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice... to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
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KellyDivePhotography
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I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local... information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
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I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
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Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do what... everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
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Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
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Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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Belize Blog Est. 2007

belize travel specialist

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation. If you have any questions or want Belize help planning and booking, please feel free to contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

A few childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age. Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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