Saturday, 25th January
Anse Chastanet - A bonus day!
Late Friday afternoon I called in at Reception on our way back from the beach to ask about arrangements for getting to the airport today. They had anticipated clients asking about this and had already prepared envelopes for each departing guest with the cost of extras up to 3:00pm and taxi arrangements. I imagine these were going to be dropped into each guests' room, but in our case we had saved them the trouble. Our taxi was to collect us at 4:30. I asked what time we had to vacate our room and was told that if I came to Reception about 9:00 today (Saturday) they would let me know. Luckily we have been given our room until 4:00pm. This effectively means we have an extra day at the hotel. I was also very pleasantly surprised that our all-inclusive rate includes lunch today!
After breakfast and finding out we could keep our room until 4:00 we went down to the beach and investigated the area around the scuba centre - not somewhere we had ventured before. Here I find there is a ladder from a concrete quay into the sea in a snorkelling area. This might have been the answer to our previous snorkelling problems. Despite the fact that we still had time to try this more dignified entrance to the sea we decide not to tempt fate.
A quick look around the boutiques for a book for Jo to read on the plane resulted in Jo buying a book on chocolate, specially selected by the hotel because it mentions it!
There is a 'water taxi' that takes guests to and from Anse Mamin and as we had decided that we would go to the Jungle Grill one last time, we thought that would be good way to get there, particularly as Jo was now insisting on a boat ride! We took the book back to our room and asked at Reception to arrange the water-taxi for us. Sadly it was booked for a scuba dive for the next hour or so, so we decided to walk, but not before we found the time it is was scheduled to return in the afternoon.
We walked to Anse Mamin and sat down under what had become our usual sunshade. A cappuccino for Jo and lime squash for me brought to us by Kingsley, another of the staff who was unfailingly polite, helpful and who also remembered our name. The staff training always impresses me, whoever they are.
Lunch had to be gazpacho and Prosecco!
Another hour or two lazing in the sunshine before our water-taxi back to the main beach, then back to our room to complete our packing. The packing does not take long, but we are now in travelling clothes, ready for Gatwick and therefore obviously leaving! We went down to Reception to let them know we had finished in the room (one of the staff had already taken the key so he could collect our luggage) and pay the bill. With half an hour to kill we went to the Piton Bar for a Bentley (lime, sparkling water, grenadine and some ice). I told the bar staff that we had checked out and that I would have to pay, but was again amazed when she said it was the opposite of a welcome drink, a farewell drink and was 'on the house'. It struck me that although this was only a very small thing the fact that they could have charged, but didn't is what makes people return to this hotel. (I also know that the cost was absolutely minimal, but that's not the point.)
Whilst drinking our farewell drink, sitting in the Piton Bar, I was amused by this bird, a Caribbean cackle I believe, observing itself in a mirror.
The taxi arrived spot on time and we were off to the airport. The driver was fairly chatty, and in passing I mentioned that the unmade 2km road to the hotel must be a bit of a pain for him and his colleagues. He speculated that the hotel deliberately left the road in this condition to dissuade non-hotel guests from going down road to the public beach! It would certainly put off anyone who didn't have a Toyota Land Cruiser! The drive to the airport started in bright sunshine, but about half way there we encountered a really torrential downpour that didn't look like it was going to stop. I feared we were going to get soaked when we arrived at the airport, or worse when we had to board the plane as I knew we had to walk to the plane. Fortunately I need not have worried; the rain stopped just before we arrived at the airport.
The flight was uneventful, but I didn't manage to get much sleep (take off was 20:40 and landing was about 08:00). Passport control, luggage collection and customs were fairly efficient and we found ourselves through all controls about 08:50. I then looked at times of trains to Reading only to discover two things, one, there weren't any because of track maintenance, and two, the next train to Guildford (where a bus replacement service to Reading started) left at 08:55, and the following one at 10:55. Panic immediately set in as we rushed to catch the 08:55. In these circumstances the automatic ticket gates refuse to work and there's a queue for the manned gate, but by some miracle we just made it onto the train! We ran down the platform towards the front of the train, the driver leaning out of her(!) window encouraging us to run faster! But we made it.
The bus replacement from Guildford to Reading was tolerable, mainly because it was quite hot and I think we both fell asleep. The rest of the journey was unremarkable other than it was raining when we got to Charlbury and I had to walk up to De's house to collect the car.
Was it really only just over a week since we left Charlbury?