Caribbean: A sea of tired faces

MONDAY INTO TUESDAY MORNING

On Monday morning at 0730 I looked across from my breakfast plate across of sea of tired faces. It might have been a relaxing cruise but everyone looked worn out and ready to disembark which would begin in a few minutes.

We are back in Miami and from the starboard side of the MS Majesty of the Seas I look out across the sky blocks of the downtown waterfront bathed in sunshine, each one sticking up like a golden finger.

Miami waterfront bathed in sunshine, tower blocks sticking up like golden fingers.

With two close colleagues, Shaun and Jon, we are off the boat, in a cab and across town, through the exciting Art Deco district and back on South Beach. We check into the Raleigh, which built in 1940, so the pool boy told me, was to be our home for the next eight hours.

I enjoyed a baby amount of pool time and then out to the airport and on American Airlines 1995 to Barbados. Slept most of the flight arriving at 11:30. No food on the flight (became grumpy) but so pleased to have wolfed down  a slice of pepperoni piazza and a packet of M&Ms at Miami airport!

Barbados.
The hotel that time forgot. 11:30pm 

Someone shuffled out through the darkness to the open the gate to let my cab into the Casa Grand Hotel entrance.

The place was dark and cavenous with one flourecent light on behind the front desk.  I filled out the registration form and she gave me the key to room 2009.

The Case Grand Hotel and Resort is huge, once building build round a large terrace and kidney shaped pool which must be 150 metres long. The whole  place looks like it has seen better days. Kiddy play equipment and a three solitary sun loungers by the pool. It has an air of being closed up and that they opened it just for me. I am convinced I am only the guest. Perhaps it is low season or is it just a low ebb?

Barbados Airport It is Tuesday at lunchtime I fly to Union Island to meet the boat.

There was a radio in my shower room which did not work. The electric kettle did and I obtained two sachets of instant coffee the second of which is just consumed so spirits are high. 

It is Tuesday, at lunchtime I fly to Union Island to meet the boat.