Category: 2023 Caribbean+

Photo Recap

I snapped over 3,500 pictures during the course of the trip. Here are a few of my favorites…

A lot of beach photos, I know. But come on, it was (mainly) the Caribbean after all!

Monday, April 17 – Placencia

And now, the end is near…

Today is my last full day in one place as the trip draws to a close. Tomorrow I’ll be traveling back to Belize City, and on Wednesday to Madison. I’m thinking this will be a day of leisure.

I took a walk on the beach, worked on a journal entry and spent the rest of the day by the pool and on the patio (sound familiar?).

I’ve learned about Sargassum seaweed during my travels around the Caribbean. I’ve seen it on several of my stops. Some history: Beginning in 2011, unprecedented quantities of Sargassum began inundating coastal areas in Brazil, the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and the east coast of Florida. These events cost millions of dollars in lost revenue for the tourism industry, especially hurting small Caribbean countries whose economies are highly dependent on seasonal tourism. Apparently there are three main factors behind the increased presence of the seaweed in the Caribbean: a) a nutrient influx into the seawater (from the Amazon, Congo and Mississippi Rivers); b) Trade Winds and Currents; and c) Human Effects (deforestation, waste-water runoff, and commercial agriculture fertilizer). For me personally, the beach here in Placencia is where I’ve seen the greatest presence of Sargassum on the trip.

Tuesday, April 18 – transit from Placencia to Belize City

I’m back on Tropic Air early this afternoon to Belize City; this time to the international airport.

Including the pilot, there were 4 of us on board. The flight lasted 25 minutes.

Belize Information

• Currency: Belize Dollar
• Language: English
• Vehicle Traffic: Drive on the right
• Weather: Highs in the upper 80s, Lows in the upper 70s, moderately high humidity
• Covid Entry Requirements: None
• Mask Wearing: Rare
• Electrical Outlets: U.S. Type
• Drinkable Tap Water: No
• Timezone: Same as U.S. Mountain Time

Wednesday, April 19 – transit from Belize to Madison

I’m on American Airlines today back to Madison, via Dallas. I departed Belize around 1pm and landed in Madison at 11pm (home around midnight). Both flights were on 737s, and they were full! I again used miles for these flights; the cost was $78 + 36,000 miles. The Lyft ride in Madison was $30.

Travel Note: The line for immigration in Dallas was massive! However, I have Global Entry, and there were zero people waiting there. I walked right through! Awesome! Much of the time though the weak link in the Global Entry process is the baggage claim. You might get through immigration quickly, but there is still that wait for your luggage. Not today! Non-stop through immigration….and my bag is waiting for me! Wow! Full disclosure however: When I entered the U.S. in Fort Lauderdale a couple weeks ago Global Entry provided no advantage; there was no wait at immigration for the travelers without GE.

Another Travel Note: I was going to mention this earlier in the journal, but didn’t want to jinx myself. Have you noticed the lack of rain days during my trip? Like Hawaii last year, I’ve been unbelievably fortunate. Crazy! I might have had a couple days of rain this year, but that’s it.

In case you were wondering…

This has been an amazing trip! I know it could have been better if I had done some advanced planning, but I’m happy with the way it turned out. There’s been a LOT of moving around though. I foresee next winter’s escape being based in one place, with short out and back trips from that location.

Thanks to all of you for following along. I hope you haven’t been too bored, or felt obligated to read all of the entries. That’s not my intent. And much appreciation for all of your comments and questions, via this website and through phone calls, emails, and texts. While traveling solo the interaction with you means a lot to me. Until next year…

Epilogue

Throughout this journey I’ve compiled some trip-related lists. One caveat: While reading them over please remind yourself of my weirdness! The lists are random and in no particular order.

Favorite Experiences

• Panama Canal Cruise
• Volcano Hike
• Using the Public (mini)Buses
• Mantego Bay B&B
• Caye Caulker Snorkeling

Favorite Places

• Grenada
  • Beachside Grilled Fish Meals
  • Picturesque Harbor
  • Waffle Cones
  • Roti Stand
• Antigua
  • Amazing Blues of the Ocean
  • Beautiful Beaches
  • Good walking/hiking
    • Hiking around Nelson’s Dockyard
• Caye Caulker
  • Atmosphere
  • Snorkeling
  • Fellow Travelers

Favorite Accommodation

• Montego Bay B&B (duh!)

Favorite Airbnbs

• Barbados
  • Great Porch
  • Nice Breeze
  • No Mosquitos
  • Nearby Café
• St. Lucia
  • Great Hosts
    • Provided food due to my late arrival
    • Homemade Soup
• Dominica (1st time)
  • Good Host
  • Nice Patio/View
  • Least Expensive!

Favorite Meals

• Grilled Fish Sandwich and Rum Punch from a food truck on the beach in Barbados
• Mahi Mahi and Kale & Mango Smoothie at Ma Cherie Café in Barbados
• Grilled Fish and Rum Punch at Beachside Market in Grenada
• Roti in Grenada
• Grenada Chocolate Ice Cream in a Waffle Cone
• Grilled Fish at Dantie’s in Dominica
• Homemade Soup from Airbnb hosts in St. Lucia
• Rum Punch at Top Bar in Dominica (& Rum Punch in general!)
• Coconut Water following the Volcano Hike in St. Vincent
• Plantains and Sea Moss drink with Airbnb host in Dominica
• Akee & Saltfish Patty in Kingston
• All of the breakfasts at the Montego Bay B&B
• Smoothies in St. Kitts
• Pineapple-Ginger Ice Cream in Jamaica

Least Favorite Experiences

• Dominica Ferry Terminal
• Dominica Taxis
• Taxis in General (no change for minor large bills, among other issues!)
• Saturation (This is a travel-related term Xavier introduced me to – he experienced it during a month-long trip in Europe. It describes repeatedly seeing amazing things and becoming immune to the “wow” factor, which is absolutely a terrible thing to have happen. Unfortunately I experienced some of that on this trip – in regards to forts, beaches, & greenery. I’m not happy about it, and desperately fought against it.)

Least Favorite Airbnb

• Dominica (2nd time)
  • Mosquitos
  • Noisy
  • Otherwise though, good
    • Location
    • View
    • Host
    • Top Bar

I’m sure I forgot some things, so feel free to call me out if you notice any oversights!

Let’s Look at the Data

Below I’m going to list a bunch of statistics, both from this trip and from all of my previous winter escapes (yes, I’m a dork). Please remember that you’re under no obligation to grind through this stuff!

Countries Visited

I visited 11 new (to me) countries and 2 new territories on this trip. I feel incredibly lucky to say I have now been to 81 countries. Below is a breakdown of visited countries by continent (and the % of countries I’ve been to on each continent):

• Africa: 3 (6%) – much yet to see in Africa!
• Antarctica: 0 (0%) – maybe this will be my 100^th country?
• Asia: 20 (44%)
• Europe: 29 (60%)
• North America: 19 (83%)
• Oceania: 2 (14%)
• South America: 8 (67%)

Trip Length

1. 2023 Caribbean: 100 days
2. 2019 South America: 77 days
3. 2022 Hawaii: 66 days
4. 2020 Europe: 33 days
5. 2020 South America: 30 days (cut short due to Covid)

Trip Cost

Total

1. 2023 Caribbean
2. 2022 Hawaii
3. 2019 South America
4. 2020 Europe
5. 2020 South America

Per Day

1. 2022 Hawaii (shocking!)
2. 2019 South America (skewed higher by Galapagos Islands and Easter Island)
3. 2023 Caribbean
4. 2020 South America
5. 2020 Europe (skewed lower due to the use of frequent flyer miles for the transatlantic flights)

Steps

Total

1. 2023 Caribbean: 1.32 million (that’s roughly 600 miles!)
2. 2019 South America: 1.09 million
3. 2022 Hawaii: 1.07 million
4. 2020 Europe: 550 thousand
5. 2020 South America: 440 thousand

Per Day

1. 2022 Hawaii: 16.2 thousand
2. 2020 Europe: 16.1 thousand
3. 2020 South America: 14.5 thousand
4. 2019 South America: 14.4 thousand
5. 2023 Caribbean: 13.2 thousand (embarrassingly low result!)

2023 Extremes

• Most: 34.9 thousand in Barbados
• Least: 1.3 thousand on the day after the St. Vincent Volcano hike

Postcards

• I mailed 11 postcards to Oliver on this trip. Two are still in transit; but as of this writing the shortest delivery time was 12 days from Saint Martin ( a French Territory – I mailed the card during my day visit there from Sint Maarten), and the longest delivery time was 29 days from Dominica.

Planes, Ferries, Buses & Trains

I took 22 flights on this trip (not a great carbon footprint, I know…) totaling a little over 10k miles. The longest flight was from Toronto to Panama City, the shortest from Dangriga to Placencia in Belize.

I also traveled 5 times on ferries/water taxis; twice on buses; and once on a train (Fort Lauderdale to Miami).

Trip Map

The update to my trip map is now complete. The link to it is here.

Favorite Photos

I plan on going through my trip photos over the next few days and uploading a few of my favorites here. Please check back if you’re interested. Thanks!

Wednesday, April 12 – Caye Caulker

Sam and Sophie told me about a yoga class on the island; sounds interesting! I’ll be joining them this morning, and Katie thought she would try it too. Great!

After brunch we split up and agreed to meet later in the afternoon at a nearby beach for some wildlife viewing.

I spent my afternoon working on a journal entry and taking a bike ride around the island.

Sadly, my snorkeling friends were all departing in the morning, so we said our goodbyes following the stingray viewing. I had fun hanging out with them.

Unfortunately, the nature of my trip – staying mostly in Airbnbs, and having little opportunity to book group tours – has limited my interaction with other travelers, which is too bad.

Thursday, April 13 – Caye Caulker

When I was staying at the B&B in Belize City I met Yasir, who is from Canada, and was also traveling to Caye Caulker. We’re going to get together for lunch today. While waiting for the meet, I did a little walking around the island.

Yasir is an interesting guy. He lives in Edmonton and owns a wellness center (yoga, massage, nutrition, etc.). After lunch he was joining some locals for a poker game! I’m glad we were able to meet up.

Friday, April 14 – transit from Caye Caulker to Placencia

I’m back on the ferry to Belize City this morning. I’ll then fly from the municipal airport to Placencia, a coastal town to the south.

The ferry ride took an hour and then I had a 10 minute ride to the airport (7.50 USD).

Travel Note: On more than a few occasions during this trip I’ve encountered taxi drivers who were unable to provide change for my larger denomination bills (and I’m not talking 100 dollar size here). So annoying! Just another reason why I despise taxi drivers, and utilize Uber/Lyft whenever possible!

We made a stop in Dangriga on the way to Placencia. In total the trip took 45 minutes. I purchased a round trip ticket that will take me to the Belize City International airport on the 18^th; the cost was 276 USD.

My taxi ride from the Tropic Air office in Placencia to my hotel took 10 minutes and cost 10 USD. (thankfully I had the exact change!)

When I booked this hotel, I chose the cheapest option (of course!), which was a garden view room. Even though it was the lowest cost, it was rather large, with 2 bathrooms. Well, when I arrived for check-in I was asked if I wouldn’t mind switching to a smaller, oceanfront room, as a group of 3 people preferred the larger suite. Yes, please!

Just like in Montego Bay, immediately after check-in I got into my swimsuit and hit the pool! After sufficient chillin’ time, I made a grocery run and that was pretty much it for the day.

Travel Note: I’ve been reading about the flooding in south Florida, and the closing of the Fort Lauderdale airport. A sad situation, and relatable, since I was just there.

Saturday, April 15 – Placencia

What do I usually do on my first day in a new location? That’s right…roam!

Sunday, April 16 – Placencia

I booked a tour for today. It will include a boat ride through some mangroves and the Caribbean Sea to Monkey River Village, followed by a hike in search of monkeys. Let’s go!

This was a fun tour! There were 8 of us in the group, it lasted 5 hours, and cost 107 USD. I spent the rest of the day on my patio and poolside. Of course!

Sunday, April 9 – Belize City

As I was on my way to Belize, contemplating my one full day in Belize City, it finally dawned on me that that day will be Easter Sunday. Well, that was kind of stupid planning! Again! Anyway, I’ll make the best of it and take a walk around the city (it’s what I do…)

The walk from the B&B to the far eastern tip of the city should take about an hour.

The fact that my walkabout occurred on Easter Sunday turned out to be a good thing. The city was deserted! The only place that I would have liked to have visited was the Government House Museum.

I returned to the B&B in the early afternoon and relaxed in the Jacuzzi. I followed that with some journal work, and a return to the Friendship Restaurant for some dumplings (thank you for being open on Easter!).

The day turned out better than I expected!

Monday, April 10 – transit from Belize City to Caye Caulker

I met some interesting people at breakfast today: a couple from Belgium who have been to Uganda to see the gorillas; a gentleman from Pakistan who now lives in Washington, D.C. and works for the world bank, which has resulted in his visiting over 100 countries; and an entrepreneur from Canada who, like me, will be traveling to Caye Caulker today (on a different schedule though) – we will likely meet up there later in the week.

I have an early afternoon departure from Belize City to Caye Caulker via a water taxi/ferry. My taxi ride to the ferry terminal took 15 minutes and cost 10 USD.

Caye Caulker (pronounced “key corker”) is a small island, measuring roughly 5 miles by 1 mile. Along with Ambergris Caye, they are the most popular islands to visit in Belize. One is known for its luxury resorts, excellent (and expensive) restaurants, and a bustling nightlife. The other is smaller and more rustic, attracting travelers seeking a relaxed Caribbean vibe. Based on the island I chose, I’m sure you can guess which is which!

There are no automobiles on Caye Caulker, only golf carts, bicycles, and feet (walking!). The walk to my Airbnb took 10 minutes.

I’m staying at a place called the Gumbo Limbo. I booked it through Airbnb, but it’s available through their own website and other travel booking sites as well.

After getting settled in, I took a short walk around the area.

Tuesday, April 11 – Caye Caulker

My Airbnb host recommended a tour operator to use for a snorkeling excursion. I stopped by their shop yesterday to book a spot for today.

The snorkeling tour is scheduled to last 6 1/2 hours and will take us to three different spots: Coral Gardens, Shark Ray Alley, and Hol Chan Marine Reserve. The cost of the tour was 100 USD, and included equipment, drinks, lunch, and rum punch!

What will be on view in Coral Gardens is self-explanatory. The same goes for Shark Ray Alley, except to point out that the nurse sharks we will be swimming with are harmless. And Hol Chan Marine Reserve covers approximately 4,400 acres of coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forest. Hol Chan is Mayan for “little channel”.

(I don’t have a waterproof camera, so sadly the only pictures I have to post are from what I took onboard. Sorry!)

This was a fun day! The snorkeling was excellent. Among other things, we saw beautiful coral, parrot fish, barracuda, tarpon, eels, rays, and of course, the nurse sharks. The duration of the snorkeling stops was just right, and each was followed by a slow-paced sail to the next location.

The only issue some of us had was the fact that in order to attract the sharks, they were fed from the stern of the boat. Not sure if that is the best long-term plan for the ecosystem, and ultimately I guess we (the passengers) are culpable by booking and paying for the tour. A complicated issue.

I enjoyed meeting the other snorkelers, and upon returning to Caye Caulker a few of us got together for some more rum punch! (only 4 USD per drink)

Thursday, April 6 – transit from Montego Bay, Jamaica to Miami

This Morning’s Menu – last breakfast in Montego Bay

• Orange Juice
• Fruit Plate
• Pepper Steak
• Green Banana
• Yam
• Plantain
• Callaloo
• Fried Dumplings

I’ve been spoiled. I’m going to miss these breakfasts!

I have an early afternoon flight today to Fort Lauderdale. I used the driver who picked me up at the bus terminal for the ride to the airport – 15 minutes, 15 USD.

Travel Note: The Montego Bay airport is massively busy! It’s well organized though – both the airline check-in and the security screening. (unlike a certain ferry terminal I encountered that shall remain nameless!). Just get there early! I arrived 3 hours before my flight.

I’m flying Southwest today, and I tried checking-in online yesterday but received an error message. Following that I called customer service, who worked on the issue for 45 minutes, to no avail. I was told I would need to check-in at the ticket counter today. Ugh! I’m sure my boarding position is going to be terrible. Yep, it’s C9! Fortunately it’s only a 90 minute flight (where I’ll be stuck in a middle seat…)

Follow-Up: While waiting in the gate area prior to boarding, my name was called amongst a group of passengers being asked to report to the agent. It turns out I was randomly selected by TSA for a bag search. That’s kind of annoying, but it’s also a good thing because the search starts early in the boarding process and once it’s complete I can get on the plane. Nice! I ended up sitting in an exit row aisle seat!

(Did this story just completely bore you to death? Apologies!)

Side Note: I’ve noticed during this trip that when certain airlines are making announcements at the airports, instead of mentioning “passengers” or “customers”, they are now using the term “guests”. Really? Am I now sounding like the old guy yelling at the kids to stay off his lawn? Probably…

I mentioned a while back why I was traveling to Miami on this trip. Here’s a quick refresher: When I was trying to book my transit from Jamaica to Belize it was either going to be prohibitively expensive or of a brutally long duration. This diversion to Miami seemed to be the best alternate. I know what you’re thinking though: After flying in and out of Miami, spending two nights in an accommodation, plus all the other minor associated costs, wouldn’t it have ultimately been less expensive just to shell out for the high cost fare from Jamaica? Probably, but my cheapness just wouldn’t allow me to pull the trigger on a (relatively) massive ticket price. I’m certifiable, I know! (BTW, the cost of the Southwest flight was $208)

Okay, so I’m arriving in Fort Lauderdale, and in a couple days I’ll be flying out of Miami, so I reserved an Airbnb close to the Miami airport. It turns out it’s kind of a long drive between those two airports. (And I’m probably the only one who’s just realizing this!) After collecting my bag, I checked on a Lyft ride to the Airbnb and it was going to cost $65 and take 70 minutes. Mmmm, flashback to Dominica! There has to be an alternate means of transit, right? And after a little research, I discovered that, yes, there is! My route turned out to be as follows:

• Shuttle bus from Airport to Train Station: free
• Train from Fort Lauderdale Airport Station to Miami Airport Station: $3.75
• Lyft from Miami Airport Train Station to Airbnb: $6.00
• Total Time: 100 minutes

Side Note: You may be wondering why I chose to use Lyft instead of Uber? Well, I usually compare prices between the two, but in this case I had no choice. That’s because Uber no longer works on my phone! I last used Uber in Panama in January with no issues. Well, since then they’ve issued an update to their app that is no longer compatible with Apple iOS 12, which is what my iPhone 6 is stuck using. I’ve had this phone 8 1/2 years, and it may be getting to the point where I need to get a new one. I hate planned obsolescence!

Friday, April 7 – Miami

I have a couple places I’d like to check out today.

The first stop is the Vizcaya Museum (thanks for the recommendation Ali!). To get there I’m going to use the Miami Metro system. The walk to the Miami Airport station took 15 minutes; the train to the Vizcaya station cost $2.25; and the walk to the museum lasted 10 minutes. I love public transport!

The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is the former villa and estate of James Deering, of the International Harvester fortune, located on Biscayne Bay. The villa was built primarily between 1914 and 1922, and the property originally consisted of 180 acres.

An amazing place! Thanks again Ali! The museum entry fee was $25 and I paid another $5 for a 30-minute guided architectural tour.

My plan is to walk back to the apartment, which should take around 2 hours. On the way is my second stop: Sanguich de Miami – a sandwich shop in Little Havana that I read about.

Saturday, April 8 – transit from Miami to Belize City

My short Lyft ride to the airport this morning cost $7.

My flight is on American today, and I ended up using miles to book it. The one-way ticket cost $6 + 26,000 miles. However, for an additional 10,000 miles I could upgrade to business class. It’s only a 2 hour flight, but I went with the upgrade mainly so I wouldn’t have to pay to check my bag. Not sure if 10,000 miles are only worth $30, but who knows when I’ll ever utilize the miles? And it turns out the Miami airport was very busy on this Easter weekend, so the access I received to the American lounge via the BC ticket was a nice perk.

I was a little disappointed that the BC passengers did not receive a meal on the flight. I know it was only 2 hours, but I figured we’d a least get a sandwich. Nope! Just an offering of some pretzels, chips, and cookies. I did have 2 mimosas though, so there is that! (And I did some eating in the lounge too!)

Travel Note: I had a check-in problem on American too. I had a feeling I knew what the issue was in this case though, and I was right – my one-way ticket to Belize. It’s the same problem I had on the very first flight of this trip with Air Canada – no return or onward ticket. I was prepared this time however and showed the ticket agent my itinerary to Madison on the 19th…on American Airlines!

Travel Note 2: At not one of the immigration points on this trip was I asked by an officer if I had a return or onward ticket. Thereby confirming my assumption that the policing of this policy is solely under the purview of the airline, ferry operator, or similar. Interesting…

I booked my ride from the airport through the B&B where I’ll be staying. It cost 30 USD for the 20 minute drive.

For dinner, the B&B owner recommended a nearby Chinese place. Perfect!

Tuesday, April 4 – Montego Bay

This Morning’s Menu

• Guava-Pineapple Juice
• Fruit Plate
• Salt Mackerel Fish
• Green Banana
• Yam
• Plantain
• Callaloo
• Fried Dumplings

No big plans for the day. I’m just going to walk around the area to the north of the B&B. (amongst the cruise passengers)

This turned out to be my last meal of the day. These breakfasts fill me up!

Wednesday, April 5 – Montego Bay

This Morning’s Menu

• Pineapple Juice
• Fruit Plate
• Callaloo & Swordfish
• Yam
• Green Banana
• Plantain
• Fried Dumplings

I noticed another cruise ship in port this morning. And I think I’ve seen pretty much all I want to around here…okay, I talked myself into it – I’ll be hanging out at the B&B today! Worked on this journal entry, did some Miami planning (my next stop), and spent serious time in and alongside the pool! A good day!

Travel Note: I have a feeling these past few days have been kind of boring to read about. I apologize for that. It’s been a relaxing time for me though. I’ve enjoyed my time here (mainly because of the B&B, obviously!).

Jamaica Information

• Currency: Jamaican Dollar
• Language: English
• Vehicle Traffic: Drive on the left
• Weather: It’s hot here! Highs in the upper 80s; Lows in the mid 70s; fairly high humidity
• Covid Entry Requirements: There was a health check upon arrival at the airport. It consisted solely of a query regarding travel history over the past six weeks; whether or not a passenger has traveled to a high-risk area during that time period.
• Mask Wearing: There are more people wearing masks here that I’ve encountered in the other places I’ve visited on this trip. Still a big minority of the population though.
• Electrical Outlets: U.S. Type
• Drinkable Tap Water: Yes
• Timezone: Same as U.S. Central

Sunday, April 2 – Montego Bay

For breakfast, we have a choice of Jamaican or American style. I plan on going Jamaican throughout my stay! Ya Mon!

This Morning’s Menu

• Sorrel Fruit Juice
• Fruit Plate
• Akee & Saltfish (I had this in a patty from the Devon House Bakery in Kingston)
• Yam
• Green Banana
• Plantain
• Callaloo (grown on the property)
• Fried Dumplings

Wow! What a breakfast. I’m stuffed!

That meal left me a little lazy. I ended up spending the entire day on the property. I worked on a journal entry, did some reading, and of course made maximum use of the pool!

Breakfast was so filling that it ended up being my only meal of the day. To be honest though, the fact that the taco shop is closed on Sunday, and my general laziness, might have also played into the decision!

Another Travel Note: I was talking to Xavier and he asked a good question about my travel map. He noted that when looking at the map, some numbers are missing. Great observation! This occurs when I have stopped at a location more than once. When this happens, one number will overlay on top of the other for that particular spot. This occurs in Panama (I had a layover there on the way to Barbados), Dominica (two stops), Grenada (two stops), and St Kitts (layover there on the way to Antigua). I think that’s all of them! If you have a question about the numbers, you can always refer back to the list.

Here’s a link to the map.

Monday, April 3 – Montego Bay

This Morning’s Menu

• Pineapple Juice
• Fruit Plate
• Escovitch Fish (Red Snapper)
• Yam
• Breadfruit
• Green Banana
• Plantain
• Callaloo
• Fried Dumplings

Another great breakfast!

Okay, I need to get out and walk off some of these calories! My plan is to checkout a few sights to the south of the B&B.

So, my walk out to the peninsula turned out to be like the one I took on the way back from Marigot in St. Maarten – long, and unpicturesque due to the many resorts and private residences blocking access to the waterfront. Bummer! Oh well, I did end up with 28k steps for the day. And to reward myself for the effort (and to sooth my disappointment)…

Sidenote: When I went to Cali Taco on Saturday the counter person there asked for a name to place on the order. So, upon my return today she remembered my name, and so did the cashier. Funny! (Although, they probably don’t get that many old white guys in the shop!)

Friday, March 31 – Kingston

I’m kind of behind on my journal entries…a top priority today!

The internet here is rather slow, so it took forever to upload my photos to the journal. Oh well, I’m working on island time!

I finished the journal update by mid-afternoon and decided to go back to the Devon House Bakery to get another patty. I went with fish this time (3 USD). I then roamed around the corner; back to the ice cream shop. But it was jam-packed with people today too! Worse than yesterday. As much as it pained me, I didn’t feel like waiting. Lame, I know!

Travel Note: I meant to mention that the stay at the B&B here marks the first time I have not been in an Airbnb since the hotel in Bogota way back in January. Kind of a long stretch. I just found the Airbnbs to be more economical when visiting the islands.

Saturday, April 1 – transit from Kingston to Montego Bay, Jamaica

I’m taking the 10am bus today to Montego Bay. And I’m happy because I only have a 10 minute walk to get from my B&B to the bus terminal!

The trip took 3 hours, which included a 10 minute rest stop, and cost 30 USD. The bus was 90% full (and 90% of those were locals). I’m staying at another B&B in Montego Bay, and they arranged for a taxi to pick me up at the bus terminal (located at the airport). The 15 minute ride to the B&B cost 15 USD.

This B&B is the most expensive place I’ll be staying at on the trip…by far. 247 USD/nt. I’ve been spending less on accommodations than I expected, so I decided to splurge a little. I’m glad I did; this is a nice place!

Immediately after check-in I put on my swimsuit and hit the pool!

By late afternoon I was getting hungry. Crystal, one of the B&B staff, told me about a taco place nearby. I’m there!

Sunday, March 26 – St. Maarten

Not a whole lot to write about today unfortunately. I worked on a journal entry, prepped for my Jamaica visit, and went for a swim at Simpson Bay. Tomorrow should be more interesting…

Monday, March 27 – St. Maarten

I’m traveling to France today! It’ll be a short trip. The walk to Marigot, the capital of St. Martin, will take about 45 minutes.

For my return, I planned on making a counterclockwise loop around Simpson Bay Lagoon. It seemed like it had the potential for some great views of both the lagoon and Nettle Bay. That sadly wasn’t the case though. Access to both of those bodies of water was pretty much blocked by resorts or private residences.

And it turned out to be a long walk! I ended the day with just under 34k steps, so there is that! (the 2nd highest daily output so far on the trip, exceeded only by my slightly longer trek in Barbados).

Tuesday, March 28 – transit from St. Maarten to Kingston, Jamaica

I have a mid-morning flight today. As with my arrival here, I’m traveling to the airport on foot (a 20 minute walk). Avoiding taxis makes me happy!

My non-stop Caribbean Airlines flight to Kingston took about 2 hours and cost 316 USD. The 737 originated in Barbados; after we boarded in St. Maarten, the plane was three-quarters full.

Travel Note: I was not asked about onward or return travel by the Caribbean Airlines ticket agent in St. Maarten.

St. Maarten Information

• Currency: It’s interesting, both the Netherlands Antillean Guilder and the U.S. Dollar are accepted here. In fact, in the grocery store for example, both prices are indicated for items.
• Language: English
• Vehicle Traffic: Drive on the right
• Weather: High in the mid 80s, Low in the mid 70s, moderate humidity
• Covid Entry Requirements: None
• Mask Wearing: Rare
• Electrical Outlets: U.S. Type
• Drinkable Tap Water: Yes
• Timezone: Same as U.S. Eastern

Prior to my arrival I had arranged a ride from the airport with my Kingston Bed & Breakfast; that trip took 30 minutes and cost 40 USD.

Travel Note: The lock on my door wasn’t working, so they gave me 4 USD off per night. Gee thanks! I could lock the door from the inside, but I couldn’t lock it when I left. I was assured that it would be no problem, only staff would have access to the area. Whatever, I still took my important stuff with me whenever I left. Kind of a hassle, but it turned out not to be an issue. I’m still trying to figure out though why it’s so difficult to fix a door knob?

It was late afternoon by the time I reached the B&B; I was content to rest up for tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 29 – Kingston

I have a few places within walking distance that I plan on visiting today. Let’s do this!

Unfortunately, the taking of pictures was not allowed within the house. Most of the rooms have been converted to display various memorabilia, with the exception of the bedroom and recording studio, both of which remain relatively intact. Entry to the museum was timed via a tour guide, who was very good. Including a 15 minute documentary at the end, the tour lasted an hour and forty-five minutes and cost 25 USD. And it was popular! There were around 20 people in our group.

Side Note: One the wall in one of the rooms I noticed a citation presented to Bob in 1978 by the Wisconsin State Assembly! I didn’t have the time to read what it was for. I did a little research online, but couldn’t find any additional details.

Next on my journey was a visit to the grounds of Devon House. The home was built in 1881, and is the former residence of George Stiebel, Jamaica’s first black millionaire. The name comes from the property previously being called Devon Penn before Stiebel made his fortune in Venezuela and returned to purchase it.

Thursday, March 30 – Kingston

With the help of the B&B staff, I’ve hired a driver today to take me up to the nearby Blue Mountains. You may have heard of this area due to their famous brand of coffee. I could have chosen to go on a coffee tour, but since I’m not a drinker, I decided to go on a hike instead.

Our destination is Holywell Park, a nature preserve that is part of the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park. There are many trails throughout the park, and I’ve chosen a couple that I think will fit into my allotted hiking time of 90 minutes as my driver stands by (I don’t like having to be on the clock while I hike, but don’t really have an option in this case).

The drive from Kingston to the park took around 90 minutes and was mainly on a slow and winding narrow road. It was a pretty route, but because of the road conditions, we were unable to stop and take any pictures.

Side Note: The main road to the park cuts through a Jamaican Defense Force (JDF) base. On both our ascent and descent from the park, our vehicle was stopped while we waited for army drills taking place nearby to be completed.

I ended up spending 2 hours on the trails. We then had another 90 minute drive back to the B&B. Total duration: 5 hours, at a cost of 87 USD for the driver. Not terrible, I guess. There was a 10 USD entry fee for the park. In hindsight, I’d say the excursion probably wasn’t worth it. The hiking wasn’t all that spectacular. Oh well, I had to give it a shot while I was here.

Later in the afternoon I returned to the Devon House shops to try another Jamaican favorite – Jerk meats (the island barbecue). The meat is covered with a sauce and herbs and then slow-cooked over a coal fire.

Following my jerk meal I walked around the corner to the ice cream shop, but it was packed with customers. Sadly, I passed…

Kind of a disappointing day: the uninspiring hike, the uninspiring jerk, and no ice cream. But I need to stay positive – a couple new experiences that I’m fortunate to be able to undertake. (And regarding the ice cream, that’s my own fault (lack of patience!)!)

Wednesday, March 22 – St. Kitts

I’m kind of tired today. And it looks like it’s going to be a rainy morning (a rare occurrence on this trip!); seems like a good time to work on a journal entry. I also need to do a little planning and prep for my next stop – Sint Maarten.

St. Kitts Information

• Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar
• Language: English
• Vehicle Traffic: Drive on the left
• Weather: High in the low 80s, Low in the low 70s, moderate humidity
• Covid Entry Requirements: None
• Mask Wearing: Minimal
• Electrical Outlets: U.S. Type
• Drinkable Tap Water: Yes
• Time Zone: Same as U.S. Eastern

By mid-afternoon the weather had cleared, so I went for a swim at Frigate Bay.

Corrections & Amplifications

In a previous post I incorrectly identified the island that could be seen from Brimstone Hill. It is actually St. Eustatius, not St. Martin. There’s a map at the fort identifying the various sights on view from the hill, and I obviously misread the notation for this (shocking, I know!). Sorry about that. And thanks for fact-checking me Chuck!

Thursday, March 23 – transit from St. Kitts to St. Maarten

I have a mid-morning flight today to St. Maarten. The short ride to the airport cost 21 USD.

Travel Note: The ticket agent in St. Kitts did not ask me about any onward or return travel from St. Maarten.

My Airbnb in St. Maarten is located in Simpson Bay, which is right next to the airport. Rather than taking a taxi, I decided to just get there on foot. The walk took 20 minutes.

This afternoon I went on a grocery run. It was a 30 minute walk to get there, but let me say that it was worth it! The store (Carrefour) was the best I’ve encountered so far (better even than in Antigua), and the prices were the lowest I’ve seen in the Caribbean. Very nice!

Sint Maarten / Saint Martin

St. Maarten/St. Martin is a unique place. This small island is seamless (there are no border gates), but is governed by two nations – France and The Netherlands. A call from the French side to the the Dutch is an international call; currencies are different, same with language and electrical currents. I chose the Dutch side – mainly because it’s less expensive and they speak English!

Friday, March 24 – St. Maarten

My usual first day in a place will hold form today – roaming and exploring. And what I’m seeing in the small town of Simpson Bay reminds me a lot of the stretch of highway A1A along the Florida Atlantic coast. Many shops, restaurants and hotels. They even have casinos here. None of it is all that attractive or interesting to me. But that’s okay, there are plenty of other things to see here. (One bright spot: there is no cruise ship terminal here, that is located further to the east in Philipsburg)

Book Recommendation

Last fall I went to see the musical Come From Away, which tells the story of the 38 international flights that descended upon Newfoundland following the closure of U.S. airspace on 9/11. It’s an amazing story about how the people of Gander, Newfoundland met the passengers of these flights with open arms. The musical was based on the book The Day the World Came to Town. After seeing the show I placed a hold on the eBook through the library. Well, I finally received my copy last week. A great read. I’m guessing most of you have already read the book (I’m late to the game, as usual), but if you haven’t, I highly recommend it!

Saturday, March 25 – St. Maarten

Today I’m going to take a tour of the beaches located around this part of the island. One is particularly interesting. Let’s go!