On our first night in Tobago, we're lulled to sleep by rain. Lots of it. The following morning we take breakfast on the terrace and watch the rain bucketing down. Three hours later water still falls from dark skies, but finally it stops and allows us to take an exploratory stroll along the beach before returning to the villa to polish off the remainder of our introductory rations for lunch. In the afternoon therefore, a shopping expedition to replenish food stocks. Cost of provisions at a nearby supermarket and fruit & vegetable shop, a round thousand dollars. Local currency, of course, but still a bit more than I'm used to spending on my habitual 30 euro Monoprix sorties. And we aren't finished yet. Another short trip to the fishermans' stalls at Mount Irvine bay provides some rather tasty mahi-mahi steaks for the barbecue, but value this time is somewhat better than our local Lyon poissonier.
In the evening, salad is prepared, the BBQ fired up (gas, fortunately), and we await the arrival of the bride and groom themselves. At two in the morning London time, they finally make it. Fish dinner swiftly cooked and consumed, beers drunk, and seven exhausted travellers fall into bed.
Friday 10th
Jet lag starting to recede, we allow ourselves a lie-in till eight. After being woken before dawn by the raucous chorus of the cocricos. Noisy birds. While the bride and groom get dragged off on a wedding venue sightseeing tour, the rest of us indulge in a day of rest and recuperation. Another dip in the plunge pool followed by a first dip in the Caribbean sea under cloudy Caribbean skies with a water spout twisting down from the storm clouds in the distance. The heavens soon open to let loose a tropical downpour, duly followed by thunder and lightening. We beat a hasty retreat to find shelter.
Early evening drinks down at the villa of the future jeunes mariés are interrupted by a text message announcing the arrival of the future in-laws of le petit frère on a flight two hours earlier than expected. Off rush two cars to meet them while the rest of us hasten back up to our villa to prepare dinner.
Salad prepared, the BBQ fired up again, and tables rearranged and laid for ten, it comes as a bit of shock when fifteen diners turn up. The uninvited guests are the best surprise though, the Melbourne clan and la suegra, arriving for the wedding after all, having told everybody they couldn't make it. Only the bride and la bienheureuse were in the know (the latter let in on the secret a few days earlier to avoid too much shock to her delicate condition). I should have guessed who the mystery occupants of the middle villa were...
Fortunately the sausages and pork chops stretch far enough, and a happy evening of eating, drinking and catching up ensues. Ten pm bedtime was noon the following day, Australian time.
Saturday 11th
In the afternoon, a mass outing to one of the proposed beach wedding venues, Pigeon Point. A bit of a logistical challenge, transporting seventeen people in two small cars, but in the end two trips for each car gets everybody there. Another beach, another swim, torsos and bald heads more judiciously covered this time, a refreshing smoothie, a stroll along the jetty and then it's time for the return trip. The four return trips. I pick up the stragglers in cloud of mosquitoes and finally everybody is back at three villa base.
In the evening we stroll up the road to take dinner for fourteen (la bienheureuse, la prima and husband pleading fatigue) at the Seahorse Inn. Which is full. Eventually they find space and enough tables and chairs for us upstairs and a very pleasant evening meal follows.
Sunday 12th
Settling into the holiday routine now. Fun and frolics with les nièces in the pool in the morning, salad lunch on the terrace, more swimming in the afternoon, pool and sea, with a bit of snorkelling thrown in. Speckled morays, octopus, leaf fish and trumpet fish among the more exotic marine life spotted on the rocky reefs just off the beach. Floating in the calm sea, we watch the sun go down and then head back up to the villas where the future belle-mère of the groom has prepared a delicious Colombian dinner for seventeen.
Monday 13th
The groom, the bride and her parents head off into Scarborough to take care of the administrative formalities of marriage in Tobago, in preparation of the big day tomorrow. Meanwhile, the sweet sobrinas keep us entertained in the plunge pool once more while the ladies go shopping on the hottest day of the holiday. In the afternoon, with the sun shining and the sea like a mirror, those less preoccupied with personal appearance head for the beach, while the bride's sister provides manicures. As the sun dips and flirts with the horizon, suddenly someone spots dozens of small dark creatures cascading down the beach.
Baby turtles! We all dash over to watch the rearguard making their desperate dash for the water. A local digs out the nest and recovers one last straggler who seems unlikely to make it all the way to the water unaided. He is picked up and carried most of the way before we all watch and encourage as he struggles the final few yards. Finally he makes it into the water and bravely swims away in the big wide ocean. A glorious sunset heralds the end of the beginning of a real life drama and we head back up for another tasty Colombian dinner, this time cooked by the original suegra. The young almost-married couple finally announce the chosen venue for the wedding - the local beach. Approval all round, and then it's early to bed for most in anticipation of the great day to come…
