08.05 As we woke up around half past seven, rain was falling. Now we hear some dripping and birds singing. Soon we will get out of the room and into the outer room. It is where breakfast will be served.

10.40 We sat down and tried all our host couple had to offer us, omelette, bread, coffee and juice. As this was done we just relaxed. On top of that we went over to our host couple´s house and paid our bill. We also received information about how you travel by maxitaxi and where we can find an office selling ferry tickets to Tobago. Maxitaxi is the name of the small buses that is everywhere along the roads here. They have stripes in different colours depending on which direction they travel to and from the capital Port of Spain. The maxitaxis here have red stripes.

Waterpipe Road in Arouca.

A strange mist appeared.....on the camera lens?

11.21 We have left our room, locked the door and been hit by raindrops. Now we are resting underneath some stairs on an iron bench with a sleeping dog underneath it. We are still at home. We will head inside if this rain carries on much longer.

12.39 We had to head back into the room. As soon as it stopped raining we stopped sitting inside. We caught a maxitaxi into the capital Port of Spain. All settlements here in northern Trinidad seems to be situated along the main roads and the small towns followed each other on the road to the capital, Tacarigua, Saint Augustine, Tunapuna, Curepe etc. As we reached Port of Spain we went to the crossing our host had mentioned. It was there we were supposed to find that ticket office. We didn’t find it and now we are benchresting on the Independence Square, which after some reconstruction actually is a wide street with grass and trees in the middle.

Brian Lara Promenade on Independence Square, Port of Spain

Woodford Square, Port of Spain

13.05 We have searched but haven’t been able to find any tourist information. It wasn´t where our map claimed it should be. Now we are stonebenchresting near the Anglican Church. We are on Woodford Square, a park with a fountain in the middle. We had a short conversation with a man who knew about Swedish soccer players.

14.05 We haven’t found any ticket office, tourist information or restaurant. They all seem to have moved away. One thing we found though is Memorial Park and in it a pleasant, green stonebench. We are sitting on it making up new plans.

Memorial Park, Port of Spain.

Queen´s Park Savannah

15.05 We are sitting on a plastic chair each. We are at the Emperor Valley Zoo. First we will have a little snack and then take a look at all the animals. It is damp today and many cars are moving around. Most of them are in what is called the world largest roundabout. It is the road which goes around a huge grass area known as Queen’s Park Savannah.

16.21 This is a fantastic zoo with lots of cool and marvellous animals. We’ve seen everything from fruitbats to a Siberian tiger. In a glasscage we saw a small crocodile and two white mice. The mice looked extremely nervous, one just sat in a corner and the other one kept washing itself. As we got back later the one the corner was gone. We also saw as they fed an anaconda and got to know some new species as the small feline jacarundi and the rodent lappe. Other interesting animals were the tapirs, Brazilian giant otter, capybaras, howler monkeys and caimans. More information about this zoo can be found at http://www.geocities.com/emperorvalley_zoozone/ Now we will get back into town to get some more things done.

A happy turtle welcomed us.

A curious otter.

Capybaras from South America.

This tapir tried to hide in the water but finally we could take a photo!

Emperor Valley Zoo.

17.44 As we finally found a place, the post office, which sold ferry tickets, they told us that the tickets were sold out. Can that be true? What will happen now? Well, next thing we can do is to go with the maxitaxi home to the bus stop Five Rivers Junction. We are listening to smooth reggae music here in our white bus with red stripes. There are as mentioned earlier different colours on different routes.

18.41 We stopped the taxi and got off at the right bus stop. We headed for the local internet café to solve all our problems. It failed. The place was closed, locked and sealed. Now we are back in our room to make new plans.

18.53 We can see light in the darkness. Three airlines fly between the islands according to out guidebook. Tomorrow we will try again to get a ticket to Tobago.

19.59 We thought that we needed to cheer up after the Tobago debacle. We are at "Ha Ha". It is time for Chinese food at a Chinese place. Ha Ha is the name of the restaurant and no laughter.

Inside the chinese restaurant Ha Ha.

20.56 Ha Ha had great food and prices. A small portion was just enough. Now I am back on the balcony having a fridgecold Coca Cola. Everything feels great though we haven’t solved how to get to Tobago.

22.39 We are drinking soda, writing postcards and watching TV. So much has happened today. The fly in the ointment is the fact that we haven’t solved the Tobago trip.

Thursday 19th of July

07.52 It is morning again. It is raining and it´s cloudy again. Today we will make another attempt to find a way to get to Tobago.

08.55 As it poured down the most I tried to take a picture of it all. Just as I lifted my camera to take the photo the rain ceased.

Rain!

Well, some clouds on the horizon today.

09.28 It is raining again. What will happen today? What will be done? All that has been done so far is to watch TV, something called Bugtalk. It was a cartoon and was about a butterfly that had lost its direction and self confidence. What else can we do to get some fun on a rainy day? As it is raining in the tropics don’t even think about going outside. It feels like that any kind of umbrella would break apart.

11.46 Things are looking brighter. We can see blue sky and white clouds. Will they pass here? How far does it reach? We’ve just seen a documentary about the Kennedy family. Something less bright is the fact that we have run out of toilet paper.

12.59 We are inside today's first maxitaxi. Soon we will head east towards the town Arima. We are going at this very moment. In Arima we will check the internet for some transport to Tobago.

13.30 Here we go. We have reached Arima. Here we will walk around in search of an internet café. I guess everything will get solved.

Arima.

The Arima dial is the most famous landmark in Arima. It stands as a symbol
of progress, development and independence. It was given to the citizens of Arima and the
by Mayor John Francis Wallen (1898-1899).

14.23 Things are solved. The only catch is the fact that we will leave on Sunday instead. The ticket will be bought and collected in Port of Spain tomorrow. It is hot here today. It is according to a digital thermometer 82˚, Fahrenheit hopefully!

14.57 We have entered the restaurant Pizza Boys to get something to eat. On our way here we met a man with missing front teeth in his upper jaw. He pointed at them and said something about President Bush and smash.

16.29 We returned to Arouca. There we went shopping. Today we bought beverage, snack and a new toilet roll. We didn’t buy the survival kit in case of a hurricane. After that we went home and realised that we had clean sheets in our beds and a new roll of paper in the bathroom.

Food Time

20.21 We went back to Food Time to order some food. This was easier said than done. The young Chinese lady who took our order had problems understanding us and we couldn’t understand her. Things were solved and we carried our food home in polystyrene boxes. Here we have enjoyed the food and now we relax and watch some soccer.

21.59 Outside our room we can hear helicopters. They seem to be circling around. I wonder what they are looking for and are doing. We neither look nor do much. We are just zapping through the channels. Currently we are watching a program on the National Geographic Channel. They are showing a documentary about dangerous animals in Africa, India and Australia. One gets really educated on these trips as one is discovering new countries, new cultures and watch documentaries and nature programs on the TV.

Friday 20th of July

09.25 Today we had some change regarding the breakfast. We sat down on different chairs. We’ve just made our plans for the day. We have to take us to the capital and there find the travel agency Sunjet House and pay for the ticket. Our host told us we could stay one more day. He will also take us to the airport. We plan to go swimming after we have bought the ticket. There is a beach in the northern part of the island.

11.28 We went by a red striper into Port of Spain. As that was done we headed for the travel agency. It was situated where it was supposed to be, we think so at least. Anyway it is some kind of travel agency and we are waiting for our turn. We think the ticket will cost us $150 (Trinidad-dollars). It seems to be one guy in front of us in the line to the airline Tobago Express own counter.

South Quay, Port of Spain.

The Port of Spain lighthouse decorated and painted to remember the heroics of the national soccer team in the 2006 World Cup.

12.05 Well there were three people in front of us. The queue system was built on numbered notes. We had in fact taken one as we entered. As it was our turn everything went just well. Now we are benchresting on Woodford Square again. We are close to the parliament. Christer got hit on his pants by bird dropping. The bird must have been big and having problems with its stomach. All he had to wipe it off with were some dry leaves. He sure has no luck with the animals. Along one of streets there are cars meant for transporting prisoners.

13.05 After some looking and searching we finally found a restaurant perfect for our wallets and tongues. We are at Town Centre Mall at Frederick Street. Christer just left to get his food while I gather our stuff. It is hot and crowded everywhere. We are feeling really tired.

14.27 Due to weather conditions and time of the day we decided to cancel the swimming. We are surfing the internet instead.

"Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception" in Port of Spain.

15.08 We are on our way home but just got caught in the traffic. There are several maxitaxis on their way. The line of cars seems to be thinning out and we are rolling again. We just stopped again to pick up a lady with a cellphone.

16.10 As we got home we sat down and relaxed on the balcony. Now it is time to have a shower and wash the clothes we used today. I will let Christer take first turn and I will write this while I wait.

21.03 We went out to get some food from Hegoo, yet another Chinese restaurant in the neighbourhood. I ordered and paid for a small portion but I got a medium one. All went down and now we are back watching TV.

22.51 We are having a classic balcony beer. This time it is Polar beer from this country we are drinking. The crickets are , well what do crickets do and in the distance we can hear cars, music and barking dogs.

23.19 We are sitting down and thinking about past, present and future trips and countries. A cat mom and her three kittens just came out from the construction site across the street. We wonder where we will be and do one year from now.

Saturday 21st of July

08.09 In a bed each the experienced travellers just wait for a new day to come. We are watching BBC News predicting how the world might be in the year 2025. There will be space tourism, advanced telephones and TV. What will we do in 2025? Where have we been by then?

09.32 We’ve made up plans. We decided to enter a monastery. Well at least visit one and walk around it. There is one not far from here. We are going to Mount St Benedict Monastery. It is recommended in our guide book and our host called it a "good choice". This sounds promising.

11.50 We went by maxitaxi to Saint Augustine and began to look for the bus stop for the minibus to the monastery. Suddenly we entered the neighbouring town with no bus stop in sight. We turned back and got lucky. Now we are seated in the white minibus which will take us to the Mount St. Benedict Monastery. The bus stop is in front of the Scotia bank.

Saint Augustine

View from Mount St. Benedict

The church at Mount St. Benedict monastery

12.10 A ride on a winding switchback took us to the monastery. Now we are resting on a long bench and enjoy the view. We are up in the mountains and we look out over the plains of northern Trinidad. Somewhere out on the plains is the airport we landed on this Tuesday. The monastery was founded in 1912 and is the largest in the Caribbean. It flourished during world war two as the rich families of Caribbean and South America sent their kids here instead of Europe for education.

13.04 We looked at the monastery and its church from the outside. It is beautiful to say the least. We’ve also looked for a walking trail which is supposed to be here. We couldn’t find it and have asked for assistance and now we know. To make the walk we decided to fill up with fluids. While we were filling up a lady in not to torn clothes begged us for money for beverage. She also pointed out that she had kids.

13.27 As instructed we walked up the steep hills. We still haven’t found that trail. All we have found is a sign mentioning it. The question remains, where is it?

We found a trail, is it the right one?

Peter examining the rainforest.

Termites left their home.

14.00 We found a trail and started to walk. According to our brochures there aren’t any poisonous snakes in the country so we carried on with our sandals. As we got to a place where the trail forked we went right. The trail narrowed and we saw some things. On the ground we saw something that was either nuts or droppings. In the trees we saw strange nests. Are they made by termites or birds? On the side of the trail we saw the remains of a house and for some reason the forest have a scent of cheese doodles. By the way, what is walking around on my legs?

14.25 One of the questions has been answered. It was ants that walked on my legs. We walked a little further and found a tree where some gentlemen had left noted with their names. We left our cards next to them and began the walk back. It´s more ants on my legs and these are biting. It is marvellous and silent in the woods. Relaxing although the ants are biting.

14.50 We are back where we started our forest walk. We are sitting on a bench in front of an altar with Jesus and virgin Mary. It must have been a fire around the altar. The trees are burned right here.

15.31 We are sitting on a comfortable bus seat and soon we will ride down the mountain.

15.56 We walked a couple of hundred metres after we got back to the bus stop by the bank. This little walk took us to the town Tunapuna and on a new minibus. It just started to move.

Tunapuna

Maxitaxi

17.06 There is something special to be out in the nature for a walk but to lie on a bed in an air-conditioned room isn’t to bad either.

19.25 We’ve thought about which place is the best restaurant. We decided that the winner is Ha Ha. It is there we will have dinner tonight.

20.46 It seems as if we chose wisely. We were greeted into the dining area. We got menus and as the waiter got back he asked us what we had chosen. I said that it was hard to decide. You had this on your last visit; he replied and told us what we had eaten. Have we impressed him? He sure has impressed us. On our way home we turned right one street earlier than usual and was greeted good night by some young ladies.

21.44 As we were summing up the day we realised that we had walked on the wrong trail. The one we were looking for is popular among bird watchers and well used. The one we walked on is most likely one to some water facility. There was a slight danger with poisonous snakes. There is evidently four species of poisonous snakes here on Trinidad. It is Tobago that lacks those snakes. We will get there tomorrow if all goes well.