16 Mar 2011

[Cruise News] Falmouth Harbour, Antigua

We've been here nearly a week now, partly trying to arrange paintwork repairs (still in progress) and hurricane season storage (done), but also because it's such a sheltered and spacious anchorage that we are getting really good nights sleep and it's hard to give that up!  It's not been all work though: we've completed a couple of hikes along the rugged coastline, enjoyed a few meals out and taken the local bus service into the capital (St John's) where we had the best meal we've had in the four and a half months we've been out here.  Really, really good.

St John's was a typical Caribbean capital with the added "delight" of having three cruise ships in town - a lot of pale bodies were wandering around buying the Caribbean equivalent of "kiss me quick" hats.  And the vendors, knowing they have a captive market, hike up the prices quite unashamedly.  Needless to say we didn't buy anything!

One thing we've noticed in the days we've been here is the Government's sensible approach to vehicle registrations.  All rental car registrations are pre-fixed with "R", taxis with "TX", buses with "BUS", commerical vehicles with "C" and Government cars with "G".  Makes it very easy for we tourists to flag down the right vehicle and know we're climbing aboard a registered bus/taxi.

We had a farewell meal with our good friends from Canada last night.  By the time we return to Antigua after our jaunt around the remaining Leeward Islands, they will have long sailed for Curacao and will be home in Vancouver.  They have been sailing for 21 years now, having retired in their late thirties to enjoy a life on the open seas, and have covered most regions with the exception of Western Europe and the Mediterranean.  True "cruisers" with a wealth of experience and tales to tell, making us feel very much novice sailors .... but ask us again in twenty years times and we might have achieved their level of adventure!