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1. Arrive On Time. Throughout our literature you will
see references to flying into Belize a day early. This is the best way to
make sure you are on time. If you plan to arrive 24 hours early, a lot can
go wrong and you would still be on time.
If you can’t
afford the extra day, then you should make sure to arrive very early for
your flight. All airlines overbook flights. On a plane that seats 200, the
airline may confirm as many as 240 passengers. This means the last 40
arrivals get bumped. We have seen airlines bump people who were two hours
early simply because everyone else on the over-booked flight arrived even
earlier. When you get bumped, you may hear from the attendant that your
travel agent canceled your flight, or that you didn’t reconfirm your
flight (even though you did), or similar tactics to deflect your anger.
Don’t let this happen to you! If you can’t fly in a day early, check in
about three hours prior to departure.
Also, don’t
accept connections with less than a two-hour layover. If your flight
between Burlington and New York is delayed, you won’t make your flight to
Belize if you didn’t allow yourself enough leeway. And, if you are late,
you should already be familiar with our instructions for this contingency
(see "If Late or Delayed" in the information sheet for your trip).
If late, remember to keep a
positive attitude. Have as much fun as you can! There aren’t many flights
to Belize, so if you miss yours, chances are you will be a full day behind
us. It’s much more fun to live it up than to get angry with those nearby.
If you’re lucky, other Slickrock travelers will be on the same flight, and
if you’re all wearing your Slickrock T-shirts you can find each other.
Start your "adventure" with them at the airport!
For
information on airline flights to Belize, please visit our
Flying to Belize page and our Good Deals on Belize Air
Tickets page.
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2. Pack So
That It's OK If Your Luggage Is Lost.
Occasionally, airlines bump luggage because everyone on the
flight brought too much stuff. We have seen guests get very angry over
this, but think about it, would you prefer that they overload the plane?
Don’t contribute to this; pare down your luggage. We have a good packing
list, stick closely to it and you won’t be sorry.
Another good
reason to have more than two hours between flights is so that your luggage
makes it as well. Since many of the airlines only fly once a day to
Belize, delayed luggage means you may not see it until the end of the trip
(we leave Belize City well before the flight arrives the next day.) So
pack your carry-on with a change of clothes and other essentials to avoid
being caught with only the clothes on your back. Remember that all of our
trips are in very remote areas. The airlines will not be able to deliver
your luggage to the island.
Don’t pack
anything in cardboard boxes; boxes are always bumped first. The airlines
attempt to bump what appears to them to be the least necessary, and boxes
qualify as not urgent. If you overpack your carry-on luggage, note that
they may insist you put the excess items in a cardboard box that they provide,
which could then get bumped.
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3. Stay Healthy. Sometimes guests either show up sick or become sick
shortly after arrival. This is almost always due to too much stress prior
to a trip. Don’t stay up half the night before your trip tying up loose
ends. And it’s not a good idea to go on another trip right before your
trip to Belize, leaving little time in between. By pushing the envelope
you increase your chances of getting sick, then instead of
sea kayaking,
snorkeling, and surfing you end up lying in bed for four days with a
lovely view of palm trees out the window. Not bad, but not the way you
want to spend your vacation!
One of the most
common illnesses in Belize is sunburn. We recommend 7-10 sessions at a
tanning booth before your trip. You then arrive already tanned and you
don’t have to be as careful.
Make sure you
get plenty of rest, eat well, don’t overdo it, and do your relaxation
exercises before the trip!
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4. Don't Get Hurt.
Even when on a guided trip you are still responsible for yourself. Please
watch where you are going! In Belize you may encounter slippery paths or
docks and uneven terrain. An injury could ruin your trip, not to mention
the vacation of others on the same trip.
Don’t miss any
of your guide’s orientation talks, he/she will be covering many safety
considerations. Listen to the warnings and heed them. Most illnesses and
accidents on vacations are completely avoidable and are the result of
guest negligence. The guide cannot be right there with each person every
step of the way.
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5. Buy
Trip Insurance.
If you have an accident, become ill before
your trip, or if a family member gets hurt or ill, or you have a death in
your family, you may want to cancel your trip with us. We cannot refund
payment for cancellations made within 10 days of departure, and within 30
days of departure the cancellation fee is a substantial portion of the
trip cost (and during the Christmas season the penalty is even higher,
please visit our Reservations and Cancellations
page). The reason for this is that there is little chance we could
fill your space(s), and would therefore lose that revenue. In fact, we
would likely have turned away others who wanted space on that trip. We
cannot afford the financial loss that cancellations cause. And, by the
time it is 30 days or less from your departure date, we have spent
considerable time and energy preparing for your trip: arranging guides and
drivers, making hotel reservations, and planning countless other
logistics.
Many people take the attitude
that "I’ve been traveling for years and it has never happened to me!" In
deciding whether or not to buy this insurance, please consider the
investment you are making in your vacation and whether or not you could
afford the loss of funds if you did have to cancel. It is our
responsibility to run the trip we promised you, no matter what personal
emergencies may arise for us immediately before the trip. It is your
responsibility to pay for the trip on which you reserved a space, and a
travel insurance policy helps make your disappointment in missing your
trip not be a financial burden as well.
Please call TravelEx for a
policy: (800) 228-9792 (Slickrock's
location number is 44-0013), or visit their
website.
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6. Read The Brochures. We have often heard: "I wish I had
realized...." and although that very situation was covered in our
material, they neglected to read it. Yes, it’s a lot to read, but you will
be glad you did! Please note the level of difficulty of each trip and
assess your ability level objectively. Don’t find yourself reading for the
first time that Traveler’s Checks are not recommended as you are sitting
in your airplane seat, having just left the USA, land of ATM machines. Be
prepared! We spend hours writing our brochures to help you have a better
vacation. Please read them, we appreciate it! For each trip you need to
read the flyer on that specific itinerary, "Belize Supplemental
Information", "Commonly Asked Questions", the
Reservations
and Cancellations policy, and this page.
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7.
Maintain An Attitude Of Flexibility.
The itinerary listed
on each trip description sheet should be taken only as an indication of
what each group may accomplish. All trip participants should understand
that the nature of adventure travel requires significant flexibility and
you should expect last minute changes. Please be aware that the stated
itinerary and brochure descriptions are not a contractual obligation on
the part of Slickrock Adventures. We do our best to describe our trips
accurately in each brochure and flyer we provide, but amenities, services,
facilities, type of transport, route, schedule, and activities could
change without prior notice due to local circumstances or events. Events
causing these changes may include mechanical breakdown, transport
cancellations, illness, weather, and other unforeseeable factors.
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8. Accept
The Weather.
Although no one can do
anything about the weather, it’s amazing how much difference a good
attitude can make. We have witnessed people work themselves into a frenzy
over bad weather. It’s the tropics! Sometimes the weather is just lousy!
We’ve also seen trips with horrible weather in which every single person
said it was their best trip ever. Don’t let the weather ruin your trip!
Whatever hand Mother Nature deals you, accept it with gratitude.
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