There’s a beach to the west of where I’m staying that I want to check out called La Toc. It should take about 30 minutes to walk there.
My walk to the beach included a view of the Castries cruise ship terminal. Three ships in port. Yikes!This one is massive! Good thing I’m avoiding town today.Encountered these pretty plantings along the walk.La Toc BeachThere is a Sandals resort on the beach. One of three Sandals on the island!All the beaches on the island are open to the public. So Sandals has security positioned along the perimeter of their property to make sure interlopers such as myself remain on their side of the line. (Can’t blame them, actually)This abandoned building is in a beautiful location at the edge of the beach. Too bad it has been left in disrepair.On my way back to the apartment now. This is the George Charles Airport in Castries.
Travel Note: I should have done some better research when I was planning my transportation to St. Lucia. I searched solely for the lowest airfare. However, when taking into account my 85 USD taxi ride from the main airport in the south, it might have been better to pay more for a flight to the Castries airport.
I’m now back at the little harbor by my apartment. This is a view from the beach.And a couple interesting homes adjacent to the harbor.I think I’m going to take my stuff back to the apartment and return here for a swim!
Saturday, February 18 – St. Lucia
I mentioned previously that there is a produce market in Castries on Saturday mornings. So, I’m off! (and will probably roam around other parts of the town too)
The market is very popular!And fishmongers too!Offloading a fresh catch to take to the market.This is the Choc Cemetery located to the north of town. It’s huge!And it’s in a beautiful location – adjacent to Vigie Beach.Vigie BeachThe Castries Airport is also located right next to Vigie Beach.Spotted another Olympic Committee office during my roaming around (remember Grenada?). Sadly St. Lucia hasn’t matched the success of Grenada (or, more accurately, one track athlete from Grenada!). They have not won any Olympic medals.
Sunday, February 19 – St. Lucia
Today I’ve hired a driver to take me around to some areas of interest to the south of Castries. Marius was recommended to me by the Airbnb hosts, and has some good reviews online.
No cruise ships in the Castries port this morning. That’s a good sign; means the places we are going to visit today shouldn’t be very crowded.Marigot BayHadn’t seen this before – rolled ice cream being sold near Marigot Bay. Thin strips of ice cream are placed on the cooled table top, rolled, and then inserted into the cup. Mmmmm…This was our next stop along the way. (3 USD entry fee)A little too touristy for me.This is Sulphur Springs Park (9 USD entry fee)
The park is home to a volcano that has more than 20 bubbling pools and steam holes that produce a strong sulphur odor.
The volcano hasn’t erupted since the 1700s; likely because it continues to let off steam (according to my tour guide).The ridge in the background is part of the volcano’s crater.The park also includes a mineral bathing pool, but I passed!Entering the town of Soufriere. The Pitons are in the background (more on those later!)A pretty waterfront.
Soufriere is the oldest town in St. Lucia, founded by the French in 1746.
Church of the AssumptionWaffle cone with strawberry and banana ice cream. Not as good as in Grenada, but not as expensive either! (2.60 USD)The Tet Paul Nature Trail. This is a guided hike that leads to spectacular views of the Pitons. (10 USD for the hike and guide)The view of the coast is a little hazy today.A baby pineapple!Gros Piton
The Pitons (Gros and Petit) were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. They were formed by a volcanic eruption 30 to 40 million years ago.
The hike took about an hour for the round trip. (Our guide is in the blue shirt)​Petit PitonOur final stop was Anse La Raye, a cute little fishing village.I like the colorful homes!
This was a fun day. I like driving around and seeing the different communities on the island. Marius picked me up at 9am and dropped me off around 5pm. The cost for the 8 hours was 200 USD. Fair, I think, based on what I paid for shorter tours on Barbados and Grenada. And it just reinforces the fact that the 100 USD I paid for the volcano hike on St. Vincent was a bargain!
Fuel Price Check: I’ve passed by some gas stations while walking around Castries, but haven’t been able to see any prices, either via a sign or displayed on the pump. I asked Marius though, and he told me that the cost is 18.50 ECD per gallon. That works out to 6.85 USD /gallon. That kind of explains the high cost of being driven around the island!
When we returned to the apartment my Airbnb hosts were outside so I ended up talking to them for a little bit. Well, a short time later they dropped this off for me – homemade caribbean soup with fish and chicken. It was delicious! Thank you so much!
Wednesday, February 15 – transit from Grenada to St. Lucia
I have a 6pm flight tonight, so I decided to keep things kind of leisurely; mainly working on a journal entry. And it helped that I was able to get a late checkout from my Airbnb. Thank you!
My flight is on a British Airways 777. Wow! It’s the largest plane I’ve experienced so far on this trip! Weird that it would be used to travel from Grenada to St. Lucia, right? Well, as you probably guessed, it just has a stopover in St. Lucia and then travels on to London Gatwick. The plane wasn’t terribly full, and I’d say about 30 of us exited in St. Lucia. The flight took about 30 minutes and cost 158 USD.
I had a funny encounter as I entered St. Lucia. The Customs agent (not Immigration) asked about where I’d been so far on my trip, and where I was going next. Not just my next stop, but my entire future itinerary (I actually couldn’t remember all of them; when I finished going through my list she said that I should go to Antigua too. And that’s when I figured out that I actually was traveling there! I’m clueless!). She was nice about it though, and I couldn’t tell if she wanted to know for her job, or if she was just curious.
The international airport is located in the South of St. Lucia, and my Airbnb is located near the main town of Castries in the middle portion of the west coast. The taxi ride took about an hour and cost 85 USD. Ouch! Fortunately I won’t be going back there when I depart; I’ll be taking the ferry from Castries. (Speaking of which, my flight tonight will be my last one for nearly a month! I’ll be taking ferries going forward until I fly from Dominica to Antigua on March 12.) Regarding my taxi ride, it’s too bad my flight arrived in the evening, for a couple of reasons: a) it would have been nice to see more of the scenery on our one hour drive; and b) during the day there is a bus that runs from the airport to Castries at a cost of 3 USD. My cheap self definitely would have been on that!
7 nights @ 120 USD/nightYes, those are coconuts on the counter! Dropped from a tree adjacent to the property. Gratefully left for me by the Airbnb hosts; along with eggs, bananas, bread and water. They were concerned due to my late arrival. Very nice! Thank you! (Calvin will need to come back with his machete to open up the coconuts!)
Thursday, February 16 – St. Lucia
View from my balconyAnd I have a hammock too!
After a lazy morning I got motivated to venture out and get a lay of the land (in daylight). It’s about a 30 minute walk into Castries, where I plan on roaming around a bit and then pick up some groceries on the way back.
The exterior of the Airbnb. The stairs to my apartment are on the left. The hosts live on the upper level via the middle stairs.This is the body of water that can be seen from my balcony.I liked this house and its plantings, located just up the street from my Airbnb.On my way into Castries. In the foreground are remnants of Fort Charlotte.There happened to be a little expo going on in town today, with food and craft vendors.And a band too! Awesome!Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, ca 1897Derek Walcott Square, honoring the hometown poet who was awarded the 1992 Nobel Prize in LiteratureOn the square there is this amazing 400-year-old saman (monkeypod) treeNext stop is the Castries Central MarketI like this sign!The craft portion of the marketThe produce market. It’s supposed to be especially lively on Saturday mornings, so I’ll likely return then.
There is not a huge amount of things going on in Castries. I could foresee my time here being kind of a relaxing stay – swimming and hammock time. I do plan on taking a tour of the island at some point though.
Travel Note: I’ve noticed that one aspect of being a solo traveler on the islands is rather frustrating – that there is a dearth of organized group tours. Except for the Panama Canal cruise, all of the other tours I’ve taken so far have been private, with me as the only customer. That’s nice in one way, but it makes it rather expensive.
This is my 100th Journal Entry. Kind of a milestone, I guess. It all started in January of 2019, with 2021 sadly being a lost year. Thanks to all of you for sticking it out through my ramblings. It appreciate it! And I enjoy reading your comments too!
Sunday’s are pretty quiet here. Most of the shops and restaurants are closed. And that’s fine with me, except for the fact that I need to get some groceries. Looking online I found a place that’s open. It’s about a 40 minute walk each way, which is probably a good thing, since I’ve haven’t been super-active since the volcano hike!
The low-key Sunday made for some good photo opportunities on my walk.
The harbor is full of fishing boats.Impressive equipment at the Fire StationThe Eric Gairy Botanical Gardens is on my way to the grocery store; perfect spot for a diversion!A pretty, peaceful spot.Interesting planter!My marker beacon to return to the apartment is the church steeple on the left of the picture.No cars parked along Wharf Road today (well, almost); makes for an improved photo!
Monday, February 13 – Grenada
Kind of a leisurely morning today. I finally got out the door around 10am. And when I did, I discovered that…
…St. George’s has been invaded!!
The town is packed with people and vehicles (mainly taxis). What the…? Finally, I realized what was going on (I’m a little slow) – a cruise ship is at the dock! Ah…
My plan for today was to head out of town and go back to the Grand Anse area, where I stayed during my previous visit. This situation only reinforced that decision!
The walk into GA should take about 45 minutes.
The culprit!Of course I had to make a return visit to the Craft & Spice Market for their grilled fish meal! (go with what you know!) And I went with the rum punch too, after foolishly skipping it on my last visit. (thanks for the deserved chiding X!)
The market and the adjacent beach were also more crowded than I previously experienced. Cruise passengers gravitated to this area as well.
My food Groundhog Day continues with a Grenada Chocolate waffle cone! (was there any doubt?!?)My walk back to the apartment coincided with school ending for the day.
I also made a stop at the hardware store (Ace Hardware, in fact!) to pick up some duct tape.
Backpack strap repair. We’ll see how it holds up!
Kind of a boring day to read about, right? Sorry about that!
Tuesday, February 14 – Grenada
I’m going to visit a couple forts to the east of town today. But first, I’ll be making a stop at a roadside stand to pick up some roti. My Airbnb host told me about it. She claims they serve the best roti on the island.
A Grenada speciality, Roti originated in the Caribbean with Indian roots. It’s a wrap sandwich filled with curried meats or vegetables.
Sandra’s Roti Stand – pretty nondescript! I had to ask to make sure I was at the right place.Heading up to the Forts. Looking back at the marina and Grand Anse in the far distance.I liked this house and all of the plantings.Coming up on the entrance to Forts Matthew and Frederick. With the diversion to Sandra’s, the walk took about an hour.The entrance to Fort Matthew (free entry)
Fort Matthew was built from 1784 through 1790 by the British. About 90 years later, when it no longer served a military purpose, the property became a mental institution. Unfortunately, Fort Matthew was mostly destroyed by the conflict that occured here in 1983 (that I mentioned in a previous journal entry).
The Fort remains pretty much in ruins today.The entrance to Fort Frederick. (2 USD entry fee)Constructed by the French in 1779, Fort Frederick was soon used – ironically – by the British in defense against the French. Although, like Fort George, it never fired a cannon in anger.The view from Fort Frederick. The St. George’s harbor is to the right, and Quarantine Park to the left.Time for lunch! I bought two rotis at Sandra’s – one fish and one veggie (4.60 USD each). I included my watch in the picture so you can get a feel for their size. The bags indicate that they weigh 1 lb each – and I believe it!I found an available bench inside of Fort Frederick. Perfect!I’m going with the fish roti for lunch. I’ll save the veggie for tomorrow. Tasted great; just the right amount of (Grenada) spices!Walking back down to St. George’s. That’s Grand Anse beach in the background.The St. George’s Harbor and Fort George. My apartment is just to the left of the church steeple on the far right.On my way back to the apartment I stopped by the St. George’s Market.
St. Vincent Volcano Hike Addendum
Anthony sent me some pictures that he took on our hike. I’ve posted a few here so you can see the dork (me!) in action!
Not realizing what I’m getting myself into!Time for a rest! Note that I’m wearing the bandana on my head not to hide my baldness, but because I was sweating like crazy and it was running into my eyes!I made it!Coconut water stop. After finishing the drink, the vendor splits open the coconut so you can eat the soft meat inside. They even make a little spoon from part of the coconut (in my right hand).
Climbing those steps up to the volcano yesterday took a toll. Therefore, the word for today is REST! I do have four days worth of journal entries to work on though. That will be a nice diversion for the day.
Things Are Falling Apart!!! (and I’m not talking about my decrepit old body!)
My glasses broke! This happened during my South American trip too. Fortunately, like in 2019, I brought along a spare set on the trip. Hopefully they’ll make it to the end unscathed!The strap on my backpack is on its last days. It’s on the right side, which is the one I always use to pick it up. I’m going to have to start to use the left side for this task, which won’t be easy, considering how uncoordinated I am! I’m going to try a repair job too (duct tape?). I’m sure I could find a replacement pack along the way if I need to, but it would be nice if it would last until I get back to the States. More options and likely better prices to be had there.And my shoe has developed a tear (both shoes actually – in the same spot). I bought these last year for the Hawaii trip, and I did do a massive amount of walking in them there. And they were only $45, so there’s that. I’m pretty confident they’ll make until the end of the trip though, one way or the other!
Thursday, February 9 – St. Vincent
My plan is to take the ferry to Bequia Island today. And no, I’m NOT going to walk to the ferry terminal in Kingstown! They have a bus system here like in Barbados, but with just one type of transport – the minivan. I can pick it up right at the entrance to the apartment complex. I just need to flag one down as they drive by. So, I’m outside and ready at around 9am. The first bus comes by shortly thereafter. I wave at it. And it keeps going. Huh. I did notice that it was filled to the max though. I guess this is a busy time of day. Well, it turns out a half dozen buses pass me without stopping. Seriously! Finally, the seventh bus was the charm. And it was only a 30 minute wait; the buses are pretty frequent at this time of day. The trip to the bus terminal in Kingstown took about 25 minutes and cost the equivalent of 1 USD. From there it was a 10 minute walk to the ferry terminal.
The indoor seating area on the ferry.Outdoor seating, under cover.And outdoor seating, no cover. This is where I hung out!Busy morning at the terminal!Is that going to fit?!?Scheduled Departure: 10:30am. Actual Departure: 10:55am. Welcome to the islands!The city of KingstownApproaching the natural harbor of Bequia.Pretty!The Bequia Ferry Terminal.At the dock at 11:55am. A one hour trip.The island was kind of touristy.Not really my thing.But cute! (and obviously picturesque!)I was going to get something to eat at this upstairs restaurant. And the menu looking pretty good. But nobody seemed interested in waiting on me, so I left. (OK Boomer!)
I ended up staying on the island a couple of hours, roaming around, and then took the next ferry back to Kingstown.
Passing another ferry on the way back.
I was kind of disappointed in Bequia Island itself, but I really enjoyed the ferry rides. Very relaxing! And the harbor is beautiful! The round trip ticket for the ferry was 17 USD.
While I was waiting to depart back to Kingstown I spent some time in the indoor seating area of the ferry. A TV was on that was showing the local news. There was a report that someone was killed the previous night in a shooting. It was the eighth killing so far this year on the island (two of which were by police). On an island with a population of 100k. Interesting. There was nothing in the State Department report that I read that mentioned this type of risk here. Maybe an aberration? The TV report did mention that the total number of murders here in 2022 was 34 (still seems kind of high).
Back to the Kingstown bus terminal to catch my ride back to the apartment.I was the first one on the bus, so took a seat in the back corner. Well, by the time we were on the way up to my stop the bus was packed! I had to climb over people to get out! Some of the folks had a little laugh as the foreigner tried to make a graceful exit. I laughed too! (the person sitting on the left by the sliding door is the conductor. He collects the fares and is the one you tell when you want to exit.)
These minibuses typically have loud music playing (on Barbados too). Well,it’s funny that one of the songs that played during this trip was Jump Around! I tried to do a little jumping, but was too squished!
Friday, February 10 – St. Vincent
I need to get some work done today. I have transportation and accommodation booked through March 12 so far, but I’d like to get everything else sorted soon. I brag a lot about how my trips are “freelance” and that I have no set itinerary. And that worked pretty well in South America. Very well, in fact. But I’m finding it’s not so easy in the Caribbean. That’s mainly due to the logistics of traveling between the islands. You can’t always go directly from one island to the next. Or, if you can, it might be prohibitively expensive and/or have terrible routing (like flying to Canada and then coming back, just to go from one island to another that is close by – you think I’m kidding?!?). Hubris often comes back to bite you, and I’m feeling the pain here! I’m sure it would have been better if I planned everything out in advance for this trip. And I undoubtedly would have saved money as well! I’ve learned my lesson though. When I go to Africa (probably in 2025) I’m going to have it all figured out and booked in advance.
So, I literally spent most of the day working on this, and only advanced up to March 28 with transport and accommodations. Ugh! Oh well, tomorrow’s another day…
St Vincent Country Information
Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar
Language: English
Vehicle Traffic: Drive on the left
Weather: Highs in the upper 70s, Lows in the lower 70s, Mild Humidity
Covid Entry Requirements: None
Mask Wearing: Very few
Electrical Outlets: My apartment had both U.S. and U.K.!
Drinkable Tap Water: Yes
Saturday, February 11 – transit from St. Vincent to Grenada
My flight isn’t until 7pm, and I was able to get a late checkout from the apartment (thank you!), so it’s back to work on trip planning today. The main problem is getting to Belize, which is where I want to finish out the trip. I’m currently booked into Jamaica, but getting from there to Belize is proving to be frustratingly difficult. Well, after much thought and analysis, I was finally able to figure things out. It may not be the prettiest, but here’s how the balance of my trip will play out…
February 11 (today): to Grenada
February 15: to St. Lucia
February 22: to Dominica via ferry
March 3: to Guadeloupe via ferry
March 9: to Dominica via ferry
March 12: to Antigua
March 18: to St. Kitts
March 23: to St. Maarten
March 28: to Jamaica
April 6: to Miami (that’s not a typo!)
April 8: to Belize
April 19: to Madison
The most cost-effective and itinerary friendly (one-way flights) way to get from Jamaica to Belize was to go via Miami. And that’s fine; I’ll spend a couple relaxing nights there. You can see I’ve set aside a fair amount of time in Jamaica and Belize. As such, I haven’t yet booked my accommodation there yet. I want to figure out how much moving around I want to do first. Hopefully I’ll get that finalized soon.
Travel Note: Today marks the 1/3 point of trip. It seems like it’s gone by kind of fast, right? I guess that’s a good thing though. I’m currently averaging a little over 12k steps per day, which I’m happy with, taking into account the fair amount of quiet days I’ve had (an old age thing…).
I think I mentioned that my Airbnb reservation included airport transfers, which is a nice bonus. So we headed off to the airport around 4:30pm.
Another Travel Note: Two different cars were used for my airport pickup and dropoff, and I noticed that both were Japanese cars. Not manufactured in Japan, but meant to be sold to the Japanese market. I could tell because there were short vocal announcements in Japanese when the car was started; the satnav was displayed in Japanese; and the safety notes on the sun visors were written in Japanese. Weird.
The check-in area at the St. Vincent airport.
Once again we were on the plane the boarded from the back. The flight to Grenada originated in Barbados, so was about 1/3 full when we boarded. And the passengers added here in St. Vincent brought the capacity up to about 2/3. And the flight actually departed about 15 minutes early! Airtime to Grenada was about 35 minutes, and the cost of the flight on Caribbean Airlines was 139 USD.
My Airbnb host arranged for a taxi to pick me up at the airport (he knew how to find the Airbnb apartment). The cost of the transfer was 22 USD and took about 20 minutes.
Hilltop Ocean View Apartments, St. George’s. My apartment is the two windows on the left under the balcony.You can see the apartment sign on the left; looking up the street.And looking down to the coastThe view from across the street. (these outdoor photos were taken on Sunday morning)There is a nice interior courtyard for common use by all tenants4 nights @ 73 USD/night
A rare (for this trip, so far) rainstorm this morning. The perfect excuse to work on a journal entry (not that I really need an excuse!).
By early afternoon the weather had cleared and I was ready to get out and do some more exploring. I think I’m going to head south of Grand Anse Beach to see what’s around the point. But first, I’m going to stop back at the Craft & Spice Market to have another grilled fish meal (no rum punch this time though – I have some walking ahead of me!). Just as tasty the second time!
For reference, this is a photo of Grand Anse Beach from a few days ago. I plan on walking to the point at the end and then check out what’s on the other side.Nice hillside accommodations.At the very end of the point is Quarantine Park – a place used during Covid where people could gather outside and maintain safe distancing. Only a handful of folks here today.The view from Quarantine Park back towards Grand Anse Beach.On the other side of the point is Morne Rouge Beach.A nice little spot. Not very busy, except for……a cricket match.This is looking further south from the point, to the southwest tip of the island.
On my way back to the apartment, I had to stop at the ice cream shop to get another waffle cone. And I went with a local flavor again…
…Grenada Chocolate. Good stuff!And speaking of chocolate, I also stopped at the grocery store for these (4.50 USD each). The Grenada Chocolate Company has won multiple awards for its product (as can be seen on their label). I preferred the bar with the lower cocoa content.
Sunday, February 5 – transit from Grenada to Saint Vincent & The Grenadines
I have an early flight today, 9:20am, but that’s not too terrible. Rolson picked me up around 7am for the 20 minute ride to the airport (20 USD). It turns out I probably didn’t need to get there that early, but that’s alright.
The Grenada airport departure lounge.
This is not a busy airport. There were a total of 8 departures listed for the day; but they did include the impressive final destinations of London, Toronto and Miami!
I’m flying on Caribbean Airlines, aboard the same type of plane that brought me here from Trinidad (board from the rear). The flight’s final destination is Barbados, but we’ll be stopping in St. Vincent first. The flight was about 3/4 full, and I’d say half of us deplaned in Saint Vincent. I’m pretty sure I was the only tourist. The flight took 30 minutes and cost 128 USD.
And yes, the ticket agent DID ask me about my one-way flight. Going forward, let’s just assume I’m always asked about this, unless I mention otherwise. Same goes for the immigration officer NOT asking me about it!
I’m staying at the Belmont Apartments & Conference Event Centre (B.A.C.E.), booked via Airbnb. My apartment is on the second level down and the second door in.Pretty basic, but the price was right (6 nights @ 65 USD/night)The cost also includes airport transfers. And we even made a stop at the grocery store on the way from the airport.The view from the balcony outside my apartment.
In the afternoon I took a short walk around the Belmont area near my apartment.
Looking north from the Belmont Lookout Point.And this is the view south to the coast and Bequia Island.
Travel Note: I haven’t mentioned anything about the drinkability of the tap water on my trip. So far, I’ve ingested it at all of my stops, with no issues.
Monday, February 6 – Saint Vincent
I was feeling a little ambitious today and decided to walk from my apartment towards the coast and the town of Arnos Vale, then loop around to the west and the capital city of Kingstown. And then make the return hike. Now, the distances aren’t huge, so it normally wouldn’t be a problem for me. But I failed to take into account the hills of this island. I was exhausted by the time I got back to the apartment! And this proved to be problematic, considering what I have planned for tomorrow! (stay tuned…)
Making my way down the hill from Belmont to Arnos Vale. You can see remnants of the old airport runway there at the coast.The Arnos Vale Cricket Stadium. Nice setting!I’m now making my way back up a hill to get to Kingstown. Bequia Island in the background.I’m going uphill, but getting to Kingstown will take me back downhill to the coast.The Kingstown Police Station. The population of Kingstown is about 17,000. The whole island is a little over 100,000.Local Bar on Bay StreetThe Port AuthorityThe Kingstown MarketKingstown Ferry TerminalA ferry to Bequia IslandThe Kingstown waterfrontFuel Price Check! Just a little more expensive than Grenada – 15.06 ECD/gallon. That converts to 5.58 USD/gallon.
I ended up walking about 24k steps today, not huge, but it felt like a LOT more. The hills were brutal!
Tuesday, February 7 – Saint Vincent
I’ve booked a volcano hike for today. So you can see why yesterday’s overexertion was rather stupid. We’ll see how I do?
La Soufrière is an active volcano with an elevation of 4,049 feet. It has had five recorded explosive eruptions since 1718. The latest activity began on 27 December 2020 with the slow extrusion of a dome of lava, and culminated in a series of explosive events between 9 and 22 April 2021. Hopefully she’ll remain dormant today!Time to get started. This isn’t so bad!Oh Oh, getting a little steeper!
I had two guides on the hike, Anthony (pictured above) and Dale. I wondered why two guides were provided. It turns out it’s a safety issue. If one of us gets hurt, there are two available to render aid. I like that!
This is a river bed formed by a massive lava flow. (dry at the moment – the rainy season is in the fall)This portion of the climb was really steep. I needed a fair amount of rest stops, but Anthony and Dale were very patient.
Anthony would kid me a bit when I had to stop for a rest. Then I asked him how old he was (23). When I told him I was 63 he cut me some slack!
Getting into the cloud layer. Still brutally steep!A look back to the coast. And an excuse to take a break!The upstream portion of the river bed (lava flow).Anthony’s boat made from a palm leaf.Dale looking back towards the coast. Anthony is in more of my pictures because he was leading the hike and Dale was following me.The rim of the volcano is close (kind of). It can be seen thanks to a nice break in the clouds.The clouds are back!
The first part of the hike was strenuous, due to the steep incline. This portion of the hike was treacherous, due to the slippery surface and lack of a well-defined trail. The walking sticks were essential in this area. It was also very windy. There were a few times when I was holding Anthony’s or Dale’s hand to help me with my footing.
We’re getting there. Check out the surface we’re walking on!We made it! I honestly wasn’t sure if I would make it to the top. Big thanks to Anthony and Dale for helping me get here.The clouds break, and what a site! She’s still smouldering.A little sunshine!Making our way back down.
Of course, the descent was much easier. But it was still rather difficult as we had to make sure we had solid footing along the way. The only others we saw on trail were a group of 4 hikers and some workers clearing parts of the path. I’m surprised there weren’t more hikers.
We stopped at a roadside coconut water stand on the way back. Tasted great!
Besides the stop for coconut water, we also made a couple photo diversions as we made our way back to the apartment. Thanks guys!
Questelles BeachYoung Island
Today’s Timeline:
8:00am: depart apartment
9:00am: arrive at trailhead
11:30am: reach the volcano rim
1:15pm: back at trailhead
2:45pm: arrive back at the apartment
What a day! I’d say this and the Panama Canal Cruise are tied for my top trip experience so far.
I’d compare this to my hike to the remote waterfall last year on Kauai. It too was very difficult, which made completing it all the more gratifying.
Anthony and Dale were amazing, And on top of the hike, I basically had a 2+ hour driving tour of the island thrown in too! The cost of the guides and transportation was 100 USD, which I thought was a bargain. As such, Anthony and Dale also received a generous gratuity!
Nothing very exciting to report today. I spent the morning lounging around the apartment and then did some travel planning and worked on a journal entry.
I did venture out by late afternoon though to get something to eat.
Not exactly island faire! A meatball hoagie and strawberry/banana smoothie at Rick’s Cafe (11 USD).
Travel Note: I forgot to mention the cost of my flight from Barbados to Grenada. 248 USD. Kind of pricey, right? No doubt a result of my lack of advanced planning!
Another Travel Note: I’ve mentioned the currencies of the countries I’ve visited, but not much else. Here are a few more details:
Languages: Spanish in Panama and Colombia, English in Barbados and Grenada.
Vehicle Traffic: Drive on the right in Panama and Colombia, drive on the left in Barbados and Grenada.
Electrical Plugs: U.S. type in Panama, Colombia and Barbados; U.K. type in Grenada.
Friday, February 3 – Grenada
I’ve hired the driver that picked me up at the airport to take me on a 3 hour drive around the island (35 USD/hour).
Our first stop was Grand Etang National Park (2 USD entry fee). This is Grand Etang Lake. Like St. George’s Harbor, the lake fills the crater of an extinct volcano. It sits at an elevation of 1,700 feet and is covers 36 acres. (For reference to you Madisonians – Lake Mendota is close to 10,000 acres. In other words, this is not a big body of water!) A tour group in the park feeding the monkeys. I had the opportunity to do this as well, but wasn’t really interested.This is Pearls Airport, the island’s original airport, which was replaced in 1984. It features these two Cuban and Soviet planes, abandoned after the 1983 U.S. troop intervention that I mentioned in a previous post. The runaway is still in place and is used for drag racing and as a practice area for student drivers.Bathway Beach, on the northeast tip of the island (has black sand – I should have gotten a better picture of that!). Green and Sandy Islands are in the background.Leapers Hill, on the north of the island. Here in the 17th century the indigenous people of the island flung themselves into the sea; choosing suicide over surrender to the French.View from Leapers Hill, including the islands of Carriacou, Diamond and Ronde. It seems appropriate that the path to Leapers Hill runs through a graveyard.Sauteurs Bay, just to the west of Leapers HillDuquesne Bay on the northwest coast. The islands viewed from Leapers Hill can be seen here as well.
I enjoyed the drive around the island. My driver, Rolson, provided some good stories and information. I found the interior of Grenada to be very similar to Barbados – the housing, roads, vegetation, etc.
Covid in Grenada:
No testing or vaccination required for entry
Very little wearing of masks
Grenada Weather: Highs in the low 80s, lows in the mid 70s, mild humidity
I’m planning on a relaxing day, my last in Barbados. Work on a journal entry. Do some laundry. A little reading on the porch. Many places, and things, are closed here today anyway – including the buses.
A word about Barbados. I think it’s kind of overrated. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my time here. And my apartment was great (especially the porch!). Of course, the beaches are nice, but there are many other places in the world with equally beautiful beaches. And they’re less expensive! Traffic on Barbados can be a pain at times, and it’s not very pedestrian friendly (which is important to me). And finally, I read a lot about the friendliness of the locals. Well, I found it to be a 50/50 proposition. I encountered a fair amount of grumpiness. A shame. My feeling is that Barbados is the kind of place people visit so they can say “I’ve been to Barbados”. Not my intent, but I guess I can now say that too! Haha.
Travel Note: For my trip to South America in 2019 I purchased a medical insurance policy. It included $50,000 in emergency medical coverage and $1,000,000 in medical evacuation & repatriation coverage. The cost for the 11-week policy was $27. For this trip, I bumped it up to $500,000 in emergency medical (includes COVID) coverage and went with the same $1,000,000 in evacuation. The cost of this 15-week policy was $452. The cost to upgrade the medical from $50k to $500k was $120. And the policy duration for this trip is one month longer. But still, a big spike in the premium cost from pre to post COVID.
Monday, January 30 – transit from Barbados to Grenada
I have a late afternoon flight on Caribbean Airlines that takes me to Grenada via a layover in Trinidad. I’ll be hiring Lisa once again for the ride to the airport.
Open air check-in at the airport. The long line is for a British Airways flight to London.
I know I’m sounding like a broken record…but yes, the airline check-in agent did ask me about my one-way ticket to Grenada.
Surprised to see this at the Barbados airport!
As I was waiting to board my flight, I noticed widebody aircraft for the following airlines parked at the gates: Virgin Atlantic (2 planes), Air Canada (2 planes), British Airways, and American Airlines (to Miami). This is definitely a popular destination!
The flight to Trinidad took about 40 minutes in a 1/2 full 737. I then had a 2 1/2 hour layover as I waited on the 8pm departure to Grenada. So, my seat assignment for the Grenada flight was 2A. I’m thinking, “Awesome, I’ll be one of the first off the plane and then on to a quick immigration clearance”. Wrong! The plane we were on happened to board from the rear!
I downloaded this photo. Same plane, different airline.
The flight to Grenada took about 30 minutes. The seat layout in the plane is 2 x 2 x 20 rows, and it was full. We were the last arrival of the night and the immigration line went pretty quick (even though I was near the back!). If you’re wondering, no, the immigration officer did not ask me about my one-way ticket. And I didn’t have to wait for my luggage either. Nice!
The ride from the airport to my apartment took about 20 minutes and cost 20 USD. Fortunately the driver accepted US dollars, because there was neither an ATM nor a currency exchange office at the airport!
Silver View Apartments, Grand Anse, Grenada. (I’m 2nd floor left)These first 3 pictures were taken on the morning after my arrivalView from my balcony72 USD/night for 6 nights
Tuesday, January 31 – Grenada
The plan today is to just roam around the area and get a lay of the land. I also need to find an ATM and pick up some groceries.
The ATM at the first bank I stopped at took me all through the input process and then wouldn’t give me any money. Oh Oh! There was another bank just down the road though, and I achieved success there. Whew!
The currency here is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, and it too is pegged to the US Dollar at an exchange rate of 2.7:1. And the nice thing is that this currency is also used in places I will soon be visiting, including: Antigua, Dominica, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent & the Grenadines.
The walk from my apartment to the grocery store took about 20 minutes. I was surprised to find that the prices here were not much different from Barbados. Must be a function of having to import most items.
I saw this on my way back from the grocery store. That converts to 82 degrees F. I read that it was -12 degrees in Madison today. Just saying…The walk from my apartment to this spot on Grand Anse Beach took about 10 minutes.The beach is about 2 miles longThis is the Craft & Spice Market, located just off the beach.And they also serve food – a perfect place to grab a late lunch!Grilled fish, macaroni pie, vegetables, rice and salad (9 USD). And a rum punch – a must! (7 USD) Hit the spot!Grenada is known as the Spice Island – hence, the spices added to the punch!Further down the beach…The Grenada Olympic Committee offices are a block away from the beach. Grenada has won a total of 3 medals at the Olympics – one each gold, silver and bronze (all by Kirani James in the 400m dash, in 2012, 2016, and 2020 – impressive!).Time for a fuel price check! Like Barbados, I had to walk up to the pump to check the price – !5.00 ECD/gallon. That works out to 5.56 USD/gallon. Not as bad as Barbados, but still…
Wednesday, February 1 – Grenada
I’m going to walk into St. George’s today, the capital city of Grenada. It should take about 40 minutes.
This is Port Louis Marina, located on the southern edge of St. George’s.The large yacht on the left, named Lady Britt, piqued my interest. It turns out it’s available for charter, at $500,000 per week.This is St. George’s Harbor, formed from a submerged volcanic crater.On the hill in the background is Ft. George, which I plan on visiting shortly.Ft. George (2 USD entry fee) was built by the French in 1705 to protect the Harbor, yet no shots were ever fired here until October 1983 (hold that thought).In October 1983 Grenada’s Prime Minister and 7 others were murdered at Ft. George during a coup d’etat. That event triggered a request from Grenada’s governor general and the heads of state of neighboring islands for U.S. troops to intervene, which they did on October 25, 1983. The insurrection then came to an immediate halt, and peace was restored. The airport is named in honor of the slain Prime Minister.View from Ft. George looking back towards Grand Anse Beach.A nice view of the Harbor from Ft. George.There are some serious hills in St. George’s!
I had a nice walk around St. George’s. My plan now is to make my way back to the apartment for a rest and then head down to the beach to catch the sunset. But first…
…I mentioned that Grenada is known as “The Spice Island“, with nutmeg being the most prevalent. So I had to try their nutmeg ice cream (3.70 USD for a waffle cone – great price!). It wasn’t bad. Wouldn’t make my Top 10, but not bad.I was hoping for a sunset over the water, but not quite. Pretty nonetheless!See you tomorrow!
I think I’m going to relax around the apartment today. I have 3 days worth of journal entries to work on, and some trip planning to do.
I learned my lesson last year in Hawaii, where I was going non-stop every day, and came home exhausted! I need to remind myself that each of my stops on this trip are not like their own 1-week vacations, where I then travel back to my normal life in the States. It’s the sprint versus marathon scenario…
I did, however, go out for another meal at the nearby Cafe Ma Cherie.
Grilled Mahi Mahi with Macaroni Pie – the latter is a local speciality (22.50 USD), and another Kale & Mango Smoothie (6.50 USD). Tasty!
I’ve gone ahead and booked a ways out now to avoid increasing costs and limits on availability (both for transportation and accommodation). Here’s where I’m at so far:
January 30: to Grenada
February 05: to St. Vincent
February 11: back to Grenada (to catch a cheap onward flight)
February 15: to St. Lucia
February 22: to Dominica via ferry
March 03: to Guadeloupe via ferry
March 09: back to Dominica via ferry (to catch a cheap onward flight)
March 12: to Antigua
Covid Situation in Barbados:
Vaccination or negative test is not required for entry
Very few people that I’ve observed are wearing masks
Saturday, January 28 – Barbados
My destination today is Hunte’s Gardens (20 USD entry fee), to the northeast of my apartment. I could get there via bus with a transfer, but I decided to just walk there instead (surprise!). It should take about 2 hours each way. Plus, I enjoy exploring the local areas on foot.
Horticulturist Anthony Hunte converted an overgrown sinkhole into a 10 acre garden environment that I’ll be visiting. There are trails throughout, with benches and chairs readily available along the paths, and classical music plays overhead!
Encountered a few sprinkles on my walkLooking to the southwest, with the coast far in the distance. (note the condition of the road!)Further along on my trek, now facing northeastCute!I’ve arrived at my destination
This was an enjoyable stop. A beautiful oasis, and very relaxing! Plus, it’s kind of off-the-beaten-path, with not many visitors; which I like.
Time to make the hike back!
What are you looking at?!?This is the town of Clifton HillWhen I was taking this picture there was a boy across the street riding his bike who told me that this is his grandmother’s house.Then he and his friends asked me to take their picture. It wasn’t until I downloaded it that I noticed the 2nd boy from the right was giving me the UK version of the finger!! Cheeky ba***rd!This is down the street from my apartment.
Well, after yesterday’s record-setting step count, you can probably guess what happened today. That’s right, I set the low bar so far for the trip – 3,900 steps! Oh, well…
After relaxing around the apartment for awhile in the morning, I did work on a journal entry and got some advance travel planning done.
By mid-afternoon I was ready to venture out a little bit. My airbnb host told me about a pottery shop located just up the street; let’s check it out!
There are some nice homes in this neighborhoodA massive amount of potted plants here!The walkway up to the pottery shop. Cute!Earthworks PotteryCustomers have access to the work areaNext door is an artist’s studio (lower level – no photos allowed) and a little cafe (upper level)I was kind of hungry; looks like a great spot for a bite! And not very busy at around 3pm. Perfect!Beautiful views from Cafe ma CherieI went with one of their “Small Bites”, Spicy Bajan Fish Cakes (9 USD) and a Kale & Mango smoothie (6.50 USD). Both recommended by the waitress and I wasn’t disappointed! BTW, “Bajan” is a term used to describe the locals of Barbados.And I finished it off with a piece of Passion Fruit Cheesecake (5 USD). Yum! I’ll definitely be returning here!
The open-air cafe here is not a problem. The weather is beautiful, with highs in the low 80s and lows in the low 70s. Mild humidity too. And very few bugs. Plus, we’re located up on a hill with some nice breezes. I’m told though that the heat can get a little stifling in the summer. Only the bedroom in my apartment has air-conditioning, and really that is all that’s needed (at least for this time of year!).
Wednesday, January 25 – Barbados
Okay, I’m on a mission today to take the bus(es) to the southern part of the island – a city called Oistins. I think I’ve got the route figured out; I take a maxi-taxi to Bridgetown and then connect to a Transport Board (normal) bus to Oistins. Each trip segment costs 1.75 USD.
Transport Board Bus – only stops at designated locations and passengers must pay with exact change.Mini-Bus – will stop anywhere (just flag it down) and will give change. I didn’t ride this type of bus today.Maxi-Taxi – same conditions as a Mini-Bus.
I successfully hailed a maxi-taxi to Bridgetown (yes!), and then had to walk a little ways to the bus terminal in order to connect to the Oistins Transport Board bus.
I walked through a street market on the way to the terminalThe Fairchild Bus Terminal
I left my apartment at around 9:30am and arrived in Oistins about 11:30am. Not the most efficient journey, but it was a fun experience and cheap (my favorite word!)!
I happened to exit the bus near a gas station; you know what that means – time for a fuel price check! There weren’t any prices posted, so I had to go up to a pump to get the numbers: 3.90 BBD/liter – that works out to 7.38 USD/gallon. Yikes!These folks were eating mangos and feeding the scraps to the turtles (you can see a turtle to the left of the boat)Colorful beachfront!This is Miami Beach (you heard me!)I was getting a little hungry by now, and food trucks are one of my favorite places to get something to eat. Perfect!Grilled fish sandwich (blue marlin) with cucumber, tomato, mayo and pepper sauce, and a rum punch. All for 11 USD – an absolute bargain on Barbados! Delicious too! And an awesome location for lunch!Making my way further south…This is Cotton House Bay. There are some surfers out there, but they’re hard to see in the photo. (right side of picture)I like checking out lighthouses – this is South Point Lighthouse. It was about a 20 minute walk each way from Miami Beach. Wasn’t really worth it though; sadly, not very well maintained.
It’s getting to be around 3pm, so I think I’m going to start working my way back home (not sure how long it will take!).
I like the bus stops here – indicating which direction the buses are heading. Handy for the clueless like me that are used to traffic running in the opposite direction!
It turns out I picked one of the worst times to catch the bus – it was packed with kids getting out of school! On one level though it was kind of fun too!
Traffic was brutal however. So by the time we got back to bridgetown I decided to exit the Transport Board bus and not even bother with hailing a Maxi-Taxi. I ended up walking the rest of the way home. It took about 90 minutes. Not too terrible. And a fun day with some interesting experiences!
Thursday, January 26 – Barbados
I decided to hire a driver today to take me around the island. I used the same person who picked me up at the airport. She thought 3 hours would provide good coverage, and charged me 40 USD/hour, which seemed very reasonable (especially considering those gas prices!). (A quick search online brought back rates closer to 60 USD/hour)
Travel Tip: A popular messaging app in this part of the world (including South America) is Whatsapp. I use it to communicate with the driver and my airbnb host.
Lisa picked me up at 9:30am, and our first stop was Bathsheba. It is located on the central east coast of the island, and our drive there took us through forest and farm land via some narrow roads.
The drive into Bathsheba. A professional surfing competition is held here every year.A beautiful spotNot much swimming or sunbathing here though due to the rocky conditions
Just as we were leaving two big tour buses full of cruise ship passengers arrived; glad we avoided that!
Our next destination is Animal Flower Bay, on the northern tip of the island. Normally Lisa would take us there via the east coast roads, but unfortunately they are currently undergoing repairs. That resulted in us traveling via the inland parts of the north. This is the more rural and poor part of the island.
This is called a Chattel House A Chattel house is a term used for a small moveable wooden house that working class people would occupy.Animal Flower Bay is the northernmost part of the islandA beautiful cliff-dominated coastline
We finished off the drive by heading counter-clockwise around the tip of the island to the West coast – the most exclusive (read expensive) area of Barbados.
This is Port Ferdinand. With a nice little beach!And an inlet that leads to……a marina with luxury villas.
Lisa dropped me off in Holetown, one of the main cities on the west coast. It is called the center of the Platinum Coast, due to the vast number of luxury resorts and mansions here that face the sea.
This is the Sandy Lane Hotel – the most exclusive of the exclusive. Rooms here start at 1,800 USD per night.The Sandy Lane is where Tiger Woods got married. (and this is as close as I could get to take pictures!)There is a nice walkway along this portion of the Holetown waterfrontThe crabs are catching some rays!I can see why this is the preferred location on the island!All of the beaches in Barbados are open to the public
There is a nice grocery store in Holetown (of course!); I decided to take advantage and grab some things before heading home. My (low-cost) options to get back were: a) bus to bridgetown and then another bus to the apartment, or b) walk. You can probably guess which option I chose. The walk took about 90 minutes.
Barbados Trivia Update: I mentioned earlier that it is illegal to wear camouflage in Barbados. Lisa explained that this is due to the fact that the military’s primary uniform is camouflage, and the law is meant to deter individuals from impersonating military personnel.
After yesterday’s journey I’m kind of tired today , so I think I’m just going to hangout around the apartment. I did work on a journal entry though!
Barbados Trivia: It’s illegal to wear camouflage in Barbados.
Monday, January 23 – Barbados
Today’s itinerary is to explore the island’s main city – Bridgetown. My plan is to walk there from my apartment and then to take a bus back. The walk should take about two hours, which doesn’t bother me, as I like exploring the areas I visit on foot.
In general, I’d say the walk wasn’t all that interesting. And some of the roads had no shoulders or sidewalks, which made walking on them a precarious proposition!
Another view of where I’m staying. My apartment is on the lower level, and the airbnb hosts live above.Thankfully this street does have a sidewalk! The round red sign ahead is a bus stop (cars drive on the left here – British influence; English is the spoken language as well).View along my walkThe Barbados Museum & Historical Society. It was established in 1933 in the former Military Prison at Saint Ann’s Garrison.A plaque and bell at the entry to the museum commemorating Queen Elizabeth’s visit in 1985The museum provided interesting information, but the presentation was in need of updating. (I’m probably a museum snob though!)This is Pebbles Beach, near the Town Center.Independence Square. The city of Bridgetown and the Garrison is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Looking from Independence Square across the inner basin to the Parliament Buildings.Chamberlain Bridge and the inner basin.A view of some charter fishing boats from Chamberlain Bridge The Parliament Buildings, ca 1874This is Queen’s Park. It was originally established in 1780 as the home of the Commander of the British Troops stationed in Barbados, and later turned into a national park in 1909.
The bus system here in Barbados has three types of buses: normal size city buses operated by the country’s Transport Board, smaller mini buses, and even smaller maxi taxis, both of which are privately run. I thought I had it all figured out, but when I got to a bus stop to return home, I wasn’t entirely confident about which bus would get me back to my apartment. So I ended up just walking back!
I need to figure out this bus system though, because I plan on using it as my method of transport on the island!
At least my step count appreciated my ineptness – 34k for the day! That tops my highest output of 31k steps from last year’s Hawaii trip. Although, even after today’s big effort, I’m still only averaging 12k/day so far; well below last year’s record-setting average of 16k steps per day!
