Carribean conclusion!!

The worlds largest cruise liner,Allure Of The Seas.

The sunsets were staggering!!!!!!!!!

makes a change from the camo gear as I try to look posh!!!!

Giles and Harriet loved the beaches.

Very colurful!

Stunning views at St Kitts.

Lisa`s Diamond ring,what an escapade!!!

As we docked in St Maarten early morning ,the captain announced that the worlds biggest cruise liner was in berth,the Allure Of The Seas.She can carry 6000 passengers and has a crew of about 1500,she really was a delight to see and made our vessel look quite small in comparison.On this particular day there were 5 cruise liners that arrived simultaneously at St Maarten,no wonder the local shopkeepers and jewelers were rubbing their hands, as I guesstimated that would account to nearly 20,000 tourists visiting this tiny island.

Lisa was adament that she wanted a nice diamond ring to take home, and as this was the diamond capitol of the Carribean there was no better place to look.I was well prepared for this, so time was spent in a few jewelers looking for a bargain.The shopkeepers know every trick in the book, trying to ply you with free cocktails and spirits to loosen your wallet,of course I took full advantage,knowing that Lisa already knew the type and style of ring that she wanted!After a good couple of hours looking and bartering,a diamond ring was duly ordered and paid for,lisa was over the moon,I was broke!!Returning at 3.00pm to pick up the ring ,lisa noticed it had been set into the wrong mount..disaster....,the boat left promptly at 5.00pm, would they have it ready in time,they assured me it would be ready for 4.15.I sent the familly back to the boat and I stayed behind,3.45,4.00,4.30 and still no sign, panic set in, as it was a 15 min water taxi and 5 min walk to the ship,4.35 and it arrived,I didn`t even check it,grabbing the small box and making a mad dash for the quayside,now if youve ever tried running in a pair of flip flops after being plied with strong rum punch you can imagine the scene,I must have resembled some maniac tourist!!Anyway 4.55 and I`m back at the ship with lisa waiting at the bottom of the gangway,I was apparently the last one back but I made it.The ships don`t wait for anyone as a few unlucky passengers found to their cost,...phew what a day it had been ...get me a stiff drink please!!!!

We headed for St Kitts, were we took a ride on the local buses,they would only charge you a few dollars each and take you on a mini tour of the island, showing you some of the local landmarks and superb beaches!! The children wanted to take advantage of the local watersports on hand at the beaches, so they soon found a local centre and hired a jetski for half an hour.

Back on ship the facilities were second to none,it was like a floating 5 star hotel with live entertainment and numerous bars to choose from.There was so much to do,one could never get bored.Throughout the day, on seadays, there was talks on photography,cooking demos,dancing classes.painting classes,sports,quizz shows and a few celebrities were invited on board to give a couple of talks too, namelyFraser Hines (Joe Sugden)from Emmerdale and the retired chief detective from Scotland Yard who gave a talk about Jack the Ripper,and the worlds ten most evil serial killers,he`s uncovered new evidence to who Jack the Ripper actually was!!So to conclude, I`ve wandered off the subject of nature for once and spent a little time describing the places we visited and some of the sights of the Carribean Islands,all I can say is if ever you get the chance to go on a cruise, whether it be round the Med or up the River Nile, grab it with both hands, as its a fantastic experience and one you won`t forget!!Bye for now then,and I hope you enjoy my escapades!!!