Got my first e-mail from my daughter Tina Auxillou de la Loeper on Caye
Caulker yesteday. She says it is Oct/Nov rainy season and the last three
days of rain, a week after Hurricane Keith were highly annoying, with
leaks and drips from all the patched roofs. Mosquitos of course at
sunrise and sunset, the usual in the rainy season. Depressing she said.
You feel good when the sun shines, but rain again from line squalls is
depressing. She had settled with her insurance company, expecting a
cheque in two weeks, was what she was told. She is not happy about the
amount they settled on though.
The islands are sanitary places. The concerns about disease are most
probably not valid, a bit of an overreaction. Heck, cuts if you stick em
in the salt water, they heal faster than antiobitics will ever do.
Tina reports that all the debris is now in piles. And the piles will
be moved to the dump within the next week.
Just got a phone call COLLECT from Tina at Caye Caulker from the BTL
office, being run by Marisel Canto. Tina says she is using the phone to order stuff on the
mainland, three or four times a day. The number if you want to call in,
is 021 4023.
So life of a sorts is getting back
to normal. But no electricity or internet and e-mail service yet. She
said she was taking the boat trip to the island an hour from now, in
order to check her e-mail. Long way to go and $60 round trip, just to
check business e-mail for the tourist businesses.
Marisel Canto at the BTL office will hold a message for Tina and
probably others as well and give it to them when they come in to use the
phone. There is no messenger service as of yet. Might be something
Patty Arceo could set up with donated funds to expedite communications.
She reports the Village Council and a continuing ever changing crew of
VOLUNTEERS in the village are on top of things. Things are changing
rapidly she reports.
Her business got damaged too badly and she is tired of the war zone as
she calls it. Due to probably not being able to get back in business for
this tourist season, she has an invitation from a tourist girlfriend
buddy in England to put her up. So, she will spend the winter in
England and try to get a job to see her through. She has been to England
in passing through to Africa and the Continent, but never actually lived
there. So it is a chance for a change of pace. Her son Tyler is in
Nairobi, Africa with his Dad for another 9 months anyway. So a little
travel adventure is okay.
Wendy is coming back to Caye Caulker end of next week, to take over the
Tourist agency. That seems to be okay, but no tourists of course and it
might be a bad six week peak season. Diane my other daughter might also
come back from Connecticut and Minnesota by December to run her travel
agency. Her tenant Duey is looking after the insurance claim on the roof
of the condo and repairs. Wendy will be Dolphin Bay Travel at:
[email protected] or
[email protected] and Diane is T-travels
at
[email protected] or
[email protected] So the tourist agency will be up and running. Blue Hole Trips will be
a specialty as always this winter tourist season. I haven't checked,
but I think I saw someplace, that Frenchie will be back in business with
scuba diving trips. Wendy also picks up change as a DIVE MASTER with the
scuba trips as well as selling the packages.
The reconstruction is going on steadily. With no cash flow and the
economy dead and lost boats, outboard motors and lobster traps; things on
the island of Caye Caulker are expected to be dead until around December
20th. Early snow this year in New England and Canada, so probably
tourist people will travel in thicker droves this year, to make up for
the losses.
Hope so!
Ray Auxillou
[This message has been edited by Marty (edited 10-12-2000).]