The next decade....what's in store?
Musings of a yamfooted traveller still trying to shake off those last 20 pounds as she treks across the Caribbean
I had heard that Guadeloupe was the less sophisticated of the French West Indian islands. Very ordinary on the side that we are (Point a Pitre). We are supposed to drive to Basse-Terre on the other side (Guadeloupe is shaped like a butterfly) this afternoon, however in the morning session today, it was invaded by worker representatives who say they are not allowing the conference to continue until their demands are met.
Apparently they are not satisfied with wages etc and they say this is an HR conference of the tourism industry so they felt it was a good stage. We shall see.
I didn't go to the morning session....wasn't interested in the topic. Went on the beach instead....
This is the view de ma chambre
I forgot to pack a pair of flat slippers...can you imagine, and I had an extra day because Liat cancelled the flight on Tuesday, so I didn't leave Grenada until Wednesday. Luckily I had brought this shoes which I bought at Barratts in Leeds.
And this is me on the beach while the morning session was going on. A French Canadian woman struck up a conversation with me, and took the photo plus some others.
Ok, so I did ANOTHER of those quizzes....
| You Are A Green Girl |
 You're curious and logical - and enjoy a good intellectual challenge. You're super cool, calm, and collected. Very little tries your patience. Your only fear? People not realizing how smart and able you are! |
From I set foot in London in 1992, I knew this was going to be my favourite city. Of course, I haven't been to many cities but I certainly preferred it to New York. I hear that since my New York experience was in 1989, I don't know what I talking about because the city has changed for the better since then. My sister is currently on business there so will ask her how it is. She didn't like it either and she had been there more recently than I have.
Anyway, JamRock, who has been helping me brush up on my French before the Guadeloupe trip had this link to a quiz. I took it, and it confirms that I belong in London.
| You Belong in London |
 A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock. A unique soul like you needs a city that offers everything. No wonder you and London will get along so well. |
I took another test. How real are you?
You Are 75% Real |
 You know who you are, and you're pretty darn comfortable with yourself. Like everyone, you struggle with the parts of yourself that aren't so great... But you're good at accepting who you are and not dwelling on your faults. As a result, you're confident, optimistic, and very real. |
I'll tell The Niece that I'm blogging out her boarding school experience to the Whole Wide World. Then she'll say "Aunty Yamfoot, suppose I don't want you to tell strangers about me?" Then I'll say "when you have kids you can show them what was happening in your life as you prepared for high school".....I wonder if the www will be around forever?
Anyway, spoke with her today because she was summoned to the school. Our family uses any excuse for a country run, so off went the mother, the gran and the grandpops to Malvern, St Elizabeth. As was to be expected, The Niece ran off and went about exploring the school, with the help of the friendly students who would come up to her and say hello.
She says she likes the dorms, and the school is pretty. I can't wait to see it! I should change my name to Aunty Gladis!
I think I am more excited for her, because she is going to boarding school in the country. I think I would have enjoyed boarding school.
I think I will time a trip to Jamaica to ensure I can be included in the drive to drop her off at her new school.
By the way you old people on here......
...do you remember when you took Common Entrance and what you felt when you got your results?
I think I found out before the school got it (you know....somebody knew somebody, who knew somebody that knew somebody blah blah blah). I was very cocky about the exam. When it came to picking schools to put on the form, I only put St Hugh's and didn't care what the parents put as second, because I knew that was not going to be under consideration!
I even thought I would have got a Scholarship! Well it wasn't far fetched. I had come first in my primary school class for three consecutive years. Of course, I went to school downtown, so maybe the standard wasn't very high! I remember a girl in first form at high school - she who got a scholarship - laughing at me with disdain when I told her I thought I would get a scholarship. She who is now living somewhere in Europe, was the one who emailed me when I tried to make contact with her, and said "I just don't think we have anything in common any more."
Anyway, what was the waiting for Common Entrance results like for you? And how did you feel when you got the results?
I've been brushing up on my French with anybody who speaks it, parce que j'irais au (a la?) Guadeloupe dans quelques semaines. J'ai toujours vouler aller au (a la?) Guadeloupe. Malheureusement, ce sera seulement pour quatre jours. Quelle dommage!
See translation below you non-francophites.
........becvause I am going to Guadeloupe in a few weeks. I have always wanted to go to Guadeloupe. Unfortunately, it will only be for four days. What a pity!
Techies, I need help. When I click on a link which should bring up a pop up window, I get a message that says a pop up window was blocked.
I have....
1. Checked Norton Security settings to make sure that that feature is unchecked.
2. Same with Tools, Internet Security, Privacy. The 'block pop ups' is unchecked.
3. On the toolbar, I have made sure that pop ups are allowed (I suspect this is connected to number 2.)
Help! Where else do I need to change the settings so that I can get the pop ups? For example, when I click on 'Comments' on this blog, I get the 'pop up blocked' message and then have to click on the permalink (the time stamp) to read your comments.
Help!
I tell you, yesterday I wondered how I didn't die of a heart attack or stroke in the Barbados airport....
The plane from 'Hingland' was late. Instead of arriving at 2:40pm, it landed at 3:45. I was seated in row 38C. That is at the back of the plane. Nope, they didn't deplane through the rear doors. My onward connection was at 5:00pm.
Breezed through immigration, and then, because dem haffi scan luggage, many minutes passed and nothing don't come off the carousel! I talk to an agent in the baggage hall, explain my plight, and he (and she) suggested that I go to Liat. This I did, the kind lady was very kind to check me in and told me to go back for my bags.
Back in the baggage hall, the first suitcase comes. Then I wait, and wait, and wait. And during the wait, something awful happened to me that would be too gory to post on here. I felt like I was going to break down when I felt it coming. But I held my composure, ran like crazy to the LIAT counter. There, I had to explain gory details to check-in lady who told me not to dilly-dally when she saw me rummaging in one suitcase for stuff.
Then I had to run to gate 9, beg a male agent for 2 minutes to do the bizniz, and while doing di bizniz, had a female agent come in and told me to hurry up! She lucky I didn't scream at her, because I was mortified at what I was experiencing. When I appeared, a little bit calmer but still obviously bothered by what had just occurred, the first male agent walked with me to the plane, I apologized to him but said it was necessary, and then told him he should be grateful he wasn't a woman. He was so empathetic. I was grateful.
Then I got on the plane, and saw a guy who I knew. He sensed that my stress levels were up, heck...I was sweating like a pig! So he did the nice thing and fanned me, and just let me be....asking if I was ok every couple of minutes.
Gosh. But I thought afterwards, that it was a good thing that the Hingland plane was late, or else the episode would have taken place on the likkle plane. That would NOT have been pretty I can tell you. Stress. Stress.
Yamfoot....seriously thinking about the knife after yesterday.
This was what my Leicester Square benchmate, an Egyptian older male, said to me on Friday.
I thought one of them was 'women'. He said no. They are...
1. Weather
2. War and
3..... because I had 'woman' lodged in my brain, I can't remember the third.
If any of you have heard this, please help!
This trip wouldn't have been complete if I hadn't done some essential things that make up my perceptual world where London is concerned.
1. Riding the tube.
Well, what can be said about that? The first time I did that was 1992, and I have come such a far way. I know when to run down (or up...pant pant) the escalator in order to catch the tube at precisely the point I need to catch it. I know if it's a north, south, east or west bound tube I need to take, which is useful when you are faced with a train on a platform, and knowing whether to jump in before the door closes.
2. Riding the double decker bus.
The transportation system is so good here. I was perfectly situated for Lord's. The number 82 bus was my friend for all five days of that Test match, and ironically the number 82 will take me straight to Victoria tomorrow morning for me to catch the train to Gatwick.
3. Experience unpredictable weather.
Craning one's neck upwards is a normal thing here, no matter where on the island (yes, it is an island, lest you forget)
4. Sitting in a garden somewhere when the weather behaves.
Like today. Discovering Pimm's courtesy of Dx, sitting in her garden for most of the day, reading, eating, drinking Pimm's, listening to Club Classics...
5. Listening to Club Classics on London's Heart 106.2 radio station.
When I was in Surrey 2001 - 2002, it provided much needed comfort, especially during those cold, dark winter nights. Back then, it was only on a Friday night, but now they have included Saturday's too! I squeal with delight. so that is what I am listening to now.
and perhaps, the bestest of them all..
6. Eating a Hagen Daaz three-scoop sundae in Leicester Square.
I did that Friday. It was the second to last thing I did before I took the tube for the last time this trip. The last thing I did was buy two more cotton T-shirts from Japanese clothing store Uniqlo...thanks for the introduction Adwoa!.
So before that, I headed to Hagen Daaz. They have expanded the store, so there is a separate take away section. At busy times, it used to be chaotic, so it is a welcomed change. My order was Belgian Chocolate, Cookies & Cream and this time I tried New Mango & Passionfruit ...that one wasn't a hit. Shan't have it again. Will stick to Pralines & Cream or Strawberry instead.
Toppings are nuts, strawberry coulis (but they only has raspberry so had to be content with that) and chocolate sauce.
Weather was "brill" so I picked my spot on a bench in the Square. It was beside an old man. We struck up a conversation.....
I definitely didn't plan this right, or else I would have not booked to leave the UK on Sunday.
Just read a few days ago that Beyonce is playing at Wembley tonight. I've been to Wembley before, to see Shaggy. That was in my student days when only a free ticket would have allowed that. Thanks to a friend of Princess P who plays for Mr Burrell.
Now I guess why I didn't know that Beyonce was playing is because I don't have any of her CD's and therefore I am not a fan. So, does not having somebody's CD mean you are not a fan?
I am definitely a fan of Mary J Blige. I have two or three of her CD's, and I see that she will be performing on Sumfest in Montego Bay on July 21st. See, if I were a lady of leisure, dates wouldn't matter. They wouldn't need to be checked against anything mundane like work.
Just my bloody luck. Just when I am preparing to leave the UK, the weather turns brilliant....and the forecast for the next five days is warm....22 - 25 degrees!
I've frozen my (big) ass off for more than half of the three weeks I have been here. There was one nice day in Leeds, well maybe one and a half.
See now, if I were a lady of leisure, I would just call the airline and change my departure date. In fact, were I a lady of leisure, I would have had an open ticket!