2015

Wandering Dream
Steve Litson
Fri 2 Jan 2015 02:18
1st January 2015

A Happy new year to all of you. What will 2015 have in store for Wandering Dream and, indeed, for those of us not living the dream in quite the same way as Steve? Whatever,  let's  hope it's a good year for everyone.

2015 got off to a somewhat disastrous start for myself (Penny), Bruce and Denis; we were happily partying at a house belonging to Melizan friends, when midnight struck and the kisses began, but, somehow, don't ask how, you could not have scripted it, as Denis and I wished each other Happy New Year, the content of my recently refilled glass of red wine, flew across the room and explosively deposited itself all over the front of Bruce's smart pale shorts....just his...in the whole room of people. We would have been pretty upset to have caught anyone like this, but after Bruce's kindness and immense generosity over the last two weeks we were even more mortified that he had to spend the first hours of the new year completely drenched in red wine. We are so sorry Bruce, but it can surely only get better through the year!   (And Jane  assures me she has soaked it out now!)

The youths partied at Pigeon Point Beach,  where we had spent a happy rum and coconut  water  infused day on Tuesday. Jane and Bruce seem to know the whole of the white community in Trinidad,  many of whom appear to have come to Tobago for new year. Social groups meet up  and "lime" on the beaches with coolers full of beer and rum, spending the day standing chatting in groups. Rum is a bit of a sneaky assassin it seems, and somewhat caught Theo and Simon out last night!

There were wonderful crashing waves at the paradise beach we went to yesterday, which were tremendous fun....if you were not wearing a string tied bikini....hmm. Least said about that the better; hilarious, apparently! Having suffered this indignity, I was happy to swim beyond the breaking surf to float and converse with the girls!


Steve is poorly, coldly and feverish. We are hoping it is not the nasty mosquito born chicunguna, or ChickV as it is affectionately known here. It starts with a fever, then causes joints to ache acutely, getting better then recurring. It is rife in the area;  amongst many we have met who have contracted it, Bruce's lovely sister has had it for well over a month and still has no strength in her arms. As it only reached T and T this summer, there is no long term prognosis. However, hopefully Steve has just got  a touch of man flu!

So we all abandon Steve tomorrow; we leave behind the heat and humidity, steaming downpours and day long wearing of swimwear for what  we have heard are the sub zero temperatures of Berkshire, and currently unthinkable wearing of scarves and gloves. We exchange  hungry mosquitoes, sun cream and insect repellent for winter moisturisers and central heating, the exotic tropical fauna and flora and Bounty paradise beaches with their white sand, turquoise waters and swaying palms  winter in Britain. We will readjust our palettes to food which is not enhanced with hot pepper sauce,  and re programme our minds for the inevitable pressures of work.

We are hugely indebted to the warmth of Jane and Bruce and their family, who have cheerfully tolerated the Litson family being an ever present part of their lives for 2 weeks, and who have shared their living space and extended family and friends to give us a really Caribbean experience which we could never have encountered through just holidaying here.

And Steve returns to repair the slightly damaged love of his life,  and continue to enjoy all we are leaving behind as he sails up through the West Indian Islands with Denis. It's been great to all be together as a family over Christmas. Again, a big thank you to the Melizans for making this not only possible, but also, huge fun!