Just Do It!

One great benefit of seeking and finding relaxation is that many good things flow from it. The last few days have proved that once again. I'm in semi-hiding and loving it. I contact whom I need to, when I need to. The rest of the time I enjoy looking out to the sea, enjoying the breezes; meeting new Bajan friends, and making new friends, both Bajan and foreign.

My wife and I had smacked a few balls around yesterday, and I had of course annoyed the heck out of her by wondering how she was off every blessed morning with a coach and her game was not making the progress I would have expected. Cho! A some ting dem a do? So, I had her with a few drills and if she messed up then push ups and star jumps. "You need every ball to go where you mean," I told her. "I want to get exercise," she replied. 'Well, run then,"I added. We then played a match and were at 5-2 in my favour and she accepted my offer to call it quits.

The rest of the day was a mix of watching tennis, having friends join us for pudding and souse, made in residence, chatting about life and economy in Barbados, then dining to the crooning of a one-time tiler as we enjoyed the sea's sounds and some stunning food.

This morning, we had an invitation to play tennis at Sugar Hill. Must be with some sugar daddy. No. Not at all. After tennis, we took breakfast together--about 12 of us. The group was all expatriates: some English, some Australian, some American, one Jamaican, and a Bahamian. We loved the house, designed by another friend of ours. We talked about life after retirement, and opportunities for new business people in Barbados (a post on that will follow).

One person, born in another former colony, and now retired, waxed about how his post retirement presents were so well appreciated when his wife acceded to give them to him. One he enjoys every weekend--the full Saturday edition of the Financial Times; the other he will enjoy whenever he travels--no more sitting in steerage.

I then returned to 'Camp Tuckedaway" and grabbed a little swim in the sea, spoke to a Barbadian international footballer whom I recognised, said goodbye to an English family we had met a few nights ago, then went to my room to write. What a blessed day, I thought. Could I have days like this always?

As I think about what to do next, I recall what I hear so often. "I would just love to take a few days off and do nothing." I often reply, "Then why not just do that?" Then the reasons: the kids, school schedules; the job; the money; the weather; the other people...Blah blah. I just think, enough already. Get up. Stretch the arms. Move the legs and get on with doing what you say you want to do.

It was at 7am that we started and within minutes the heat and humidity were high. Sweat was rolling as much as the balls. We had an early injury as one elderly Australian lady took a tumble, grazed her elbow badly and her knee too. Medical aid was on hand and she was cleaned up and ready to go, but a bit shocked.

Away From It All And Still There

This is probably the best time to be on vacation in Barbados. The madness that is Crop Over is coming to its climax as the wukking up has become frenzied and the mud is just ready for the lead up to Kadooment. What better time to head to the beach and just get away from the mad and maddening crowd. So, pack the car (with a small bag of swimming trucks, tee shirts and underwear) and hit the road. It was a better journey than I expected as I reached Burke's beach in just 10 minutes. I never believed that Carlyle Bay could be so mysterious. I had seen the houses as I walk the sand but to see the sand as I watched from the patio was intriguing. Now, I could gawp at the joggers and walkers and exercising people; with their dogs and iPods, and radios; with plastic bags and umbrellas, too.

Food was the best thing. Guavas from my yard were added to mangoes from my friends' parents' yard, were added to sour tamarinds that feel from the tree beside the beach house.But heavier food was just two minutes away at the Jamaican eatery, Kingston 10. Yea, man. Stew peas and rice and salt pig tail. Callaloo and salt fish and green banana and yam and sweet potato and dasheen. Stewed pork and rice and peas. Steamed snapper and pumpkin rice. Whooi! Too much of that.

The children? All day long on the sand with boogy boards. All day long in the sea. All day long not saying "I'm bored." Then night time came and they could stand by a bonfireand roast marshmallows.

Was it really a week of vacation? For my hosts, yes. But for me, just a few days passing through. Now I have to get back to reality. No Internet but just the ability to read messages on my phone. It was not the world's end.

Some great converstation with one of the country's former PMs: on cricket and not on matters of state.

That is what I like about a short holiday. You pack in a lot.