Persuading people to visit Barbados 300 years ago usually involved chaining them up and tormening them. Well that’s how some people feel today enduring an 8 hours transatlantic flight; but for Tom and I, it was simply an opportunity to watch DVDs. Shortly after touchdown we lay in the shade of a palm tree on a deserted tropical beach with a gentle breeze blowing off a stunningly beautiful turquoise sea. I could recollect someone saying back home “You’re mad flying to the Caribbean just for the weekend” and then I wondered who was mad, and perhaps, Tom and I had actually done something quite sensible for a change.
We were there mainly so Tom could catch some waves under the guidance of an expert surfing instructor. Careful research had led us to Zed's Surfing School. “Boardy” and Christian, in turn, took Tom on 4 hour and 3 hours sessions. Tom showed unbelievable stamina and impressed himself (and all of us) by standing-up four times during his first session (this has later been exaggerated to five times, just so you know). Proudly spectating from the safety of shore I considered (for a moment) I should join him. In my mind’s eye I could see Mr Bean surfing then immediately went off the idea. Not that Tom needed any moral support of encouragement – he just went for it.
Early each morning (Saturday, Sunday and Monday) we started the day with a nice walk along the beach. We’d return to our apartment and take a dip in the pool before making toast. I can’t comment on Bajan cuisine as Tom chose all the restaurants bar one. It was called Flying Fish and yes, that’s exactly what we ate. I can say with confidence that flying fish taste much-much beter than Chefette-Barbadian-style-MacDonalds-burgers. When he invited me to KFC that's when I drew the line.
After his surfing lessons we explored some of the island. We’d hired a tiny open-top car for the purpose of getting hopelessly lost. On repeated journeys we still got lost. One day they may put up road signs. Barbados is certainly a stress-free island and I reckon the greatest test is how motorists behave. Barbadians appear content waiting ten minutes for someone to do a three-point-turn, no-one has to wait at a junction; the next car will let them out, even in traffic jams (Oistins Fish Festival detour) drivers would sit back and just chill. When someone baps their horn (which they do regularly) it always means “Thank you”.
It was sad to leave. Okay, perhaps two more days would have been ideal. But after checking-in at the airport we excitedly climbed the steps to board Corncord. A kind airhostess showed us to our seats. Tom sat in Queen Elizabeth’s favourite seat. Okay, it's true - but a tiny bit misleading. After checking-in we’d left enough time to visit the Airport’s Corncord museum. This plane flew here as a permanent exhibit 24th October 2003. Tom and I were on the tarmac at Heathrow aboard a plane to Switzerland that day and through our porthole we witnessed it take-off for that same journey. Travelling twice the speed of sound the passengers onboard that 9am flight arrived in Barbados at 8.50am (ten minutes before they left).
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