Let’s get up outta here!

Creating Capsule Wardrobes for Travel

Our first destination - Hopkins, Belize

travel has become one of the great loves of my life

after a tumultuous 2020, most of us aren’t ready to jump back on planes again

yet again, some of us are, and that’s cool too

but in the meantime, let’s reminisce on a few of my travels over the years

and the capsule wardrobes i’ve created to fit into a backpack or a carryon

if you haven’t tried it, solo travel is amazing

whether it’s for a night or a few days on the shores of Belize, time to focus on you is super important

we talk about self-care a lot nowadays, and solo travel can be a really great vehicle for self care

remember, solo travel doesn’t mean you are alone all the time!

i can’t tell you how many times i had to remind people that you can travel solo and meet some of the most amazing people

one key to a travel capsule is packing for your plans

interchangable peices of a few bottoms and multiple tops

a few dresses you an wear out, lounging around your lodging/ hotel or to bed

pre-plan your activities for both days and nights and looking at the weather report prior to leaving help a lot!

pack just enough for what’s needed and a little bit more ( i mean just one outfit more)

bring an umbrella or packable jacket for an extra layer for inclement weather

start with the outfit you are wearing to get there

this should be comfortable to sit in for a long period of time, and include the outer wear, long pants, and heavy footwear needed for the trip

if you are bringing hiking boots on your trip, wear them on the plane to lighten your luggage

planes are always cold so wearing the outwear and long pants on the plane is smart and you can save space in your luggage

long scarves can be used as neck scarves, head scarves and sarongs needed for your trip so consider traveling with your head wrapped

for long trips, bring a change of sleepwear for the plane

you can handwash it and wear it on the way back

plan an outfit for each activity, but also be realistic about how often you will fresh-in up and change

often i have a full day of plans and don't change for dinner

consider that in your packing

you may also need more sleep clothing than you realize

ensure you are bringing lightweight sleepwear that is appropriate for runs to the lobby or ice machine

for this trip, i was only a baby capsule wardrober

so i didn't do the best job, but at least i didn't overpack

i brought only two bottoms and a bunch of tops

so why Belize?

i’ve been fascinated with south america for some time

to be so close geographically, you don’t hear much about our neighbors to the south

we won’t be getting political in this blog but it’s pretty fishy

i also love history and culture so the draw of visiting a real mayan ruin was on my bucket list

oh, and i heard belizean food is delicious, and i was right

also, a bonus for any american, english is spoken fluently in Belize

i’m so ashamed i don’t speak another language

but i digress

i bought a round trip to belize for my big 30

as many of us sagittarius folk, planning a birthday party around the holidays can be pretty tough

most of your friends are broke from buying presents and buying tons of food for thanksgiving and festivus

all cool

but i wanted an adventure

so i decided to skip my normal dinner or brunch with friends and my guy and opted for a lil holiday for myself

december is a great time to visit our neighbors to the south

why? it’s summer! 70-80 degrees

but it is tropical

not caribbean tropical

no

Amazonian tropical

humid as all get out, perfect for bugs

so plan to be fully covered and barely dressed and perfumed with bug repellant

what did i pack?

lots of very lightweight, thin, tanks and long sleeve shirts and cargo pants

tissue tees and tanks were all the rage in the early 2010s when this xennial turned 30, so they were pretty easy to find

you can probably find these dinosaurs at consignment shops

some of the best came from jcrew

tissue tanks with and bikini tops and bottoms

i swam every morning

well… waded in the water

some city girls, like myself, aren’t great swimmers

hiking boots

a crossbody bag

extras - tons of bug repellant and sunscreen, a sun hat, sunnies, a camera, binoculars, water bottles, and power/granola bars

DO NOT FORGET A MOSQUITO NET for the bed or jungle

oh that’s not a joke

cover your entire body like a bee keeper if you need to, lol

………… just had to take a second for the memories

a few military folding techniques and fit your tees in your carryon

those hiking boots, wear them, don’t waste space in your bag

wear a pair of your cargo pants on the plane and pack 1 more

tuck your socks into the corners of your bag

wear a belt so you don't forget one

dresses are also great, should be comfortable and not too fussy

a cotton t-shirt dress or two or a cotton tank dress

they should be “all-purpose” dresses, al la baby boy

where did i stay?

the Belizean Dreams resort

this is a retreat… retreat… like out in wilderness

don’t plan on doing work or being on the internet all day

there's no tv

you travel thru the jungle to beach and it is GLORIOUS

you'll fly into an international airport – BZE

from there you are getting onto a lil plane, hence the need to pack light

the plane is little!

sturdy lil thing that will fly you about 20 mins to Dangriga

when they pick you up to drive you to Hopkins, they ask if you’ve eaten…

always say NO

they will offer you what is available that day

listen… they catch your seafood in the ocean and make the juice for your cocktails like the royalty you are!

i had the lobster

it was delish and tasted of salt water

my travel agent told the owners and staff that it was my 30th birthday and to treat me like a princess

that’s just what they did!

the drive is bumpy to the hotel, hopefully they’ve improved the road since i went, but you’ll be entertained by the driver

really lovely person

your dinner will be waiting for you after a quick shower

my waiter, this sweet young man, made my cocktail with freshly squeezed juice and rum and played a special birthday playlist

i thought the driver was just making conversation about what music i liked, but he texted the waiter my favorite 90s hip hop, r&b, and soca tunes

a princess, i tell you!

i ate while the waiter, my dj and companion for dinner, told me that there aren’t many guests that week so they are at my disposal

he walks me thru the excursions i signed up for and as he takes my dishes and cutlery

a kind person from the kitchen with the sweetest accent asks me about when i’ll be coming down in the morning for breakfast

like royalty, i tell you!

they wanted to ensure my breakfast was ready and waiting

after i spray the room with bugspray and another long shower

finally i rest

draping the mosquito net around me and listening to bird calls

i couldn’t sleep though, so i went on the balcony with a book… and then i saw it

a sky full of stars

you don’t realize it until you leave the city that the sky is full of stars

not just the big constellations or planets but a full sky, full, of large and small twinkling lights

after a great night of rest, i awaken for breakfast which is plated and warm right when they said it would be

greeted by my smiling waiter from the previous night

are you ready to see the ruins today? he says through a smile

happy birthday to me!

oh, how can i forget about the birthday card

drawn on a leaf and left at the bench in front of my bed

so sweet

what did I wear on my first excursion?

a tissue tank, a bikini top, cargo pants and hiking boots

i brought my long sleeve tissue tank just in case

the tour is called “XUNANTUNICH”

i’m so happy i stretched and swam before we left

after a drive thru the jungle and scenery, you’ll drive passed the capital of Belize, Belmopan

smiling at waving Belizeans saying good morning

funny thing about Belize, their accents and slang are very similar to the USVI, where my family is from, we may be cousins, who knows…

you’ll take a ferry on this trip

and there may be vendors selling small figurines and keepsakes

i still have a few

when you reach the mayan archaeological site of Xunantunich (pronounced shu-nan-tu-nitch) or Stone Lady (Maiden of the Rocks), you’ll see a beautiful pyramid with several plazas

if you really want to experience what the mayans did, you should climb it

but take your time

when you reach the top of El Castillo, you’ll be able to see both Belize and as far as Guatemala

on the way back you’ll stop for lunch

the food tho… yum

the flavors

and a few parrots as lunch companions

then it’s time for a nap under an umbrella, maybe a long swim and some sunbathing before dinner

they’ll check on you every few minutes or hours, whatever you choose

really lovely and relaxing

all you need is your bathing suit and perhaps your robe from your room

spent the night after dinner chatting poolside with very few resort mates, smoking, drinking, discussing life’s dilemmas and beauty, looking up at the stars

next da