Just Chillin...

Barbados! Another amazing exotic island to go to and experience. It was a much different experience than Antigua. Antigua was more of a relax-and-do-nothing holiday and Barbados was more of a lets-go-all-out-there holiday. The place where I stayed at was still beautiful. There was still clear waters that surrounded the island and white sand beaches that stretched out into the distance. Our beach stretched out for a mile. A mile of white soft sand.

However the beaches were still amazing but the wildlife beats Antigua by a small margin. From crabs to turtles. You could still see turtles in Antigua but in Barbados you could have the experience of swimming with them. It was definetly a experience you wouldn't say no too and it was certainly a highlight of this holiday. You travelled on a glass bottom boat, just a little way out of the bay, then you would stop and there they were. Waiting for you. Drifting in and out of other turtles. There must of been at least seven. They swam elegantly around you, like you weren't there or like you were one of them.

It wasn't just green back turtles I saw on the island of Barbados but I also saw monkeys. This was unexpected! Out of thin air they appeared one by one. Swinging from tree to tree, walking along the branches, casually eating chunks of apple, ignoring you as you walked past. They would suddenly stop and stare if they sensed a camera pointing towards them, just so you could get a great snap shot. The locals would just walk past them as if they were passing people in the street. I would just stand there and watched them with their day-to-day life like it was something amazing.

Before I flew over Bardabos I was thinking if it was a flat island, considering Barbados is the most developed island for tourists to go to. But as you fly over the island you'll see rolling hills, and hidden with in the hills are said to be the "eighth natural wonder of the world" to the people of Barbados. From the Aurora Borealis to the Victoria falls, the "eighth wonder of the natural world" lies beneath the hills of Barbados... Harrisons Cave! I know it doesn't sound fancy like the Aurora Borealis but it certainly had a bewitching charm to it. It seemed like it was raining inside the cave and it was a very unique natural wonder! There was pillars which were hanging on the roof of the cave and standing up on the floor on the cave. These were called Stalactites (these were hanging down like chandeliers) and Stalagmites (these grow through the floor of the cave.) The Stalagmites were gathered together to make a little "village". A steam of fresh pure water entwines through the stalagmites which leaves you with a stunning picture.

Jet Skiing! One word that describes this water thrill is WOW! One saying they say in Barbados is "Do it on water". It's one of the best things I've ever done! As the passenger, it's about the wind and the sea in your face. As the driver, it's about the speed. And this was the best part. I've always wanted to go jet skiing however I didn't think I would be the one driving! You really feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins. It's amazing! When I was the passenger I had the urge to let go and to the Titanic pose like they did on the front of the boat. However I didn't, I thought it would be best if i saved it for the next I went on. Barbados is definetly one of the greatest places I've been too.  The whole experience of swimming with turtles, the caves and jet skiing were extraordinary! This is certainly a holiday I would always remember!

Hello from paradise

A slice of paradise! The island of Antigua. With its clear blue seas and white stretches of sand. When I mean white sand, I mean white. I thought the adverts would lie about the sea and sand, but i was wrong, it was a picture perfect postcard from paradise.

It's the best place I've been for a long time. It was somewhere I could think; a space to breath; a place where you could escape to and forget about the worries of everyday life. The silence was somehow calming and relaxing. You could just sit there without being pestered. It was perfect. It was tranquil.

I stayed at a hotel called Hawksbill Bay. One of the 365 beaches on this small, exotic island. One for every day of the year. Hawksbill Bay is located in the Five Island Peninsula, five minutes from the capital, St John. A large rock, about half a mile offshore from Hawksbill Bay, is shaped like the head of a hawksbill turtle which gives the place its name. Another place I went to, which is said to be the best place to watch the sunset was Shirley Heights, English Harbour. This was on the south coast of the island. Shirley Heights looked over the boats and yachts. I don't know why it's called English Harbour beacuse the atmosphere was so bright and lively, with traditional Caribbean steel drums playing , the sound of laughter and the orange sun sinking behind the sea to end another day. It was nothing like England.

It wasn't just the beauty of the landscape which made Antigua so special for me but the wildlife was out of this world. They were all stunning in their own unique way. The mixture of colours and personalities were amazing. The birds especially were the ones which stood out. They skimmed the water so elegantly, without touching the still water, however watching them was like nothing like a piegon flying over your garden wall.

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The sea, the sand, the people, the food and the atmosphere were captivating. I've got to say a thanks to Virgin Atlantic, who gave us six free travel-anywhere-you-want tickets with Virgin Atlantic, switched us to a British Airways flight and gave us $65 each for food and drink at some fancy cricket hotel. It was great. We used the tickets to go Barbados, it's still very beautiful too because everyehere in the caribbean is, but it wasn't a patch on Antigua. It made me think that maybe it was meant to be, to show me that such a small island can stick out from the crowd. And it did. It was certainly a slice of paradise!