Back to... no tips? Grrr.

Back in St Maarten and back to work. And man, I needed it, after spending spending spending my way into 2012. To be fair, I was quite good with my money and come out with a few hundred to spare, even enuf to buy my boy a new camera and send it back with E.

What I didn't count on the next morning was rain. My first thought: shit, no rides, no tips. And that was how it went. J and I worked all day and it wasn't until the afternoon I got a ride. Man, that day was boring! And to make it worse, it was residents so they didn't tip a thing. I often wonder if these people think we're on some mega good salary, or if they are themselves, or if they would get pissed off if I got a service off them and didn't tip them. But it amazes me how no residents ever seem to tip.

It was T, the Dutch intern's last day before his 2 weeks holiday and then home, so I took him and R, the office manager for a brief ride. Neither could ride very well, but T just hangs on, so he was fine when we went faster. R, on the other hand, was a little stiffer and rode English so had much less to hold onto and plop! Off she came. At first I was worried then she got off, brushed herself and said, "Well, my brother always says you're not a rider til you fall off!" Phew! At least she was still smiling.

The best part of my day was going home with E and seeing that she'd spent the whole morning cleaning my bedroom and packing, and it was spotless. Finally! She'd also finally gotten into Philipsburg after every bus and taxi seemed to pass her by, and bought a camera for A.

I'd clued up T that E thought he was a bit cute, and he was keen as for a bit of Aussie lovin' so invited us out to his final night dinner at Peg Leg's Steakhouse. With 3 more workmates in tow, we waited for To pick us up in his friend's car. Up he pulled, cranking the Eurotrash dance music and waving his arm out the window as every Dutch person seems to do, cling wrap holding the passenger side window of the car together. Pure class.

At Peg Leg's, everyone decided to make it a massive debate about whether to eat there or not, and we eventually settled on going for "one drink" and some appetisers at Peg Leg's since T had a voucher to use. Well, we got on the Cafe Petrons and before we knew it, the bill was over $200 and we'd drunk ourselves silly and even eaten dinner. The other 3 workmates were not so keen, going to Burger King for dinner and coming back n forth, undecided about staying with these 3 white drunks.

There was talk of going to Soggy Dollar, a cheesy club favoured by Dutch interns, but I wasn't into it. I was more than happy to leave E and T to enjoy their last moments in St Maarten together. And I doubt either would have complained at my decision. I had to work the next day (as appealing as work was to me at this point) and I thought they might get jiggy wit it anyway.

Got home and didn't really sleep all that well. Was worried E would come home too late for her flight, even though I KNEW she would never miss it. But I couldn't help worrying, and it was hot anyway so hard to sleep. But sure enuf, she came in about 4am, and got about an hour sleep before getting up to ready herself for her flight home. Sad times.