transportation and driving...

May 28, 2012
I think I have been super lucky (for many reasons) namely that I am in the first wave of volunteers.  The next two waves will be arriving in the middle of the season and won’t get thorough training, just kind of thrown in, learning as they go.  So, I am super happy as I don’t have a science/biology/marine studies/ecology/etc unlike my fellow volunteers…. This would be kind of challenging otherwise!  Tonight we start the regular schedule (as in you are assigned either a day or night shift and do not have to do both as we have been doing for the last weeks).  I am assigned night patrol all week – 8pm to 4am…. However, it does mean that I get the day to sleep + explore + snorkel!

Little discoveries:
Stumbled upon a little shack with a band playing outside and barrel grill called The Golden Anchor – so much fun!  We "limed" there all night!
Barbados also had a 3-day weekend…. Today is considered “Whit” Monday and is a bank holiday.  Most bajans took this opportunity to lime on all the beaches with big groups of friends or family and loads of fantastic smelling food (it was super hard to focus on turtle activities with it wafting everywhere)!
Took a little me time to explore Holetown (just north of Paradise Beach where I am).  Holetown has some shops, shacks, and some nice beaches.  It was a short bus ride along the west coast to get there, and since I decided to go for a few hours in the middle of the day it was super hot so I didn’t feel like walking.

Transportation:

We drive Toyotas when we are doing project activities or going to the grocery store.  They are super old and we have to be mindful of many things that may need to (or should) be fixed.  Whatever you paid for a car stateside, double it, and that is about how much they cost out here.  So the project can’t really afford to upgrade the cars.

On our own time we can’t use the cars so we take the bus.  I think I mentioned they are fairly easy to catch, just stick your hand out – even if you aren’t at a bus stop.  They are all $2 barbados ($1US).  Some will give you change, some won’t.  So far I know how to get as far north as Speightstown, and as far south as Bridgetown, all though I think I have figured out how to get to Oistins too.  The big regular size buses run all the time.  The smaller, van like ones I see a lot, but I haven’t noticed them as much during the day.

Driving:

Bajans are CRAZY drivers!  They drive sooooo fast!  They rarely if ever signal and honk as signal that they will wait for you to turn.  As I have been driving more now, I am starting to get a used to it…but not really!  The roads are very narrow and are typically not marked well (or at all).  One might even think they look like wide one way streets, but no they are two-way roads.  The interior highways are a little better marked, but have random “give way” signs that seem illogical (I am so glad they were pointed out to me, so I know to look).  Last night my navigator told me to take a road that I was 100% sure was NOT a road.  I thought it looked like a drain.  But no, it was indeed a one way road and somehow to my extreme disbelief I made it through!  And taking the local volunteers home has to be my worst nightmare for the same reason!!!  All the little, beat up roads… I am soooooo nervous for later this week when I have to start dropping off people alone at 4am….YIKES….I may never find my way home!