You know when it's hot, humid and mosquito-mad when even the locals are complaining.
We left Jumby at 0630, headed to the airport (5 minutes from the jetty on the mainland) and grabbed a 20-minute flight to Barbuda.
This island is just 161 square kilometres in area ... and has a population of around 1500 people. I met up with guide Samantha Hopkins who first took me to look at the Martello Tower. It was built in the 17th century ... and was there to protect the island from invaders.
From there we went to the Indian Cave at Two Foot Bay ... where we climbed Everest to see a couple of 18th century petroglyphs ... put there by Arawak Indians.
Then we took to the water and met with Samantha's father Foster who boated us to one of the most amazing sights I have seen. 15 - 20,000 Frigate birds in mangroves. OK - the smell of bird poo was stifling BUT the sight of thousands of birds (with chicks) was just ... brilliant!
We lunched at the Lighthouse Bay hotel which must sit on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Barbuda is just building a new fisheries centre that will enable it to sell fish to the European Union. The money comes from Japan - the largest investment ever for Barbuda. The only payback is that Barbuda will support Japan in the whaling issue ... hmmm ...
Anyway - the Frigate bird flocks - unforgettable!
Oh and I have been bitten 15 times today AND have lost at least a stone in sweat! Phewy! Steaming!
