Hurricane Erm hits St Maarten

I tossed n turned into the morning, such was my excitement about the oncoming change in weather. Erm, one of my best friends from high school, was due to arrive at lunchtime for 12 days of fun and frivolity, including New Years Eve and a trip to St Thomas. I was bursting at the seams.

I went to Seaside in the morning to check the plane's status (on time) and try to organise a hire car. I had asked days in advance but things working on Caribbean time, I found I was still searching on the day and to no avail... busy season was well n truly in swing n no cars were available til January. Of the cheap friend of a friend variety anyway.

Thankfully, at Seaside I saw N and she offered her car to pick up Erm from the airport. So I went, with her 10-year-old daughter in tow, to do my errands (including sending off my travel insurance for my camera and cashing my pay cheque - woot!!) then collect the tired little friend from her 38-hour journey. Took a while for her to get out of the airport, kept thinking they'd lost her luggage, but eventually she was there. I held up a sign saying "Erm" and all these people kept screwing their eyes up to read it in case it was their resort. Sorry, all rooms are full at this inn.

First stop - home. Shower. Change. Beach. We exchanged Christmas presents - me getting a cute horsey ring, friendship band and pretty hippy skirt, her getting a bottle of local guava berry alcohol. Got ourselves ready and took the car back to Seaside, then off to Mullet Bay, the beach with the best name in the entire world. More likely to see a pair of tits than a bad haircut there, though.

Stopped by Top Carrot for some veggie food, and said hi to L who was around the corner, then caught the bus. We were the only people on the bus there, and our driver stopped to get a drink. I asked if we could drink beer on the bus then, and he misunderstood and said he'd buy us a beer. So we got free beer, saving ours for the beach!

One thing I really noticed when E arrived was how worried she was about things I now just take it the norm. Like drinking a beer walking the streets or smoking in a restaurant... she kept asking if it was OK, where she should stand, if we'll get in trouble... reminded me how over-regulated Australia is.

Didn't have a lot of time at Mullet as the afternoon was wearing thin, and it also poured with rain for 10 minutes, enuf to clear the beach. After it stopped, we walked to Maho to see the planes come in. Got some cool photos, had some beers, met some people dog-sitting a gorgeous young Doberman, got swept along the beach by the plane engine walking to Sunset Bar, where we procured a drink from some guys and I got E to try guava berry on ice. It's an interesting taste...

Heard La Bamba was the place to be that night, as it was Tuesday Salsa, but we were dressed for the beach so we went home to change. L met us for La Bamba and then we met Le on the road, who came along too for a couple of drinks before work. Stopped at the schwarma place to give E a try.

E looked stunning in a new summer dress so of course it didn't take long to get noticed at La Bamba. I hung back and spoke with the guys while she made friends. It was a fun night but I was tired and had to work the next day so I left her to her own devices, with her new friends, and walked home with L who would have rathered stay and chase E but realised he was not going to be her first choice that night. Kinda erked me the way he was, and reminded me that he is indeed just another guy. And nowhere NEAR my guy. He da BOMB.