Sticker Shock

When we landed in Ambergris Cay we were picked up by a taxi and taken to the inn, but not before stopping at the store to get some supplies. The driver asked us where we wanted to go, which is ridiculous when you consider that we had just landed and we'd never been to the island before. I said to take us to the big store, but he kept plugging this one store, the Greenhouse Market. We said fine, so we stopped to get food. The room we're staying at has a complete kitchen, so it's nice to have food and cook at home rather than going out to eat every meal. 

The place was your typical island store with the usual variety of exotic (and not to exotic) dry goods and unique local comestibles, though prices definitely shocked me. Now the exchange is about 2:1, but even at 50%, the costs were high. I was amazed, so much so that I bought instant coffee because it was the only stuff that was reasonably priced. Now that we have been here for a few days and have visited other stores, I get a sense the driver was in cahoots with the store, which is kind of lame, but innocent until proven guilty, right? Maybe they're all in it together.

We bought a bunch of food, anyway, because we didn't have much choice in the matter. Enough, at least, to get us to the next day, but after that, we'll be looking for that elusive local experience that is not only more authentic, but must be cheaper, as well. Here's to hoping that's true.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.