Return to Paradise

All Good Things...

2006-08-27T07:11:00.000-06:00

must come to an end. Somethings, for the second time round. Yes after a fun filled couple of months, it was once again time to leave Cayman in pursuit of our next adventure. Europe is calling and we must get a move on. Okay, well once we actually get our workpermits approved! In the meantime, we are going back to catch up with family and friends in Saskatchewan, given that we didn't have much time after finishing our Round the World Trip. Of course....we do have to go through Florida on the way back so we might be a tad delayed!!

A few farewell pics....

Farewell brunch at the Ritz with Anne & Rob. Yummmmmmmmy!!!

Oh and then a few drinks at the pool bar.

Which somehow ended up at Calico Jack's further down the beach.

Is it just me, or did it get dark?

Rob doesn't realize it yet, but that puppy is going home with him tonight!!! Always a good night when you end up with a new addition to the family the next day!!!

Okay so brunch ended up turning into more than a couple of hours....but that didn't stop Wade from another leaving duo with his workmates. So turns out, he really was the middleman at work!

Cheers Cayman, we're off!

Driftwood

2006-08-13T11:12:00.000-06:00

What or what should we do on a Sunday afternoon? I know, let's drive out to Driftwood bar for a Cayman BBQ and an afternoon of cards.

Yes it's a tough life when the bars have a view like this. A wonderful lazy Sunday afternoon. This is what weekends should always be like.

Mmmmmm....Chicken & Ribs!!!

Yes and then the cards break out. It all starts out as fun and games....

But then there appears to be some controversy!

However, still a relatively happy ending! After all even when the games were over, there were still more mudslides to drink!!!

Starfish Safari

2006-08-12T21:16:00.000-06:00

So Africa isn't the only place that you can go on a safari. Okay, there are no elephants, lions or rhinos, but Cayman does have starfish! So bound and determined to have no missed adventures in Cayman we set out in search of starfish. We added the safari part because we went out in Rob & Anne's jeep and took it slightly off the road and into the sand. That meets our definition of safari, well for this tour anyways!

A little bit windy, but all part of the adventure!!!

Jeez Leadbetter, this is an adventure. You are going to have to get your feet wet and leave the safety of the pier if you want to find some starfish!!!

Good thing the girls were along to take care of matters. Although notice we didn't want to get our shorts wet either! Hmmm....I wonder how this is going to go...... Anne, you better not push me or I could take a pretty good nose dive.

Victory! Look at these pretty little starpeople. Wade, can we live under the sea? I hear the Simpsons are thinking about it.

Well we had a successful safari, but I could not convince Wade to move under the sea. Probably because last I checked they only serve seaweed there, not beer.

Cayman Kayaks

2006-08-12T14:52:00.000-06:00

So how would you like to have your office look like this? Seriously, this is our friend Bob's office. Bob started his own Kayaking Company in Cayman called Cayman Kayaks and has a nice little set up on the beach at Kaibo Yacht Club, complete with wireless internet. Now that's what I call "livin' the dream" !!!

So we tried two different times to go on the Night Bioluminescense Tour and got rained out each time. Unfortunately, for us we were only back in Cayman for 2 months and so we ran out of time. Luckily, Bob suggested taking us out to Stingray City. So we set out on a 3 1/2 mile journey to play with the Rays in North Sound. Here is a picture of Nicola and I in perfect paddling unison!!

A few friends came for a visit, but we did the unforgivable and forgot to bring squid treats. So as true fairweather friends the Rays took off for greener pastures...urh I mean bluer waters.

So after our friends left us, we decided to just chill out and enjoy our beautiful surroundings. Cheese Bob!

Eventually it was time to leave and I realized it would be no easy feat to get back into the Kayak!!! They really don't make this easy for short people, particularly when everyone is filming you for entertainment purposes. Okay, I have to say not one of my most graceful moments, but really what is a gal to do? Bob threatened putting this on his website for all the tourists to see, lucky for me he conceded to me putting it on our blog.

Well as you can see I made it back into the kayak and to solid ground. Of course after a rigorous day out on the water it was naturally time for a bevie at the Yacht Club. What a Happy Ending to a wonderful day.

Island View Please

2006-07-31T14:43:00.000-06:00

Most of the luxurious hotels on the island charge anywhere from $300 - $500 for an island view room, more for ocean view or ocean front room! However, we got to enjoy it for considerably less. Therefore, we thought it only fair to share our picture perfect moments.

A beach hut on the premises of Silver Sands on Seven Mile Beach. Just another day in paradise.

A shot taken from a moving vehicle driving out to Rum Point. Could this not be a Corona commercial?

Friday night Red Sail Sunset Cruise along Seven Mile Beach.

Sunset Sail

2006-07-28T14:58:00.000-06:00

Any Friday night that starts out with a Sunset Sail almost always turns out to be a good night. It's like Bucky and a Kilt. A recipe for success.

Leon, Ronan and Steve. All the cool people in Cayman follow the lead of Corey Hart with their sunglasses at night.

"Shhhh! Don't tell Steve but I think I'm gonna get a dog. One that likes to pee all over the place and eat assorted road kill, preferably of the dead frog variety."

Chris and Audrey.

This is why it's called a sunset cruise. Atleast at this time of the year when they sail up and down Seven Mile Beach.

East End

2006-07-23T14:56:00.000-06:00

Rob and Anne were nice enough to lend us their jeep while they were away on vacation. We took advantage of this by losing the top and spending a sunny Sunday touring around the island.

Here we are in East End at a little beach we’ve never seen before.

Rena enjoying the sites of our private little beach.

After relaxing on the end of this dock for awhile we decided it was time to make our way to Morrits. As I stood up and pulled the jeep key out of my pocket I heard a very alarming sound. The one and only jeep key had fallen off the key chain and was rattling on the wood of the dock dangerously close to an open space between planks. And yes, it happened, the key fell through the dock into the ocean. Crap. This is not good. At that point the water was about 6 feet deep and infested with turtle grass. Thinking of the time Andy dropped his wedding band on Seven Mile Beach in 3 feet of water, with no turtle grass, and wasn’t able find it we didn’t like our chances. In any event, while wishing I had worn swimming trunks and brought a dive mask, I jumped in to have a look. Unable to open my eyes in the salt water Rena directed me from the dock. I guess the turtle grass prevented the waves and current from moving the key and as luck would have it we found it. Then we threw the key chain that caused this into the ocean. Well, I tried to but it was Rob Anne’s and the fun sheriff intervened.

Enjoying a tasty red stripe at Morrits after our treasure hunt.

Late afternoon sky from East End.

Trivia Night in Cayman

2006-07-21T14:55:00.000-06:00

Ronan and Luana had a few of us over for a night of food, bevies and the most fierce trivia competition in the history of Cayman.

This is how Steve looks when he is overcome with utter disbelief at:

(a) how easy the other team’s question was, and/or

(b) how difficult the question was for his team.

The Scottish are excellent whiners. In any event, April was the undisputed champion of Trivia night.

I can't remember for sure but I think Ronan may have been on the winning side.

Seven Mile Beach

2006-07-19T14:47:00.000-06:00

On July 4th we returned to Cayman for a few months of contract work while we wait for UK work permits.

Seven Mile Beach is as sweet as ever.

We wandered up the beach until we reached Silver Sands Condominiums - where we used to call home.

Yep, it’s official – we miss living in Cayman.

What's new?

2006-07-10T14:24:00.000-06:00

This time round we found ourselves continually on the go enjoying and taking advantage of all the things we didn’t do enough of when we lived here the first time. Funny how when something is on your doorstep you tend to take it for granted. Even so, we still didn’t get in the amount of diving we had planned during the two months.

What shocked us the most upon our return is the buzz on the island. The island is certainly experiencing an economic boom with construction projects like crazy. Okay, it might not be Dubai, but for Cayman its fairly impressive. Apartment complexes, business centers and first rate hotels are popping up everywhere. It’s nice to see that Hurricane Ivan not only gave the island a face lift but really acted as a catalyst for economic expansion. I guess there really is a silver lining to everything!