Yesterday I went hiking on the East Coast at Barclays Park (near Bathsheba) with Joseph and Sunera (see photo). We climbed Chalky Mountain, which despite its name does not contain any actual chalk. It is quite dusty though.
It was an absolute blast but the trail we went on was more difficult than I had predicted. My decision to wear shorts and sandles quickly revealed itself to be extremely DUMB when we started wakling through knee high grasses and climbing up 45 degree, rocky inclines. The biggest problem was that the velcro on my sandles frequently came undone due to my sweat weakening the bond between the two sides. This made hiking up the inclines incredibly dangerous; to be honest, I'm lucky to have walked away without a major cut injury. Half way through the hike, a woman in the group who must have noticed the trouble I was having with my sandles offered me a piece of wire she found on the ground to use to tie the straps in place. This worked surprisingly well, although it did cut into my foot quite a bit.
Other than the footwear issues, the hike was a complete joy. It was a great workout and the scenery was stunning. The East Coast of Barbados is the least developed part of the island and there is lots of untouched land remaining. The East Coast is also the hilliest (and thus the oldest, geologically) part of the island, so there are some really nice valleys hidden amongst the small but steep hills. Also, the East Coast faces the Atlantic Ocean, so the waters are much rougher but also much more interesting as a result. I was genuinly surprised by the quality, quantity, and variety of natural beauty this island possesses; at various points during the hike I came across cacti, bamboo, sugar cane, and many other types of vegetation.
Here are some photos from the top of Chaulky Mountain. The guy in the hat is the main guide and the one who organizes these weekly hikes. He shared some great stories with us from his childhood.
After the hike we went to Bubba's sports bar in the South Coast, which is where Joseph recommends I watch NFL games every Sunday. After eating there I can see why he likes the place! The food is good and the portions generous. The best part was the pitcher of Banks beer we shared; there's nothing like the taste of a well earned beer. Also, there are so many TVs at Bubbas that I have no doubt I'll be able to watch the Giants/Jets play every Sunday.
That's all that happened on Sunday. I will combine my experience today and tomorrow into one post for tomorrow. Lots going on at UWI, so stay tuned!
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