Day 30 1/2/2017 Tobago

Another early up and about and planning timings with slow walks.  8.25 a.m. in the Theatre Royal! Delayed because the port area is small and 160 of us were about to go 20 at a time in minibuses on Highights of Tobago and a Folkloric performance.

Hot! 30C and lovely.  Showers predicted but not on our tour.  Victor was our tour guide and main man today. He told us a lot about customs, the landscape and a bit about the political landscape.  The most memorable for me were bursting Bamboo, where young me used petrol and a rag inside a stick of bamboo (sounding very like petrol bombs) , Goat Racing and Crab Racing!!!!

Cultural Show

Tobago is the smaller island of Trinidad and Tobago with about 60,000 population.  we started with a drive to Scarborough, then on to another ancient fort, this time the King George, with its views towards Tobago on the east. Next came Fort James in Plymouth, the tomb of Betty Stiven 1783 with its mystery inscription, possibly a code for local pirates,

Our tour showed us everything Caribbean for the last time - palm trees, coconut, bananas, sea grapes, sugar and rum.  It also incorporated a museum at the first fort, a heritage centre and Boccoo beach. There is another beach which we heard of but didn't visit - Turtle Beach where turtles lay there eggs in the sand ready for hatching and making their own perilous way down to the beach.  I've seen this on David Attenborough's programmes but being here made it feel special, wish it had been the season for it, and that we'd been able to see part of it.

Now that Nick Owen and his partner has left the ship we have two new neighbours, speaker Pam Rhodes and partner Richard, who we had already clocked because of Richard's long  hair in a pony tail.  He is growing his hair for charity for 5 years! He has a long pony tail already. Before joining Oriana they have just had a week in Barbados. Turns out we have two mutual friends, Charlotte and Lisa and  thanks to Lisa (and Messenger we are now in direct contact. :)

We were late leaving Tobago because of engine maintenance and announcement about slight changes in schedule ,  but nothing affecting our stops. Captain very diplomatic and keeps us fully and promptly informed.  We are beginning to recognise when an apology is about to come on the in cabin speakers.  He has apologised many times for the "inconveniences" but fortunately we are not really inconvenienced at all by any late starts or late arrivals, and there's no need for him to apologise for the weather!

Our entertainment tonight in the Theatre Royal is a four piece harmony group called The 4 Tunes.  they're not bad at all.  We saw them last year on Aurora and have quite a varied repetoir