After being so impressed with Grenada we got a healthy dose of reality at the airport as we tried to leave, which has soured our experience somewhat.
The security guard refused to allow us to take the two big cricket promotion bottles of 12 year old scotch whiskey Viv Richards gave us in Antigua, through into the departure area. He didn't care that we'd carried them into his country. So we had to tip them out.
We both hate whiskey but to all those future guests at Berry St who would have enjoyed a glass, sorry. Blame Mr Officious Grenada.
It got worse for me. The stupid old immigration officer man refused to accept my departure card claiming he couldn't read my last name. He sent me all the way back to the check in to get a new card and fill it out. Then he claimed he couldn't understand that either but a young immigration officer was able to read it (it was crystal clear, neat writing) so I was ALMOST allowed through - except the original officer man had kept my boarding pass and claimed he gave it back to me, saying I'd lost it.
Eventually he got another security guard to walk around the departures lounge and ask to see every single boarding pass to find mine. Which he did eventually. The stupid angry old man had given it to some dodgy Aussie bloke.
Obviously we all look the same.
Not the end of our Grenadian drama though... our flight didn't actually exist and they had to fly in an empty plane a few hours later to take us all to Barbados. And even then the pilot changed his mind and went to St Lucia first!!!!
SOOOOO FRUSTRATING!!!!
Anyway, a night in Barbados and then an early start this morning to catch the flight to Jamaica.
There was just one seat between me and Sir Viv Richards so I had a wee chat about the upcoming game. I think he's following us because he was sitting on his luggage outside our hotel when we got here to!!!
Funny place, Kingston. On our drive from the airport we could see that poverty is extreme but the city is the biggest with lots of high rises. Went past the infamous Pegasus Hotel where Bob Woolmer was murdered, (there are still two ambulances in the carpark so maybe the Kiwi/Sri Lankan teams are staying there......) and we're staying round the corner at the Knutsford.
Only here tonight, tomorrow is training/work half a day, then the next day is all day at the game, then we're gone again.
So tomorrow is our only chance to see the Bob Marley statue/museum etc and not much else.
Its really really cheap though. We had a late lunch and it was bizarre to see the price list in a strange currency.... $390.00 for a sandwich, $400 for a burger.
But it works out that $100 Jamaican dollars is $2 NZ. So lunch was very cheap, $26 for the two of us to have a big feed. Pity we're not here for a holiday!!!!!!!! See photo above, also the price for a car...! Converts to approx $76,000 NZD.
We also spent $8000 on shoes!
On the downside, there are warnings everywhere about being careful and the statistics say there are 3 murders a day in this city. Mostly gang stuff but we're not going to roam free around the streets, even in the touristy areas. We'll taxi around to the sights tomorrow (its cheap enough to do so!) but won't be being very adventurous.
