The bad side of St Maarten

I had an unfortunate incident today, the first really bad side of Caribbean I've seen since coming here. I was coming back down from the horses and I heard an awful screaming from a dog, yelping and obviously in a lot of pain. I looked down to the beach and saw its owner (I assume) pulling at its leg, almost breaking it. I have no idea why the dog would have deserved that, but in my opinion there's nothing he could have done to warrant it for so long.

Given there were a lot of tourists around gasping at the scene, and the fact I'm an animal lover, I shouted at him would he mind not killing his dog on our beach. I was so angry I was physically shaking and stormed over past the bar, yelling out, "What the hell do you think you're doing??!!" only to get the bar lady telling me to be quiet, it was his dog, he could do what he wanted, it wasn't our place to yell and get angry. What, so I have to stand there while the guy practically breaks the dog's leg?? Don't think so.

So, so angry I was. Then the bar lady tells J and he starts having a go at me, telling me I'm not in Australia anymore and these kind of guys would likely come and punch me to the ground for my trouble. Awesome. Now I've got a black dot next to my name and have to be EXTRA careful on the streets. But seriously, if that's the way people in the Caribbean act with shit like this, what a fucked place to live.

Later on I told A, the boss' wife, and she being a strong-willed woman too agreed with my sentiments. Good! At least I had her on my side! I thought I was going crazy there for a second, getting vex over something like this. Brrrrr... shake it off!!

In my fury, I texted my boy to come online as I had a 2-hour lunch break and didn't mind having an ear to vent to. I did mention, in the somewhat badly worded text, that "something bad happened" so of course that got his drunk head in a tizz n he was messaging and messaging to no reply. This was because my phone has been in and out of reception recently at work so nothing came through.

Halfway through the lesson I was pulled in last minute to do with the camp kids (that was fun...), he calls me all worried and pissed off he didn't get any replies. I tried to calm him quickly as it was bad timing and he ended up just hanging up quite abruptly. Never got to text him back when I was free later, either, cos my phone wasn't working still.

So this, on top of my already annoyed mood (getting pulled off trails to cover kids riding lessons didn't do much for my tip jar), was not really something I needed. I know he was just concerned, and I'm very touched by that, considering it was pretty much my fault I got him in a tizz, but to get all angry... I'M the one who was meant to be angry in the first place! This just throws it all out of whack!

My day started out OK. Had a family of Aussies on my first ride, funnily enuf they were the least polite when it came to the end. No tip - though that was expected - but not even a thank you, they just walked off halfway through one of my sentences explaining where the bathrooms were. Geez, I hope they don't act like that everywhere! Give Aussies a bad name.

Had another ride, cruise ship as well, with a birthday boy turning 10 who was super impressed with everything on the ride. The whole time I could hear him going on about how this was the best birthday present ever, how amazing riding on his own was, how he couldn't wait for the water... Nice to hear, and surely a great memory for him and his family.

Didn't hear anything back from my travel agent, which is unusual since he is usually on the ball with these things, so no movement on booking my flight home. Days like today kinda make me wanna push it forward, but to be honest the dates I'm thinking of are not THAT far away anyway. I want to make the most of the island while I'm here. There's still that 'To Do' list to get through, after all...

The days are certainly getting colder - I sat in my wet boardshorts on lunch as I often do except today they were almost freezing on my skin. Later in the evening I put on my around-the-house summer dress and went to the megastore cash n carry place with A, freezing inside the air con place and outside with the rain and wind whipping up. She took an age to come out and when she did, the trolley was overflowing... "just need to get some dog food" I remember her saying as we walked from the car.

My boy called me while I was waiting, killed some time at least. He'd just woken up in a friend's hotel room after I night on it, had some stories to tell he couldn't tell me then, and we talked through what happened today. I am blessed to have him so concerned and I do feel bad for making him so worried. I need to sort my words out - and I'm meant to be the writer of the two of us! Next he'll be overboiling the eggs and burning the bacon!

Toasty warm with chicken curry

Thank goodness I was picked up from the random train station I got off at - it´s moments like these I wish I was a little more organised, like maybe have the address or full name of the people I was staying with, you know, just in case I actually didn´t have a lift and was stuck at the station forever and ever. Just a thought.

Anyway, I am now safe n sound in G´s house fully fed up with a nice chicken curry dinner and satisfied I have been for a ride in the forest. But fuck me it was cold. Not as cold as last time though, so I have to be thankful for that. But I wore one less jacket and by the end of the ride, I was rethinking just why I did that. And my flimsy stockings did almost nothing under my jodphurs. This Aussie just cannot dress for winter!!

I am currently entertaining the thought of South America for next year. Yes, yes I know I change my mind every second day but I am really vibing on this South America idea. I am thinking maybe I could hook up some work at a hostel for free accomm and food or whatever, and just work some Sophie deLightful magic in town til I find something to do for actual cash. Hopefully stay there for a few months... Otherwise just bail and go work on a farm somewhere in South America.

F-f-f-freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezing

Two days in and I am relaxed. Sober but relaxed. I have a feeling this will be another unintentional detox stint but I guess it's all for the greater good. Today I rode shortly on G's beloved horse and got good feedback, so I'll be able to ride her again whenever I want. Maybe do some training as well. Speaking of, in the afternoon I worked with J to work her 2 horses in the little indoor arena they have.

It's still friggin freezing here. I have to put on my warmest jacket, thick gardening gloves, a scarf, my thick head scarf, thick socks and boots before venturing outside. It was sprinkling with snow earlier today and while that was actually quite pretty, it's still so DAMN COLD. I forgot that some parts of the world get this cold. Why aren't I helping in Tenerife or something??? At least I'm not in Munich, where news reports say there has just been a big dumping of snow. Just missed that one - phew!

The horses' water is always almost completely frozen and I have to pick up the shit before it too freezes into the ground. We can't use the outside taps cos that water is all frozen too. Sometimes I am scared to go outside. But then I grow a pair, put another pair on and brave it. Mostly it's not so bad because once I start moving around, I can feel my extremities again and all is well.

I am trying desperately to find a way to get to Bratislava cheaply... at the moment it is not so easy but I am sure I'll work something out. I hope...

When the scooter hire man says pack warm, LISTEN to him

Woke today by alarm to ready myself for this trip to some wavey beaches around the coast from Lagos, with my new Aussie friend from the hostel and a guy who works at the hostel. Unsurprisingly, the guy never turned up so me and C were forced to take action on Plan B and hire a scooter to travel around the place. We could've taken the bus but this way was funner and not much more expensive!
So we trekked around trying to find a bike hire place that didn't close for siesta and eventually got the goods. I was relegated the back seat seeing as the bike was a little more powerful (usually u need a bike licence but C owns one in Australia and telling the scooter man this seemed to suffice any rules he previously didn't want to break. Before we left, he said 'you want to take something warm, it will get cold later on' to which we both shrugged and said 'we'll b fine'. Big mistake.
Traveling to the beaches we chose the scenic route and saw some beautiful views, including quite a few really nice beaches, some old fortress ruins and a really pretty sunset. C kept laughing as we stopped and he'd turn around to hear me chomping on some of my bread and brie I'd stocked up on before we headed out. Good shit that was. So so tasty.
But, as the day wore on we started getting a liiiiiittle cool as the wind picked up. Some roads we just sat in silence as the wind stripped tears from our eyes through our sunglasses and the gales tickled the tyres from the gravel. This was serious scooter time. C was getting really cold cos he was at the front and so once we got to Sagres (where I drank a Sagres beer, just for the sheer cheesiness of it) he couldn't even entertain the idea of going to the lighthouse, the most westerly point of Europe.
So we headed to Castelejo to see this sunset the scooter man suggested. Wind was still high so we stayed for a couple of mins on the lookout before retreating lower to the restaurant and less wind. A quick bite and lay on the early evening sand, a nice sunset (though not the best I've seen) and we were OUTTA THERE. Hometime. We wrapped ourselves up in our towels, longed to be able to use our sunglasses at night to protect ourselves from getting bug face, and ventured to the cliff-hugging road back to Lagos.
Stopped in to get some petrol, by which time I was in a fit of giggles from how stupid we looked and how cold we were, and it took all my strength to get on and hold tight to C to try and warm him with body heat. Funnily enuf, we got back in 1/3 of a the time it took to get there and it couldn't have been quicker. My toes were frozen from being so exposed to the night air and every muscle ached from holding tight.
Now I'm waiting for C to come knockin' to try this 8 euro set menu from across the rd. If the restaurant is still open by the time we go! yum yum for my tum tum