Every body needs a dream and mine is Barbados!

Foul Bay, Barbados

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C S Lewis

Dreams keep us sane amongst the madness of every day stresses and strains. With being 6 months pregnant, dealing with a toddler, running a business and a home it's enough to drive me to gorge on triple chocolate fudge cake all day and keep me bed bound curled up into a ball watching Come Dine With Me back to back.


One thing that really has kept me focussed this year is the post baby, post tantrum toddler thought of planning another trip to my favourite destination of all time; Barbados! Now, I have been lucky enough to travel to some of the most beautiful countries in the world but there is something about Barbados that makes me feel as though I am home from home.

I have been twice so far, once back in 2002 with a best friend who convinced me to take a charter flight to a series of beautiful islands even though I am PHOBIC about flying. After much coercion I agreed and nearly fainted when I saw the pilot was younger than me, I was only in my mid twenties at the time but this guy looked a complete pup! even worse was to come, he fancied my friend so promised to let her sit in the pilot’s seat on the way home and take control!

The islands are stunningly beautiful and we sailed on a catamaran all day drinking rum punch and listening to reggae, on the way home my friend did as the pilot promised and sat up front, hands on controls. She took one look back at me, saw the sheer terror on my face, my hand clutching the door lever and decided she had put me through enough.

I will never forget that experience for as long as I live! To make it up to me I made her drive a mini-moke across the island in blazing heat to what I can only describe as heaven, Crane Beach (voted one of the world’s best 10 beaches), this is on the Atlantic side of the island and is everything you would imagine of paradise, beautiful blue seas, white surf and sand so bright it’s blinding.

The second time I visited Barbados was in October last year for my honeymoon, one week of absolute bliss (hubby’s idea was solely baby making but my idea was copious amounts of sleep, pina coladas and Caribbean food!)

There are lots of things to do in Barbados and the people are so beautiful, smiley and welcoming. We drove to Sunbury plantation house, swam with turtles (although I was a complete baby and wouldn’t swim far enough out for fear of Jaws), went on a night time cruise, stopped at Foul Bay (only me, hubby and our two friends on the entire beach) and to top it all off, had Sunday brunch at the Crane Hotel whilst being sung to by a gospel choir.

If you are a fish lover, you must go and visit Oistins on a Friday night where they have fish stalls selling the most scrumptious food alongside a party atmosphere, my hubby hates fish so I made sure he had eaten before and then made all his nightmares come true with the smell of fish, fish and more fish! to say he left me alone that night was an understatement :-)

Even after 10 days I didn’t want to leave and had already starting talking about “how much would a villa be to buy” but I had an 18 month old to get home to and missed him sorely. I did promise myself that I would be back again for another holiday as soon as I could and my husband seems to have found the perfect excuse. The cricket in 2010!

The newest edition to the family will be 6 months old, Granny can spend some “quality time” with her grandchildren, mummy can have a much earned break sitting in the sunshine whilst daddy watches the cricket. Heaven!

So here’s to my new saving plan, taking my trusted BaBeeCard with me to keep my money secure and enjoying the sound of steel drums and surf lapping the shore. The taste of the freshest fish you could ever hope for and another unforgettable experience on my favourite island.

My travel tips would be to experience the following:

· Rent a mini-moke and drive up the cost to Bathsheba
· Visit Sunbury plantation house
· Swim with and feed the turtles
· Take a night time cruise with limbo dancers
· Sample the local lobster
· If your budget can stretch – visit the surrounding islands for the day
· Go to Oistins fish market on a Friday night and eat until you have to be rolled home
· Sunday brunch at Crane Beach Hotel with gospel choir singing harmonious notes in your ear
· Dinner at Daphnes (they do the most amazing granny smith sorbet, that really is indescribable!)