Retreat from Reality - Top O'Tobago Villas

A little down time every now and then is good. So while I primarily hopped over to Tobago to see John Legend, it was also a bit of down time. Down time for me, as you know, is hardly ever relaxing. I just cannot sit still but I gave it a shot during my 3-day weekend.

This time around I stayed at the Top O' Tobago Villas - a beautiful property neatly tucked away in the hills of Arnos Vale, Tobago. Let me just say to those hotels which took advantage of the "jazz" event to enforce a 5-night minimum for guests - you suck!

Anyway, I had rented a car and so forfeited the complimentary pick up from the airport, opting instead for the emailed directions. Insert laughter here as if you did not already know or did not read THIS, I am hopelessly challenged when it comes to finding places. But kudos to Silja, the hostess on the property, for the expert directions because I made it there unscathed.

The property offers everything a person seeking a bit of peace and quiet would want. Nice views, a limited number of guests (there is one main house and three single apartments), only the sounds of the natural life around you. It's very remote; very away from everything, so be prepared for that. The pool area was a great spot for swinging back some grape juice every morning, or as some of my fellow guests had, some beer after a long day. It's a self-catering property, so you can do your own meals if you so desire. I did not so desire, but made use of the pool area to eat what little I did eat while I was on-site. Food with a view is always so much better!

Having a late lunch beside the pool at Top O'Tobago Villas, Tobago

Having pre-dinner zen session at dusk near the pool.
The pool was at the top level of the hillside property

My own private terrace to read , eat and watch birds

Remote. Romantic. Rustic. - Top O' Tobago Villas

Top O'Tobago offers guests snorkelling gear and bikes to enhance the guest experience, as there is a beach a few minutes walk away - Arnos Vale Bay - which is good for snorkelling apparently. After the concert was long over, I took a little time to bond with nature. I don't usually do nature but hey, the weather was good for it that weekend. First, a quick trip to Argyle Waterfall, then a quick drive further north, to Delaford.

Argyle Waterfall in Tobago - gorgeous

Let me just say though, if you can drive along the Windward Road in Tobago, you can drive anywhere. I was soon reminded why I had stopped going up that way when visiting Tobago, but it was truly an adventure.

The villa also offered a bit of a nature trail, which I decided to explore on my last morning. Well, it was more of a workout than I thought. The man made stairs made navigating the very, very steep incline much easier, but it was still slightly treacherous and challenging, especially coming back up. I also went further up the road just to see what else was in the area.

The sign 

The first layer of treachery, i.e. the first downward incline

The view from the bottom of second incline

Along the trail, a Mot Mot posed for photos

The "prize" at the end of the first leg of my morning adventure was this...

Arnos Vale Bay, Tobago

...then I did some more walking hiking before the early morning humidity got the better of me. Beautiful natural and untouched landscape though.

The one thing I will say is that as a Trini, my spider sense was always tingling, and so the inadequate street lighting on the way to the property, and in Tobago in general, was my only concern. I was paranoid about driving late at night back to the property, while I saw female tourists casually walking along dark roads like nobody's business. Not cool.

Other than that though, sometimes a little down time is needed and as short as it was, it was appreciated.

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John Legend at Tobago Jazz Experience - And what an experience it was!

And it's on tonight
How about we go and save the night
I can see you want it and so do I
How about we go and save the night
Let's save the night

- John Legend (Save the Night; off the album, Love in the Future)

And save the night he did. Friday April 25, 2014. Pigeon Point, Tobago. Me. John Legend. Me blocking out the rest of the world. Me singing with my eyes closed. Lost. In complete utopia.

If you did not know it yet, I am a MEGA John Legend fan. When he was announced as the top billing for the World Music Night at the Tobago Jazz Experience, my friends and family did not even have to ask, cause they already knew I would be going. I literally got the first VIP ticket from the allotment sent to the outlet where I purchased my ticket how many weeks ago. I booked my flight, hotel and rental car weeks ago. I was not in the last minute scramble. I was ready.

That was the disclaimer to this review. My TT$900 was always going to be a full on investment in John and my night with John. I would pay anything for John, once it meant I would be stage side. While I did not really have an emotional investment in the other perks of a VIP ticket, I still paid mih money...

But first.

The music. The man. The Legend.
John was fantastic. I may sound biased but I can be objective even with John. I thought he was 100% amazing. He walked on that stage in his white jacket (I was also in white...lol) and it was just him, the piano and the people. Some were disappointed he did not come with the full band. I was not. I have seen him in concert before, and always with the full band, so this stripped down performance would be my first with John. I loved it. It was a real moment for lovers, but also for the single hardcore fans. Perfect delivery every time and you just got lost in the music, in his voice, in his everything. My one negative would be that he did not do enough from his latest album, and he did not do some of my all-time favourites. I was jonesin' for "Save the Night", "This Time", "Show Me", "I Love, You Love". He did do "So High" and a lot of songs off "Get Lifted", which many argue was his best album and I would not disagree, but I missed a lot of the other hits. He also did not invite anyone on stage. I guess
1) being tied to the piano all night left no room for a Trini wine session
2) the mood was not for that
3) Chrissy
4) the last 2 volunteers at the last 2 concerts were whack and
5) he saw how cute I looked and felt I should not have to scramble over the other ladies in mih nice dress to catapult myself over the barrier and on to the stage.

Sigh.

John was simply AWESOME!!!

The other artistes. So the other artistes on the night were Brandy and local band, Dil-e-Nadan. I was not really annoyed that Bunji and Fay Ann had pulled out of the show. I do agree with them 100% for doing so because T&T needs to show our local artistes some damn respect. But I really did not pay mih money to see them. One less band meant less fillers which meant John would be less of a wait. Sorry, Bunji. Is a love still.

Brandy. Not a fan. Never was a fan. She never won the crowd over and not for lack of trying. That girl tried but as one woman said to me - Brandy is a has-been. She is not a classic entertainer like an Earth, Wind and Fire or Lionel Richie who not really hot now, but you will pay money to see them anyway. She tried with her new songs - bad move. Noone knows them so they flew over our heads. She tried with her old songs - meh. Her voice was inconsistent. Her accompanying music too loud. I mean, when Brandy asked her guitarist "They looked bored, don't they?" I almost peed myself. That was a sign. But she tried and I do appreciate her working for her money and giving us a show, whether we liked it or not.

Brandy at Tobago Jazz Experience

Dil-e-Nadan. Not a fan. Never was a fan. Hate cover bands. HATE. So when I saw them in the line-up I sucked my teeth. Why? But I will say, that performance was the BEST Dil-e-Nadan performance I have ever seen. It was also the best Raymond Ramnarine has ever looked. He did not look like a Salvation Army charity case, but like a performer. The band has some solid vocalists. Oh gorm - write a few original songs nah. Do something with your lives besides singing songs from the Casey Kasem era. I liked their performance based on the strength of the vocalists and timing etc, but...I still went to the bar during it, and still took a selfie. lol

The other "perks" of being a VIP, or even in General. The perks associated with just paying yuh money!!!!

I need to start this on a whole new line. So from the beginning...

We were told we had to park in Store Bay or at Bon Accord and we would be shuttled to and from the venue. Noone was going to be allowed to park inside Pigeon Point, where the show was being held. Knowing the venue, this was a good idea cause the congestion would be astronomical. I put on my nice white maxi dress and my bejewelled flip flops - lol - bejewelled. Hey, I was not going to be THAT girl wearing heels on the beach like an ass. Jumped in my rental early o'clock and made my way to Store Bay. Traffic as soon as I turned off Shirvan and I sucked my teeth, but I put on some Machel and wined in the seat until I got to Store Bay. Shuttles were there in abundance at that time, and I got in safe and sound - no problem. VIPs were scuttled off to their "special" entrance, and here is where the commess start.

So your girl went to the food line first before heading to the seating area cause girl was hungry. Line long as rain, and not moving cause 2 women were trying to serve hundreds of people. Fail. While waiting I strike up conversation with 2 women and after the oohing and aahing over how I look so nice (lol), one of them asked me who was holding my seat for me. Noone, I replied. I came straight to the food line.To which she replied,

Well there are no more seats you know.

My eyebrow touched the sky with that! What you mean there are no more seats, lady? What you talking bout? I paid $900 for a seat!! Sure enough  l turned around and saw men and women dressed to death, STANDING. Naaaaaaaah. I hustled my white maxi dressed ass to the seating area to confirm that there was a seat with my name on it in there somewhere, cause there was NO WAY, I was gonna stand up all night. NO effing WAY.

I did a thorough survey of the crowd, looking for possible victims of my charm. I saw a clearing. I moseyed over with my cute self and with a smile and sweetness, found 2 seats, in the second row I will add, cause their friends were running late and it would not be fair to hold all these seats for them. This act of kindness saved many lives that night. I asked the nice lady to hold my 2 seats for me and headed back to the food line. But how can there not be enough seats? If you sell 10 tickets, should you not have 10 seats, or 11 - one for the handbags?? I could not understand this. Madness. Fail. Later in the evening, VIP was like an all-inclusive - hundreds of people STANDING. Mad-ness. I eventually dragged myself out of the slumber caused by Brandy and found my spot just in front of the stage, where I stood for the duration of John's performance but that was my choice at that time. Don't tell me I have to stand up cause you did not put down chairs for all the people who bought tickets. Mega Fail.

Back to the food line which was even longer than before. Now when we entered the place, we were given 5 chits - 3 for food, 1 for a drink, and 1 specifically for Heineken. Now I do not know or care whether Heineken was a sponsor or not, but you cannot TELL me I have to drink THAT beer, or beer for that matter. And what if I did not imbibe alcohol at all? That meant for the whole evening I would be entitled to one free drink? This pissed me off. I told the bar man I did not want Heineken, and he said I would have to buy something else then. BUY. Now I was in full on John mode, so the normal reaction was diluted but I thought that was nonsense. I had to eventually buy a Malta for $12 when my blood sugar dropped from the hunger, caused by ...

The food now - with mih 3 chits. One would assume that with 3 chits, this meant one had choice, and yes, you did have choice. A choice between bake and shark, bake and salt fish or bake and chicken. I later saw doubles and corn soup and again, diluted reaction. This was the food? Death by bake?? These people had to be crazy! Needless to say I still have 2 food chits and the Heineken chit. I had a bake and chicken cause I do not eat fish (see my predicament with the limited menu?) - bake small as mih hand and what looked like pieces of an anorexic chicken - not even condiments or a fork, or a napkin! Fail-ure!

But the piece de resistance - the shuttle going back to Store Bay. Or should I say, the lack of shuttle. Remember the "no parking in Pigeon Point" rule? Lie. Clearly, friends and family of the organisers got the bligh - hundreds of them. When I walked in and saw how many cars were in there, I knew how the evening would end. But I did not predict that I would have to take myself and my white maxi dress and bejewelled flip flops and effin walk from Pigeon Point to Store Bay. The outbound traffic was a nightmare. The shuttles were all full. Some were stuck in traffic going out. Others tried to fill up and turn where they were to avoid making the entire circle and ending at the back of the traffic, but the road is narrow and it was congested. You could not after that get a shuttle to save your life or the hem of your maxi dress. The only consolation was snickering at the girls ahead of you hanging on for dear life as they tried to navigate the terrain - a combo of sand and rocks. Walking from Pigeon Point to Store Bay is not the workout I was hoping for. It was the worst. By the time I got to my car, I was a hot mess - hot being the operative word. The humidity on the night killed what little energy I had left. Feet covered in sand. Toe nail gone. Nice. Thanks, THA. Thanks eh. And on an empty-ish stomach - because there is only so much bake one can really eat! Thank God for my $12 Malta - the one my Heineken chit would not get me. Brilliant. And even walking at 2km/hr, I still made it out before the shuttle. FAIL! FAIL! FAIL!!!

So when I say, John saved the night, this is what I meant. I need to find a way to bring the happy vibe at the start of the entry back, cause I found typing that last paragraph made me so vex, I forgot about the happiness in the early paragraphs. So I will end with this...John, you will have me as your side piece for life!

Come back soon!

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Island Girl Problems - Perfect and not so Perfect Vacations

Inside the Byodo-In Temple,
Oahu, Hawaii

Initially, vacation was off the cards for this year. I have a major project which is ongoing, which I felt would be negatively impacted by the expense of a vacation. Four months into the year, I am already bored, frustrated and tired. Vacation is back on. The theme now is Make it Work.

I have no idea where I want to go though, or more importantly, no idea where a limited budget can take me. Now a limited budget can take me to a few places, mainly in the immediate vicinity. I think I have commented more than once that I am not a huge fan of island vacations though. I live on an island. The novelty wore off years ago. Unless the island has more going for it than lying on a beach all day, I am not going to dedicate my big annual vacation to an island vacation. A weekend, yes. A week - pushing it, but doable. Three weeks - no way. Only Europeans and people stuck with never-ending winters do that. Big shout out to the lovely Scottish couple I spent time with on my birthday trip to Tobago - spending 2 months in Tobago. I would go crazy!

This brings me to the last extended island vacation I did. Every year I do something for my birthday and for the big 3-0, I did an island vacation. The horror, one may say, but it was not just any island. I spent the first half of the vacation on Oahu, one of the islands which make up Hawaii. It was actually a birthday present. Yes, I have awesome friends. I had really high hopes for this trip. I had done research and knew what I wanted to do, and what I wanted to see. I wanted to hike up Diamond Head, go to a luau, lie on Waikiki Beach with an adult beverage. None of this happened, as it rained and rained and rained. On my actual birthday, it was a virtual hurricane, both inside and outside my hotel room, as disappointment and depression washed over me. This after an 18hr plus trip to get there!

Waikiki Beach - the one day the skies were covered in bright blue.
But it was still very chilly and I sat on the beach in a hoodie.

Always the optimist, on the last day, I booked a guided tour to salvage what I could from this disaster once-in-a-lifetime (better believe it would be once!) experience. This is where it got really exciting (insert a dollop of sarcasm).

First off, as I have noticed time and time again on my travels, I am truly the Super Brown Tourist. I am ALWAYS the only brown tourist on the damn bus. Do white people have a monopoly on tours? And do old people rule the tour bus? I mean...my goodness!!! Where are the young people? The brown people? The tour guide seemed to want to make me some kind of special project as well - seeing that I was from an island too. It was almost as though he was on a mission to please and impress me as he kept singling me out during the tour.

The tour itself was shit. The bus stank and the tour was devoid of anything interesting. It brings me to the argument I have with friends here about the beauty of Trinidad and Tobago and the fact that we have so much to offer. Real attractions. Beautiful places. I mean, this guy drove around the island and he stopped to show us a patch of sugarcane and a paw-paw tree, also known as papaya tree. I could barely believe that my hard earned money had paid for this guy to stop so he could show us some half dead looking sugar cane stalks and some paw-paw. What was even more distressing was when the British couple next to me told me I was blocking their view of this island wonder as they tried to take photos. The wife actually physically pushed me backwards so they could snap snap with the camera. In fact, I was the only one not whipping out her camera to take pics. I live in what used to be the sugar belt of Trinidad - I grew up with sugar cane around me, and with my dad and uncles cutting cane for us to suck, chew up and spit out. The dude was not impressing me, not even a little bit, and it clearly showed on my face. I think it was more disgust than being unimpressed and he kept staring at me in the rear view mirror, disappointed. lol.

The Dole Plantation was okay but I am not a huge lover of pineapples, and the store was a pineapple mecca. Pineapple body wash, soaps, stuffed pineapple toys, chocolate covered pineapples. It was just too much!!! But it leads me to argue that we can do the same with mangoes and local fruit and make a killing off tourists, as the tourists on this trip bought all sorts of pineapple shite at this place.

Dole Plantation, Oahu, Hawaii

The worst part of all was what was listed as the "Shrimp Farm" stop on the little tour guide pamphlet, where we would stop and have some of the "best shrimp" on the island. We were given menus beforehand to choose how we wanted our shrimp and were told we would stop at this place for lunch. By now, most people know I am literally OCD when it comes to food prep, food hygiene etc. I cook 90% of what I eat and the 10% I buy, I am anal about where it comes from, what the chef looks like, how he smells, what the kitchen looks like. I am chronic! So imagine my ABSOLUTE HORROR when the bus pulled into a clearing, in which maybe a dozen or so old buses were parked - buses doubling as shrimp kitchens, with smoke coming out busted windows and where locals were cooking and serving food. The food I had just ordered and paid for, I don't eat street food, especially in strange places. I just don't. At this point I thought I would cry. I took the styrofoam box and got back on the bus, hungry, angry and knowing all too well, the food would not touch my lips. The rather expensive food too, I might add. Shrimp Farm, my ass. Food - dustbin. I had too many thoughts of me ending up in Honolulu Memorial, or whatever the hospital there was called, from food poisoning or worse. Worse yet, I had a 17-hr plus trip back - and being stuck on the plane with ummm...stomach issues was not on the cards for this trip.

There were some highlights, like the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, and the beautiful, absolutely beautiful natural landscape and there was an actual surfing competition at the Banzai Pipeline.

Byodo-In Temple in the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, Oahu, Hawaii.
Fave part of this crappy tour

But I was bored, and slept for the rest of the tour.

On my own, earlier in the trip, in-between rain showers, I did the zoo and Waikiki Aquarium, and of course, the shops, since they were dry - no rain inside! But again, was not excited too much. I love walking through museums and galleries, and seeing castles, temples, ruins, doing a moderate hike, or something adventurous. Great food, maybe some wine tasting, clean and fun foodie experiences, interesting day trips/tours and meeting new people. Island vacations - not for me, unless as I said, there is really something fantastic about the island. Something more than drinking out of coconuts and tanning. I don't need a tan! I am dark chocolate brown. A tan?

I would do Hawaii again but under different circumstances and definitely not the overly touristy Oahu.

Last year, I walked through the amazing history of Madrid and Rome, and loved it. Not sure what this year will bring yet. On a budget. Still thinking. Plotting. But the crazy notion I had of "no vacation" has been thrown out the window!

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My Birthday Staycation

So I am on a very, very short vacation - something I do every year for my birthday - since the mere thought of waking up at 3am and slaving over a hot laptop on my special day is just ghastly. With my birthday being in December, my list of travel spots becomes very limited as I am averse to that white stuff called snow. It would take a real act of God to get me to travel to a temperate country for my birthday!

I am also not a great fan of island vacations and not even my Honolulu birthday trip could redeem itself from the island vacation curse. Wow. Honolulu - the stories! But, I do have a plan, with Tobago, despite it being an island, being selected as the destination of choice this year. It's home after all. So this is really more of a staycation than a vacation isn't it? I also have...

...a confession. It's shameful. I shudder just thinking of your reaction to this burden being lifted off my heart. But...

I had not been to Tobago in over 2 years!! Yep. The last time I was on the island was in May 2011 when I came home for vacation.  I know. Shameful. It's funny. I go all over the place, fighting up with surly Europeans for a visa, being interrogated by surly Americans as I try to enter the country, biting my tongue when the rude Pakistani immigration dude at London Gatwick asks me which man is paying for my trip (true story, and my tongue took a good, hard biting, cause I fraid jail and deportation). Yep - all this drama to get off the rock and Tobago was just sitting there - stress free, beautiful and welcoming.

Sadly, Tobago only became a birthday option after unforeseen and exceptionally critical December expenses put my Plan A out of the running. The truth is, I really get bored with the sun, sea and sand type vacations, and when single, these can be angst-ridden, especially if it is one of those spots that are sold to the lovebirds as the place to be. One day is fine. I will frolic in the sun and sea without complaint. Daysss stretching before me - agony. I am not good at lazy vacations, minus the frantic schedule of activities. But I did plan on a vacation of nothing, and  did say I needed to completely disconnect from my everyday life for a week or so, so let's see who survives this. It's just me, the sea and my flip flops.

I have a full schedule of 'nothing' events, including

• Morning workouts - been slacking on the fitness front so yes, I am packing my running shoes
• Leisurely breakfasts - no hurried breakfasts over company emails and before morning meetings
• French lessons by the pool - my MP3 player and my French books have been dusted off
• Reading - reading fun stuff, and not work stuff. My Kindle is fully charged
• Massage and facial love - get some pampering while I am at it
• Blogging - maybe...maybe
• Sunbathing - Dear God, please stop the rain for the rest of the week
• Wine drinking - kinda defeats the purpose of the morning workout but one needs wine when one celebrates getting older - to numb the pain
• Sleeping - have to fit this in into my busy "nothing" schedule
• Evening workout - yes, you read that right. lol
• Dinner with some more wine - screams in the face of that evening workout doesn't it?
• Chilling and counting my blessings - Amen

And so it begins. When all else fails, it is pretty easy to get an earlier flight back to Trinidad!

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