Crispy seaweed

Barbados has had a few changes since we were here last year. They have a lady as prime minister who the locals think is making a difference although the roads have not had too many repairs so far. It seem that all the taxis and boogie buses are new or have had a make over. They are all shiney white now and don't show signs of crash damage. The journey fee has gone up from $2 bds to $3.5 though. Oh yes, and the Coconut Court beach bar has had a makeover.

Some things remain the same. We had no winners again at the races, and have visited a few favourite restaurants again. It has rained, it's sunny and blowing a bit. That has all contributed to an increasingly tricky seaweed problem on the South coast. For all their efforts to clear it in the morning it is always back the next day. By choking the oxygen it is forcing the sea life elsewhere which is a pity.

Still it remains a good place to chill for a few days and this year it will be golf free as the Sir Gary Sobers tournament has dropped Apes Hill. Three three remaining courses do not really merit the entry fee. Hey ho I have done it twice so time to look for something new.

Spice of Life

After the sadness of the early part of the year, we are starting to get back to normal, and what better way than to revisit the Carribean. We have booked a few days cruise followed by a week in Barbados.
There is no golf involved this time round which is no bad thing as my swing is awful at the moment. so its a good time to clense body and soul. The Sir Gary Sobers is on next week but they have dropped Apes Hill so the festival is not as appealing as it has been.
So we flew out yesterday with Tui. There were some last minute seat problems so we got upgraded to Premium. There were huge benefits we did not appreciate. Fast track check-in and priority security clearance gave us ample opportunity to visit the free airport lounge. When we landed we were first off the plane, taken straight to a coach and bused directly to the cruise ship. No queuing here either so we were on board less than an hour after landing. Looks like Premium might be the way to go!

We are now on Grand Anse beach courtesy of the reggae bus, the chaos of first morning breakfast forgotten, and the dress to impress night is in front  of us.

With that thought in mind I am off for a dip.

Ground control to Major Tom

A first is chalked up by the blog as I publish one from outer space. Well, 35000 ft in reality from the bubble on a Virgin Atlantic jumbo. We have exit seats to boot so even the premier economy passengers are looking enviously at us.

We are returning this year for the Sir Gary Sobers festival of golf, as I try to improve on my mid-table finish last year. Gordon Greenidge, the West Indian opening bat is in my handicap category so there is an incentive to do well.

I have watched Paddington 2, the movie, on the plane and was interested that they used the Kilmainham jail as the backdrop to his incarceration. It also featured in the original Italian Job, and we did the tour when we were in Dublin for the rugger some years ago.

We are staying on the West coast this year to save time on the golf course transfers. Forest round is Thursday and there is rain forecast. Just like home.

Sir Garfield Sobers

Day two in Barbados passed off fairly quietly. A bit of overnight rain livened things up and the cloud stayed most of the day. A meal and early night were the order before the first round of the Sir Garfield Sobers festival of golf today.

I played the first round at Barbados golf club which is the weaker of the four and few errant shots saw me shoot a net 79 and be firmly in the pack. The course is suffering from the recent drought but is scrappy and routine as a test of golf. You can only play what's in front of you and I did that for 15 of the holes but had three minor disasters. Anyway, on to tomorrow.

I played with a Canadian living in New York who was a bit up himself, a very pleasant accountant from Trinidad and an English chap who lives over here now. One of his sons plays for Stoke City. So mostly pleasant company. Three different partners tomorrow.

The festival is very well organised with a packed lunch on the tenth tee, but as I putted out on the green a chicken robbed my buggy and took my tuna sandwich. We thought the Fox at Wallasey was bad!!!