Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum

We have finally docked in  Barbados after a week island hopping in the Eastern Caribbean. Technology is suddenly so much better.

On our first day we were at sea as we travelled towards Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Next morning we were met by a friend of SWMBO's mum and her daughter. The daughter lives on the island so we got a locals view of the place. Hidden beaches, local bars and local drink. The painkiller cocktail was very yummy. Our tour ended at about 3pm when we joined the school run  to pick up her 13 year old daughter. They are looking to move after 5 years there as the 13 year old has outgrown the place and needs some local mates. All good things come to an end sometime, usually for the sake of the children.

Next day saw us in St Martens an island that is half French and half Dutch. Our visit was confined to the Frencb half and beach time took priority. As well as our modest sized cruiser of 1200 people there was a Windjammrr with 170 souls andtwo mega ships with 10,000 people between them, all docked side by side. It was as if Canary Wharf had been laid on its side and towed to sea!!

Day three saw us burnt like lobsters and it was on the menu too. We were in St Kitt's where the weather got the better of us and curtailed our expedition . We missed the port bus to the beach we wanted to go to and the taxi fare was prohibitive so we chilled in a bar and watched island life go by.

Antigua allowed me the pleasure of a round of golf. Borrowed clubs and fast running fairways did not see me hotel form but it was a reasonable round. I played with a married couple to whom I appeared invisible, such was their self importance. Sadly you do get people like that in a golf club but I engineered him to end up at the bar so silver linings, and all that.

Antigua will be on our returns  list to see the English harbour and Nelson's dockyard.

Our final stop was St Vincent although I am not sure why? Not too much to offer but was probably in the itinerary as a government requirement.

So all in all a good seven days made all the better now we are in Barbados and havens England beat Italy and Spurs beat Man City. The cricket did not go too well though!

Itchycoo Park

Waterloo bridge has a series of metal plaques indicating to tourists, the sights they can see as they stroll across it. Sadly they are targeted quite regularly by vandals, and that is a pity, as Waterloo bridge is a micro climate for London street scenes.

as i wandered across the bridge last night though, I realised that I didn't really need the plaques as an aide memoir. There to the left were the obvious ones, the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. They were then easing the eye into the MOD and MAFF buildings.

I have danced on the roof of the MOD when it was a regular after rugby haunt for us, and our connections. This was around 1980 so I suspect thirty years on it would be a harder feat to achieve. I remember Stan the Man answering the 'Batphone' when it rang in the toilet, which nearly caused a major diplomatic incident.

The MAFF building, which is probably called Defra now, has been regularly photographed from St James Park, where it gives the impression of a Russian landscape akin to those seen in Moscow.

Further round still on the left are the Savoy and Shell Mex house. Then facing you on the right hand side is Somerset House with its magnificent skating rink, Kings Bollege as Monty Python fans call it, and then the whole panorama of the City of London and Canary Wharf.

Closer to home is the OXO tower, Alan Sugars IBM building and the National Theatre.

There is a Wellington pub not too far from each end of the bridge, and with the station to the South and the delights of Covent Garden on the North side, it really is a thoroughfare to grace any major City.

Its just a swine to navigate at rush hour when you are going the 'wrong' way!!!