...Guest Blog

That's right! I guessed blogged for my dear Mary Pruitt. Go read the post at her blog, Put a Ruffle On It!!! Please tell me what you think, cuz I was so nervous writing it!

...Bajan update

I've sadly been back in the states for a week. A LONG WEEK!!! (It actually went by quickly, but I've gotta have a dramatic twist, you know!)

I've been putting this blog off all week out of laziness and business. So, here is a picture run down of my days in Barbados.

I started my first morning to HOMEMADE breakfast! The wife of the B&B fixes breakfast from scratch every morning. She had baked some fabulous honey wheat with raisin bread and a fat veggie omelette. There was also a platter of fresh grapes, pineapple, finger bananas, and amazing oranges. I was also brought tangy orange juice and warm tea. [It was a lot of food, BUT my genius plan when traveling is to eat free, eat late, and eat every crumb so it will last me till dinner!] After breakfast I readied myself for my beloved beach.

I found a semi-quite beach (most beaches were tainted by the many tourists) and was able to rent a chair and umbrella for $7.50USD! It was gonna be about $10, but the renter guessed I was from Guyana and I think gave me an island girl discount. With the money I saved I bought myself a coconut to tie me over till dinner.


After beaching it I headed back to the B&B to shower the sand off and get ready for dinner. Oistins is a town nearby that is infamous for their weekend fish fry at their fish market. Now, I didn't know what to expect from this night, but I'm glad I ventured out for the night. First, I roamed around Oistins to get the lay of the land. There are a TON of little restaurants, rows of quant kiosks for vendors to sell local souvenirs, and a gazebo filled with old men playing dominoes, cards, and plenty of witty-old-man-banter! Reality was first thing was first...DINNER!!

I found a little restaurant with a reasonable line (word is the longer the queue, the better the food!) I ordered the flying fish meal. It included my grilled flying fish, red beans & rice, macaroni pie (Bajan tradition), plantains, and a beer. :) My belly was a very happy belly. All this only cost $15...I also had a happy wallet. :)

This night I made friends with some local Bajan (slang for Barbadian) men and we hung out. They bought me my drinks...don't worry mom, it was beer and it came with the bottle caps still intact. I actually learned how to pop the cap off using the table edge!! I was also taught that "bird watching" isn't referring to our feathered friends. There was also a DJ spinning and locals and tourists were dancing on stage...locals had moves, tourists looked like fools.

All in all it was a fabulous Barbadian night!

My last day in Barbados I hit up a different beach and swam, slept, swam, read, slept, swam, listened to music, napped, enjoyed.

Stressful Indeed!!!

I also went to a couple malls and did some window shopping. I stopped at home for to shower and dress for dinner. I walked to the van stop in this. BEAUTIFUL!


I decided to go into town and eat at the Waterfront Cafe and Restaurant. When I arrived I asked for a table in which the waitress replied, "For 1?" I answered "yes "confidently, but with a ginormous pit in my stomach. This was my first nice, sit down dinner in my life.

"Ok Tash, you gotta ooze confidence and reek of apathy towards the idea of eating alone amongst couples and families." "Deal." "GAME ON!!"

(Don't get snobby...you know you talk to yourself too.)

I ordered a beer, my dinner, and later a dessert with another beer to polish the meal off. It was actually a GREAT meal!! I really didn't care that I was alone because I was able to take it all in without any interruptions.

I sat on the patio and enjoyed this view of the boats docked up. There was a live jazz band inside the restaurant that filled my dinner air.

I drank Banks beer the night before, so I thought I would try Carib this night. I think I like Banks a little more. Either way it was delish. Did you know that if you sprinkle salt on your napkin it'll keep the napkin from sticking to your glass? (Thanks Shlee!! This was also a test to see if you read this.)
To my right the rest of the dock area. If you look towards the top of the picture you'll see the full moon everyone was raving about!

After my meal I met and ended up hanging out with some Canadians! One is full Canadian, and married to a half French and half Zambian, and the one I originally met, Tarence, was half Trinidadian and half Bajan. They were there helping Tarence's mom renovate her house to rent out. The 4 of us went down to The Gap to hang out...no we didn't fall into it. The Gap is an after hours place to hang out with bars, music, and loads of people to meet. It was a fabulous way to end my 1st trip to Barbados.

I would recommend Barbados to ANYONE. The weather is beautiful, the people are friendly, and the water is cool. You're a fool to not go! There is even a direct flight from Dallas to Barbados, so hit it up and tell Barbados hi for me!

...Something Blue

Greetings from sunny Barbados!

My stay in Guyana was excellent. It included family, friends, and LOTS of rain. BUT...getting there was a PAIN!!

Saturday morning my sweet roomie, Mary, took me to the airport, I got my tickets, and found my gate. As we (the other passengers & I) were waiting to board we were informed the flight was OVERBOOKED. The gate agent proceeded to ask for volunteers, and I figured since my flight from JFK wasn't till 1am I could afford to take a later flight. Since I volunteered I was given a flight voucher enough for a free domestic flight and a lunch voucher for the day! This was an excellent return for giving up my seat, except I didn't get to hang with my friend Jason and that day was the LONGEST of my life!! Instead of 2 plane changes it was 3. This doesn't sound horrible, but trust me...it's hell!

Dallas to Detroit to New York to Guyana. On the leg from NY to GY I was surprised with FIRST CLASS!!!! I felt so fancy and high class!!! I also felt like I needed to explain to each person in coach that my seat was changed. That I didn't pay for the seat. That this was my first time. That I totally didn't expect this, and that I would totally be sitting with them, but my seat was given away. I know I [secretly] judge those in FC, and I didn't wanna be judged either. Nevertheless, when in rome! I used my REAL pillow and REAL blanket. I enjoyed my champagne, and savored my first class omelet breakfast with....STAINLESS STEAL SILVERWARE!

$High dolla classy...High Dolla$

To role with my new High Class lifestyle here are some images from my day today.

This is where I'm staying...it's super cute and right by the water!My rawesome room!! It has an excellent breeze!!

Now enjoy some beach-sides-views:

I got my beach-side nap!

Over And Out!

...On the Road Again

HI!

I wanted to quickly let you know that I'm headed off to Guyana for about 4 days and then Barbados for another 4 days.

I"M SO FLIPPIN' EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going to Guyana to visit family and just kinda chill, and I'm headed to Barbados to nap on the beach. I have never been this excited for a nap in MY LIFE!

I have also never struggled this much in my life to just PACK. I'm taking the same roll on suitcase I used when I traveled this summer. (scroll to see the picture. [ploy to have you read my old posts? DUH!]) I was gone for 4 weeks this summer and now I'm only gone for a week, and I was stressed to get everything in! BUT never fear...I'm all packed!

I have about a 9 hour layover in New York, so I'm gonna meet up w/ my old friend Jason!


We met a few years ago when Joy [on the left] and I went to Philly. We took the China Bus up to NYC for the day to meet up with my friend, Allison. [on the right] At that time Jason was working the Ferris wheel at the Toys R Us in Times Square. He let us ride it and we bonded over Obama conversation. We've all kept up over the years, and I figured with my million hour layover we could hang.

Looking forward to some great adventures and fabulous SUNSHINE! :)

...Isaiah 40:31-32 (The Message)

^27-31Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
or, whine, Israel, saying,
"God has lost track of me.
He doesn't care what happens to me"?
Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening? [NOPE]
God doesn't come and go. God lasts.
He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He DOESN'T [phew] get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out. [shit]
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts. [i'm thirsty for this "fresh strength" cuz all i want to do is drop]
For even young people tire and drop out, [see!]
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. [how 'bout some instant gratification?]
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don't get tired, [that is an empowering feeling]
they walk and don't lag behind.