The workshop is being held at Journey's End Resort, a luxury beach resort offering a wide variety of leisure and water sport activities. The resort is secluded on 50+ acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, yet is only about 12 minutes via water taxi from the bustling town of San Pedro.

Location

Journey's End Resort is located on the beach about 4.5 miles north of San Pedro. Occupying 50 acres of landscaped grounds, Journey's End is virtually self contained with comfortable guest quarters, and its own bar, restaurant, shop and dive center. World-class scuba diving is usually no more than ten minutes away and the barrier reef is just ¼ mile out offering some of the best snorkeling in the world. Hobie cats, kayaks, canoes and bicycles are free to use at any time. Should you wish to venture out, Journey's End is a regular water taxi stop and San Pedro is a very pleasant twelve minute cruise away.

Plan to come a few days early - and stay as long as you like. Should you wish, all transportation, lodging and related activities can be booked directly through Solimar Travel at www.Solimartravel.com. Your personal contact is Ben Isenberg, ben@solimartravel.com , 202.518.6193

Travel Directions
It's usually easiest and least expensive to get to Belize by air and there are a number of regularly scheduled flights into Belize City. From there you have a choice of going by boat or small plane to San Pedro. Air is the easiest, leaves directly from Belize International Airport (be sure to stop at Jet's Bar for a bottle of Belikin before you go) and takes about 20 minutes. After arriving at San Pedro it's only a few hundred meters, and an easy walk, into town and the main dock where you can grab a water taxi to Journey's End. For more details please contact Ben Isenberg, ben@solomartravel.com, 202.518.6193 or Gary Groll, ggroll@aol.com, 443.223.0399.

Lodging

Journey's End Resort is located on the beach about 4.5 miles north of San Pedro. Room availability is limited so if you want to stay on-site make sure to book your reservations early. If we run out of space at Journey's End we can probably find lodging within walking distance and there are a number of other options at a variety of prices both on the beach and in San Pedro. For further information please contact Ben Isenberg or Gary Groll - or, if you want to do this yourself you might want to start your research at www.ambergriscaye.com/pages/lodge/lodging.html.

Getting Around on Ambergris

There are few motor vehicles on the island and those are mostly in and around San Pedro. There is one road that runs north and south of the town that provides inland access but most people still commute by water taxi which usually costs about $5US one way. Other options include electric carts and bicycles which can be rented for as long as you need them. Other than that, all beaches on Ambergris Caye are public property so there are few restrictions on where you can get to on foot.

More info on Belize
Wedged into the northeastern corner of Central America, Belize offers some of the most breathtaking coastal scenery - both above and below water - in the Caribbean. Add to this magnificent landscapes, archaeological sites and wildlife to rival any destination in the region, and it's easy to see why the number of visitors to this tiny country increases every year. Despite its small size - roughly that of Wales or Massachusetts - with less than a quarter million inhabitants, Belize has the lowest population density in Central America. A fact that contributes to its easy-going, friendly and, noticeably uncrowded character.

Lying just offshore is one of the country's, and the continent's, most astonishing natural wonders - the dazzling turquoise shallows and cobalt depths of the longest barrier reef in the Americas. Beneath the surface, a brilliant technicolor world of fish and corals awaits divers and snorkellers, while scattered along the entire reef like emeralds set in sapphire, a chain of islands, known as cayes, protects the mainland from the ocean swell and holds more than a hint of tropical paradise.

Technically part of Mexico's Xcalak Peninsula, Ambergris Caye is separated from Mexico in the north by a narrow channel, created partly by the ancient Maya. At 36 miles long, it is by far the largest of the cayes, though the vast majority of its 7,000 residents are concentrated in the town of San Pedro near the southern end. Ambergris also boasts the largest concentration of ex-patriots - mostly north Americans - in Belize. Though estimates vary ex-pats probably make up from 10-15% of the local population. Some of the country's best hotels, bars, and restaurants are located here, and there is an abundance of entertainment from live music to water-based activities including windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, diving, snorkeling, and fishing. San Pedro is also the jumping off place for other cayes and access to the mainland for in-country exploration.

Other Things You Need to Know

• No visa is necessary for citizens of Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the EU, but you will need a valid passport.
  
• There are no entry taxes but you will pay a departure tax at the airport when you leave Belize. The latest information is that it will cost you $35US but you will want to confirm this.
  
• The official language of Belize is English. Most locals also speak Spanish.
  
• The Belize dollar is tied to the US dollar at a conversion rate of 2$BZ - $1US. Almost every place takes US currency so if that is what you are bringing there is no real need to convert. Typically travelers cheques are simple to cash, as well. There's a branch office at the Belize Bank at the International Airport if you do need to convert foreign currencies.
  
• March is the end of the dry season in Belize so don't expect too much rain. Temperatures will generally range from 70 - 86 degrees Fahrenheit (21 - 30 Centigrade).
  
• Belize has an excellent communication system; both long distance phone service and high speed internet connections are available at a variety of locations.
  
• Guinness is generally cheaper in Belize than in the US.
  
• If you end up driving an electric cart around San Pedro be prepared for local school kids to hop on for a free ride.
  
• Belize operates on Central Standard Time all year. No Daylight Savings Time is observed.
  
• Banks are open for business transactions from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. from Monday through Thursday. On Friday banks close at 4:30 p.m. Some banks are opened on Saturday morning. Check with your hotel for more information.
  
• Most businesses open at 8:00 a.m. close for lunch at 12:00 noon, reopen at 1:00 p.m. and close at 5:00 p.m.
  
• The Ambergris Caye Post Office is open Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon then 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  
• A valid drivers license is required to rent a vehicle (golf carts are considered vehicles). Traffic laws are similar to those in other countries around the world. Driving is done on the right hand side of the road.
  
• Belize has strict laws on the use of illegal drugs; violators are charged large fines and even sentenced to prison terms. Enough said.
  
• Emergency Numbers: 911 will connect you to the local police station wherever you are in the country of Belize including on Ambergris Caye. The police will be able to render assistance in almost any circumstance. They will also alert the Fire Department and summon an ambulance if needed.
  Other contact # in San Pedro are:
  
• The police - 911 or 226-2022.
  
• Fire Department - 226-2372.
  
• Medical (Lions Clinic) - 2073 or VHF Radio 147.550.
  
• Medical (San Pedro Health Center) - 226-3668
  
• Hyperbaric Chamber - 226-2851.
  
• Belize Tourism Board - 223-1913
  
• Belize Tourism Industry Association 223-3507.