The Caribbean Sucks

The second day started worse than the second. Still unable to get much sleep and this time the solo mosquito managed to find my left hand a suitable dinner invitation a few times.

Lacking any air conditioner in my room, meant that I had the huge fan blowing all night and this combined with the constant motor cycles nearby were the main reasons for my lack of sleep.

The heat again started at about 7am and then again the rain came down around lunchtime and did not let up until about 8pm.

Despite the weather I did manage to get a few emails off, find a truly universal plug adapter so that I could recharge my mobile phone and got a few postcards to send when I get back home - as I never trust the foreign postal service of places I'm staying in.

Sosua is a run down and tired little town. Much like Penang, but far less developed, far less friendly from the people, and of course much smaller as well.

I once said that all anyone needs to do is spend a little bit doing up Penang, well to do the same for Sosua first of all you would need something to begin with. However looking around there isn't a lot there to provide as ground zero.

With no other english speaking guests ( not even the almost obligatory Auzzie backpacker ) I decided to try and find a few people who might speak english in the many bars that seem to be the only other places for tourists.

During the day the place was still either hiding from the heat or the rain and even the bars only had a few german speaking tourists to watch the world cup.

As it got dark around 7pm I decided to try the local night life but wasn't surprised when it was as dead as the day life. I finaly got to a place where there was a few people that could speak english however I had not read the hotel small print before I left.

Apparently the area is also meant to be dangerous with substance users, gangs and women-of-the-night heavily affecting the region.

So although it being only 8pm, when I somewhat naively invited a local to share a few drinks with me in my hotel, the prices being a lot cheaper, I did not expect the spanish inquisition from the hotels night porter. Neither did i expect, or was prepared to, pay extra for a second person for the duration of my entire stay and sign them in with proof of all their legal documentation.

And all for a few drinks cos I was lonely in a foreign country and wanted to talk to someone in english ... I ask you ... what is the world coming to?

And have I told you about the power cuts ... frequent and always irritating.

Well that's enough for now, got to go.