12/3, back in US. I was told there's no pre-check lane, the security guy insisted that I had to take out tissue paper from my pocket and put in screening belt. No one took my custom declaration form. Houston it is. Texas feels like a different country.
I had a 3 hour layover (was 2 hours when I bought the ticket, but the schedule changed 3 times). So I used one of my free United Club one-time passes. The guy at the front desk kindly suggested me to go to another united club in terminal C, because my gate was C4. So there I went. Food is passable. Except for the soup, all is cold. Costco cookies and nuts, salad and cheese, red delicious and banana. Only Budweiser and Coors Light is free. Other beers are $5. And the beer glass was warm. For $59, this seems ridiculous. Lots of people here. There was an old lady talking to her daughter and grandkid (a screaming baby) on speaker phone, very very loud, and no one intervened. Plenty others talking on the phone, at least they used headset. This is no place for a rest. For me, it was dinner.
10 minutes before the boarding time, I headed over to the gate, and it was empty. Well, it was delayed 30 minutes and changed to E22. The United Club who checked me in using my boarding pass should have known the gate change, and could have announced it. The only announcement I heard is that someone left Chilean Pesos at front desk. Now I had to take the train again, and walk back to the terminal where I came from. Another full flight. Arrived at PDX around 9:15pm, 2 hours behind Houston. 3°C 38°F. I can finally breath. The air here smells so fresh compared to the tropical exhaust.
2 weeks later, I received an email from Niels saying that he found his sunglasses at the shop in Belize City.
Summary: Belize feels safer, more modern, better infrastructure, even though almost all buildings look cheap and ugly. More laid back, a healthy mix of ethic groups, but a bit boring, all wear western clothes. No language barrier. I probably won't come back. Heard good things about the south (Placencia area) and outer islands, maybe a smaller caye like Turneffle Atoll. If I dived, would go to Blue Hole. It should be a stunning beauty. The whole country is hot and humid. Expensive country, for the same price, I prefer Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The diving trip to Blue Hole runs about $250/pp. I spent ~$500 in 5 nights, including my only 2 nights in a dorm.
Guatemala has more traditional communities, colorful clothing. But I loath the tourist shuttles, nor can I find an alternative transportation for the places I visited. Dirtier, like all developing countries. More US fast food joints, more chaotic and petty crime. Need to know Spanish. The temperature in the highlands is pleasant. Bigger and more ruins. I won't come back either. Saw enough ruins on this trip. Cheaper, about half the price as in Belize. I spent about $560 in 10 nights, including what's stolen.
Packing. No need to bring snorkel mask, since I wasn't able to snorkel independently. I had one set of clothes never used. Never used any extra batteries nor power bank. Never cooked. One 2oz bottle of contact lens solution is just enough for 2 weeks (I brought 2). I also brought 2 sets of charger / cable / sunglasses / insect repellent /shampoo bottle / clothes hanger. One is enough. I never used my DEET. I used water filter only twice. So no need to bring the back-flush. A string and clip should work better and smaller than clothes hangers. Headlamp is crucial for the caves. Ideally, I could have cut down my luggage even further.
