Dantigua - Day1
Before I've even started I've already got a quandary. I'm checking into the car park at 8:00 but there's no way I want to be on the M25 in the hour before that. So I take a hit and start early; I expect it to be close to Gatwick by 07:00 so will stop at the last services for breakfast. Happy with that decision, I set an alarm and get my head down.
My alarm goes off at 00:45 and, after 5 minutes snooze, I'm up and ready to roll. After the usual 10 minutes of panicking that I've neglected to pack something, I head out the door by 01:15. Open the door and am faced with a sky full of stars. A good omen, possibly, but definitely a good start to the trip.
The roads are kind to me and I hit the M23 almost to the planned minute. Only problem is that there are no services on the M23 before Gatwick. So I roll into the parking almost an hour early. Fortunately I am let in without fuss and, after a full lap of the ground floor, I find the ramp up to level 2 and the valet parking area. I note the price at the gate to be £35 for 24 hours so I have had something of a bargain at £83 for over 4 days. The handover is simple and quick and, in no time at all, I enter the terminal.
There is a bit of a hunt while I find somewhere to print a boarding pass as my BA app is playing up. But, once that hurdle is clear, I then motor through security. For a Thursday morning, the staff are remarkably jolly.
Breakfast is next on the list and, after gasping at the prices of The Big Smoke, I spy the welcoming portals of JD Wetherspoon. The sort of place that judges you if you don't have beer with breakfast!! My veggie breakfast is both good value and tasty and is washed down with a nice pint of Shipyard Pale Ale. So nice I think I'll have another before settling down and waiting to be called to the gate.
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| Standard 'Spoons |
Pints complete, I have a little wander before the gate is announced. Once at the gate, the transition is very quick and, in no time at all, the Captain has called boarding complete and kicked the ground crew off the plane with 10 minutes to spare. Whether we actually start moving on time remains to be seen. For now, it's airplane mode on the phone and check out the movie selection.
A combination of an early start and two Wetherspoon beers have an effect and I spend most of the flight catnapping, playing sudoku, eating lunch, having more beers (BA have their own Brew Dog- who knew?) and watching one movie. And I've even seen Moneyball before! In all good time, we get the announcement that we're closing in on Antigua. The Captain doesn't quite get us there early but we are on time which is good enough for me.
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| British Airways' own beer courtesy of some independent brewery. |
But then we come to a dead halt. It takes the best part of an hour to get through passport control and I'm already losing track of time as my phone seems to think I'm in Jamaica which is an hour behind here!
Eventually I get through, make my way to arrivals and contact Zeus for pickup. He arrives in due course and we set off, with only one of us knowing where we're going. First stop is the police station as I have to get a temporary driving licence but that is straightforward and cost me US$20. I don't have any cash as yet, but Zeus is a good egg and covers me.
Next up is a cash point as Zeus doesn't actually take cards. All cash points have a EC$500 limit and none of them seem to be cooperating to even get that. Zeus tells me not to worry as the casino ATMs will do the job but this will be in US dollars and not EC dollars. It doesn't seem to be a problem to him though. The biggest hurdle has been actually getting to the banks in the first place as it is rush hour at St. John's and the roads are jammed! Zeus to eventually nudges his way through the traffic. There doesn't seem to be any rules to road etiquette, which is something to look forward to in the coming days.
Cash in pocket, we begin the drive to the apartment; it has taken 2 hours to get this far! I knew the place wasn't in town and I knew it was on high ground but it's still a surprisingly bumpy ride. We get there in one piece though and Zeus takes me up to the apartment which is very pleasant, with views to stir the soul.
I get back to the apartment to find a fuse has tripped. Or at least I hope that's all it is. There are two wall lights working so I can at least see and the freezer has maintained enough temperature to chill my Red Stripes. As I tuck into the first one I realise I have now been up almost 24 hours save for the naps on the plane. And I haven't even eaten yet!
It seems it wasn't a fuse after all as the power suddenly comes back on and there is no sign of Zeus. I can only assume it must have been a local outage. Now I have light and I even manage to find the very long Wi-Fi password. Can't find any matches though so I still can't cook dinner until Zeus gets back.
I prepare all my veg in advance which makes a lovely photo with all the mixed colours. Zeus turns up not long later with matches and after a short chat I start to light the stove and realise I didn't actually need matches as it's had electronic ignition which obviously wasn't working when the power was out.
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| A colourful feast |
I rustle up my dinner which turns out slightly disappointing as I've overcooked my chicken and is really hard work to eat! Talk about building up to an anti-climax.
Putting the dishes in the sink to do tomorrow. I settled down with a nice glass of Malbec and ponder my day tomorrow. It is raining outside so I open the door and watch that for a few minutes and then, as it has been a long 25-hour day, I decide it is now time to turn in.
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