Barbados Dreaming

Ahhh! This cold weather has me reminiscing about brighter days in Barbados. When the north wind threatens to blow your fur hat off, it is hard to believe that only 8 hours away and 2 weeks ago I was in a place where a bikini could be worn mid December, and my hair dried within 10 mins. Here nothing dries quickly, at this moment nothing reminds me of that more than my defiantly icy cold sock still wet after a puddle I stepped into what must me 30mins ago.

Two things keep my Barbados dreaming alive : 1 is my tan in winter (winning) 2 is my holiday pictures, which I took to make my friends jealous whilst I was away, but now only serve as a painful reminder of how warm it is somewhere that is not here.

Do winter breaks help make winter easier or do they just make it harder to adjust to winter life?
I don't know to be honest, but if you do fancy a winter break British Airways and Virgin offer breaks after the new year to Barbados for £500 return.

Infact I met an Australian Girl at my favourite bar (La Perla) who after hearing me say I went to Barbados this winter, told me she was headed the next day. She told me she paid £470 for her return flights with BA. Considering I just came back and my flights cost over £2,000 I was so jealous I could have throttled her.  What a difference a few days make!

Contrast Bikini. Perfect for supporting full chests. I got so many compliments, you can buy from a range of places including Asos. If you are lucky enough to be going to a winter break, I have located one is on sale on Asos for £6.00 buy here

Random man no relation lol

High waisted bikini briefs are great for hiding le muffin top. I brought these on sale from New Look.

Road Tripping

By far one of the best decisions we made in Barbados was renting an open top Jeep and traveling across the country. Because Barbados is so small it is absolutely possible to travel the whole coast in one day.

Our rental cost around $200 Barbadian dollars, starting in Holetown we made our way east. Our first stop was Animal Flower Caves, which had been suggested to us by a couple on the Calabaza Cruise.

With our Bose speakers playing our road trip music, the sun streaming through the open roof and the wind wildly blowing my weave, I sat back and made sure to enjoy the best part: the getting there.

Along the way we travelled through forests with low hanging vines, saw wild horses as well as a family of goats just chilling in the road we also met a smiley road side trader named Adrian.

After stopping for a chat and buying a souvenir we had arrived at Animal Plant Caves. 

The caves are based underground and are naturally formed by the Atlantic, which you can see from the cliffs near the site of the entrance. 

Before we entered the caves we took a walk along the cliff side. It was breath taking. The fierce Atlantic knocking against the rocks made for a stunning view.

In view of the cliff front there is also a cafe where you can purchase tickets for a tour of the cave ($20 Barbadian for adults) and also sit and enjoy the view with food, cocktails, wine or coffee.

We opted to see the caves first, and travelled down steep steps with our guide to the caves below. 

These natural wonders have been formed by the sea below which you can hear upon entering. These caves feature a natural pool and are the site of many photo shoots and music videos- Rhianna 

Has filmed here.

You have the option of swimming in the cave pool- 

After the cave we headed up to the cafe and I ordered a delicious pina colada, wine and coffee. We sat and enjoyed the view and the hilarious arrival of a family of goats who the tourists were quite impressed with but the cafe owners were not so much. 

After the caves we headed further east with the destination of Bathsheba beach in mind, however on the way we came across Barbados Wildlife Reserve and decided to stop by. Here you can get really close with some monkeys for free, or you can see more of the reserve for around $40. I love monkeys so thought this was a great stop. If you opt to see more of the trail there is a tower where you can look down on the lush jungle.

Next stop Bathsheba Beach. Famed for its volatile waves which are too crazy to swim In but perfect to surf. The drive down was stunning, rolling hills on one side and beautiful sea front on the other. We regularly stopped to take pictures. The locals are so friendly - everyone waves. It was great to see the real non tourist Barbados. The people- the views- stunning. By the time we reached Bathsheba it was evening so the next morning we got up early and traveled the coast for sunset. The views as the sun rose were breath taking. 

Party Like A Pirate - Jolly Roger Party Cruise Barbados

If a perfect day for you includes drinking Bottomless rum from 11-3, swinging off a rope into the deep blue sea and partying on deck then you may just be pirate enough for the Jolly Roger.
Embarking from Bridgetown at 11, the 4 hour day at sea includes swimming with turtles and snorkelling at the ship wrecks as well as a full buffet and bottomless bar- however the best part of the day by far is the final part, when the ship turns into a full on party. 

With feel good group formation classics like the "cha cha slide" and "whip nae nae" blasting as well as the energetic crew getting everyone up dancing- you're sure to have a great time shaking your money maker. It's a great way to see the island, meet new people and have a legitimate reason drink before noon.

The perfect Monday: Calabaza Sailing Cruises Review

When it comes to a vacation, Barbados really does have it all - great people, exciting night life, great food, stunning beaches and breath taking wild life. One Activity that combines all of the above into one unforgettable experience is a sunset tour with Calabaza Sailing Cruises.  You will swim with turtles, explore shipwrecks and tour the coast line at sunset, all whilst meeting, eating and drinking with the interesting people and fab crew. 

Calabaza is rated number 1 on trip adviser for a reason, what would inevitably be a great experience was enhanced by the warm, informative and entertaining crew. 

We had booked a sunset tour, which starts around 2 for 3 hours of swimming with turtles, exploring shipwrecks and partying on board.  After being picked up from our apartment location, we arrived  at the port and shortly boarded our boat. 

This Calabaza Sailing Cruise was run by Chris, Cody and Danny- friends who shared their exciting tales at sea of scuba diving and swimming with sharks (don't worry- these waters had no sharks). There were around 15 people in our group. All of which were great fun and a pleasure to meet. As soon as we got on the boat we were handed cocktails or the drink of our choice. Once the boat had taken off Danny gave us an excellent guide to the island as we passed landmarks along the coast.

Within around 10 mins we had reached our first destination to swim with turtles. Snorkel equipment was provided and Chris was in the water to feed the turtles and assist anyone. There are also life vests and floats available if you're not a confident swimmer. We saw 3 turtles, it was great to see such large majestic animals so close.

As the rum kept flowing and people kept drinking the group warmed up more and jokes were cracked in the sun on the way to the second location of the ship wreck. The first as Danny tells it was sunk around 1919 (I believe) and the story goes that the crew fell in love with Barbados , didn't want to return and so sunk the ship. Having visited this beautiful island and fallen in love I can say I know the feels 😂.

After the ship wrecks the music was started, delicious food was circulated - fish cakes, chicken wings stuffed mushrooms - as well as a healthy dose of cocktails, white wine and beer. The crew was very attentive- as soon as one drink was finished another was refilled. 

And so with my glass topped up and my tan secured I sat on the front of the boat, wind blowing in my hair - talking to the cre and fellow tourists whilst admiring the beautiful coastline of Barbados - from Bridgetown to Holetown as the sun set.

The perfect way to spend the first Monday  of the new year don't you think?

All of this cost $90 US and was surely worth it. In fact- I may go again. To book visit Calabazasailingcruises.com.

Written by Lois - 

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