Back to Barbados

It is really nice to be back on the island of Barbados and also back on the Ventura!  Amazing how comfortable and familiar everything is.  But the journey over was not familiar at all - and in a good way!

Alan and I were scheduled for a charter flight included in the whole cruise package.  I had dreaded this ever since booking because, in my experience, charter flights are cramped with terrible food.  Our last one, going to Orlando last summer, was the worst EVER and I really never wanted to fly charter again! 

Prior to boarding, we stocked up on sandwiches and water, since charters do not give anything apart from the main meal for free. We discovered that this precaution was not necessary.  The food was plentiful and nice.  

In addition, the seats were roomy and the plane was just beautiful.  I usually just see a plane as a means of transport, but this was a brand new Dreamliner.  They are designed to minimise jet lag by having different sort of lighting systems and other things I really don't remember.  Reading this a while ago, these things meant nothing to me - a plane is a plane, isn't it!  Dreamliner! Who could have predicted,that I would wax lyrical about the beauty and comfort of a mere plane?  Not when it is a Dreamliner!

We arrived at the Ventura just after sunset, but wandered around the port and enjoyed the lovely night air before going to dinner in the Cinnamon Restaurant, where we have been lucky to be assigned Freedom Dining once again!    No definite seating time and no permanent dining partners. Bliss! I must admit, the food did not seem the standard of,our previous times on the Ventura or her sister ship, the Azura.  But I will not despair just yet!

Today, we will explore Bridgetown, if it stops raining!  And return to some shops we visited the last time we spent the night at this port.

As always, when travelling like this, I do these blogs in a real hurry, so I apologize in advance if they appear sort of weird or have terrible spelling errors!

"Di ola di moon di brighta di shine"  Caribbean saying meaning Age Brings Wisdom!

'twas the night before boarding

View of the Isle of Arran from Ardrossan

It has not even been a whole year since we were on our Mediterranean Adventure and here we are, sitting in the bar at the Holiday Inn, Glasgow Airport, getting ready to travel to Bridgetown, Barbados and return to the good ship Ventura!  This was a matter of the price and days being right.

Arran from Saltcoats Beach

I can't, in good conscious say we need a break from Winter when I have friends and family currently in the US being inundated with freezing weather and loads of snow.  But I must admit, I am very much looking forward to being nice and warm for the next two weeks!

I had the pleasure of having our grandson spend the night last night, and spending the day with our daughter today.  This was mainly running errands, but we did manage to have a lovely lunch at The Lido in Prestwick.  This is a beautiful little restaurant that only opened on February 12.  The funny thing is I was just there 3 nights ago with a dear friend before attending a Trefoil Guild meeting!  This location had been The Dome for years and I had never set foot in it. Now, twice in 3 days!  And well worth it!





This is the first time I have  really benefited from re-reading one of my blogs.    In the first blog of the Mediterranean version, I complain about 2 things - the restrictive 5 kilogram limit on carry on, which is still the case, and how much I hated using my IPad for this blog.  For that reason alone, I am carrying my laptop and IPad!  Wish me luck that tomorrow, at check in, that I am not "overweight"!

"Overpack.  It's why suitcases have wheels now."  Unknown