07.20 It is an early morning today. The time has come to travel on. Our home here in Antigua has been great and we slept well all nights.

07.56 While we were checking out, a Chinese (or Japanese) man was complaining. He wanted to change room. That would be fine if he could come back later to see if any room was available. – I don’t want to do that! said the man from Asia and left. The lady in the reception sighed and called a taxi to us.

08.10 We are standing outside Cappuccino Lounge and wait for our taxi.

09.09 The taxi arrived and took us all the way to the check-in at V.C Bird International Airport. Well, the fact is that the wall that is supposed to be towards the road is gone. Not a bad idea at all to let people get out of their transport and into the queue at once. There is also a fresh breeze. We checked in, paid departure tax, got our passports stamped and passed the security. Now all that remains is to embark the plane.

10.02 We are sitting in yet another aeroplane. We ended up/got seated next to the emergency exit. It feels safe somehow. Soon we will take off towards another Caribbean nation, Saint Kitts & Nevis.

10.14 We’ve just left ground and begun our climb upwards, begun our trip abroad. We are once again flying with the Caribbean airline company LIAT (Leeward Islands Air Transport) which has its hub here in Antigua.

SAINT KITTS & NEVIS

10.32 We just touched ground again. I have never ever been on a shorter flight abroad. What await us in this new country?

11.07 We were one of few passengers who got of the aeroplane that was bound for Tortola, one of the British Virgin Islands. The arrival hall was deserted and had no forms for immigration for us to ill in. We got into a taxi and have just reached our next home Culture House in Conaree. At the gate we met a Doberman but he strolled away. We entered the gate and went up one stair on the right side of the house. Christer has left to try to find something while I guard our belongings. Another dog just passed and still no humans in sight.

11.25 Finally some people turned up in a car and they showed us to the man I had booked from, John Francis. He greeted us in Swedish. He showed us the place and told us that he had lived in Norrtälje, Sweden. He has asked some in the staff if they had seen Micke. They hadn’t. What kind of staff member is this that doesn’t show up? Is he the one who was supposed to meet and guide us? We have though met the Doberman again. He is called Pelle Svanslös, he is named after a character in a Swedish book for children, named after a cat with no tail. I think his English name is Peter no-tail. We’ve also met the cat of the house, Pippi Långstrump/Longstocking. The room isn’t quiet ready yet so John has recommended us to leave our backpacks here and head into the capital Basseterre. He has promised to take us up to the main road where the mini buses pass. We´d rather go to the town than the beach. I think we had a little too much sun yesterday. Yesterday was fry day; today on Friday is calm day. Just as I was writing this John once again asked about the mysterious Micke. He is still missing.

11.33 Everything is solved. Our backpacks wait for us in room 5, we have sat down in John’s car and Micke has turned up. He was in the garden munching on Johns mango bush. Now we will head for the main road. Micke by the way is a goat, an indoor goat. We’ve been given the key to room 5.

Micke

12.07 We got out of Johns car and pretty soon into a mini bus. It took us into the town centre and now we are sitting on a bench at Independence Square. Here they are playing music and cricket. A charity organisation is cooking and selling food and next to the square is the Catholic church, all this in the capital Basseterre. http://www.skyviews.com/stkitts/townmap.html

The Circus, Basseterre.

Fort Street in Basseterre.

12.34 We are filling up with fluids at The Palms Café at Princes Street. Orange juice was just what we needed. Basseterre seems to be a cosy town. We’ve had time to take some pictures on different things such as the bell steeple at The Circus.

13.36 After buying some postcards we have returned to a stone bench at Independence Square. It is hot today as well and it seems to have been so for a while. The grass is turning brown.

A beautiful flamboyant tree in Basseterre

Cricket being played on the brown grass on Independence Square

13.53 Regrouped onto a new bench. This one is much better. This one is in the shade. I must admit that I do long for a shower. We´ve just started to find places to dine at. Our guidebook recommends Bambu’s. We seem to recall having seen it during our town stroll.

14.57 The place we had aimed at, Bambu’s has ceased to exist, expired and gone to meet its maker. It is an ex-restaurant. All that remains is the large awning with the name. Inside are leather couches and other things for sale. Now we´ve benched again and consider whether we should go to a pizza place at Fort Street or some Chinese place at Cayon Street.

15.12 The pizza place has air condition, a wide range of meals, plenty of places to sit down at and scary high prices. We went to the Chinese place and have just ordered. It is called Kim Xing, the place that is.

17.20 It was decent, to say the least, food. But it filled one thing, our stomachs. After that we bought litres of soft drinks and went to the side of the road with hopes to catch a bus. It was useless. All the buses were full and just passed us. We went back to their starting point next to an Adventist church and got to ride with the first one. They fill up as many as possible before they depart. In room 5 our backpacks sat and waited for us and so did our new key. Now we moved into room number 2. I wonder if it is possible to get a cup of coffee in the bar. I also wonder when they open.

Pelle Svanslös, (friendly) guard dog at Culture House.

19.05 I am so happy here on our balcony. John did his best to help a poor caffeine addict with what was needed. I just had my coffee and feel great. In the bar are several posters with various artists. The common thing is that all concerts were in Sweden. John is supposed to be occupied with music. His record company is Dancebeat Records http://www.dancebeat.net/. The homepage for Culture House is http://www.stkittsculturehouse.com/. The page is well worth a visit. One great thing about it is the music there.

20.30 We’ve returned after an attempt to reach the sea and the beach. Darkness did its best to stop us. We will try again another time. We heard the sea but wasn’t able to find a way to it. Now the time has come to try a beer on our balcony. One can’t miss a balcony beer.

22.37 I just came back from the balcony. I heard the sound of the waves and the crickets’ song. I beheld the twinkling stars and enjoyed the scents of the Caribbean night. It is small moments like this that remain in my mind. At least I hope they do.

Culture House

Saturday 7th of July

07.58 If you leave the window and balcony door open you get a simple but effective air condition. We both slept well here. As I was taking a shower so did Mother Nature. Rain sure is needed here. Next on our schedule, as soon as Christer had his shower, is breakfast. We just realised that we slept passed 070707 07.07 (meaning. 07.07 7 July 2007). We have to try again at 08.08 8 August 2008. Around there is the opening of the Olympics in Beijing. I wonder where we might be then.

10.40 For breakfast this was offered; juice, coffee, bread, omelette, sausage, apple, banana, orange and potato. Not a bad start at all or? After that we got rid of our debts to John and he gave us some useful information. It was John who all by himself had made our breakfast. He is the only one in the staff and we are the only guests. It is low season here. We looked through the guestbook and realised that the bar offers some Swedish brands. Now we are preparing for a trip to Brimstone Hill, the fort that is on the UNESCO: s World heritage list.

11.25 While we were waiting for the bus I have spoken with a local elderly gentleman. He wondered where I came from and what I worked with. Ok, he said you are a teacher, teach me something! I informed him that I just taught him who I was. The man left and his place was filled by another local man who said; so you have been talking to Flash Gordon? I guess that was the name the man was known by. Here comes our (mini)bus.

11.38 We switched buses in Basseterre and we will soon travel along the west coast towards today’s final destination. Some rain has fallen and it is moist in the air and on the ground. Reggae is played in the loud speaker and the bus honks. We are rolling. No, wait we just drove forward a bit.

Walking towards Brimstone Hill.

Christer under yet another flamboyant tree

Peter writing in the journal on his way to Brimstone Hill

12.04 We got off the bus and started our 800 metres long walk towards the fort. http://www.brimstonehillfortress.org/

12.29 With sweaty foreheads and dry throats we are carrying on along our trip to the top. Now it is time for some water before I take the next step.

12.41 We’ve paid the entrance fee and made a short stop to admire the view. It is really breathtaking to say the least. We are looking at the west coast, the sea and in the distance the misty island Saint Eustatius. The island is actually Dutch and is also called "Statia".

Here you can see Sandy Point Town and the island Saint Eustatius.

Wonderful view from Fort George on Brimstone Hill.

Peter at the storage building by the Orillon bastion.

12.49 We’ve carried on and sat down to rest by a cannon at the Orillon Bastion. Soon we will head on.

13.17 We’ve carried on straight to the top and have just reached an area that was reserved for the officers. Here we found a bench to rest on. It is really beautiful here what a great trip.

13.42 We made sure to get as much rest as possible before we started the final climb upwards. We will be forced to climb the flag post where Saint Kitts and Nevis flag waves if we want to reach any higher. We have reached the citadel at Fort George.

14.31 We’ve strolled around the area beneath the fort. We´ve just decided to begin our walk downwards and back home.

The nation´s flag on the citadel at Brimstone Hill

Walking down

15.57 We went down the hill, crossed a grassy railway and out to the road. There a brown mini bus passed us and we aimed at another mini bus which was filling up at a Shell petrol station. With that we rode or flew low back to Basseterre. It travelled in tremendous speed and passed with great ease the brown mini bus we saw earlier. In town we bought soda, 4 litres each. After that we made a visit to an internet café. Once again we had problems to buy a ferry ticket to Tobago. There must be something wrong with the page. Now the time has come for dinner at Kim Sha. Yes it is time for Chinese food again.

17.21 It was tasty and plenty of food. After that we boarded the bus by the Adventist church and went home to Conaree. We were welcomed at Culture House by mother dog and her two puppets. They ”moved in” here a while ago according to John. I am right now on our balcony and to my right is a plane from LIAT taking to the skies.

Happy dogs greeting us, Welcome home!

19.53 The time has come for a walk in the neighbourhood. One shouldn’t just sit down and be lazy, or?

21.10 We walked under a star scattered heaven. As we got home we said good night to John and the watch dog Pelle. Now we zap between the channels on our TV.

22.49 We have opened both the balcony- and the front door. Now we will begin to relax. How much can a man relax before he falls asleep?

Sunday 8th of July

07.36 We’ve just woken up. We slept well and outside the door awaits a new day. A day we plan to go for a swim. It is after all Sunday and most things are closed in the capital.

10.19 We are back after a new breakfast with new fruits, starfruit and mango. We are back after having met the goat Micke in the bar and a cuddly cat on our breakfast balcony. Next awaits planning for the day.

12.09 We’ve just seen the second and third set in the Wimbledon final and now walked down to the beach. Big waves are rolling in and we are lubricating our skin.

Not the best of beaches this Sunday

Christer thinking about why he is standing in the sea.

14.14 It was great in the water but we ended our tanning to avoid red skin. We've returned home and have just found out that Roger Feeder won his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title.

16.40 We have decided to return to the beach. Not for swimming but for a walk to a dining place. After having carefully studied the island map we found out that the shortest way there is along the beach instead of walking on hilly turning roads.

17.20 Our trip has after walking bare foot along the beach, sometimes with splashing waves, been stopped in its tracks. Huge stones, some kind of levee, are blocking our path. If we get up from the beach we will end up on a golf course which is a part of the hotel complex Marriott. I don’t think the golfers will welcome us there. The only thing to do is to walk all the way back. But it is after all great exercise to walk barefoot in wet sand for some kilometres.

18.10 We are home again. Now we just need to clean our and try again.

19.01 We have walked, wandered and strolled but we still haven’t found what we´re looking for. I sure hope we are walking in the right direction. On our left side is the enormous area around Marriott. It is also getting dark.

19.30 We have at last reached our goal for this evening, PJ: s bar and restaurant in Frigate Bay. Here we’ve ordered pizza and spaghetti with meat balls. It sure was tough to get here and it will be just as tough to get back home. We’ve been kindly welcomed and asked by the waitress about our stay here in Saint Kitts. We’ve also noticed the high-tech facility outside the restaurant which sprays environmentally friendly bug spray now and then.

20.55 To shorten down our way home we decided to walk across the golf course. We passed bunkers, fairways and along an asphalted track. Just recently my mobile phone rang. It was my father who called me. My phone all on its own phoned my parents who were sleeping back in Sweden. There must be some quick way to make the phone call the last called number. Another alternative is that the phone paniced and tried to stop our golf course walk in the darkness.

22.00 We carried on across the course with green and luxuriant grass. As the course ended so did our walk. We were forced to walk through thickets, thorn bushes with thorn which were 5cm and high grass. Finally we sneaked under some barbed wire. Just as we got home we were asked by John to assist him and a friend to put a large loud speaker in place. His friend was really strong. I wonder how much we will feel from today’s adventure tomorrow. I guess these are things which we will laugh at later as we have got back home to Sweden. I am revealed that there aren’t that much wounds and scratches on the body.

Monday 9th of July

06.45 I just got out of the shower. The feared pain has stopped at a touch of red on the skin. I feel no stiffness in my legs. Now I will need to gather strength for what will come today. I still got white spots on my skin. It looks like two fingers. Wait a moment could I have wiped of the sun block?

08.40 Strength is gathered, we have with the help of breakfast refilled our calory- and water deposits. Now I just need to clean face, hands and teeth.

09.25 We are sitting in the shadow in the harbour of Basseterre. Tickets are bought and the port fee is paid.

09.29 We’ve just sat down on the ferry Caribe Breeze. The time has come to visit yet another island, Nevis. We are after all in the nation Saint Kitts & Nevis so why stop at Saint Kitts! Nevis got its name from the Spanish word for snow hasn’t got any snow. It is the clouds surrounding the island´s top which looked like snow to the Spaniards who sailed by here many years ago.

Caribe Breeze is taking us to Nevis.

10.47 We just got to Nevis and the main town Charlestown. Now we´ve sat down in a lovely gazebo with a soda each. We are besides drinking looking at the map. Further away along the road is a place we planned to stay at. It is called Seaspawn Guest House. Further away is a beach. We also mailed our postcards and realised that this island has its own stamps.

Welcome to Nevis!

Charlestown

Resting in the shade

Reserved for pastor!

12.38 We wandered back along the beach walk and passed a memorial plaque for the ones who perished in the Christena disaster August 1 1970. The boat sank on its way from Saint Kitts to Nevis. There is also a map showing where it sank and to what beaches the survivals swam. After this we walked through the town/community. We were looking for some Jewish ruins and a place to get a beer. We are now at Café des Arts for a small bottle of Carib lager each. The place is a combined art gallery and café.

Peter by the Christena memorial in Charlestown.

Christer at Café des Arts in Charlestown (http://www.artinnevis.com)

13.35 We are back in the gazebo. It is time to relax. It is hot today and shadow and breeze is ever so welcome.

14.22 The boat that departs at 15.00, the boat we have planned to go with doesn’t go. Next trip to Saint Kitts is at 16.00. Now we have to find a way to kill time until then. First of all shadow is needed.

14.35 We are relocated to a bench in front of Saint Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank. To the right of that is Tea House Chinese Restaurant. We are as some might have figured out at West Square Street.

15.37 We’ve filled with energy and plenty of Chinese food; I had orange chicken, returned to the harbour area. We got what we need to get home, our belongings, tickets and a confirmation that we have paid the harbour fee. Dinner was served at the balcony of the place I just mentioned; Tea House Chinese Restaurant.

15.58 We’ve just begun our voyage back to Basseterre. We will run some errands there before we get back to Culture House.

Good bye Nevis!

17.08 We’ve got back to Basseterre and entered the same Internet café that we visited the other day. We are checking if our upcoming home in Saint Vincent have dropped us a line. They have, we are ever so welcome.

18.48 We just began to use the washing powder Pride which we bought in Tagbilaran in the Philippines on August 1st 2006. Hey, wait August 1 it is the same date as the Christena disaster. Is this a coincidence or just spooky?

22.04 After watching some TV we have started to relax on the balcony. Our next mission will to do some calculation regarding money. How long will our money last? Here as on Dominica and Antigua EC-dollar, which is East Caribbean-dollar, is used. These will also be useful on Saint Vincent, Grenada and Saint Lucia.