The Parting of the Ways: Wednesday

Diane, Heather, Lesley, Alex and Anna-Maria opted for a visit to the plantation house of St Nicholas Abbey - a very mellow, beautiful old house, abundant with tropical flora and fauna, (Lesley was impressive with her knowledge of dendrobium which is still a working sugar plantation with a rum distillery. The complimentary rum punch was absolutely, definitely the best yet, and believe me, we have tried quite a few now and are quite expert in this field!

Orvis, our taxi driver was magnificently safe compared to the reggae buses and dropped us back to Holetown for groceries. Diana popped into the local magistrates court for a quick comparison, but was not allowed in as she was not sufficiently clad for the occasion.

Meanwhile, Su, Ros and Ana took a bus from Speightstown across to the Atlantic coast at Bathsheba. We hopped on like locals, took up the back seats again, and held on for dear life as the music blared and we shot up and down hills, through banana fields and sugar cane plantations to the other side of the island.

The view didn't disappoint: huge waves rolling and crashing across each other and around huge rocks that looked as though they had been dumped there by a mighty hand. Bit disappointed not to find any gorgeous shells though.

Wandered into the local, (and only) bar where locals sat inside in the dark drinking rum and watching TV, while tourists were sitting outside (on two stacked plastic chairs for some reason) having a meal and trying to look around a massive cement mixer across to the view of the famous beach.

Su asked the young waitress if there was a menu. Stupid really as it was hardly Claridges. The girl said yes, "We have chicken and rice; or fish and rice."

Fish it was. Mahi Mahi again. Delicious.

Dateline: Westshore 5pm

Jamal, our jet ski instructor arrived late afternoon to take Su, Heather, Ana and Ros for a highspeed tour of the bay pointing out Simon Cowell's holiday retreat (just a few doors down). hopefully the gripping finger prints left by Heather on his chest as she was clinging on for dear life have now subsided - Lesley may well break his ribs tomorrow when he returns to take her and Anna-Maria for a run.

Great fun with champagne, rum punch and silly games on the beach watching the sun go down - Ros and Ana won prizes for the Wheelbarrow, Heather for cartwheels, Su for bunny jumps and Alex has now learned how inadvisable it is to do headstands on the beach when the tide is coming in!

All in all a very busy day, with very little relaxation time, after the usual early morning swim/beach walk, several idyllic strolls along the beach to the fish shop and fruit stall (opening times can be random, fish supplies fluctuating) and a late evening visit to the Ramshackle - as it sounds, a higgledy piggledy bar on several wooden platforms set in the cliffs on the beach. Great fun but rum punch not as good as Juliana's!

FOOTNOTE: In case you were wondering - Anna-Maria, Heather, Lesley and Diane were sitting on a four line privy at the plantation house. Not entirely sure why. Group therapy?