Barbados and the car 5

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Day 13 - 11 February 2017 cont'd

After arriving home we talked about spending time at The Fisherman's pub later to have access to full on internet. The dongle at the apartment works fine but is expensive to operate for us. So we tend to use it sparingly. We can download and upload to our hearts content at the pub.

When we got home we cleaned the front windscreen on the car and then tried to find the bonnet catch to fill the washer bottle, with no luck.

The wiper broke off due to sun damage, so now we needed to replace that.

We had a little food and I typed up the blog, got pictures ready to download and so on.

We left the apartment at 7.30 pm and initially headed for a local garage to see if it was open and sold wipers. Also we planned on using the car a fair bit tomorrow, so more petrol was a good idea.

We arrived and the shop was really busy. They had a size smaller wiper than I needed but at B$9.20, I decided to take a chance.

Then back to where I had parked on the forecourt. I hadn't a clue on petrol price as it is not advertised, but the pump said B$2.98. Moved the car to the pump and asked for B$40 worth.

In the process, he asked me to flick the petrol catch inside the car, there isn't one! But you can use the key, so fine. He noticed the missing wiper and I told him I had just bought one so he volunteered to put it on for me. I then asked him if he might know where the bonnet release was and eventually there were three of them looking all over the car, but no luck. I tipped him and we went to the Pub.

We had a drink and sorted out various internet things and were home for 9.00 pm.

Day 14 - 12 February 2017

Not such a good night.

We had various objectives today, making full use of the hire car.

We started to move about 7.40 am, making our morning coffee.

At 9.00 am I sent a text to Jeffrey explaining about our non flushing toilet. We had some visitors in the garden, a chicken and four chicks.

We packed the car up and left at 9.45 am. We headed East initially missing out the top part of the island which we had done yesterday.

Pat as usual did the important navigating. Our first major stop was at Morgan Lewis to look at a windmill. We think it was the mentioned one, that is the only remaining one working out of 500. They were used of course in the sugar cane processing.

Our next stop after driving along the East coast was Bathsheba, an unspoiled coastal village, very pretty. We parked, then wandered and looked around, had a drink at Dina's bar.

Next was the Flower Forest, a botanical garden in the centre of the island. Entrance fee US$15 each. There are pathways to take you on a walk around this beautiful place. We spotted a mongoose running on the path.

We had ordered our lunch before we set off, at the visitor centre. When we had completed the tour and returned, it didn't take long before it arrived. Burger & chips and chicken caeser salad.

Two ladies were running the place, the cook and the receptionist. Both were extremely hospitable and very friendly.

After chatting for a while we left to head for our next destination, which was
Harrison's cave.

This was an underground cave which went on for some distance with a tram to take you through. We chose to do the tram journey which was US$31 each.

At this point you wonder if you are shelling out a lot of money for nothing. You read various descriptions of things before visiting and sometimes they can be underwhelming. However this was not the case with Harrison's cave.

You are given a video to explain about the geological creation of Barbados and then taken to a tram that would hold about 40 people when full and driven into a man made tunnel that shows of the underground limestone caves, with many stalactites and stalagmites.

A considerable amount of money has been invested in this project and it is well done.

At a couple of places you can disembark and look closer at things. Water is dripping from the ceiling and you get a little damp, but surprisingly it is not cold. We were told you travel about a mile on the journey.

Well worth the money.

We went back to Bathsheba to navigate the South Eastern corner of the island, got a little lost, but only for a short while. Whilst driving Jeffrey rang that he would get somebody to the apartment to try and sort out the toilet. We then drove on through to Bridgetown and back up to Speightstown.

Whilst driving in the afternoon Pat spotted some green monkeys in the trees above us. One of them had a baby clung on to it. It happened to quickly to get a picture. A safari vehicle stopped alongside us and we talked to them about the monkeys. He said that our doors were missing!

Anytime we drove anywhere and stopped to look at a map, people were trying to help us with directions. With the open top car they know you are a tourist. The Barbadian people in general are very friendly and welcoming.

We did 108 kilometres in total arriving back at 6 pm.

When we arrived home Jeffrey the agent was at the apartment with a plumber and also guests for the top apartment had arrived with Javid the taxi driver.

We talked with Jeffrey while the plumber did his work and fixed the toilet.

The rest of the evening was quiet for us.

Day 15 - Monday 13 February, 2017

Sort of a good night sleep

Having the car got us moving and on the go. We left the apartment at 1000 am to Speightstown.

We were going to park by the laundry until we were informed we were trying to go the wrong way up a one way street! So parked in a different place and walked back.

We stopped at the RBC bank to get some cash and then up to the laundry. Our stuff had returned and we dropped off more washing.

Talking to the young lady in the laundry, she informed us she had never left the island.

Pat wanted to see the Mount Gay rum distillery and I suggested the Sir Frank Hutson sugar museum, which was sort of on the way.

We made it to the sugar museum and the full tour wasn't available, but we looked around the museum and learnt a number of things.

Then off to the distillery. We asked a lady at the museum for directions and she gave us a better idea of where it was. We knew the address, but it wasn't on the map.

After a few false turns and driving straight passed it once, we eventually found the place. It is not well signposted!

It was busy and we paid our US$15 each for the tour. Our tour was at 1230 pm.

We were taken into a room with a guide telling us about rum and Barbados, then shown a short video.

The various rums were then tasted - not by me - and we moved on to see the final stage, the bottling.

By now it was lunchtime and we went to Holetown and decided on Zaccio's. Pat had a chicken burger and chips and I tried the chicken roti.

After lunch we hoped to find orchid world, we drove all over the place with no joy and after not finding Welchman Hall Gulley either we went home. To explain, there are signs but stop after a while and certain junctions you have to make a guess which today we got wrong.

Popped into the supermarket and home by 4.00 pm. 92 kilometers today.

As an aside in the last blog I realise I kept saying St. Oistins. There are many place names with saint in them but this isn't one, so it should just read Oistins.

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