One Year on

After, eventually, a wonderful time last year in Barbados, its my vacation time again. So really there was no other place I wanted to go except back to Barbados.

Strangely though, my sister and her family asked me what date I was going on vacation. I told her the date and suprisingly their dates were the same, so they asked if they could join me. Rather than a “package deal” we decided to book flights and accommodation seperately. I had to go back to the same hotel as last year, so my sister booked it in her name.

We arrived in Barbados, jumped into a taxi and within minutes were at Long Beach Hotel. While booking in, I ask the receptionist if the “in house taxi” driver was around. He was out but would come to the room so we could book the island tour I had raved about last year. About an hour or so later we heard a knock on the hotel door, my sister answered it, it was Randy. He asked my sister how he could help, then when he saw me he shouted out my name asking how I was and who these people were? You may not think anything about this but as he is my best friend and has been for nearly 20 years, I can tell you he never remembers names though is very good at faces.

For the next two weeks we all had a fabulous time and got to know Randy very well, he even invited us to his mothers for a meal. On that holiday we did a lot of touring in our hire car but always made sure we got back to the hotel for the early evening happy hour. One occasion on our way back from a day in the country we drove through Oistins, we saw a sign for “Grannies”. As we drove past the gap we looked and saw a large single story building, all lit up, it looked a nice place to eat. We decided that tomorrow we would go there for dinner, as one of the barmen at the hotel had told us it was a good place to go for “local food”. The next day we were talking to some American guests at the hotel, they asked where we were going to eat that night. We told them all about Grannies, saying it looked a nice restaurant and invited them to join us, unfortunately, well for us fortunately, they had booked another restaurant. Anyone who either lives in Barbados or has visited and been to Grannies will understand why it was fortunate, for those who have never been, Grannies is a small takeaway restaurant. That night we drove down the road heading for Grannies, as we got closer we noticed that the building which was, all lit up last night, was in darkness. It's closed was the cry from everyone in the car, so we turned around and as we turned one of us noticed a group of local people queuing at a shop with a sign above saying “Grannies”. We did stop and buy some food, then sat in the car and ate it. The food was very tasty and at least half the price of a “normal” restaurant, we laughed all the way back to the hotel, glad that the American couple had declined our offer to join us.

Randy also got us into a few situations I didnt expect, once as we were taking him home he asked to stop at a bar in Bay Street. As the car stopped, he jumped out and ran into a building, shouting as he ran, to follow him. We walked up the stairs and were greeted by, the only way I can explain is a “big mamma” (no disrespect to the lady) but boy she was big. The room was very dark except for light on the other side of the room at the bar. As we walked over to the bar all I could hear was “hey look white men” Randy had disappeared so we headed for the bar, as we were leaning on the bar, I felt a hand on my behind. I turned to my brother-in-law, looked at him and asked if that was him, he was going to ask the same question. It turned out it was a young "lady", so we decided to lean on the bar with our backs to it and wait for her to return for another feel.  Appartently Randy had taken us to a bar frequented by “ladies of the night”, some of you may say “so what” but as this was my first and last time in a place like that, it was not a place I was used to. After that evening I dont think Randy could do anything else, over the years, that could shock me.

So this second visit was coming to an end, a wonderful time had by all. On the penultimate day Randy came over to me and asked why didnt I stay for longer, my explanation was very simple, it was a wonderful idea and I would love to do it but I had a job, car and other commitments back in England.

Will I go for a longer period in Barbados or stay in England....... to be continued......