Carol's Trip to Barbados
August 2000

On August 12, 2000, I travelled to Barbados via London where I met Clio (Paul) and TLC (Petra) and her children.  I then flew to Barbados where I met up with my good friend Granitor (Keinall) and spent 2 weeks enjoying the warm sunshine, wonderful beaches, and of course Kei's great company.

I left Barbados after 2 weeks,  on August 27, travelling  via Miami, Dallas, and  Los Angeles for a 46 hour trek back to my hometown, Geraldton, Australia, and met mrtheoden (Dave) at Sydney Airport.   Here are some pictures and stories of my adventures.

Carol, Paul and Petra

Petra (TLC) and Paul (Clio) had only just met each other the night before I arrived in London, and they both met me at Heathrow Airport and drove me to Gatwick Airport where we had some breakfast and  chatted for hours until I flew  to Barbados.  

Paul hadn't slept for a over a day, as he had traveled to Petra's house, then waited up to meet me. He would try to nod off, as we drove in the van to the airport, so we had fun when we threatened him that we would take a picture of him sleeping, and this had kept him awake.

It was a pleasure to meet you both and thanks Petra for making it possible.

Some Stories of Good times in Barbados

On my arrival in Barbados, I checked into Melrose Beach Apartments, which were nestled amongst tropical trees, with views out of my window of the Sandy Beach Lagoon.

Temperature during my stay ranged from 28c to 30c with high humidity.  It was beautiful beach weather yet I was glad I had booked an air conditioned apartment as the nights were very humid. 

View from my apartment window of the Sandy Beach Lagoon in Barbados

Kei & Carol, Barbados

Around April 1998, I began talking to Granitor ( Keinall ) on IRC (Internet Relay Chat) and we began chatting regularly.

It was in December 1999 when I first met Kei in person, when I visited Barbados for the first time - see my other page for this story www.wn.com.au/cc/trip.htm

Our real life meeting was a success and we developed a strong friendship and we continued to correspond via emails and IRC.

One day in early August 2000, Kei suggested that I visit the island again, so I arranged annual leave from where I work and within two weeks was back in Barbados.

We enjoyed each others company and during my stay, we went to movies, out to dinner, went on a cruise and spent many  hours talking about numerous things, including his business ideas.

Kei lives alone in a sub- apartment below his mother's house in suburban Bridgetown.

Transport in Barbados consists of private cars, public transport buses, taxis and route taxis.  I mostly used route taxis which are privately owned mini vans, that can fit up to 15 people, often crammed in, with loud local Bajan music playing through the sound system.  These mini vans are a cheap and quick way to get around the island, $1.50 BDS for full trip.

The Legendary Auntie Olga

One day, after spending the day visiting Kei, I was walking to a bus stop and a woman stopped her car beside me and offered me a lift into town as she was going that way.  I accepted, however during discussion it was discovered that this elderly lady was the legendary "Auntie Olga" who is well known on the island for her time given to helping the needy, her weekly newspaper editorial and also because she is a tour guide.

Once she realised I was an Australian, she decided to give me a lift out of her way, and back to my apartment, as she has an affection for Australians since her son lived in Sydney for a number of years and he had received favourable hospitality from Australians during his visit.  We had a good conversation together, and she pointed out many places of history along the way.

During our conversation I mentioned to Auntie Olga that I had just had a tour of the Playskool Nursery, which is run by Kei's mother Margaret, catering for children from one month of age to 5 years, and on the back seat of Auntie Olga's car were numerous toys, just given to her by a local company to disperse to the needy.  She handed me the toys and said to give them to the Playskool.  Margaret was overjoyed that I had found a new friend on the island, and felt very special that Auntie Olga had given her the toys for her nursery. 

I found out later that not many people in Barbados have actually met Auntie Olga, and believe her to be a myth, yet in my first days on the island, I had struck up a friendship with her.

A Bus Tour of the Island

One Sunday I went for a scenic bus tour of Barbados, which included breathtaking views of the rugged east coast area

At right is a picture of the Bathsheba area, known for its rugged coastline facing the Atlantic Ocean

The beach here  is lined with tiny pebbles, unlike the white sandy beaches on the south and west coasts.

On the bus were mostly local Bajans (name for people from Barbados) some of whom take the tour on a regular basis.    At one scenic stop, Foul Bay, a group of Bajans invited me to picnic with them, and offered me rum punch, gingerbread cake, flying fish and chicken.  Their picnic table was set up like a banquet, plenty of food and drinks for all.  I found that local people were very friendly and this latest gesture proved it.

While I was feasting with my new friends, a newspaper reporter took our photograph, and the following Wednesday, my picture and a short story about me and why I was on the island appeared in the local newspaper.  

It seemed that all good things were happening on my visit to Barbados, (My friendship with Kei, Auntie Olga, and then picture in the newspaper)  and I felt very welcome on the island.

Kei and Graham - tikking all day !!! -
what a day.. blisters, sweat and heat!

Graham and Kei spent a whole day tikking (playing on playstation game - Street Fighter Alpha 3 )  It was a close game, with Kei winning on the day.   

Kei arranged for a few of his friends to play the following Saturday and this was another way of me meeting more of his friends.  This pic is taken in the heat of the day, with Kei covered in sweat and a having a blistered finger from playing the previous time. 

It was good to meet Kei's friends and it was certainly a fun day. 

Omar & Kei  - 2 great guys -
fooling around for the camera

I originally met Omar when I visited Barbados in December 1999 as we had been at a New Years Eve Party that Kei and I went to, and we also gone swimming at Dover Beach in a group .. fun times for sure.

Omar studied in New York and usually only came back home to Barbados for Christmas and Summer holidays  He was due to leave the island the following week, same day as me but on a later flight.

Omar had a lucky escape years later, when on Sept 11, the Twin Towers collapsed. He was living in an apartment on the next block and had to run for his life to get away from all the debris, dust and smoke.  A day I'm sure he will never forget.  Thankfully he survived.

Harbour Master Cruise

Kei and I went on a cruise up the West Coast of the island.   It was a beautiful day, and we talked for hours as the boat cruised up and down the coast.

A buffet lunch and drinks were provided and I met his Uncle Henry, who is the Food Director on board  the boat..

Highlight of the cruise was when our picture was taken and cast into 2 souvenir key rings.  One had slight glue markings on  the picture, so  Kei let me keep the better one :)

Paybes Beach in Barbados

Barbados is such a beautiful tropical island with white sandy beaches overlooking the sparkling  Caribbean Sea. 

I visited many beaches and they were all palm tree lined, with pure white sand, and crisp blue ocean.

If you ever get the chance.. go visit this beautiful island.

My 2 weeks came to an end, and I left Barbados 8.10am on Sunday 27 August, the starting point of my 46 hour journey back home.  I flew to Miami, where I got caught up in an immigration line of about 1000 people (Carol makes note to self... never go to Miami again)  and I consequently missed my connecting flight to Los Angeles, but was put on a flight via Dallas, where it was a very hot 105f  !. 

I got to Los Angeles 3 hours later than my original flight time, but in plenty of time for my Sydney flight, which  left at 10.30pm. It was great to hear the Aussie accents of other passengers waiting to fly back to Australia.

Next Stop.. Sydney, Australia

I arrived in Sydney at 7.10am Tuesday morning, and met up with mrtheoden (Dave).  We had breakfast at Burger King and a lovely   air hostess took our photo (Dave thinks she was very sexy).

I then caught another flight to Perth, and then my final flight to Geraldton at 5.30pm, ending my second around the world tour.

Jet Lag took over my body for the following week, as I had been traveling for 46 hours non stop. 

Thanks for reading about my trip.

Special thanks go out to Petra, Paul, Dave 
and a very special thanks to Kei, 
without his hospitality in Barbados,
 this trip would not have been possible.  I had heaps of fun..
Thanks MSP

If you like to read about my first trip to Barbados  visit  New Year 2000    or
for more information about me, check out my main homepage at  www.wn.com.au/cc