An English Summer
August 2021
After seven months in Barbados, I have had to return to the UK for a family matter. I was looking forward to seeing how things had changed. On arrival, many things seem familiar. The weather is generally grim, 15 C and raining in Eastbourne, our test cricket team are failing with the bat, the royalty continues to be rocked by allegations of impropriety from Prince Andrew and fuel prices continue to increase.
On a brighter note, I have never seen the countryside look more verdant, due to a combination of periodic hot sunshine and lots of rain, life seems normal as most Covid restrictions have been lifted and it’s good to be able to visit a country pub and drink a pint of Old Bodgers.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, I had to negotiate the return trip. I booked a VIP testing package from the Crane Hotel in Barbados to take my outbound PCR test. The Crane is reputedly one of the top hotels in Barbados. The marketing blurb states ‘set on Barbados’ beautiful South East coast, the oldest operating hotel (since 1887) in the Caribbean has effortlessly married the old-world charm of its past, to all the 21st-century amenities and services expected by today’s most discerning travellers. The Crane Resort overlooks the pink sands and turquoise waters of Crane Beach — one of the top 10 beaches in the world.’
Hmm, I thought, as I had a coffee overlooking the beach while I awaited my test results. The pink sands are covered in a thick, broad layer of sargassum (seaweed) which was rotting nicely on the beach under a hot sun. The smell was indescribable. If I was a paying guest, I wouldn’t be a happy bunny.
But the Covid service was efficient and I had avoided the queues at the public facility in Bridgetown.
The second thing I had to do was to book my day two test in the UK after arrival. Barbados, thankfully, is on the Green List so this meant no quarantine. The company I picked would post this to me and I would self-administer the test and return it in a pre-paid envelope.
I flew British Airways and the flight was painful and uneventful. I had heard horror stories of the queues at Heathrow but these appeared unfounded. The only glitch was that the biometric passport booths were only recognising about 5% of travellers’ passports. No matter, I was soon out and, in a taxi, heading to Eastbourne.
That first night I had my first pint of real ale in seven months and complemented it with an Indian takeaway. Heaven!
The next thing I did was to venture out onto an English golf course. I have never seen golf courses here in such good shape. The fairways are green and firm and the greens are in excellent condition. I’ll pack as much golf as I can into the trip.
Mask wearing is no longer obligatory though all shops and stores advise you to wear a mask on entry. Having got used to mandatory mask-wearing in Barbados I found it no hardship but about fifty percent of customers are not wearing masks. With the Delta variant running riot here I found this surprising.
After seven months of sunshine and warmth, I found the British climate hard to adjust too so much so that on the first two days I had to put on the central heating. Mid-summer in the UK this is not.
I travelled up to the Midlands to stay with a friend who lives in a medieval abbey
And to visit my brother and sister.
On the return trip I encountered the usual August traffic madness on the MI; two separate multi-car pile-ups on both carriageways on either side of Leicester Forest East service station. I spent an hour sitting on the Central reservation chatting to a sales rep for a health and wellbeing company. A couple of cockney likely lads in a panel van on the opposite carriageway shouted across ‘You’ll need sleeping bags mate. Horrendous accident in front of you. Could be hours clearing it away.’ My heart sank. Fortunately, we were on the move within ten minutes. Bloody cockney jokers, I thought to myself smiling.
But overall, it’s good to be back. However, I am looking forward to returning to the blue skies and sunshine of the Caribbean.
