Freebird Atlantic

I will now confess to the real purpose of the Skipper plotting to cross the Atlantic, and imposing the high seas on his wife... test matches in the West Indies. Since last posting a blog, we have been following England cricket team on their tour of the West Indies, with mixed success but fun all the way.

England were thrashed by the West Indies in Antigua, but that did not dampen the complete carnival atmosphere of the match. Music booms throughout, after every over and/or boundary, dancing is compulsory (best not to appear on sky tv dancing with the barmy army which was my sin, whoops) the locals bring their tents and barbecues, ample room to sit anywhere, on the grass, in the stand or even on the beach in the party stand. The best fun ever.

We dropped our children, George, Alice and Poppy in St Lucia for the next test match. Sadly we missed it but the consolation was a week of cruising the Grenadines with 100 members of the Squadron, with some extremely glamorous parties and much frivolity.

Then 2 days of One Day Internationals beckoned in Grenada. Sadly the first was rained off, unheard of in Grenada, all rather galling when England was basking in record February temperatures. But all was forgiven when the second ODI offered an epic game which will go down in history. More than 800 runs scored in a day, centuries from Buttler, Morgan and Gayle and 48 sixes scored (many over the entire stand). The stand was packed with Grenadians, the steel band played all day, the noise, dancing and hysteria were wild. As soon as England won by just 29runs, the Grenadans were united in their congratulations to all English spectators. Walking though the town of St George’s immedialtely after the match, all locals were offering congratulations. It was a truly humbling experience. I don’t believe the Londoners would behave in the same way when faced with a close defeat.

The photo is of Freebird flying an MCC flag in Antigua for the MCC dignitaries, and in Grenada.