Day 7: Our final Day in Belize was one to remember.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

Travel is unpredictable.  No one knows what obstacles might be put in front of us, but how we react to them can define who we are as a person.  I think the most important thing for a traveler to remember is that we control our own destiny.  We are the only ones who can make the best out of a tough situation.  We make our own luck in this world.  It all starts with attitude.  Before I go any further, I want to make it clear that everyone is okay and we are all filled with mixed emotions about heading home tomorrow.

Today was a somewhat relaxing day for most of us.  Our schedule allowed for us to sleep a little later, enjoy breakfast at a leisurely pace, and choose between walking San Pedro or laying out by the pool.

That was for most of us.  For two travelers, however, the day was much different.  Ms. Usseglio and David are licensed SCUBA Divers.  When we went snorkeling yesterday, the three of us discussed diving.  At the end of last night's dive, I felt it best to skip out on the dive.  My legs were very sore and, as it were, I didn't get a good night's sleep.  David and Ms. Usseglio, however, were feeling great.  They met the dive master around 8am and headed to the far side of the reef.  Into the water they went with a team of about 5 divers.  They saw much of what we had experienced snorkeling, but they also saw some other species to make the day more memorable.  From a distance, they saw a Reef Shark.  They also had a close encounter with a Moray Eel.  The highlight of their dive, however, was not a fish at all.  It was a pod of dolphins.  Their dive allowed them to share some quality time with flipper and his friends.  You could see their excitement when they arrived back to the Banana Beach Resort.

David swimming through the reef. 

Ms. Usseglio exploring the reef.

Today was a relaxing day for most of us...but not all of it went swimmingly.

As you can imagine, traveling to Central America presents all sorts of things we need to worry about.  One of those is water quality.  We had a couple of upset stomachs this week, but everyone seemed to do okay.  The attitudes of those who felt a little queasy was top notch...especially for Kayla.  She seemed to take the hit worst of all.  At some point on Friday, she started to feel a little upset.  We monitored her situation and watched as she continued to get worse.  We kept her fluid intake up, but we felt it necessary to take her to a doctor today.  It was a great choice...not because her condition was so terribly bad that a doctor was necessary, but because the diagnosis and treatment were exactly what we needed to hear.

Kayla and Nick at the health clinic.

We arrived at the Ambergris Hope Clinic around 9am.  It was probably the same time that David and Ms. Usseglio were first going under water.  The clinic was a little busy with sick islanders and so, we patiently waited our turn.  Accompanying Kayla was Nick D, Ms. Payne, and myself.  When the consultation with the doctor began, he quickly determined that Kayla's dehydration was probably best treated with an IV.  The doctor patiently explained what was happening, what he was going to do, and what we needed to do afterwards.  As he prepared to start the IV, Nick D. had to step out.  He is a little afraid of needles.  Ms. Payne and I both offered to hold Kayla's hand as the doctor began placing the IV, but she refused.  She was determined to handle this with dignity.  She was a trooper.

Kayla's IV was in and Nick came back to keep her company.

As the drips began to help Kayla recover, we experienced a side of Belizean medicine that you just wouldn't find in the states.  Droopy.  I'm not talking about one of Snow White's Seven Dwarfs.  I am talking about a dog named Droopy that is owned by the doctors who run the clinic.  The door to our room open and in walked Droopy.  He was a cute dog who we later found out was rescued from the streets by Dr. Tina.  Droopy now walks the clinic and provides smiles to those who are ill.  His effect was immediate.

Droopy providing comfort to Kayla

The IV's effect was almost as immediate as color began coming back to Kayla.  Her demeanor became even more positive and we were quickly on the road back to the Banana Beach Resort.  We returned just in time for lunch and just before David and Ms. Usseglio.  It's strange.  Two very different stories that took about the same time.  One is clearly positive and the other is clearly negative, but you couldn't tell from talking with Kayla.  She never let it get her down (emotionally).  She knows how fortunate she is to be in Belize and she knows that this story is part of her memory too.  With a positive attitude, you can accomplish pretty cool things...you can turn lemons into lemonade (I just cross my fingers that you use purified water).

After lunch, our group split again.  We had a couple of kids go back to San Pedro to finish up souvenir shopping and some went on a Banana Tube ride.  I stayed back at Banana Beach to hang out with a quickly improving Kayla and a couple of other kids who wanted to swim a little longer.  I may have used the time to catch a couple of Zs.  The time eventually turned to 3:30 and all of us came together again at the Dock.  We would be headed back to Belize City and to the Biltmore Best Western.  The ride went as smoothly as you could imagine and we landed around the same time the US Women's team won the World Cup.  Warrior was waiting for us and we boarded the bus.  Our final dinner was rice and beans with chicken.  A couple of us hopped into the pool for a final swim and some played cards.  It's 11:30 as I write this sentence and the rooms all appeared quiet not too long ago (I'll be making another sweep in a couple of minutes).  Tomorrow, we will gather our belongings and head home.  This has been a trip to remember.  Not just for the good, but for the bad as well.

All of our experiences are learning ones.  We learn to make the most of the opportunities in front of us.  We learn to chase waterfalls and jump off them too.  We learn that Mayan ruins reveal a lot about ancient civilizations and from climbing them, they reveal a lot about ourselves.  We learn that a sickness doesn't define our vacation, our attitude does.  As a chaperon, dealing with someone like Kayla is incredible.  Yeah, we feel bad that she was sick, of course, but we are also grateful that she maintained such a great attitude throughout the ordeal.  We learn how to help future travelers each time something like this occurs.  She was unbelizable.  Just like this entire trip.

I'm probably going to write one more post tomorrow on our return flight, but in case I do not, I'd like to take a quick minute to thank those of you who have left positive comments on this blog, posted them on Facebook and Twitter, or have sent them to me via email or text.  I find it truly gratifying to know that my efforts provide you with some comfort while you children are abroad.  I enjoy thinking of what to write and the struggles I have trying to connect while writing them.  I enjoy knowing that my words mean something to you.  I saw a couple of posts from parents of children who have traveled with me in the past, but are not on this current trip.  I smile every time I see your comments...all of your comments humble me (while inflating my ego).

Our final group shot?  Read tomorrow's post to find out!!!

Mr. Lavoie, currently in Belize City...where it all began and where it ends.  Thank you for following us on this journey.  Your kids will be home by this time tomorrow!!!