Sunday 31^st March – Day at Sea.

Happy Easter J

Nesta slept ok but woke at 5am and stayed up. We both went to the Easter communion service and then Nesta went back to bed and slept until 2pm (missing lunch!)

Ian went to the Discovery Club party where Adam (the new Eddie) was less than helpful when speaking to the “Grand Voyage” passengers i.e. Austin, Sue and Wally.

Went to some lectures in the afternoon but not the evening entertainment as it was Andrea singing jazz… not our thing.

Nesta did however go to the line-dancing rehearsal as she is in the show tomorrow night!!

 

Monday 1^st April – Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Arrived exactly on time even though we had left Devil’s Island a couple of hours later than planned.

We checked out the port facilities but they were closed… probably as it is Easter Monday!

We had been booked to do the Scenic Highlights and Maracas Bay Beach tour tomorrow but as we are now having an extra day in Trinidad we decided to change it to this afternoon… Bad choice!

As could have been predicted there was a lot of traffic because the locals were going to the beach as well, so we were stuck in a traffic jam. We ended up not doing our scenic drive past the cocoa and coffee plantations of the Santa Cruz valley and we didn’t even see the beach never mind get our promised swim. Real pity as this beach is one of the three best in the Caribbean. The city highlights tour was also a washout as the coach didn’t stop for us to take photos and most of the historic buildings could only be seen properly from the other side of the bus… Complaint form was therefore completed on our return!

We’re upset because we won’t ever come here again and wanted to do the trip…

In the evening, the Coddrington Family Steel Band, who were playing on the quayside as we docked, were invited aboard to do a half-hour show. They consist of Mum, Dad and the six children, one of whom is the world champion solo steel drummer, and they were brilliant!

Also this evening saw the premiere of the entertainment team’s new show which featured a line dance performed by six of the passengers including… Nesta! (Yes, honestly!)

Because of this we missed the evening meal so had our first experience of the “midnight buffet” – or at least we had cheese and biscuits at 11-30pm!

                                This was as near as we got to the beach!

                                   Brian Lara's house

                                                                    Below is the (public) botanical gardens

                              The Coddrington Family Steel Band

                                          Yee-haw!!