a lot of the caribbean

As part of my new...I.dont know what to call it...perhaps...sentence..I have been lucky enough to travel to the caribbean territories of the EU.

Aruba, Montserrat, Statia, Bonaire, Curacao, BVI, TCI and now I'm in anguilla

It's been a good run..but for how long again? 

sint eustatius...not a church

One thing that I must admit is that this job is taking me places. Yes the pace is hectic - the reporting a bit bulky but wow o wow talk about new experiences!

So after leaving Aruba, I had a ONE night layover in Trinidad before heading to Sint Maarten to go to my next location.

Sint Eustatius. Never heard of it, had to look on a map for it and realised that it's the next door neighbor of St Kitts and Nevis...buuut Dutch.

Oh colonisers...sigh.

Anyways Sunday lunchtime, myself and two other work colleagues set off on the adventure of getting.to Sint Eustatius..on an 18 seater airplane (whaaaaaaat!!) that ALSO made a stop in Saba which boasts the shortest intl runway in.the world.

A princely length of 400METRES!! It was shitting terrifying (excuse my french) as the runway is surrounded by SHARP CLIFF!!

Anyways, the fact that I am.writing this means that ive made it to and from safely but if there's a boat option to Saba, I'll be first in line to be honest.

So.we get to Statia and wow..the airport immigration is a line by a table outside the airport, a panel van dropps off the luggage on a wooden table.and.you're in in about 10 minutes. Customs, immigration. Done!

So we meet our driver Bobby (sweet little ole man) and he takes us through what can only be described as virgin, untouched, quaint and.romantic town centre and hotel area at the harbour.

Really beautiful. I'll let the pics speak for themselves.

So we had 3 days of intense consultations and site visits as part of the programme..but the island is so small we probably drove around it 3 times!

Funnily enough I met two Jamaicans (an invasive species - inside joke) working in.Statia in.very senior positions in government! Normally we say you can find a trini anywhere, but I believe these two have us beat!

It was gorgeous. Not the sun, sea, sand (no sand for sure) gorgeous but the untouched and untainted. I look forward to returning.

development

There is deep-seated corruption in this development agenda / practice

"Consultants" lining their pockets is the real goal it seems.