2008 - NCL MAJESTY - CHARLESTON TO BERMUDA

BERMUDA ... EVERYBODY SHOULD GET HERE AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIFETIME

Thu 5 Jun 2008 - Sat 14 Jun 2008
View 2008 NCL - Charleston to Bermuda on hasbeen's travel map.

BERMUDA

ANOTHER PLACE THAT HAS HAD MY ATTENTION FOR A LONG TIME.

IN THE 70'S SOMEWHERE, I WAS FRIENDLY WITH A GUY IN ENGLAND ( WE'LL CALL HIM, DAVE ) WHO APPLIED FOR A JOB HERE IN BERMUDA. THE JOB WAS FOR A ELECTRICIAN. HE WAS AN ELECTRICIAN.

HE TOLD US THE STORY OF HIS INTERVIEW.

HE WAS SHOWN A LARGE ELECTRICAL DIAGRAM WITH LINES GOING EVERY WHICH WAY. THE INTERVIEWER POINTED AT ONE SMALL PART AND ASKED FOR IT TO BE IDENTIFIED. DAVE SHRUGGED. HE DID NOT KNOW.

THE INTERVIEWER TOLD HIM IT WAS A LIGHTBULB.

DAVE GOT THE JOB!

WENT TO BERMUDA & I NEVER SAW HIM AGAIN.

WE WILL DRAW A LINE UNDER THAT.
........................................................................

BUT YOU DON'T GO TO BERMUDA FOR THE ELECTRICITY. IT'S NOT THAT SORT OF PLACE.

VERY LAID-BACK.

ALTHOUGH I FOUND THAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO GET ON THE WRONG SIDE OF ANYONE.

I WAS ON A BUS, AND GOT UP TO GO TO THE FRONT OF THE BUS TO GET OFF AT MY STOP.
THE BUS DRIVER HAD A FIT.
"DO NOT STAND UP BEFORE THE BUS HAS COME TO A STOP!!!!"

JUST ABOUT ANY WHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, IF YOU WAIT FOR THE BUS TO STOP BEFORE TRYING TO GET OFF, YOU WILL BE ON THAT BUS TIL IT RUNS OUT OF GAS.

ANYWAY - ON WITH THE SHOW ...

A COUPLE OF DAYS IN CHARLESTON - SOUTH CAROLINA.

TIME TO HAVE SOME GRITS, VISIT A PLANTATION, CROSS THE HARBOUR, WALK AROUND TOWN AND SHOP AT THE MARKET.

CHARLESTON - A NICE PLACE TO VISIT.

A TRIP TO THE PLANTATION, BOONE IF MEMORY SERVES. AT THIS PLANTATION A GIRL SITS NEXT TO ME ON THE BUS BECAUSE THERE ARE ONLY SINGLE SEATS LEFT. HER FRIEND SITS TWO ROWS DOWN. TURNS OUT THIS PAIR ARE ON THE SAME CRUISE AS ME, WHICH DOES NOT START FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.

THESE ARE SLAVES QUARTERS.

THE OLD PLANTATION HOUSE

END OF THE PLANTATION TOUR & A BUS RIDE INTO TOWN FOR A TRIP ACROSS THE HARBOUR.

I WENT FOR A BITE TO EAT AT A STEAK HOUSE.
THE WAITRESS HAD A BIT OF SPARE TIME AND WAS CHATTY.
I TOLD HER THAT ONE OF THE GIRLS AT MY LOCAL PUB HAD WRITTEN UP THE DAILY SPECIALS ON THE CHALKBOARD.
VIENNA SCHITZEL AND SURPRISINGLY, IT WAS STILL BEING BOUGHT,

SHE WENT AWAY & CAME BACK WITH THIS...

IT WAS NOT UNTIL I GOT TO ITEMS SIX & SEVEN THAT I COTTONED ON.

SOMEONE TOLD ME THIS IS A SHARK. I THINK IT'S A DOLPHIN..

AT BREAKFAST I WANTED TO ASK THE WAITRESS THIS QUESTION BUT SHE WAS YOUNG & I DID NOT KNOW HOW SHE WOULD TAKE IT OR IF IT WOULD EMBARRASS HER.

"SO - WHAT EXACTLY ARE GRITS? AND WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO KISS MINE?"

I TOOK A CAB FROM THE HOTEL TO THIS RESTAURANT, RIGHT BESIDE THE CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL. IT WAS ONLY A FIVE MINUTE RIDE BUT I WAS ASTONISHED WHEN THE DRIVER ONLY ASKED FOR FIVE DOLLARS.

YOU CANNOT GET INTO A CAB FOR THAT IN OTTAWA.

AND THIS IS FORT SUMTER WE ARE PASSING ON OUR WAY TO BERMUDA

SHIP AGROUND?

SHIP AFLOAT? HOPEFULLY.

TRYING TO SQUEEZE INTO BERMUDA SHORTS ... A VERY TIGHT FIT

GEORGETOWN

THIS IS AN UNUSUAL STOP ON A CRUISE SHIP ITINERARY IN THAT WE ARE DOCKED FOR 2 NIGHTS. IT'S RARE TO EVEN OVERNIGHT UNLESS IT'S A STOP WHERE PASSENGERS GET TAKEN ON.

HEAD STRAIGHT FOR THE TOURIST OFFICE & FIRST IN LINE ( MIRACLES DO HAPPEN - THAT'S A FIRST FOR ME ) TO PICK UP A 3 DAY BUS & FERRY PASS. HOP ON THE WAITING FERRY TO GO TO THE OTHER END OF THE ISLAND.

AND HOP ON A BUS - THIS IS WHERE I MET THE CAREFUL BUS DRIVER. HE WAS NOT BEING NASTY - JUST VERY SAFE.

I AM NOW ON AN ABANDONED TRAIN TRACK THAT HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO A WALKING TRAIL. THESE TWO KIDS ADOPTED ME ALONG THE WAY. WALKING HOME FROM SCHOL.

THEY TELL ME THAT IS SUGAR CANE BEHIND THEM - A LIKELY STORY

AND THIS IS THE SMALLEST SWING BRIDGE IN THE WORLD - ANOTHER LIKELY STORY

I ALMOST GOT WIPED BY A CAR NEAR HERE. IT IS NOT THE MOST WALKABLE OF PLACES BECAUSE THE ROADS ARE SO NARROW.

DIVING INTO SOME CAVES IS ALWAYS ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO DO.

ROUND ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE ISLAND IS ANOTHER WALKING TRAIL. NOT MANICURED AT ALL. AWAY FROM THE HUSTLE & BUSTLE. NICE.

I MET A LADY WALKING HER DOG & MENTIONED HOW NICE IT WAS TO SEE ALL THE CHICKENS RUNNING AROUND WILD.

SHE DOES NOT THINK SO.

NOISY, NOISY, NOISY,

OH WELL.

UP BEYOND GEORGETOWN NOW ... SOME OLD RUINS

AND A BEACH. MAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF BEACHES IN THIS PLACE. LOTS & LOTS OF LITTLE COVES & BIG BEACHES. ALL SORTS. A BEACH LOVERS DELIGHT.

BACK IN GEORGETOWN IN THE MAIN SQUARE. DANCING & PERFORMANCES..

AND A WELL DESERVED REST AT THE END OF THE DAY. SITTING IN A PUB OVERLOOKING THE SHIP.

I SAT INSIDE WATCHING THE FOOTBALL ON TV. AT THE NEXT TABLE WERE TWO YOUNG GIRLS, 16 YEAR OLDS MAYBE. WITH TWO ADULT LADIES. ONE OF THE YOUNGER ONES WENT ON AND ON ABOUT 5 DOLLARS THE ADULT OWED HER. IT WAS QUITE FUNNY AND IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE.

WHILE THE ADULTS WERE AWAY POWDERING THEIR NOSES, I PUT 5 DOLLARS ON THE GIRLS TABLE & THANKED THEM FOR THE ENTERTAINEMNT

LATER I HAD A DRINK OF SOME CONCOCTION, RUM & SOMETHING, WITH THE TWO GIRLS I MET AT THE PLANTATION. I LEFT THEM TO IT. THEY DID NOT LOOK TOO SWIFT THE NEXT DAY.