Woke at six to find that the Taca Airlines desk didn’t open until 09:30. As our flight was at 10:00, this was a little worrying. We were more than a little miffed when we found out that the flight was, in fact, at 15:00, as we had already returned the hire car. Spirits did not improve on finding that we each had to fork out $13 airport taxes which hadn’t been paid
by the Belizean government. At this point Cat ‘n Fiddle decided to liven things up a little by busking in the middle of the concourse. At 10:45 we left the airport to catch the bus downtown. At 11:15 we re-entered the airport having discovered that the bus ride was a two-and-a-half hour round trip.
When the Taca aircraft finally arrived, Simon from Cat ‘n Fiddle was delighted to note that it didn’t have propellers – it was actually a Boeing 767 – and we all had a giggle watching Jerry’s Caterers and the incompetent baggage handlers loading the ‘plane. I like Taca Airlines – the stewardesses kept up a constant shuttle from one end of the ‘plane to the other and felt strangely obliged to give you a drink each time they passed. For a two-hour flight, large Baileys, red wine and dark rum were quite sufficient.
In fact, because of the time difference, we landed at Belize’s International Airport at the same time we had taken off! On arrival at Airport Camp (APC) we were shown to our quarters, showered and dined in the Corporals’ Mess. At about 18:30, Wayne and I wandered down to the NAAFI bar, watched Midn
ight Run and were later joined by the rest of the motley crew. Beers galore were drunk and Blackadder III episodes giggled loudly at. And so to sleep, perchance to be woken up very early, I should think…