Turtles and Hoarders

Happy New Year. I’m now back in Trinidad. For all sorts of reasons, I decided to head back to sit down to some writing. I will be here for 5 weeks before I begin Part Two of my research trip. Part One was a blast. I travelled for five weeks through the islands of the Eastern Caribbean visiting Margarita, Los Roques, Bonaire, Curaçao and Aruba.

In those weeks, I sailed 300 miles in blue open water in a 37ft Hallberg Rassy yacht, travelled by catamaran, small boats and pirogues. Snorkelled in mangrove swamps, swam with Hawksbill turtles in Bonaire, danced with dolphins in Curaçao. I also windsurfed and broke my toe in El Yaque, Margarita.

There were planes too. I flew in tiny planes with 6 seats, sometimes 12 seats; once I even found myself in Caracas. These aircrafts had names like Air Chappi and Laser Airlines. On one airstrip, in Los Roques, my flight was delayed when a dog ran off with a traffic cone.

Then there was a trip to a huge brothel, Campo Allegre and a day Quad-biking through the deserts of eastern Curaçao. A night cruise in Spanish Water an evening stroll in Otrabunda. A visit to the salt pans and slave huts in southern Bonaire.

In Aruba, I met with casinos and iguanas and natural bridges cut into the coastline rock, also with tame parrot fish and a family who hoard everything. Everywhere I went I met with turquoise waters and white sand and desert and coral stone terraces and rain and VERY friendly people.

For now, I am laying low in Trinidad, writing and plotting. Part Two starts 5^th February, when I head for the Galapagos via Panama and the San Blas islands.

Love and peace,

Monique