Stuck in Paradise

April 2020 and my wings (like most of the rest of the world) are clipped! My family is at home 100% of the time, and we are restricted. Curfew is from 8 pm until 5 am. No traveling across districts. Only essential travel is allowed, such as picking up supplies. Check points are in place, to make sure no vehicles leave the area. Groceries are ordered on WhatsApp with arranged pick up times wearing masks and gloves. No meeting with friends or family outside of the family unit. The beaches are closed. Exercise is allowed between the hours of 5 am and 8 am.

“Normal life”

My home is Belize, a small country which borders Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean Sea. Our family business Blue Reef Adventures employs me, my husband Roland, and our 2 boys Anderson, and Byron. During “normal life”, they spend Monday until Friday on our remote off-shore island, taking our guests deep sea fishing and scuba diving. I keep busy at our home office on the mainland with marketing, administration, sales, and accounts and taking care of our girls aged 11 and 13. Whenever I get the chance, I head out to the island and join our guests fishing and/or scuba diving. Our family spend weekends together.

Traveling is one of my greatest passions and bought me from England to Belize in January 2004. I travel for work and whenever possible for pleasure. Every year, I visit my family in the UK, and Ireland. My twin sister, Claire lives in England. We meet once a year either in the USA (we have met in New Orleans, Vegas, and New York) or somewhere more exotic like Colombia, St Vincent, and the Grenadines or Barcelona. And, she loves to visit me here in Belize.

My business takes me to the USA, 4-5 times a year. I love to combine my work with pleasure by visiting friends. And, do fun stuff like skiing, hiking, fly-fishing, and exploring new places.

Great job Belize!

Our first case of COVID-19 was a Belizean-American that returned to Belize during mid-March 2020, days before our airport closed. A total of 18 cases were confirmed, and the entire country went into complete lockdown! This included our idyllic beach town, Placencia.

Our country went a total of 50 days COVID free. By June the country started to open up.

Tourism is not a great business during these unpresedented times! Yet, the great benefits to being in our jewel of a country, are friends that own resorts that ordinarily, would be either above our budget or we would be too busy to go to. We were extremely fortunate to go to Kanu Private Island Resort, with some friends for a luxury weekend break.

We felt like we were in a COVID free bubble! We had the freedom of the natural beauty of Belize. There was access to national parks. Jungle hikes in 30 degree heat where we cooled off in waterfalls, with no other person in sight. Off-shore islands, empty of guests where we could dive into our turquoise Caribbean waters.

The international airport was due to open on the 15th of August. Belize Tourism Board introduced the Gold Standard Certification Program. No resort, hotel, or tour operator could open without the certification.

During the middle of July, primarily due to “border jumpers” COVID-19 cases rose dramatically.

Today, on the 27th of August 2020, we have over 700 cases. The government made the decision, to keep the airport closed from international travellers. The entire country is back in lockdown, curfews are in place, restaurants and bars are closed, no gyms and no social gathering outside of the home. Everyone must wear masks.

“The travel and tourism industry it’s just a huge part of our economy.” Karen Hughes