It seems forever since we updated you all on life in Grenada, but we’ve kept busy and enjoyed the life ashore. We’ve now got quite a lot to say, with help from Jackie and Mike.
Jackie and Mike’s Pre Arrival Report;
Well already an eventful build up to 2 weeks in the sun with the onslaught of parcels arriving, it felt very much like Christmas. Mike and I took turns in opening them and having a laugh at the variety of odd items being demanded in Grenada!
Shopping list:
8 tubes toothpaste - dental hygiene is clearly a problem
Boxed set of ‘Breaking Bad’ - boredom setting in as there were hundreds of bloody DVDs
‘Luther’ series 3 DVD - as above
Rug kit - hmmm my best friend is really and truly becoming an OAP!
2 cross stitch kits - she claims this helps keep the arthritis at bay!
Magnetic knife rack - this weighs a bloody ton!
Set of plastic window rain guards? - no we weren't sure about these either but I dare say we'll find out their use once we see them in situ
2 bottles HP sauce - good old home tastes
6 tea towels - I can't believe you needed to order these Debbie
4 scouring pads - you are really getting sad now
2 light bulbs - now I can understand these needing to be brought over I just hope we packed them well
1 coffee expresso machine handle thingy - speaks for itself or would do if I knew what it was called
1 Jamie Oliver coffee mug - extortionately expensive - will take the piss out of her for that one for a while!
4 small scrubbing brushes - look like very expensive toothbrushes! In fact they’re toilet brushes for getting into those difficult places.
5 little flat batteries, for dive computer
Shower curtain - surely you can buy one of those somewhere I'm going to make it my mission to find one for her while we are out there!
Loofah mitt - I'm sure she could have got one of those somewhere!
Potato, onion and garlic bags - surprised she didn't go for Lakeland Plastics they would have been much better quality
5 packs of composting bags - seriously!
Detangler hairbrush - Jasmine tells me they're rubbish
Pot of posh moisturising cream - obviously all the sea air and sunshine has been taking its toll!
16 mm Allen key - this caused quite a stir in our household as Mike was charged with obtaining this item and as an internet shopping virgin he had mixed success. We ended up with a full set of Allen keys but not a 16 mm one, a star shaped implement with a 16 cm handle and finally a very heavy 16 mm Allen key!
Packing was left as usual to the last minute with a very pissed Mike causing havoc at 01.00 in the morning requiring the entire bags to be unpacked twice in the search for the errant Allen key! Not only that but he lost his travelling clothes 4 times - which was quite a surprise considering the lurid pair of mustard coloured chinos he'd rescued from Nathan's cast offs. Unfortunately he hadn't tried them out first and consequently we had another frantic unpacking session trying to find the belt he had packed - this time at 04.30 and no he hadn't sobered up that much but was incredibly grumpy having taken a whole hour to be raised from his slumber!
The flight was entertaining in itself as we are used to the Ryanair free-for-all seating so the calm boarding process and regular complimentary food and drink was a real revelation to us. The most impressive thing was the in flight entertainment console which took us quite a while to master - particularly Mike who is still in a state of shock when it comes to modern technology - he's only just learning to do text!
So Grenada here we come with Mike's chief concern being a desperate need to see the England match!
Stephen and Debbie’s pre arrival arrangements included preparing a five foot wide banner “Jackie and Mike welcome to Grenada and have a nice day” (an old joke) which greeted them at the airport arrivals. Mister Yellow rushed us across Grenada to catch England’s second half in the marina bar. The beer in hand within an hour of landing softened the blow of Suarez’s goal setting in train England’s exit from the world cup.
Friday saw us on the Reggae bus visiting bustling St. Georges, eating with the locals and a walk up to the fort, returning to the marina for their famous BBQ Friday.
Saturday, we spent swimming off Grand Anse beach, picnicking in the park with “Grenada’s Olympic Festival” and then making our way to the University campus. Finally we were rescued by King Elvis on the Hash bus, which was our mode of transport to the Grenadian Hash in Birch Grove. We were joined by 9 Uni students and felt extremely decrepit and started to panic, what had we let ourselves in for? Stephen was surprised that Mike didn’t take the only male student aside and advise him on his choice, bearing in mind the lovelies on the bus.The journey involved non stop gabbling from one individual with a particularly grating voice. Unfortunately we were subjected to this during our Hash and the journey home.
The Hash...... a novel experience for all of us, involved walking through a beautiful part of Grenada following a paper trail. The starting point was in someone’s house where shortly after disembarking from the bus, three of us had our left shoe removed. Stephen’s was ignored probably due to the state of his mangy feet. We were perplexed how we were going to complete the trail with one shoe, but it all became clear. As virgins to Hashing we were required to drink beer from the stolen shoe and then wear it for the rest of the afternoon. Mike had open toe sandals and the beer was poured through this at an alarming rate, unfortunately the aftermath was not pleasant for the rest of us. The Hash took us through fabulous rainforest and streams which challenged the unwary particularly an American with poor balance who happened to be in front of us! What a way to see Grenada. Mike and Jackie managed to get lost within a 100 metres of the finish with Mike bleating woefully “Stephen, Help, where are you?” Hauling a man with a walking stick out of the ditch, the pair wandered aimlessly and Stephen couldn’t hear Mike’s wails as the music celebrating the finish of the Hash was so loud. Eventually a sweaty pair emerged from the rainforest ready for a Carib! The fun was not over as we were doused in beer to celebrate that we had lost our virginity. Very sticky, smelly and muddy, we returned to Port Louis in the Hash bus with Mike calling the driver Brian and not Ryan, possibly one reason why the driver ignored him. Mike was also alarmed that whilst navigating the hairpin bends at speed, the driver only had one hand on the wheel the other being used to sup his beer. Welcome to Grenada.
Sunday was Coconut Beach Bar day with live music and swimming. Mike developed a liking, with a little help from his friend, for Rum Punches. He reckons he sank “eleventeen” of them throughout the day and evening. Highly entertaining for the rest of us, particularly his robust support of USA in the world cup. This involved Mike demanding that the Americans in the bar should show some passion in supporting their team, although he more than made up for it. He was hysterical but the Americans looked scared and tried to sneak away without Mike seeing........didn’t happen. Some Australians suggested, humorously, that he had a unique personality resembling a part of the male anatomy.
Monday we took the local bus to Anandale Falls. Beautiful and serene, with local vendors making the most of tourist opportunities including a Fall’s jumper who launched himself 30 feet into a muddy pool and then enticed Stephen, Jackie and Debbie to do a less impressive 10 foot jump. Mike was our cameraman and missed all of us in flight but captured the splashes. Do not use him for weddings, baptisms or any other celebratory occasions.
Unsettled day on Tuesday with England playing again and Debbie waiting for Jon’s degree results. A Skype call to let us know that he had got a First involved us opening a magnum of champagne and nursing a small hangover the following day. Very special that our good friends were with us to receive the news particularly as Mike is Jon’s Godfather.
Wednesday we arranged for Mister Yellow to take us to the Grenadian Chocolate factory and the oldest rum distillery on the island at Antoine Estate.
Kelly our guide was enthusiastic and knowledgable showing us the workings of the estate and the process of creating chocolate. The cocoa bean in it’s natural state tastes of citrus which surprised us all but after various fermenting, drying and roasting processes, the familiar smell of chocolate wafted throughout the shed. We tried various samples of chocolate and enjoyed the cocoa tea. Unfortunately they had sold out of the cocoa balls to make the tea so we left empty handed. Following this tour we were welcomed into a “house” and shown how the Grenadian chocolate is set, wrapped and sealed by hand. All by products are used in various forms so nothing is wasted. We have found this throughout our stay in Grenada regarding food.
The Antoine rum factory that produces Rivers rum, once again used ancient methods and extremely old equipment. Our guide was highly entertaining without knowing it. She obviously didn’t want to be there, very tired, doing Pilates during the tour, rearranging her underwear and her matching orange hair colour and shoes were a conversation stopper. She was scary and refused to continue with the tour until everyone was present. Mike collected up the stragglers which was worrying in it itself as he has a tendency to get lost. Our guide repeatedly demanded to know if we understood what she was telling us, to the point that we felt we were going to be tested at the end. We tried several tasters including a 75% alcohol content, a oesophageal stripper. Needless to say Mike bought a small bottle of the 75% so that his sons could try it!
The drive back to the marina included driving down the disused runway of the old airport where we saw rotting Cuban and Russian ‘planes left over from the coup. We continued on the beautiful drive back home feeling very tired.
Our RIB had some TLC over the week and we took it out for a test drive while Jackie and Mike went “tack shopping”. Meeting up later for a snorkel, swim and a few Rum Punches set us up for a memorable evening at Patricks, a Grenadian home cooking restaurant.
Mike fell in love with the Callaloo soup and had it for pudding. He also had a liking for their very strong Rum Punches and “Under the Counter” digestive. He also made lifelong friends with the girls who cooked and ran the place, causing roars of laughter plus a visit to their pristine kitchen. Frivolity continued back on Amelie with Mike having amnesia the following day.
Friday was a quieter day, understandably, with a cigar run in town and more tack shopping. We returned to the boat for drinks with the neighbours, Clive and Ju, who are going to be subjected to Debbie and Stephen for a few months to come. Fortunately they are great company and share a sense of humour welcoming them with an inflatable lounger which they have suggested Mike should demonstrate on a tour of the harbour being towed behind the RIB at great speed with drink in situ! They have obviously sussed Mike even though they have only just met him. Although having been subjected to a couple of evenings where the rum punches were free flowing it wasn’t hard to get the measure of him. There were also shared reminiscences of Salford and Rhyll and the degrees of separation were visibly decreasing in direct proportion to the amount of alcohol that was consumed - mainly by Mike.
Tomorrow is another day.
Saturday
The Hash was abandoned after Mike reported the weather - “me been on D deck and it be pissing down” - his attempt at Grenadian local lingo and we stayed aboard with the odd venture out to the shower block between showers. The ongoing saga of Jon’s move to Liverpool is about to reach it’s conclusion with frustration all round that has slightly tempered his celebrations but Tuesday will see everything finally sorted. Meanwhile the Collins clan seem to be thriving without any parental guidance although Nana is D boss! With boredom setting in Debbie took to check out whether the local shopping outlets were open by peering through the binoculars - to much derision from the male members of the party - actually it was a few grunts in between commentary on the world cup match. Sport is always a priority
As evening approached the variable weather meant the decision was taken to dine below with Debbie and Stephen's friend Bob making a welcome addition on board. This meant the dining table was unfolded in all it's glory but this comes at a price which proved to be the evening entertainment. Jackie failed dismally to squeeze in to the double seat and had to lift up half the table to gain access. Mike immediately rose to the challenge claiming he could slither his way in for a 5 EC bet. Much to Jackie's dismay he proceeded to do just that but to add insult to injury Stephen repeated this process much later (after Mike had made his escape). As Jackie was feeling decidedly trapped she managed to limbo her way out underneath in a very undignified manner.
Sunday
Weather was very mixed on Sunday so three intrepid explorers set off to investigate the delights of St George's and tried to visit the cricket stadium. We set off in the Rib with Debbie at the helm whilst Stephen stayed aboard Amelie to do some essential repairs to ensure we would be sea worthy when desired. The cricket arena was closed on a Sunday but we did find out that we could go round it during the week so it wasn't altogether a wasted journey and provided a few photo opportunities for Mike especially the International Modelling Agency sign - he's still waiting for a call!
On our travels we discovered a very smart looking building which we thought was a hotel but on closer inspection turned out to be a funeral directors. What was most surprising was the big electronic display advertising all the coming funerals - brought to mind visions of rent-a-wake!
We passed some local fruit and veg stalls where we had a lesson in the range on offer and how to cook them (we only left with a pineapple so we weren't that won over!). After a trip to the supermarket we headed back to the marina but got caught in a downpour which lasted quite a while and there was no welcoming bar to shelter in. Eventually we braved the storm and arrived safely back on Amelie with a full load of provisions. We had a lazy afternoon of chatting and catching up and after our evening meal Jackie and Mike set about teaching Debbie and Stephen the intricacies of Yahtzee - they are now both avid converts and apparently Stephen has a major addiction which does not go down well with Debbie when it comes to completing the Amelie chore list!
Monday
Mike took off for a walk to find Matthew's Fort and headed up into the hills only to be told "it's a long way....." by one of the locals who was possibly under the influence of something slightly illegal.
On his return to the boat he dragged Jackie off to find the Botanical gardens which was a little ambitious in the heat of the sun and after one or two glasses of rose! When we reached them there was a considerable amount of time spent by Jackie admiring the view from the vantage point of a low wall. Which looked rather incongruous as the Botanical gardens have largely been built on and taken over by government buildings. They did find their way back to civilisation and were able to report their findings to one and all.
Tuesday
This was the day we were venturing out of port so the morning was taken up preparing the boat and welcoming aboard Clive and Ju. The weather was great and after a safety briefing for all from skipper Stephen we cast off with Mike taking the helm of the Rib in his all important James Bond role meeting us further round in the marina to board us from the stern with "team Rib" ensuring the safe arrival and stowage on the davits. We were soon in open waters and Mike had taken up his position at the stern to ensure he had a good view of the horizon in order to prevent the evil sea sickness taking over. This proved very effective and with the sails up and the engine off there was full agreement this was an excellent way to spend a day. We dropped anchor in Whisper Cove and were ferried ashore by 'Rib Skipper Mike'. Having dropped off the advance party he set off to collect Stephen and Debbie when he nearly decapitated himself on an adjacent boat. His passengers found this very amusing with Clive lamenting the fact that he hadn't managed to catch the incident on video!
An enjoyable lunch was consumed although there was much comment about how they could charge the same price for a green salad as for a chicken salad when there was no difference between the two other than the chicken - everyone expected extra green ingredients but none were found! The resident Iguana took great offence when Mike decided that the "Iguana Crossing" sign was more photogenic than the creature himself and did a rapid disappearing act. A quick trip to the restaurant shop for ingredients for the evening meal and we headed back to Amelie for some water activities. These were headed by Ju who showed us her prowess on the paddle board. This had been put to the test earlier in the week when she had set off for a quick circumnavigation of the marina. After a few "dismounts" the alarm was raised when she disappeared from view. Clive was about to set off on a rescue mission having enlisted Mike's help on the pontoon as a lookout when she appeared from the opposite direction coming round the far side of the boats and under the pontoon.
Debbie plucked up the courage to try out the paddle board and had us well entertained with her efforts but the rest were happy to laze around on board or just go for a gentle swim. We lifted the anchor and set sail back to port with the wind behind us and reaching a heady 9 knots at times. We arrived back at dusk and Mike was again dispatched ahead to receive the ropes. Stephen executed a perfect docking although Mike had some issues with a new arrival next door who had tied their Rib up in the way. They were none too helpful in getting us tied up either so they earned themselves a reputation.
Clive and Ju disappeared to return later with a couple of fantastic salads (there was even some for Mike without cheese - they must stop spoiling him or he'll get used to it!). A somewhat raucous night ensued with a large amount of alcohol consumed and lots of laughter. I don't think the new neighbours were too impressed. Clive and Ju left with a few offerings of left over steak for their feline crew members.
Wednesday
This was Jackie and Mike's last full day in Grenada and so the plan was for a bit more sight seeing. We engaged the services of Mr Yellow for the afternoon to take us up to Matthew's Fort and the Clarks Court rum factory. These were both great places but definitely not within walking distance. At the fort we had a guided tour which gave us a fascinating insight into the previous use of the now somewhat derelict buildings. There had been a psychiatric hospital there in former times and it was largely destroyed by the Americans bombing it in the 80's. It's now used for concerts and discos and they have also set up a cinema there.
The rum factory proved altogether more professional than the first one we had seen and with a more varied and palatable range of rums to taste. The guide was far more interesting and didn't yawn once on the way round.
Despite having made a few purchases at the rum factory Jackie and Mike needed to do a little last minute shopping so Stephen dropped them off in St George's and they hit the shops to ensure no-one would feel left out on their return to English shores. It was to be a quick trip but Mike in his own typical way elongated it by the old adage of "let's not bother getting the bus we'll walk!" By the time we got back Jackie was not impressed and a little weary. However a quick shower and change before drinks with Clive and Ju was the pick me up she needed. The original plan was down at the bar for happy hour but we abandoned that when we realised we had missed it. We settled for drinks aboard Amelie but with Clive keen to show off his video of the previous days ventures we adjourned to Sephina. What a fantastic piece of film with some brilliant pictures and video set to music we were all thrilled with the finished product - well done Clive.
The last evening meal was booked for Patrick's - they seemed to still want us there despite Mike's antics from the last time. A delightful meal was had - we even sampled Iguana (no it wasn't the live one at Whisper cove!). Mike was again on fine form after a few rum punches and spent some time debating what purchases to make when a woman set up her stall in the restaurant. In the end he was galvanised into action only when Karen (the Cook and one if his new best friends) showed an interest in the shawl he had his eye on for his mum. It was hilarious to see him speed across the restaurant to demand that he would buy it. He modelled a sarong which he also bought along with a couple of tea towels that he was trying to haggle over. Clive and Ju joined us for drinks and to witness Mike teaching the entire staff of Patrick's the soup joke. After much merriment we retired to Amelie for a nightcap and another episode of sarong modelling from Mike.
Thursday
The last day for Jackie and Mike so Debbie insisted on treating them to breakfast at the bar which had a reputation for being very good. Sadly it was not living up to it that day with a very disenchanted waitress who was very slow in getting Debbie's coffee to her - not a good idea. Things didn't improve when Stephen's boiled eggs arrived but were not really runny yokes as asked for - when he complained the girl nonchalantly poked his egg with a knife and you could see her almost about to say "it looks alright to me!" Which was clearly what she was thinking. Fortunately she took them back and returned later with fresh ones but no fresh toast which was by that time decidedly cold. It did cause us some amusement at her expense even though it didn't make for a great breakfast!
The girls and Clive headed to the shops for a quick bit of retail therapy and then made for the boat for a lazy morning chilling out aboard Amelie. Jackie and Mike said final goodbyes to Clive and Ju, what a delight it has been to share some great times with such lovely people and they hope to see them again at some point. The time whizzed round too fast and Mr Yellow arrived albeit in a suit and not his normal trademark yellow attire (he'd been to a funeral) to ferry the pair to the airport. There were tears even though it won't be long before both Debbie and Stephen will be back in England. What a fantastic holiday! How lucky we are to have two such friends who we can spend two weeks with in a confined space and feel really comfortable with them. When we meet up it feels like only yesterday since we last saw them and we will now plan to join them again at some point on their travels.
Mr Yellow dropped the pair at the airport and received a heartfelt thanks from both of them. Mike found a final sign to take a photo of before checking in for the flight home.
An uneventful flight home but at least the sun was shining and it was warm so fairly easy to acclimatise.
Click here if you want to see the video of our sail with Mike, Jackie, Clive and Ju