Friday 21^st December. Bridgetown, Barbados.

Walked up to the Kensington Oval (where the final of the 2007 World Cup was played).  Enjoyed a private tour of all areas including the pitch.  Thirsty work so headed for the nearest bar which was behind the museum of cricket.  Discovered this is mainly a locals bar and it is where the cricketers drink when they are around.  3 members of the West Indies under 19 team were there so we got their autographs in case one of them becomes the new Garfield Sobers!  They are planning a tour to England in 2013 but we think their current name of ‘The G-spot tigers’ may need to be changed!!

I called the ship ‘Home’ today for the first time so we must be getting institutionalised!

 Ian standing with Garfield Sobers

The pavillion at the Kensington Oval

Saturday 22^nd December.  Castries, St Lucia.

This Island is known in the UK for its ‘Sandals’ resorts, of which it has 3.  We went on a best of tour and noted not the luxury but the poverty around the island.  Kids are kids everywhere though and when we thought we were taking discrete photos in the fishing village of Anse-La-Raye, ‘Louis’ borrowed us and helped us take pictures of his mum, who had definitely been drinking or smoking something, and some of his friends.

 Icepops of the Caribbean!

 Louis wanted his photo taken

 Sandles Resort - how most people view St Lucia

 Local church ready for Christmas

Funny looking soldiers they have round here!

Sunday 23^rd December.  Point-a-Pitre, Guadaloupe.

Explored the town in the morning.   Very quiet until Church was over and then the start of the Christmas celebrations and Carnival began.

The afternoon island tour mainly made us empathise with the floods in UK as we got completely soaked.  Our coach was very British though and we did the full 4 hours unlike the other 2 coaches who returned to the Ship to dry out.  It was definitely a ‘travelling experience’ rather than a time of great enjoyment!

 Christmas celebrations in Guadeloupe

 Church is over so the Carnival begins!

 Making up her own dance

 Everyone joins in

 Fortunately, Nesta isn't this size yet!!

 This flower is called a Pink Ginger Flower

 Hard to believe this is a working rum distillery

Thw Master's House on an old sugar plantation, now a rum distillery

Christmas Eve!  Not Montserrat!!

We were due to anchor at sea and tender ashore but the swell was too big to make this safe.  Landing was abandoned but the Captain took the Ship around as near as possible to the Volcano and the town of Plymouth.  Much better view from here than we would have got ashore!

 Whwew we would have landed in Montserrat

 Damage in Plymouth - only the tops of houses visible above the ash

 You can see where the lava made it's way to the sea

 Our lifeboat pretending to be a tender

Nesta getting on to the tender

As you can see, we went to Nevis and Nesta went ashore in the lifeboats that were serving as tenders.

There was a bit of excitement when one of them broke down (not ours!) and the one that worked smashed against the jetty in Nevis – so you can imagine there were some very cross passengers.

We went to midnight service and everyone finally remembered that it was Christmas!!