It's goodbye from me

It's goodbye from me!

Well folks, 10 days have passed by very quickly. After a tearful goodbye to Hank, Gem and Mum, Keisha picked me up from Surfside. Thank God for Keisha because during the 20 minute ride to the airport I forgot how sad I felt. We decided we were definite kindred spirits and vowed to keep in touch. I gave her all my contact details.

I arrive at the airpory and check in. I'm overweight (surprise, suprise) and am told that I can pay $140 BBD or repack. I chose to repack and after a few minutes was able to check in my baggage without having to pay (although my hand luggage was considerably heavier)!

Off to duty free for the Mount Gay Rum. With all the repacking I had to do, it was soon time for me to head to the departure lounge. I sat there, thinking of the others. Sunglasses donned, I started to cry again. All of a sudden I heard my name mentioned over the tannoy..."Jacqueline Gentles to return to security"! For a split second I thought may be it was Hank and Gem coming to rescue me and to tell me it's OK I can stay for a bit longer. It's all be sorted. Then I started thinking, perhaps the rum, whisky and pepper sauce had burst in my suitcase and I needed to collect my case and sort it out or even worse! When I got to security, I found that I had left my plastic bag of liquids, lipstick etc. and thankfully, my name was on some medication I had. Phew!! I wasn't going to be stripped search after all! Shame!

I sit back down in Departure Lounge 13 - very unlucky for me! After a few minutes, I board the plane. Walking across the tarmac to the aeroplane was too much reality of going home and I burst out crying. I hope no one noticed!

I found my seat and luckily I was on my own until take off when a long legged man sat in the aisle seat. A few tears for take off; a few tears during my dinner but then I watched Hugh in Real Steel and Bradley in Moneyball before going to sleep.

The flight went really quickly and at 4 a.m. I was awoken to a cold breakfast... no thanks!

We are told that due to tail winds we are to arrive at Gatwick early than anticipated. A very bumpy landing and just as I am about to get my bags together, a girl on the plane shrieks that her knee has disappeared. I'm not sure what it was all about but I hope she is ok. The paramedics came to collect her.

Walking across the tarmac to the terminal, it didn't feel that cold! I head for baggage collection and luckily I didn't have to wait too long and my bag wasn't leaking rum, whisky or pepper sauce.

I get to arrivals, look to my left and there is my Dexter waiting for me and looking mighty fine! I was so shocked to see him but needed a wee! When I got back from the toilet, I gave him a hug. He said that he was partying in London with his friend and didn't want me to drive back on my own. How lovely and a great surprise!

We wait awhile for the taxi and head home. The cold is biting; so much so that I got a headache and earache! That's it the dream holiday is finally over until next time..so its's goodbye from me and I am planning my retur4n with my family in August 2012 for Crop Over so watch out for Barbados 2012 - The Return!

Some memories of my holiday:

1 The Cliff - fantastic atmosphere, great food and great company;

2 It's a beautiful Island and I actually prefer it to Jamaica;

3 I didn't tire of the food or drink;

4 The people are friendly but the waitresses need to work on their attitude;

5 I didn't miss the kids as much as I thought I would; that's the beauty of skype;

6 Hank is a wind up merchant!

7 Gem can cook like a black woman!

8 The sun agrees with Mum and she can walk a lot further than she thinks;

9 Flying fish at Surfside is the best; and finally:

10 that like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, I didn't have to go beyond my own back yard for Dexter, he was there the whole time!


Jax