The day before, I started construction on my new cabana. And we have been without utility water for the last five days. The feature photo is my ziricote tree in bloom.
March 17
Life in the jungle: In the night, and for much of the night, we had rain. It was a pleasant surprise after the recent heat and dry conditions. The whole day was pleasantly overcast.
I woke up to a message requesting hosting by a female German cyclist on the 18th. I headed to the village about some construction materials for the cabana. I had an issue with some of my materials that I was hoping they would help me with. It looks like they won’t help me out. I had hoped the $10’s of thousands of dollars I have spent there already would grant me some value as a client. It’s always good to know where you stand.
While I was gone, the bushhog finally, finally showed up to cut the coconut field. I wasn’t back from the village very long before he got a flat tire on the rear tire. Over 50% of the time, the bushhog comes down here, he has some kind of breakdown. I made arrangements for a dump truck load of cement mix for tomorrow.
I spent a good part of the day house cleaning in preparation for tomorrow’s guest. I haven’t had time for house cleaning in some time. Hosting forces me to make time.
Andy went to the city about the water pump. He came back with a new one. This is day five without water, and I am pretty frustrated about having to fork out for a new pump, especially since we have a substantial investment ahead of us to solve our water issues long term.
A few days before the water pump broke, my toilet flush kit broke. With water, Andy also repaired the toilet, sort of. While doing the test flush the handle broke. You can’t make this crap up.
March 18
Life in the jungle: Steve (helping me build the cabana) arrived at 9 AM with no other help. The two of us put on the plywood subfloor, installed the plumbing (pipes), framed and stood up the walls.
Cabana progress
The bushhog guy canceled. I got a dump truck load of gravel mix delivered, and before dark, the German cycling guest showed up. Andy saw his first (young) jaguar on the road
I also received a new request for hosting from a Belgian cyclist.
March 19
Life in the jungle: Julie left this morning. I spent the day laying 200 cement blocks to increase floor space near the chicken coops to deal with flooding. The bushhog came and finished cutting the coconut field.
Julie, a Geran cyclist I hosted
Expanding on the floor area around my chicken coops to help deal with mud and flooding during the rainy season.
March 20
Life in the jungle: Today, a couple of guys came to work on the cabana. We got the roof trusses built, the bathroom wall built, the front porch partially framed, and two sheets of exterior plycem hung.
Two more baby ducklings (finally) hatched this afternoon.
Walls up
March 21
Life in the jungle: This morning was a trip to the city for cabana building materials. I got my senior’s discount at Universal Hardware again. Andy saw the jaguar on the road again. The Belgian cyclist showed up.
March 22
Life in the jungle: In the interest of letting my guest sleep, first thing I moved cement mix by wheelbarrow for the greenhouse expansion floor base.
After he awoke, I worked on the cabana. Some minor framing – I framed the shower floor and built a toilet platform. My guest helped for a while installing lag bolts and hurricane hangers. Today was a 12 hour day. I was fried by the end of it.
Framed in the shower and toilet floor area
March 23
Life in the jungle: The Belgian cyclist left this morning. I worked on the cabana. I got basically everything I can do on my own done until the workers come tomorrow. I worked until 12 PM, which was way later than I hoped on a Sunday. I have been overworking myself lately.
After lunch, I took a desperately needed nap in my hammock. Saul showed up before dark with a load of lumber. Most of this lumber is required to build a compost toilet for Andy and an outdoor shower for guests, power failures and water pump issues. I worked into the dark, moving all the lumber.
This evening, a follower forwarded me a request for hosting in April for a Polish cycling couple. [These cyclists would never show up or even communicate their change in plans, as a common result of hosting requests.]
March 24
Life in the jungle: Workers showed up this morning and we got the plycem (exterior) walls installed on the cabana, along with facia, and we got the zinc roof on. The cabana is mostly done. All the heavy lifting is done. But there is still a lot of work. A very, very long day.
Another cyclist’s request came in for April 1. [Once again, no follow-up or cancellation.]
Walls up
March 25
Life in the jungle: First thing, I cleaned up the work area around the new cabana. I then spent the rest of the day building an outdoor shower. Everything but the door and the plumbing is complete.
March 26
Life in the jungle: First thing I made a door for the outdoor shower. Andy installed the plumbing. Most of the rest of my day was filled with small jobs. Later in the day, I got back to working on the new cabana.
A new outdoor shower
March 27
Life in the jungle: This morning, I moved gravel for greenhouse floor expansion and also laid 120 cement blocks. My mom called. Before hanging up, she asked me one of the most amusing questions, and the first time in six years. She asked me if I had been dating anyone lately. I had to laugh, not even a consideration or option in my life, Mom.
In the afternoon, I stripped down and relocated two 50 gallon barrels that I was using to raise soldier fly larvae. It is a project that I am very interested in pursuing, but until I have another helper on the farm, I don’t have the time. My barrel design is flawed and needs to be reconsidered. One barrel is now set up for making liquid fertilizer, and one barrel was set up to store shavings used for broiler (meat) chicken bedding.
Today I reached 1,500 Followers on TikTok – Please follow @safari_arie
Belize Part 158 (March 12 to 16)
Belize Part 157 (March 2 to 11)
Glossary of Terms
Glossary of words or people that may or may not be part of this particular blog post. This glossary will be at the bottom of every blog post for Belize.
Wayne – He is the son of the original owners of the farm (both owners are deceased). The original farm was two – 30 acre parcels minus two – ¾ acre parcels for my house. In 2017, Wayne sold me 40 acres of land from the original 60 acres (one 30 acre parcel plus 10 acres from the second parcel). Wayne lives in his parent’s house and has a few cows on his remaining 18 acres of land.
The ponds – I have two large (300ft long x 50ft wide x 10ft deep) ponds on my 30 acre parcel of land, which is basically a jungle. I have about 60 coconut trees (mostly mature) around the ponds. In my first two years of living in Belize, I also planted about 250 assorted fruit tree seedlings (Lime, jackfruit, custard apple, pomegranate, and avocado).
The coconut field – I have about 400 coconut trees planted (various growth states) on about 3 acres of cleared land of my 10 acre parcel. I have planted about 350 assorted fruit trees (lemon, starfruit, mango, soursop, cashew, lime, orange), all raised from seed since my arrival in Belize in 2021.
The river lot – my house sits on a ¾ acre lot. I have a second joining ¾ acre lot that allows me river frontage on the Belize River. I call that my river lot.
The dry – Belize has two main seasons. The rainy season and the dry season (no rain). The wet is obviously the rainy season.
Chopping – using my machete to clear brush, vines, weeds, and unwanted trees. Generally, when I chop, I am removing unwanted vegetation around my baby fruit trees.
Andy – A fellow Canadian who rode his dirt bike from Canada to Belize at the end of 2023. When I offered Andy the use of an apartment that I recently built and the use of my greenhouse, Andy decided to stay in Belize permanently and start a hot sauce company here.
