<h3>Cricket, Rum and Reggae<img src="content/pic/trip1/dunney.jpg" width="200" height="331" alt="Dunney or thunder box" align="left"></h3>
 <p>After an uneventful journey north from 
  Trinidad taking in Grenada, where I got lost on a bus, and Cariaccou 
  where we didn't do anything interesting at all. Well it was interesting.. 
  ....but only for us with the exception of this dunney, witch threatened 
  to make it too interesting. On we went to the Tobago Cays. The Tobago 
  Cays are a bunch of small Islands no more than 200 yards long, sheltered 
  be hind a horse shoe shaped reef of coral. There are plenty of other 
  bits of coral reef around a bout as well. You approach the anchorage 
  through a passage between 3 of the islands, then anchor on their 
  windward side. Anchored here there's nothing between you and the 
  Africa but a coral reef 30cm below the water. The water behind the 
  reef is shallow and clear, the reef alive with coral and fish. 
  is the order of the day. Its funny watching the charter boaters 
  snorkelling in shorts and T-shirts to avoid 
  getting their backs sunburnt. The snorkelling</a> 
  here is some of the best in the Caribbean, I have had better in 
  the Pacific but not often. After chasing parrot fish, while Sam and Rauni where snoozing I 
  went to the "occupied" island. Its "Occupied" 
  by Larson, who runs a sort of bar, and some of the local boat boys* 
  who camp out there in tents.</p>
 <p> The bar is 
  called "the worlds end bar" or similar, its more of a pile 
  of bushes with a sail tied across the top and a bunch of eskimos (cool 
  boxes). The beer is expensive, but the company is good. </p>
 <p align="center"><img src="content/pic/trip1/cricket.jpg" alt="West Indies Cricket Match, Ganja stopped play" width="500" height="249"></p>
 <p>The afternoon soon became a West Indies international 
  cricket match, a bunch of locals me a French Candian and a Swis bloke. 
  The locals know their cricket, I remember a bit, the Swiss bloke was 
  useless. The wicket didn't make it any easier, early on it was clear 
  this wasn't lords. The stumps were a three sticks, the bat a naff peace 
  of rough wood. The pitch was a bit of hard beach between 5 palm trees, 
  except for the bowlers end witch was soft sand with a rock to mark the 
  crease. Bowling was difficult if you planted your feet then they sank 
  into the sand! Batting wasn't too bad, the ball bounced ok and in vaguely 
  the right direction, the fielders tended to be slips waiting to catch 
  the outside edge. </p>
 <p>Any stroke played back towards the bowler tended 
  not to get there - too many trees. My bowling has always been bad. 
  Doing it in quick sand made it appalling. My batting improved, the 
  final innings included 3 balls in the sea and several other respectable 
  slogs, I earned the highest praise available in the Caribbean "D 
  Englishman can bat" this was some what dampened by the fact 
  that the French Canadian, acting more like a base ball pitcher, 
  bowled all 5 remaining players out in about 10 balls. Finally as 
  the sun was setting , ganja stopped play (you don't get that at 
  Lords either) and we crawled back under the bushes to the bar for 
  beer and a smoke. The reggae and Soca was pumping from the sterio, 
  me and Larson singing along, of course I don't know all the tunes 
  but even so the charter holiday types were sutilble confused be 
  me singing "Just when I thought you were d right man, true 
  love and treat me like no one else can, you wisperin me ear wrong 
  name, (Kim), Who d hell is Kim?, what foolishness you talking, you'd 
  better check your self go out and check your health.... etc."**We 
  proceeded north by passing the Grenadines St Vincent and St Lucia, 
  arriving in St Pierre in northern Martinique. Martinique like many 
  other Islands has several Rum distilleries, Rum is a wonderful and 
  environmental drink</p>
<img src="content/pic/trip1/rasta.jpg" width="250" height="386" alt="Larson, with lizzard and "Ciggarette"" align="right">
 <p>. Its environmental because, you grow the cane, putt it 
  through a masher to grind it up, sieve it and put all the waste from 
  the sieving in the furnace that powers the steam engine which heats 
  the distillers and powers the masher the fine sugar is mixed with water 
  an the partials separated out. The sludge is mixed with the ash from 
  the furnace and used as fertilizer for the sugar cane fields....... 
  neat huh? Holstein Piss (pills)advertising claimed. "All the sugar 
  turns to alcohol" well in the Caribbean this is true, sugar production 
  is no longer economic on the scale of the West Indies islands. Rum is 
  very economical. All sugar is now turned to Rum, good thing too.</p>
 <hr>
		<p>
			* -boat boy a combination of a water 
  taxi, tour guide, fruit salesman, odd job man, line handler, con artist, 
  drug dealer, fisherman, beggar and general pain in the arse.<br>
  ** - T.C. "Kim" contender for the Soca monarch 2001 in Trinidad, 
  Shadow won with "Lookin for Horn***"<br>
  *** - Horn doesn't meen what you think it means trini/West Indian for 
  takingsomeones woman. or if it happens to youu beeing "Horned"</p>
 