Our tickets leaving tomorrow are through Port of Spain, Trinidad, so we had to get back to the bigger island before tomorrow morning.
The timing was as close as it could be. We had a 9:45pm flight out, which meant we could hit the concert.
Trinidad and Tobago aren't very far apart. So the flight between them is a bit of a joke. Twenty-five minutes of flight time. We spent twice the much time on the tarmac, loading and unloading.
But one final night in an airport hotel, then back to real life. No more swimsuits, sundresses, or 70-degrees. But also no more sand in every crevice, suspicious beds and showers, and covering oneself in greasy sunscreen. It will be good to be home.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Friends, Part Two : Feb. 24
The PLU girls and some of their friends were meeting up for dinner, then going to Shade, the only nightclub on the island. We had heard of this place through a few different avenues and on a Friday night, it was the place to be.
I napped while Alisa stood guard. About 11:30 we got the call that the girls were in the area and ready to go dancing.
We stopped at a bar to have a drink first, since apparently the club wasn't "hot" yet. Perhaps this was a reference to the "Inferno Friday" at which we found ourselves.
All of our friends and acquaintances were there, so there was never a boring minute and always someone to dance with. It was the wee hours when we finally left with our ringing ears and jelly legs.
I napped while Alisa stood guard. About 11:30 we got the call that the girls were in the area and ready to go dancing.
We stopped at a bar to have a drink first, since apparently the club wasn't "hot" yet. Perhaps this was a reference to the "Inferno Friday" at which we found ourselves.
All of our friends and acquaintances were there, so there was never a boring minute and always someone to dance with. It was the wee hours when we finally left with our ringing ears and jelly legs.
Machel Montano : Feb. 25
It was another scatteredly rainy morning. The first shower drove us into a roti place, where we had the delicious naan-wrapped curry. The second shower caught us out in the open on the trek to the beach, so we were soaked by the time we arrived.
But I couldn't stay unhappy (or wet) for long. The sun came out, we sat in the sand, we played in the waves, we had fruity blended cocktails, and we read.
The far end of Pigeon Point was boarded off for the concert at which we were going to finish our final day in Tobago. Through our interesting group of friends, we had all planned to go.
It was a giant beach party. You could bring in a cooler, which meant people were probably drunker and misbehavin' more than an equivalent party in the States. But that's pretty much the motto of Carnival.
Machel Montano was the headliner, and probably the most played artist at Carnival this year. We have a few of this songs memorized. So we were most excited for his performance, which of course happened an hour before we had to leave.
While it was a fascinating concert (I learned was the "6:30" dance move is), there was enough detracting from the fun to make it annoying. We had all our beach stuff that we had to guard. We had the same forward men we've encountered all trip, but now with more alcohol. We had the drunk girls behind us using us as supports for their dance moves. And we had a plane to catch.
But I couldn't stay unhappy (or wet) for long. The sun came out, we sat in the sand, we played in the waves, we had fruity blended cocktails, and we read.
The far end of Pigeon Point was boarded off for the concert at which we were going to finish our final day in Tobago. Through our interesting group of friends, we had all planned to go.
It was a giant beach party. You could bring in a cooler, which meant people were probably drunker and misbehavin' more than an equivalent party in the States. But that's pretty much the motto of Carnival.
Machel Montano was the headliner, and probably the most played artist at Carnival this year. We have a few of this songs memorized. So we were most excited for his performance, which of course happened an hour before we had to leave.
While it was a fascinating concert (I learned was the "6:30" dance move is), there was enough detracting from the fun to make it annoying. We had all our beach stuff that we had to guard. We had the same forward men we've encountered all trip, but now with more alcohol. We had the drunk girls behind us using us as supports for their dance moves. And we had a plane to catch.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Rainforest with no Rain : Feb. 24
One thing I will say about the perchance to rain - we have never been completely inconvenienced by it.
Today we had booked a birding tour into the rainforest with Newton George (who we found recommended somewhere on the web). We will pass on the recommendation because, though neither Alisa nor I is a birder, we got into it.
We drove up into green-covered hills with a mother-father-daughter from New York. The mother was clearly the impetus. (But hey, I'd go along with my parents' crazy whims to take awesome trips - rocks? sure...)
We started off right near the entrance to the forest, near some cows. And saw the giant cowbird. (Alisa and I both thought he was joking that the cows were the first "birds" of the day, but quickly discovered we were wrong.)
He had two extra pairs of binocular, so Alisa and I didn't miss out on anything. Highlights were definitely the pair of male manakins displaying to try to get a lady and the saber-winged hummingbird dipping down to bathe in the rainforest stream.
And the galoshes we rented to slog through the mud. Another priceless moment (though the Hello Kitty ones were too small for my feet).
Thankfully, Newton gave us a list of the birds. My list is more like "the yellow-tailed one with the funky hanging nest" (crested oropendola) and "the zebra-tailed red-bellied one that Newton loved" (collared trogan).
Though when they were still trying to spot birds at lunchtime, I was ready to take a break and just eat. Though no one ate the chicken...
Today we had booked a birding tour into the rainforest with Newton George (who we found recommended somewhere on the web). We will pass on the recommendation because, though neither Alisa nor I is a birder, we got into it.
We drove up into green-covered hills with a mother-father-daughter from New York. The mother was clearly the impetus. (But hey, I'd go along with my parents' crazy whims to take awesome trips - rocks? sure...)
We started off right near the entrance to the forest, near some cows. And saw the giant cowbird. (Alisa and I both thought he was joking that the cows were the first "birds" of the day, but quickly discovered we were wrong.)
He had two extra pairs of binocular, so Alisa and I didn't miss out on anything. Highlights were definitely the pair of male manakins displaying to try to get a lady and the saber-winged hummingbird dipping down to bathe in the rainforest stream.
And the galoshes we rented to slog through the mud. Another priceless moment (though the Hello Kitty ones were too small for my feet).
Thankfully, Newton gave us a list of the birds. My list is more like "the yellow-tailed one with the funky hanging nest" (crested oropendola) and "the zebra-tailed red-bellied one that Newton loved" (collared trogan).
Though when they were still trying to spot birds at lunchtime, I was ready to take a break and just eat. Though no one ate the chicken...
Friends : Feb. 23
Of course, because we had a 5:30am wake-up call the next day, we decided to stay out until 1am.
We have met a lot of people on this trip, and because the tourist track isn't so packed, we've seen quite a few of them over and over.
During Carnival, it was a friend of a friend from CMU that we arranged to meet. Then it was her friends. We also met some New Yorkers when we were waiting for our costumes, so ran into them during Carnival again and again. We met another couple in line and saw them again. Those were out Trinidad friends.
When we were on the ferry to Tobago, a guy recognized us from a conversation he tried to have with us during Carnival Tuesday. We had snubbed him then (mostly because he was just mouthing words at us). Turns out, he's a tour operator and hooked us up with our speed boat tour yesterday.
When we left our hostel on Wednesday to get food, we met two girls from the States. When we hung out at the beach with them later, we met two Bostonians. While at the beach, the bartender was super nice, and lots of numbers were exchanged.
So then, Thursday night, it was a big reunion. We went out with the PLU girls. We saw the New Yorkers from the speedboat. We met up with the Bostonians. The bartender got us some drinks. And we were out until 1am.
It's looking like tonight is going to be something similar.
We have met a lot of people on this trip, and because the tourist track isn't so packed, we've seen quite a few of them over and over.
During Carnival, it was a friend of a friend from CMU that we arranged to meet. Then it was her friends. We also met some New Yorkers when we were waiting for our costumes, so ran into them during Carnival again and again. We met another couple in line and saw them again. Those were out Trinidad friends.
When we were on the ferry to Tobago, a guy recognized us from a conversation he tried to have with us during Carnival Tuesday. We had snubbed him then (mostly because he was just mouthing words at us). Turns out, he's a tour operator and hooked us up with our speed boat tour yesterday.
When we left our hostel on Wednesday to get food, we met two girls from the States. When we hung out at the beach with them later, we met two Bostonians. While at the beach, the bartender was super nice, and lots of numbers were exchanged.
So then, Thursday night, it was a big reunion. We went out with the PLU girls. We saw the New Yorkers from the speedboat. We met up with the Bostonians. The bartender got us some drinks. And we were out until 1am.
It's looking like tonight is going to be something similar.
Flip-flop Weather : Feb. 23
We are in the middle of dry season, but this is the wettest dry season they've had in years.
So on our speedboat tour, we got rained on. A lot. We were already in our swimsuits, so it wasn't bad until we were blasting through the waves and the rain was like pellets. Then it was a little uncomfortable and chilly.
We started at the mangrove trees at Bon Accord wetlands with a German couple, a single Trini woman, a U.S. couple and their ten-year-old, an older English couple, and two women from Barbados (but who live in New York).
We worked our way along the northern coast up to Castara. I mentioned the snorkeling in another post. During one of the sun breaks, we had the chance to snorkel or swim to a beach and take a walk. Alisa, feeling seasick, and I, feeling discouraged, took a stroll on the idyllic beach.
Of course, once we left, it began to spit on us again. We had rum punch to lift our spirits. And those spirits stayed lifted through our barbecue lunch and straight out to the Nylon Pool.
The Nylon Pool is a ground-down coral reef about 500 meters from the nearest shoreline, but the water is only four feet deep, which makes for a great middle-of-the-ocean club.
At least at the Nylon Pool we saw a rainbow to make up for all of the rain. But, there it was again, the patter of the scattered showers. Which brought us right back to where we started.
So on our speedboat tour, we got rained on. A lot. We were already in our swimsuits, so it wasn't bad until we were blasting through the waves and the rain was like pellets. Then it was a little uncomfortable and chilly.
We started at the mangrove trees at Bon Accord wetlands with a German couple, a single Trini woman, a U.S. couple and their ten-year-old, an older English couple, and two women from Barbados (but who live in New York).
We worked our way along the northern coast up to Castara. I mentioned the snorkeling in another post. During one of the sun breaks, we had the chance to snorkel or swim to a beach and take a walk. Alisa, feeling seasick, and I, feeling discouraged, took a stroll on the idyllic beach.
Of course, once we left, it began to spit on us again. We had rum punch to lift our spirits. And those spirits stayed lifted through our barbecue lunch and straight out to the Nylon Pool.
The Nylon Pool is a ground-down coral reef about 500 meters from the nearest shoreline, but the water is only four feet deep, which makes for a great middle-of-the-ocean club.
At least at the Nylon Pool we saw a rainbow to make up for all of the rain. But, there it was again, the patter of the scattered showers. Which brought us right back to where we started.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Snorkeling : Feb. 23
So we went on this tour thing, right? And the morning's activity was snorkeling.
I think I have a funny-shaped face. And I can't breathe through only my mouth. Both of which led to only semi-productive snorkeling.
But we saw little squidlets!
Also, those coral reef movies where there are fish everywhere - I thought they were editing out the boring parts. Turns out, coral is just as inhabited as those movies make you think. Fishes!
Besides the squidlings, we saw blue and yellow fish, and growly-looking fish and really flat fish, and fan coral and brain coral and coral coral. I swallowed massive amounts of Caribbean Sea water (whatever wasn't in my eyes and nose) which kept me tided over until lunch at least. But survey says - Corinne is not very good at snorkeling
I think I have a funny-shaped face. And I can't breathe through only my mouth. Both of which led to only semi-productive snorkeling.
But we saw little squidlets!
Also, those coral reef movies where there are fish everywhere - I thought they were editing out the boring parts. Turns out, coral is just as inhabited as those movies make you think. Fishes!
Besides the squidlings, we saw blue and yellow fish, and growly-looking fish and really flat fish, and fan coral and brain coral and coral coral. I swallowed massive amounts of Caribbean Sea water (whatever wasn't in my eyes and nose) which kept me tided over until lunch at least. But survey says - Corinne is not very good at snorkeling
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