Did I every tell you about the day when…………….

Not much happening right now so though I would tell you about a trip we took one time whilst on holiday. We were on a tiny (and I mean tiny) Caribbean island called Bequia which is reached via a very small plane from Barbados. Now not sure if you have ever been in a 10 seater plane which actually had 10 people on it but there is not much room especially after you put your own luggage on. I wonder if this is what sardines are thinking as the lid closes

Think I have said before I prefer airplanes to be big, actually the bigger the better. Anyway this was not big and you could feel every dip and climb. It got slightly better when most of the passengers got off at Richard Branson’s luxury island but not us. We are going to meet up with Judi’s parents who have already been there for a week or so. Landing on grass airstrips is also not something I look forward to however as they say any landing you can walk away from is a good one. Customs control was interesting it consisted of someone passing our case through a hole in the wall of the terminal building, I say terminal building I mean hut. The taxi was actually a pickup truck and we sit in the open back whilst the driver casually ambles to our final destination.

Bequia is one of those quiet islands not yet spoilt by the mass tourist trade. The main reason being that it is not easy to get to. 10 seater planes do not bring the volume of people needed to support a McDonalds or all inclusive resorts so it still retains that relaxed “we will get around to it sometime” atmosphere.

We hook up with Mike and Lan and find the little house we will be staying in. Mike is on a mission to make the perfect Rum punch (well some form or rum drink) and seems to be doing a fine job of the testing process.

When you live in a fast paced world it is difficult to just shrug it off and it takes a few days to settle in. I read a couple of books (I only really read on vacation) however the first book I read is about all the details of the World War II Normandy invasion was possibly not conducive to relaxing but the rum helped.

The island is so small that when I decide I want splash out one night and have Lobster for dinner Mike has to ring around all the local restaurants to see who has one. (now that’s a small island). Interestingly it is one of the few places where whaling is allowed the locals are ok to catch up to 4 humpback whales per year using traditional methods. I have no idea if they actually do as the culture seems to be more of a “maybe tomorrow” type of place.

This blog is actually about a trip we took from Bequia to St Vincent the closest island. There is a ship which shuttles back and forth between the two islands. Quite a nice looking ship actually an ex Norwegian fiord boat. Good and sturdy and not too small so by the Tuesday we have developed a taste for an adventure and hatch a plan that on Wednesday we want to take the aforementioned ship on the 1-1.5 hour journey to St Vincent a much bigger island (everything is relative). Not many people join us possibly only 3 maybe 4 (which should have been a clue). We sail off only 20 minutes after the schedule says which causes Judi to make some comments. (You know being late is never acceptable with Judi) so out of the bay and into the Atlantic. This is the point you suddenly start to fully appreciate the difference between a quiet calm Norwegian fiord and the Atlantic Ocean. This thing is rolling around like a barrel up and down and side to side and the sea is not even rough, it is just the shape of the boat is not designed for open water. Also of course true to local custom it is going very slowly. So slow in fact a small sail boat passes us which gives me some good photos whilst also being somewhat of an embarrassment.

We arrive and disembark only staggering around for a few minutes whilst we regain our balance. The place is a lot quieter than we had expected. In fact almost all of the shops are shut. Ok its Wednesday so possibly the traditional half day closing, its 2:30 pm so if they have closed for lunch it’s a long one. Anyway armed with a small map (and you thought Judi would not have one ? Shame on you) we make our way through what could be called the “town center” Mmmmm still no shops open and not many people on the streets although the ones we see are very well dressed. Smart black suits and clean white shirts for the men and the women are dressed as if it is a Sunday and they are on their way to church.

Of course they actually are. It would seem that a local Journalist / Politian had been shot dead a few days earlier in mysterious circumstances and was being buried this afternoon. The circumstances were that he was naked in in the back seat of his car at 1:30 in the morning and had been shot dead. Now that seems to be the plot line of a good thriller but that thought escapes me as we round a corner and find 90% of the population huddled around the local church. Now how conspicuous do you think two Caucasians dressed in shorts and bright shirts would look in the middle of several hundred people dressed for a funeral. Its one of those times when you have to just go with the flow. As quietly as possible we slip through the crowd. I desperately want to take some photographs but think this might inappropriate right now. There were some wonderful outfits and lots of somber faces, this contrasted to our straw hats and flip flops. You can not help but feel out of place and whilst none commented you got the sense we should maybe get the hell out of there. You need to know he seemed like a very popular guy and they were giving him a good send off. Everyone seemed to have turned out and the local Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said that in his relatively short life-span, and an even shorter working life, Glen Jackson excelled in diverse roles and touched, for the better, the lives of thousands of persons; and he did so joyously and selflessly.

I read later that Scotland yard were sending forensic experts to assist in the investigation and the whole thing got very messy.

All a little too much excitement for us so we head back to the ship to wait for our roller coaster ride back to Bequia. Another interesting day and another experience to remember.