Oliver

This morning while at the local Vet’s with my new puppy, Oliver..a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, 18 months old, I had a great discussion with my vet Martin Bennett. We got into a conversation about getting so involved in things like horses and cattle that we never got to experience more things out there in the world. I started telling him about how I had changed that over the past few years, from corporate / ranching life to Travel Writer / Photographer. As I told him of my upcoming adventure, he told me of his desire to just make a change, for he and his wife, and that I was an inspiration to him. He planned to have a serious discussion with his wife this evening.

So many people during my life have told me that if they had the chance to do it all over again, they would do things differently. I honestly don’t think that I would change a thing. I believe that the changes I have made of late will fulfill the desires I have had over the years to do new things with new adventures.

Your never to old to jump from a plane or into the sea below

The fact is that most of us have the opportunity to experience new things, if we really want to. It’s really only up to us. So that sky diving experience may be scary, but if you want to do it, what’s the worst that can happen, you crash and burn. At least you can tell God you tried something new!

And so off I go, to possibly make one of the largest changes in my life since touching down in my first “hot LZ” in North Vietnam. I’m looking at relocating to another country.

Where I’m staying

This August my Nikon, MacBook and Scuba Gear will be taking off for a couple weeks in Belize. The reason, to investigate life as an Expat, and try to decide if this life, specifically in Belize would sit well with my new lifestyle, as well as that of my wife Marsha.

Me diving with giant Manta’s

After many months of research, reading reviews and travel blogs and visiting every website on Belize that I could find, I made my choices for where I would visit and live  in this country while there. Now everyone I know that has been there, friends as well as my personal physician told me that Ambergris Caye, an island was the only place to visit. That’s because that’s where the “action” is, the beach resorts, bars, restaurants, and the population of visitors.

But wait! Like I said, I was looking at the possibility of living there full time. I have already lived in San Diego, the king of all vacation destinations, and I know what thats like. Did I truly want to re-visit that bullshit again? Then I learned that the population was the size of my little town in Oregon where I live now, for the whole country of Belize. That’s not so bad me thinks. And tourists are seasonal too.

So my decision was to spend a little over a week on Ambergris Caye, at of course a high dollar beachfront resort, but wait..it’s off season so rates not so bad. I’m also getting a break and some extras because I am also there on potential assignment for an article or two in International Living Magazine, including my photographs. Oh the life of a travel professional.

Home being built at Sanctuary

What I haven’t talked about is that we will first be in the southern part of Belize, Placencia for four days as guests of a new mega Expat Community, Sanctuary Belize. This community is in it’s early stages, with homes just being started. Over 500 lots have been sold this year, and I have a deposit on one with ocean view myself. They have finished construction of a major harbor and marina, with plans for an Equestrian Heaven for my horses, an everything you would want in a tropical heaven retirement community.

Wouldn’t you want to see this every morning?

So like I said, I’m taking a real good look at living the rest of my life in this paradise they call Belize.

Where is your “Dream Retirement Paradise”.

Happy Trails,

Gary