08.32 The sun is up today as well. It is the last morning on Saint Kitts. There is no panic to get outside. We will have breakfast in peace and harmony before we start to pack our belongings.

10.26 We had company at breakfast. Pippi´s pal jumped up on the table and wanted to be scratched. Almost everything is packed and we are beginning to prepare to say goodbye to Pelle, Pippi, Micke, the other dogs, the other cat and of course John. We’ve had a pleasant stay here. But all good things have to come to an end and now we´ve reached the end of this. Imagine how little you know about a future place as you are at home booking it.

12.09 We promised John to tell about his place as we get home. After that he took a picture of us and we said goodbye. Now we are at the airport and are preparing ourselves and our backpacks for the double trip of today. Will our luggage go all the way or?

12.49 We’ve been promised that the backpacks will go all the way to Saint Vincent. This is good since we will stop inbetween on Antigua. We’ve paid our fees and are sitting in the departure hall waiting. On Antigua there will be a 4 hour and 10 minutes stop. We have plenty of time.

13.28 All checkpoints passed. We are waiting to board the first flight.

14.13 We are still waiting for our plane to get here. It was estimated to be here at around 13.50 and to take off with all who wanted to join at 14.05.

14.56 Since the last time I took notes we took off and landed, took off from a bench and landed on another one. We’ve been promised a take off at 14.45 but that will not happen.

15.19 We finally got aboard flight 315 to Antigua. It feels great to be up in the sky again. The delay was due to a burning plane on Saint Maarten. The fire had stopped our plane from taking off. The good news is that it isn’t burning. We got the information about the burning plane from a Dutch woman who is talking to a man from Nigeria who is working for the government on Nevis. They are seated in front of us, not the Nevis government, but those who were talking.

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

16.12 We are back at Antigua’s airport V.C Bird. Now all we have to do is to wait for the next plane. Our next plan though is to get us some dinner.

A LIAT aircraft on V.C Bird Airport, Antigua.

17.08 There will be no dinner. The only place serving any kind of food has a small counter and they offer pizza slices and similar stuff.

17.35 We ordered a hot dog each, a large hot dog with a soda. We paid 20 EC$ and got change for 50EC$. Not bad at all! Here in the airport we´ve seen a man we thought was familiar. We finally figured out that his name is Newt Gingrich and he is/was an American politician. Well he most likely looks like him. We don´t think it is him.

18.04 If all goes according to the plan we will soon be on the plane. I must admit it is kind of chilly here in the departure hall. I just realised that I am not the only one writing here. I have seen several people using a laptop. We walked up some stairs to find some restaurant or something exciting. All we found was another lounge.

18.58 We are once again preparing to head for the clouds. We will fly to the south for about one hour and hopefully reach Saint Vincent. We are still flying with LIAT in a small plane.

SAINT VINCENT & THE GRENADINES

21.24 The flight went well. We landed on the tiny airport E.T Joshua Airport. We had no problems with the customs or to get us a taxi. As we reached the Sea Breeze Guesthouse we went up the stairs and met, surprise, surprise, a little old lady named Louisa C Daize. She showed us our room, number 4 and we paid for the room. Now we will head out to get us something to eat. I wonder what our first meal here in Saint Vincent will be. We are living in Arnos Vale just a bit east of the capital Kingstown. The old lady Daize is for sure of the old kind. She offers courtesy, style and a hand written receipt in an envelope. Here at Sea Breeze Guesthouse we have seen a group of kids watching TV. We don’t know if they are guests or are local kids invited by our hostess.

21.40 We asked around and it seems like there is no open restaurants nearby. But there is supposed to be a petrol station just close to here.

23.15 We went out to the Shell station and bought evening snack and breakfast. We also had some heavy rain on us. Back home we had a shower and are preparing to get some sleep.

Our room at Sea Breeze Guesthouse.

Wednesday 11th of July

08.39 I am sitting on yet another bed writing this. There have been some bedsides during the years. Soon some other classic procedures will take place. I am talking about breakfast, shower and get to know the new territory. As of now most of the country is terra incognita, unknown land. I just realised that Christer´s bed has wheels. Why has a bed wheels?

08.55 I said it before and I can say it again. Sometimes the strangest things happens and most often they happen to me (21.22 16 July 2005) I just had a shower and was about to leave. On my way out I realised it wasn't possible. The door was locked from outside. After some knocking I was let out by our host lady. We just heard a voice from out on the street. It sounded like a man was saying ”I am above the roof, how about you?” But maybe he said something else?

Sea Breeze Guest House, the cheapest accomodation on Saint Vincent.

10.35 We are standing outside our latest home waiting for a minibus. Some have already passed but I guess things will get solved soon. We are going to Kingstown, the capital of Saint Vincent.

11.25 Finally a minibus stopped and a guy got out. He let Christer inside and asked me to stay. What is this, I thought, is it just Christer who will get a ride? It turned out that he just wanted to move around some passengers before he let me in. Did he balance the weight, placing us after our bus stops or what? Before the trip was over several more were jammed into the bus.

Kingstown

12.52 We have walked, taken pictures of Saint George’s Cathedral and The Cathedral of the Assumption, bought souvenirs and walked more. Now we have sat down at the restaurant Bounty and we´re waiting for our cheeseburgers. There are plenty of people moving around today. Kingstown is a pretty nice town but I miss the benches. Bounty is a simple place run by two Canadian women and they offer all that we long for, food and a place to sit.

13.30 We’ve written our postcards here at the restaurant. We also had our burgers and got evidence that they have fresh food here at Bounty. Someone just said ”the chicken just ran out”. I think I will have some coffee before we leave from here.

Saint George´s Cathedral in Kingstown.

Peter is resting in the restaurant Bounty.

Outside the post office in Kingstown.

14.26 We left Bounty and found a grocery store. There we bought something for breakfast. We will buy the rest as we get home. Now we and several others wait for a proper bus. We are standing under a huge tree.

14.45 We got tired of waiting and took a ride with Miracle Taxi Service and André Alexander. The trip cost us half the price of the one yesterday. Half the price for the double distance.

15.19 Now we´ve filled our inside with fluids. The time has come to fill up the outside as well.

15.37 Enough of this. The time has come for us to head for the beach. The beach we are talking about is at Indian Bay where Arnos Vale turns into Villa.

The road going through Arnos Vale.

16.20 We reached the beach at the same moment as the rain. Now we are hiding under a tree waiting for the rain to stop. From our point we can see several small islands, among them the privately owned Young Island. On one of the islands there is a large white cross. Here comes more rain.

16.41 We have surrendered. We are home wet and sad. Now all we can do is to get dry. What we will do while we wait, well we´ll see about that. The rain was of the heavier kind. That kind of rain that makes you hide your valuables inside your underwear.

The beach at Indian Bay.

16.55 What happened to me also happened to Christer. He got locked inside while having a shower. Who keeps doing this and why?

18.33 I am getting hungry. We are aiming for a small pizzeria that we have seen on our way here from Kingstown. My small backpack is still wet from the rain and has to remain in the room; this goes for the journal as well. It was safe from the rain but I will take no risks without a protecting backpack.

Italian meatball pizza, heavy food!

21.02 We got to Rik’s pizzeria. Not much of spirit from the young lady behind the counter. Not much of ingredients or sodas. We chose a local lemon soda and a 12 inch/1 foot pizza with meat balls and spicy tomato sauce. The pizza sure took all our hunger away and the sauce was really hot. We had to buy another bottle of that lemon soda. On our way home we got passed by several vehicles. On the back of a car a guy was sitting and said/sang "oau, oau!!" He actually sat on the back of pig. By the Shell station another guy cried out ”lullu” and on our way from there to here a man in a passing car yelled ”booty”. A lot of strange people are saying strange things here! Now we will carry on to quench our thirst. There sure are few pavements here. We are forced to balance between the road and the side of it.

Thursday 12th of July

08.06 From outside our room we can hear clatters and honking cars. Inside here I am thinking about having a shower. Will everything go well in the shower and most important will I get out of it?

08.45 I had no problems getting out. It also went well after I had brushed my teeth. Was yesterday just a twice in a lifetime?

09.52 The skies are all blue, dark blue with rain clouds. From now and then some rain falls. I sure hope it will get sunnier. We have made plans to go for a swim. We are not giving up.

11.13 We will soon make a new attempt to reach the beach. We’ve a hope that we will only get wet by saltwater this time.

11.45 Well, it sure isn’t a sunny day today. But we are on the beach. Christer has waded out and he is swimming around. Wait what is this? I feel rain, hmm...

12.32 We’ve just had our fair share of sun and salt water. As soon as we are dry we will head home.

14.38 We’ve been to Shoppers Choice, that is a grocery shop neighbouring our home. We’ve bought beverage for now, later and tomorrow. Christer has bought some Mexican candy called ”Spice Drops”. It is jelly candy with different colours and flavours, flavours such as cinnamon and mint toothpaste, disgusting to say the least. Now we are about to go to Kingstown for a small trip.

Today we´re going to the botanical gardens!

In the botanic gardens in Kingstown.

15.50 We are at the place for today’s trip. We are in the botanical garden in Kingstown. It is the oldest of its kind on the western hemisphere. We got here after a short walk from the town centre. Here are countless amounts of trees and bushes in all kinds of forms and colours. We are currently resting on a bench. On our way here we gave some money to a man who wanted to buy bread.

16.17 The time has come for a new bench break, new impressions and new things to write about. We’ve just seen some caged, endangered parrots. They are really beautiful to look at but their sound is far from that. Here in the botanical garden we’ve seen a mahogany tree, some wonderful purple water lilies and a sucker from one of the breadfruit plants introduced by Captain Bligh in 1793. Yes the same Bligh who was a part of the mutiny on Bounty.

One of the exotic trees we found in the gardens.

Two travellers watching trees and plants for a few hours.

Beautiful flower in a pond at the botanical gardens, Kingstown.

Saint Vincent parrots, beautiful colours, terrible voices!

17.37 We left the park and went to Eagle’s, an internet café. I am just about to pay up.

18.04 As I am writing this Christer is seated under a TV where something religious is showing. It seems to be some gospel quire. Me myself sit opposite to him. All this takes place at Chung Wua. It is time for dinner, Chinese dinner.

19.45 God damn, it was close. Not a single place in the capital serving coffee. We walked around again and again without any luck and had to give up when darkness arrived. As we got back our wonderful hostess informed us, well me, that she had coffee. I thanked her and told her that whenever she got to Sweden I would be there for her. Hmm.. I wonder if I might a caffeineist.

21.33 That’s it! Most of our things are packed in the backpacks. Next in line is some dental care.

Peter asked for some coffee and got it!

Friday 13th of July

08.40 It is morning again. It is the 13th of July again. A date we have far from pleasant memories from. Some far from nice things have happened on this date in earlier years (2001, 2002, and 2005). To top it all it is Friday the 13th. This doesn’t scare us. We are preparing for a new day with new adventures. Since our flight to Grenada doesn’t leave until late this evening we plan to visit Bequia (pronounced Beck-way),one of the islands in the archipelago called the Grenadines.

09.59 Our gentle hostess offered me coffee and let us lock our luggage in our old room. We stepped out and began to wait for a minibus. On the first one we read ”Tom” the Swedish word for empty and our hopes rose. It wasn't empty at all. Neither were the next two but after that we found one and left. You never ever travel alone in a mini bus here! We went to the harbour and paid the harbour fee. The young lady behind the counter informed us that Admiral II, the green boat is bound for Bequia. There was more then one green boat. We got new orders and now we are seated and wait for a chance to buy a ticket. We are sitting on Admiral I.

On the ferry Admiral I

10.15 Our boat trip to the next island just started. Now we are looking forward to one hour´s peaceful seatrip.

11.11 Well it wasn't that calm. We rocked and rolled but no major problems. Christer saw some flying fish; soon we will enter another port.

Watching the sea and the flying fish.

Lunchjuice at Maria´s Café in Port Elizabeth.

11.35 We’ve just checked when the boats go back. Now we are sitting at Maria’s Internet Café. We are not here for internet but for something to drink. As we were about to pay the lady at the counter, Maria?, thought that Christer would pay for both of us. Outside the café we can see palm trees, boats and the town of Port Elizabeth. Enough of writing time for drinking. Later we will head for a beach.

12.57 Christer´s visit to the waves just came to a dramatic end. Something that was hidden in the sand bit/pinched him in the earlier battered fan finger. He once more drew blood. I had no problems as I was out in the sea a little earlier. I don’t know if Christer will return to bite back.

Admiralty Bay, a lovely spot on the island Bequia.

Christer being attacked by an unknown creature hidden in the sand(crab?)

13.46 Along the beach you can besides sand and water also find seashells, pieces of wood and coral and holes, holes made by crabs. We’ve also found that kind of green lightly transparent stones we found on Martinique. I just found out what it is. It is pieces from broken bottles that the sea has polished soft and round like stones.

14.43 After we´ve had some soda we have reached ”De Bistro”. Here we’ve ordered a thirteen inch pizza with pineapple. We will share it. Speaking about sharing as Christer was about to pay for his soda in the store the saleswoman asked if he was to pay for my soda as well. Why should he pay for both? We keep getting back to these phenomena all the time. If two white men are in front of each other in a line it is always supposed that they are together and are paying together. Sometimes those two white men don´t even know each other.

15.55 A half pizza was just enough and together with pineapple- and orange juice on the side was all we needed for now. Well we also needed to wash our face and it was done in a small toilet next to the restaurant. Now we are waiting to board the boat home to Saint Vincent.

Boats going to and from Bequia.

Port Elizabeth, main port on Bequia.

16.16 We’ve just sat down on Bequia Express I. Next trip is about to begin. We are leaving the northernmost of the Grenadines behind us. Bequia is most of all popular among the boat people and we have seen several expensive yachts here.

16.45 With a thumping sound we are leaving Port Elizabeth behind us. On our way out we passed a boat with the Danish flag on its stern.

18.03 We got back to Kingstown and caught a minibus bound for Arnos Vale at the bus station. Our small minibus carrying 19 persons has just taken a detour. We’ve been going up steep roads. How on earth does it manage it? Where are we? Will we get home? Will we get to the flight in time? What day is it?

We are returning to Kingstown and Saint Vincent.

18.41 The young gentlemen in charge of the minibus had no idea where we were going. After they managed to miss some dogs and kids they tried several expensive hotels and asked if this was our place? Our home seemed unfamiliar to them until one of them recalled it to be “at the doctor´s place”. This was ever so true since there was a clinic below our room. Cries from infants in the morning had alerted us about that fact. We finally got home, bought sodas, went for our luggage and got to call a taxi. Christer made the call and explained to the driver how to get here. Our hostess insisted that I should have some coffee before we left. She explained in a gentle way to Christer how important it was for me to get my coffee. The time has come for us to leave Saint Vincent. They have been less serviceminded here, nothing like the earlier islands. But they do have great beverages both with and without alcohol

19.33 We are once again in a departure hall. We are once again among gates. We´re at E.T Joshua airport again. All I want now is to get onboard, away from here, land, go towards the new home and reach it. As I get there I want to unpack and shower. There have been too much today.

19.49 The staff went to the gate and so did some of the passengers. Some of them were waiting for the 19.20 flight. But this was our flight, number 311. The people got crossed and it was hard to pass them. We forced our way through and now are seated, waiting. We assume that more are caught in the queue. We once more heard that sound we heard the other night from the pig guy "oau, oau", this time from a lady in her forties. The sound or what ever it is can also be heard in a song we heard on the radio.

19.59 The pilot just informed us that there had been some double booking. I think there are plenty of seats here. All we can do is wait. It is after all July 13th.

20.14 It seems that passengers to two different destinations, Trinidad and Barbados have been booked on this flight. Now the thing is this. The plane can only carry one of the groups. There is a chaos at the gate. At least it sounded like that from someone who just entered the plane.

20.28 More passengers have boarded the plane. Are they the ones bound for Trinidad, Barbados or maybe both? What will happen to the ones left behind? We who are “just” going to the next destination Grenada were let onboard first. Now the engines are roaring. In front of us are two boy scouts with scarves and blue shirts.

20.49 The passengers for Trinidad are with us. I don’t know anything about the rest. We’ve just filled in the immigration cards for yet another country.

GRENADA

21.48 We had filled in the wrong papers. The ones we filled in at the airport were the right ones. The ones we thought were for customs service turned out to be for both passport police and customs. We got our bags and left with a taxi. We didn’t leave until our driver had asked his colleague about the way. We stopped by another taxi/minibus and a guy with bloody pants who had been hit by a car. The taxi guy told us that we had chosen the right island. He claimed that no other Caribbean island is better than Grenada. Now we are settled at Beach Inn in Grand Anse. http://www.beachinngrenada.com/. We are once again in room 5. It is time for a shower. Hurrah! Our bathroom is great.

22.08 In the last 12 hours we have travelled with 4 vehicles, been on 3 islands, travelled with 2 boats and made 1 flight. We´ve got zero energy left. I am glad that we don’t make such trips each day. The soft drinks we bought on Saint Vincent are ever so welcome now!