GRENADA

We have spent the past week with us getting climatized while Ron continues to fine tune our boat. Our internet understandingly hasn't been high on the priority list. Every once in awhile we luck out and connect into somebodies free wireless.

Lot's of evidence still around of the two hurricanes, Ivan & Emily. Many trees down in the rain forest as well as many new roofs on houses. Ivan was the first hurricane in 49 years to hit Grenada and they were caught unprepared. There is still the odd boat up on shore abandoned as well as the odd house without a roof.

The weather here has been near perfect. Temperatures have been mostly between 25 & 29 with a breeze blowing most of the time. We have had rain, and have been enjoying it as it comes down with a vengence and then is gone.

Quite the experience riding around in the mini buses. For $2.00 EC (80 cents Canadian) you climb aboard a mini van which should seat 10 comfortably and where it is not unusual to see between 16 to 20, one can ride to St Georges (20 minutes away). All this while listening to Reggae or Christmas carrols or Gospel.

We rented a taxi the other day and spent the day touring the rain forest, waterfalls, chocolate factory and a very old rum distillery. Lot's of fun.

Alex has started a scrap book of all the phone numbers she has been given by young men. Both girls have been having fun with all of the attention and Alex especially has been working hard on her tan. Gramma(Ron's mom)has kept us laughing, between having to stand on her toes to see over the customs counter and trying to use the radio mike as an ear piece to saying woohoo on the radio when she mastered using it.

Things that are different in Grenada: driving on the left, light switches switch on by flicking down, everyone has a cell phone, lots of road side fruit stands & vendors, mostly cement houses, doesn't appear to be a drinking age, and nobody moves very fast.