From San Pedro to Hopkins, Belize To Help: It’s NEVER Been Hipper to Snip

Yesterday, for most of the day, I made my way south for a volunteer veterinary clinic held by the AMAZING Hopkins Humane Society.   A relatively recent operation – founded in 2008 – that is…well…kicking ass in the village of Hopkins (population around 1000) and around Belize.

Spaying and neutering dogs (over 1100 last year alone!), providing emergency care and taking care of the basics in this area, like mange, fleas, tick fever, botflies, worms…all can be life threatening here in Belize.  This week, a volunteer vet has flown in from the states and with the local veterinarian and a team of volunteers, we are hitting Dangriga – a much bigger town to the north of Hopkins.  A town with basically no veterinary care.

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I wanted to help but first, I had to get down here.  Yesterday was the day.  I took the 10am water taxi to Belize City.  Windy day leaving San Pedro…

I could not be happier to see the SARGASSO SEAWEED clearing out.  No more smell of sewage, no more spongy nasty seaweed piles…

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By 11.30am, I was on my way to the Belize City bus terminal.  $7bzd for the taxi ride over.  50 cents for the use of their bathroom.  You get a tidy roll of toilet tissue for that price.

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Well worth it.  You want to use the facilities before you get on the bus.  For sure.   I love the bus in Belize (I am part of a minority) and, I think, I have perfected bus travel.  Here are the critical rules.

Since it was a holiday, there was a bit of a crowd at the terminal but…Happy PanAmerican Day!  The James Bus Line sent two buses for the 12.15pm service.  No better gift.

IMG_3105I settled into my favorite seat.  Bought a $1bzd copy of the new Amandala (the salesman was selling newspapers, $1, and laundry powder, $2)…

Sports psychic?  Boledo (local lottery) is sports?  I love this paper.

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As we pulled out of Belize City and passed the cemetery…

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I fell fast asleep.  I am not one to let the discomfort of a lumpy 1980s bluebird school bus seat stop me from napping.

Belmopan and then over the Hummingbird Highway and the mountains down to Dangriga where the lovely Clara Lee of the HSHS picked me up.

30 minutes later, I was shocked…and in a gorgeous suite at Hamanasi Resort in Hopkins Village.  I knew they were closed for renovations and I knew that they were donating space for the volunteers but I was picturing shared staff bunks not ocean front suites.

Here is my place for a few nights.

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Not that I will be spending much time here.  This morning we are off early…to Dangriga.  The clinic opens at 8am and we need to set up.

Free.  And taking care of as many animals as possible.

The  sunrise this morning on the beach of Hopkins.

hop4Off to Dangriga.  I’ll be reporting back.

 

 

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