My Tobago trip, too Short, too Sweet, and the Toilet on the Seas

Store Bay Tobago... those lovely boats to Buccoo Reef and The Nylon Pool Oct2213 gcw

So far the St Theresa Intermediate Class of 72 Reunion in Trinidad and Tobago has been the vacation of a lifetime of memories.. there is so much to be told, and mere words are not enough to describe.

But, the trip to Tobago, aboard the Spirit inter island cruise ship from Port of Spain is the lasting memory that I will archive with highest record.

One of the best deals anywhere in the world, a 3 hour cruise from Port of Spain to Tobago at a mere $50 TT dollars or the equivalent of $8 US.  With my niece Lisa, buddy Rod, and me, we embarked on our excursion aboard the Spirit Cruise Line of Trinidad and Tobago.  Luckily, and because I wanted to savor the many hours of Tobago for one day, we purchased airline tickets for our return trip.  Again, another wonder of Caribbean bests,  a $24 US Caribbean Airlines flight, 20 mins travel between the islands.  Travel times were as late as 10:30 pm.  I imagined a full day of Tobago activities.

We boarded the Spirit 10:30a and set sail.  With the local cuisine on board, I couldn't wait.  I had to have bake and salt fish buljol with coffee.  There was even a movie playing, Godzilla or something.  The first hour I remember the beauty of the waters and was delightedly struck by the island inlets that seemed to be so close by.

Lisa, reminded me to take a pill for motion sickness as I was suggesting that we should go upfront to the bow of the boat to look at the view.  Somewhere at the point where Lisa was drawing a map on her Samsung Note pad of the route that the boat was taking, to indicate that we were near Macqueripe, my personal Godzilla encounter began.

With an unsteady walk I headed to the closest ladies toilet. There was a lady barfing in the sink. In that stall I began my agony in the garden with every element of body fluid finding passage from mouth and backside in simultaneous symphony.

I did manuevres between sitting on the stool to bending over with my face as close to the toilet water all in one movement.   I then somehow thankfully found the trash bin would work better as the vomit holder, while the toilet bowl captured the remains of the bake and buljol.

I prayed louder than I have ever prayed in years.  All my denials of faith and worship became loud screaming confessions.  I was bawling without shame... Lord  Lord help meh.!!!..  all my lost family members names were called on... Mammy, Daddy, Didi,  Michael, Brian,,, ah go dead!!! my body was wreaking in cold sweat, chills, heat all at the same time.  At some point I wanted to just lie prostrate on that floor and pray to wake up feeling somewhat relieved.

Thanks to some mental vanity.... I just couldn't see me arriving in Tobago, smelling and looking like shit with a smile of faint welcome.

Then with the help of some lovely attendant, and my niece Lisa, I emerged from my vaporous dungeon as the boat docked.  Two hours after.

I was still light headed and I barely remember the taxi driver who took us to Store Bay.  But I felt he was looking at me in the back seat and praying that his taxi was not going to be part of my exit strategy for any remnants of sea sickness.

Store Bay was the answer.. After getting up enough energy to get into that beautiful calming soothing and refreshingly healing salt water... I began to breathe life again.  Did you think that I was going to be enthusiastic, when the Buccoo Reef and Nylon Pool tour guide came along and suggested a boat ride????  My absolute biggest missed opportunity.  I begged him please don't ask.

With as many pictures that I have taken to capture moments of my visit to Trinidad and Tobago... would you believe, there are only 4....pics of my Robinson Crusoe Isle of Tobago visit in over 20 years.

No worries... I am not Cruise ship material... I know for sure.  For my Tobago,  I have the undulating memory ....steeped in the Toilet on the Seas.

feeling better after ginger beer at Kariwak Village Restaurant