We Crossed the Atlantic and Drank Rum in Barbados

This morning, the tenth time since departing on our journey we put our clocks back another hour. This means that we are now fifteen hours behind Australia. To catch up, we are apparently going to go to bed on the evening of the 8th February and awaken on the morning of the 10th February. We are never going to experience a 9th February 2020. It’s a concept I am having trouble wrapping my head around.

This week we crossed the Atlantic Ocean. For five days we saw not a single vessel, land nor even surprisingly, a bird. Nothing but endless blue water topped by endless blue sky. Sometimes some sweeping Atlantic rollers set in but in the majority, it was relatively easy sailing.

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The end of our trans-Atlantic journey found us disembarking, legs sightly wobbly, in Barbados – you know that sun-drenched tropical island sitting in the Caribbean; most easterly Island of the West Indies! It’s a place we never expected to visit but being keen “Death in Paradise” fans, have been happy to do so. Death in Paradise is filmed in Guadeloupe an island slightly north of and similar to Barbados.

Barbados is tiny, only 21 miles long and 14 miles wide with sugar cane being its principal export. It’s surprising, therefore, that it’s so well known. It may have something to do with the fact that it was a British colony from its founding back in 1627 until its independence in 1966.

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In order to get a feel of the place, we booked a tour – Barbados Finest Blends. We felt that it was important to get acquainted firsthand with a product that was apparently birthed here and is so popular with the locals here. It had nothing to do with the fact that we would be visiting two of the finest distilleries in Barbados or that we would be plied with copious quantities of rum.

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Before embarking on our tour, however, we head into Bridgetown – the Capital. I am desperately in need of a summer wardrobe. Clothes bought from Australia in a small suitcase suitable for the minus degree temperatures of Siberia are not working in the 28 degree plus temperatures of the Caribbean. Bridgetown is memorable by its standstill traffic, colourful buildings, friendly people and very limited clothes shops. Whilst diamonds and watches were in plentiful supply nary a cotton singlet or shorts could be found.

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Hoping on board our tour bus we are greeted in Bajan English by our driver Andy (short for Anderson). English is the official language here, however, over the years it’s been corrupted. Known as Bajan English it’s a bit like Pidgin English and for those familiar with Death in Paradise, Andy is a bit of a ringer for Dwayne – very friendly – slightly shifty. He doesn’t stop talking the entire time he is driving.

With Andy’s commentary ringing in our ears, we proceed to get a first-hand look at the island. Largish hotels hogging views of golden beaches and azure smooth sea give way to small villages the further from the capital we travel. These villages characterised by tiny colourful houses always boast at least one or more churches and usually appear suddenly from amidst large sugarcane fields. Overall, everything appears slightly tired looking and very tropical – pretty much what I was expecting.

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What I was not expecting however and something I have never seen before was an oil mule. Barbados has a small reserve of oil and amidst the sugar cane fields, we would often happen upon one or more of these mules pumping for this oil.

Today it’s back at sea on our way to Curacao. I’m back playing shuffleboard – and Darryl is again grappling with Bridge. We are both looking forward to traversing the Panama Canal this Friday.

Fun Fact – sooo many of our fellow passengers are on their fourth or more Around the World cruise. We have met five couples who have been Around the World ten times or more.