A Tropical Adventure - 1

When we set off on our two-year contract in Jamaica we asked both sets of parents to come out and visit us - confident that my well-travelled parents would take up the offer, and equally certain that Mrs MW's parents wouldn't - her father refused to fly so the furthest they had been was Italy.

To our surprise and disappointment my father refused to come, even though he could have done the journey by ship, so my mother asked Gill's mother, Bea, if she would accompany her - and, to everyone's surprise, she jumped at the chance.

While in Jamaica Bea kept a diary. This is the first of two entries from it, from the day she arrived in the country after a thirteen hour flight from the UK.



March 17th 1974 - Sunday

Disturbed night with barking of dogs and crowing of cocks. Awake at 4.30am. New bird songs and a beautiful humming bird in the garden - so tiny. I find the colour here fascinating - garden full of lovely tropical flowers - hibiscus (red, pink-yellow, etc), pride of Barbados (lovely flame-coloured flowers), cactus (in bud), banana trees, etc. I did a few arrangements for Gill but found the hibiscus did not last - seemed to last only one day after being picked.

Spent an easy day - in the afternoon went across to the school. Can well understand Jonathan getting depressed about things - broken windows, general air of neglect - although an enormous expansion is planned (1000 pupils during the day but evening classes as well). School starts at 7.30am finishes at 2.30pm.

Very tired in the evening - had to go to bed before the others.