ok, we're back, and since we have been to AC 6 times now don't do too much of the "tourist" thing, so this will be a little bit different kind of report. This was our BEST trip ever, and we never left the island. The Bar B Q was a great success, raising somewheres colse to 700.00 for Lion's Club, W/ barfoot, Dale, Casey etc..jamming the whole day..had a blast. I want to thank Rashell and Kieth, Casey, Ruby and everyone at the Palapa..you have touched our hearts in so many ways and we hold you veryy dear to our hearts! Mr. Bill Thorton, it was our great pleasure to meet you in person...finally!! To our dearest of friends Mr. Hillyboo (Gilbert) the damn best boatman/fisherman/and good friend, you took me for the ride of my life on Sunday, the beach lunch was fantastic as always, your skill as a boatman when we went up north, never seizes to amaxe me, but i trust you!Thank you for getting to us at the drop of a ghat in the night to give all of us a ride to the yacht and waiting for us...while we partyed!! You are a true friend!! Hey Lacy and Tim aka Barefoot, we are so glad we got to spend time w/ya'll our last night there..your families there on AC are very important to us and we carry ya'll close to our hearts! Thank you for your frienship!!(hey Eric!!)To Mike, Oscar, and Chris..the best bartenders on AC, and professional crocodile hunter Mike...thank you for the "croc" experience, it was one of a kind!!We got to see a 14 footer!Larry and Carol, thank you for your hospitality and time, i know one day Carol and i will have an opportunity to get to know each other better! Woody and Helen, the warmth and good heartedness that comes from ya'll touches our hearts! Our dear rasta friends Willie and Shaggi, just seeing your faces brightened our lives! So glad ya'll are doing good...keep it up!!Our close friend Trevor who must have a wonderful job raising such a gentleman, please keep in touch! To the guys who pull the ferry across the cut..THANK YOU, haven't laughed that way in years!! We had 2 carts on and bicycles, they were new at this, accidentally dropped the rope and the current was strong and the wind and so we started drifting away and turning towards the river!!Great job getting things "back in control"!! lol Tammy as always enjoyed your company emmensely, hope you had fun at B-Day party, but apologize for not making it on Sun. You are a good friend and we know our friendship will grow stronger!(have you talked to Gaz?) And to the Golden Girls at the Hideaway, ya'lls spirit and good nature i wish i could bottle and sell to some people here!! Ray's B-Day Party was a HOOT, especially the cake of the naked lady and auctioning off it's last "boob", ya just never know what's gonna happen in that place!!And finally, since i'm doing this w/one finger, our new friends and partners in crime..Trevor(an old friend) and LIsa, we are truly blessed to have met you!!Your email address won't "take" can you mail something to us at frantz_rickcheri@msn.com so we will have it..always and in all ways remeber "you are in your heart, your heart is in you" my friend..angel blessings to you..Mona, i lost your address, send me something to the same one above, you are my new young friend, keep a strong head on those shoulders..i hope you had a great time!!Hello Wayne...we need your phone number...get together for dinner! And the Axeman Mark...remeber YOGA and use it "if you are so inspired"..it was a pleasure meeting you...we had a BLAST the night we went out and feel blessed we got to meet you...Girls, be careful of this one!!Hey, and he can Punta...sort of lol hope you are still having fun..see any crocs??Hope your last dive was fantastic...you are a kindred spirit, thanks for your frienship!!OK to top it off, we got another survey done on the lot and started clearing it!! Very exciting, can't wait to start building our home. Pam and Kevin, so blessed to have gotten to know ya'll a little better..let's do dinner sometime!So here Rick and i are again...we left our hearts in San Pedro and will continue our "journey" to get there FULL TIME! Hey Jude, wonderful to meet you..finally!Sorry we could'nt make it back to Caulker..having to much fun!!Axeman will probably get some pics up on the board, he's still on AC!!Have a Belikin for us!!And remeber folks, we will always be looking for "opportunity" on AC...keep us in mind!!Thank you to all who made this such a wonderful trip!!! Everyone mentioned above has made some sort of positive inflience in our lives and places in our hearts, not to mention people i am forgeting, but will rembember later. Lisa and Mona email us!!!It's listed above!!Hey to Tom, Libby and James too, we LOVE ya'll, miss ya'll , everybody plan on doing it again around Oct/Nov!!!!And most of all thanks for your friendship!!! Rashell...enjoy the purses!!

oop above.. Trevor!! I mean your mom did a great job raising you!! The above sounded kinda weird!! lol And to Conchita..the tamales were the BEST!!!

only been gone since Sunday! Miss that island really bad...any folks out there that would like to join our little clan of folks who go, we'll be going back for Lisa's B-day, and Halloween party at Holiday Hotel!! Wayne, you think you'll make this trip??

sounds like your friendships run deep, thats nice.

If I ever win an Oscar, I am reading that Post.

Thanks for the great heart warming report of your visit to paradise, and for mentioning our Board friends, as well as the great local friends, that provide our fun on Ambergris.

Cheri forgot to mention Axeman-- What a guy.. He is one to hang out with, we had a lot of fun with him, only spent the 1st two days of his visit with him, then he went to a 2 day trip to the blue hole and had a great time... He was there back with us on the last day and sent us off at the airport.. What a guy.... Also we met little Max at the Easter BBq at the Palapa, he was a hoot and his family was very nice, too. He spent the day with our little friend there Del Rio, and the caught a Iguana while there...We'll post another trip report soon... Thanks, Rick

hey rick & cheri! its mona, im home now and i miss san pedro so much! i had one of the best and most memorable times of my life while i was there, i cant wait to go back! i learned a lot on this trip and i am very thankful for meeting u two and lisa and trevor and mark and everyone, u taught me so much and made me think about what kind of person i am and that i want to be, thank you. my email is Luckygrl6420@aol.com but ill write u guys. how r u doing now that ur back home? im back in school and its even harder! i gtg ~ luv ya

hey mona...so glad you had fun!! How was your last night there? Do u know if Mark got to the "crocs"? We had sooo much fun! Thanks for your compliment, I, too, learned alot about my ownself!! Go ahead and email us at frantz_rickcheri@msn.com and if you have Lisa's thanks...let us know when you'll be in town..school is only hard if you "say" it to be so...grow and prosper!!

RICK idid not forget the AXEMAN!!! Read the report dingaling!!

Rick/Cheri...the BBQ was great...including the wings. Although not a "tour" like the rest of our days in AC..oure day in San Pedro and the 5 or so hours at the Palapa was a great experience for us (and Max), more like a real life cultural tour. I can now understand all the posts which go on an on about the people of AC...its more than the water and the beach and the fishing, etc. I don't think we met one unhappy person, for real. A magic place. Either Belize/AC draws happy people...or Belize/AC makes people happy...or some combination of both. Planning our next trip, of course. Need to make Edd Haskins proud with our fishing results next time. Max brought the "tail" home.

Hey Ralph--
So glad you all had a great time on your 1st visit, we will be going back down in 6 months... Tell Max to show off that tail, its one of a kind....I'm sure the stories he is telling at school have everyone excited about his new country he has found, Our fishing this trip wasn't great, but good... Better next time... Tell max he can email us too... See you all on the next trip... Rick

We forgot to mention, that Chico came back in on the 20th and had a great time with him, he was visiting his family for a few days before he was going back to TX. to work.. and as always Pisano was in great form...
There are just so many people to mention, but we love it... Our relationships there are very strong... WE LOVE BELIZE, and if anyone needs some specific info, please email us... We'll see you all on the island soon... Love you all, Rick and Cheri

Rick/Sheerie, Now you can understand why I am moving to SP for good on 6/1. I am taking a box of freash clothes for Piasan, as we have become pretty good friends over the years.When my friends ask me why I am moving ther ,I just smile.

COOL-
We hope to be there in a year!!!!!! Rick

are you going down to live ?

yes, going to live!! They were clearing our lot on the Sunday before we left! Very exciting!! What will u do there??

Rick, I dont plan on doing anything I dont want to do ! I'm retiring and wanted to do it while i am still healthy enough to really enjoy it. I do enjoy snorcaling(sp) and intend to get certified.I can hardly wait !!!

eb---email me at RickCheri@hotmail.com,, would like to talk with you... Retirement can be so much fun, especially on the island, Have a couple of friends there that can help you with your certification.. and snorkling (not sp) LOL.. Talk with you soon.. Rick

got our pics today, best ones yet, some should be on a t-shirt!! Great ones of my parents parasailing!! Great Job mom and dad!!!!..best parents in the world!!! C

Well, I'm sitting here crying and typeing...got back last night and came to read how things have been going while in AC.
I've NEVER in my entire life enjoyed a place as much...it's the people, the gentle wind, the complete absence the need to look at my watch...the smiles which come from every single person there with genuine love.
Rick and Cheri'...you are true friends for life... I now understand the depth of spirit that emanates from all things there...it wraps itself around your heart and fills you up like a mothers milk, a warm safe blanket on a deserted beach...
Nothing can come close, no words written, to express how I feel...I have been touched so profoundly by this magical experince...
Thank you for being my mentors, my friends, and my soul mates...we are all one with this special place...it changes you in ways no one can explain.
For those of you yet to explore our new shelter...just pack and go..you will never be the same...ever...I know I won't be...

spoken like a "true spirit"..ah, the true axeman...has been changed??? Your words are beautiful, didn't know you had it in you!! LOL Yes, true friends for life, after all, what is life w/out them!! Remember..you are in your heart, your heart is in you!! Read u soon...wouls like to have your e address...ours is frantz_rickcheri@msn.com C

Rick call me. We will be over your way tomorrow. Axman we have a pic of you at Fido's. Want it? Send email address.

Wow...would love the pic..please please!!!!
email is memerson@cox.rr.com
OK folks..here's the deal.....WE ALL NEED TO GO DOWN THERE AT THE SAME TIME...ROCK JAGUAR...FIDO'S AND IGAUNA..DRINK TILL WE FALL OUT..SLEEP ON THE BEACH...HOWL AT THE MOON.....oops was I shouting..well I'm feeling a bit less bummed out now..went out, cut the grass, washed off my dive gear, and enjoyed the AC like breeze here in Va..and yes Cheri'...I've been infected with the SanPedro flu....
Symptoms:longing for white sands..periods of memory lapse...stareing out at the reef for hours...early mornings with coffee waiting for the sun to come up...ya..I got it bad
oh..one other...I keep putting napkins on top of my beers like they do everywhere in AC...weird eh?
Mona...glad you made it home ok..talked to your dad before you left..he seemed ok about getting you in kinda late. I was on the way to my last dive of my trip or I would have waited till you got up..forgive me...Your a sweety and I hope life treats you to many wonderful times. Do well in school!!! Maybe all of us can hit AC at the same time.

[This message has been edited by Axeman (edited 04-28-2001).]

Axeman--
How late did you keep Mona out!!!!! She is quite a young lady... We have been talkin with her since she got back.. Great Girl....

ok axe!! This time it's C and i'm not pussyfooting around...you now have the WRATH of WAYNE.....i hope you haven't hurt the poor girl!! Remember...WRATH of WAYNE!!!

We've got the scoop on Axeman Puntaing....

Ya need to fill me in...He was cool last time I talked to him...now whats the problem?
Email me...

no problem...you're paranoid....we hope u didn't corrupt her!! lol

Axman
If we all went down at the same time and stayed at the same hotel I am not sure we or AC could withstand a week of it (ha). Sounds good though. Don't know when we will get back maybe about the same time next year. I'll email the pic later.

I'm the one that got corrupted..hehe..she's a very sweet and intelligent young lady..her father should be proud of her...

Not sure when I may get back...Ac economy would get a boost if we all showed up though...I miss the smiles already...ya smile at people here in Va and they think your getting ready to rob them...what a shame...if they only knew what my eyes have seen...

i know rick and i will go back around Oct.28,29th-Nov. 6,7th...this year...Lisa will go back at this time too. I just got back from a "carnival"..it was weird, not once did i stop thinking about AC! The sun dropped down on my shoulders and face, but it wasn't the same!! The sky was blue, but it wasn't the same. There were people all around me, but it wasn't the same!! Then what to my yearning ears do i hear?? A faint sound of reggae, echoing to near. So blindly i stumbled in the direction of this, hoping a rasta man i would not miss. When i found the source i stood in silence...i thought "there's sand between my toes, and i started to tear, and then i looked down, only red dirt was there. I wiggled my toes, imaging it was sand, expecting to see Trevor, Mark, Willie, Tammy, Rashell or instead there were strangers, rude as could be......ok, i did not mean for this to snowball...point being, i felt like a stranger in my own "home"..

This is incredible listening to you all describe what it is like being home now. It is the same way I have felt since being back. But, eventually I realize that to make my home more like SP, I need to always act as if in SP, and that contagious, generous, and friendly way will eventually win over everyone, and we will all start being nicer, friendlier, more trusting people. I start everyday out listening to my Punta Rebels and then go into Reggae and other music from Central America and the Carribean and it makes the day much better. And today, I bought myself two parakeets to remind me of the beautiful birds of Belize, and named them Pedro, for San Pedro, and Panzanao, for the wonderful, crazy but oh so sweet Panzanao of San Pedro, (I am sure I am spelling his name completely wrong. If anyone knows the correct spelling, could you please let me know) I am sure they will bring me much happiness, and they love Punta music.
Punta Rebel Girl

Pisano....like italian for pisan...not certain..but sounds right

I think the spelling is Paisano. And I know about the music. I hardly listen to anything else since Nov. 99. :^) Sometimes I think I should try harder to assimilate to my home environment and then maybe there would be less longing for SP. LOL

Correct spelling---PAISANO!!!!!!
There you go girl.... Rick

Muchas gracias everyone for the correct spelling. Now my bird will have the correct name. Do you think Paisano would be honored to have a parakeet named after him? Ha ha ha!!
Punta Rebel Girl

Thanks Seashell...I'm still recovering...the mainland blues have almost set in...

Hey Axeman--
How was your first day back to work??? Different I bet.. Can't quite thinking about the reef, waves, sand, people, and Belikins, LOL,,, Rick

hey everyone! ive been back in school and still missing the island, i got all my pics back and they are great! i showed them to all my friends and they all want to go there now! when is everyone going back? rick & cheri- have yall talked to my dad? is he going back b/c the last time he did i didnt know about it! email me. i got the email about the birds in your house, thats so cute.

Axeman- i told u my dad wouldnt be mad!we werent out THAT late! :0 did u have a good time?

Hey...Luckygrl!!! Good to hear from you! We will go back around Oct.28,29th-Nov.6,7th! Sure hope ya'll can make it!! Haven't talked 2 your dad...been really busy, now sick!! Talked w/Lisa, she's in Germany!! Read u soon! Axeman...u still have the "WRATH" of Wayne..we know him well....when u least expect it!!! (kidding)

Mona..the time we spent together was unforgetable...you are truly gifted young lady. I hope you do well in school, and take extra care to find the right guy who can appreciate the real you. Be kind to yourself and remember what I told you...
If you don't stand for something, you,ll fall for anything!
Peace and Love
Mark
PS I hope we all can meet again in AC...it would'nt be the same.

rick & cheri~ i would love to go back then w/ u guys! thats for halloween, that would be fun. hows texas? i miss that place too. i should be coming out there in a few weeks, i would love to see u guys. and whats all this about the wrath of wayne??

axeman~ thanks for the advice babe, and how old r u again?

Hey Mona, rick here, I'll email you our telephone # and you call us before you get here and we'll go do something... Don't ask Axeman that question!!!!!! I know but won't tell!!!!!! We'll tell you about the Wrath later..LOL!!!!! See ya soon, Rick

Mona, Cheri' was pulling my leg...she had me worried that your father was mad about the late night we had. I must have emailed them 4 times trying to find out what was going on. She really had me going!!!!
Not to worry....Our long conversation will be held in confidence forever...

Luckygrl...u don't really "need" to know how old he is...not for YOU!!No offense Axeman!! Stay focused at your "tasks" at hand...live your life fully, and make your CHOICES wisely, for EVERYTHING has a result and consequences. Some good, some GREAT, some AWESOME and others maybe not so good...enjoy each and every relationship you find yourself in, there's ALWAYS and in ALL WAYS something to learn from them....and be VERY< VERY picky!!! LOve ya lol c

Just wanted to post this back up on top.. My wife did a wonderful report, and I thank her for that, Maybe this will help.... God is with us and everyone else.. No more attacking... On love!!!!!!!! Rick

I ment One Love!!!!!

Just wanted to bring this back up on top to help some of you all on the board about questions and the feeling we get being there on the island..... You all have a great time going down and we'll see you there some day.... Rick