What's the best affordable Digital Camera for Amatures?

I'm heading to Belize for Vacation in April and I want to be able to take plenty of pictures w/o needing to dock with a PC to unload the pictures. So something with an external memory card would be nice and perhaps something that could record video as well? I want to share my trip with my friends and I don't want to take a laptop with me to unload pix all the time. So if I could find a good camera that I could buy additional memory cards for, it would be great. Plus if it's easy to use, that would be a major plus! Any suggestions would be helpful!

KODAK. I JUST GOT ONE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THE CUSTOMER SUPPORT LINE IS VERY HELPFUL.

Do you know how to use one well, or will this be your first one? If it's your first, go with a Kodak or HP. They have the most user-friendly menus. If you're already a seasoned user, go with a Canon or Nikon. They tend to be the best in quality.

Sony DSC-W5