Friday 20th November

Our first full day on the Balenbouche Estate and the first order of the day is to explore. The area around the house and four cottages is dominated by an enormous Banyan tree with column-like roots descending from the branches to form a maze around the central trunk. Everything is colourful - scattered against a background of every green imaginable are a whole rainbow of flowers, fruits and wildlife. We wander through the grounds - it's nearly impossible to spot things until you are almost on top of them. A pond is filled with water lilies that raise white and pink flowers well clear of the surface. Numerous old farm buildings in various states of repair are dotted around.

Following a tasty breakfast Uta's daughter, Verena, takes us on a rather more thorough tour of the grounds. Including the old sugar and rum works, complete with 25 foot water wheel, which we had managed to miss on our first round. Having been pointed in the correct general direction we set out along a path which promises to take us to Balenbouche beach. Very different from the calm L'anse aux Epines beach in Grenada, this feels the full force of the Atlantic, huge breakers crashing up the black sand beach. A few days later we try swimming ....even waist deep you can hardly stand up the under-tow is so strong.

Most of the morning was spent waiting for the luggage, touring the estate and getting provisions. In the afternoon we explored a couple of the local villages, managed to kill the car and persuaded the hire company to bring out a replacement.