In the original plan I was in Barbados so as to rest up in between demanding volunteering stints; As it turned out, I was over rested in Saint Lucia, which was a very good thing, because Kel and his best mate Baldwyn were keen to show me Barbados by the dark of night rather than the light of day (once I'd convinced them that I was really only white on the outside).
The bar below is one that the international cricketers drink at when playing at Barbados (usually against the West Indies); I ordered 'whatever Steve Waugh ordered when he was here' from the barmaid (who couldn't remember what that was).
It’s a real test of your manhood to see if you can drink the local rum straight.
Kel had organised for his family and I to stay at Baldwyn's home: Three families - three bedrooms; being single finally paid off as a family-per-bedroom approach was adopted for apportioning the rooms.
I very much enjoyed talking Caribbean economics & social dynamics with Ro, Church & sports with Kel, and dribble with Josh (and Baldwyn).
Barbados is the most developed of the West Indian islands.
In every developed country there is room for further development.
Barbados attracted more British immigrants (in search of greener pastures) than the other Islands who now despise Barbados for being elitist and for their hard to understand British accents. (It took me a few days to pick up on the fact that what they were describing was the British cockney influence (rather than a 'proper' English accent).)
I had just enough time to see and eat some of the Barbados sights like:
a beautiful beach;
a flying fish sandwich;
& the wild West Coast
(where I put my toes in the Atlantic Ocean).
I must send out a huge public thank you to Baldwyn, Suzanne, & Nathan, who took me into their home on naught more than Kel's recommendation (an act of foolish love if ever there was one), and drove me all the way to the West Coast before my departing flight.
Did you pass the manhood test?
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