Yesterday - Antigua - 32 degrees - hot hot hot & rain rain rain - Today - England - 14 degrees - cold cold cold & rain rain rain ... at least there aren't any blood-sucking vampire mosquitoes here ...

So, overnight, the Canucks (Vancouver's ice hockey team) were soundly beaten by the Bruins of Boston ... at home. Rather than accepting this in a sporting fashion, some idiots decided to riot, leading to burning cars and looted stores in a city that just THIS week I was praising as one of the most wonderful places on Earth ...

I do remember however when England were knocked out of a World Cup tournament (soccer/football/stupidgame) a few years ago there were riots in London ... what is it with sports, excessive alcohol consumption and losing that brings out the worst in people? Hmmm ....

Anyway - NO jet-lag. Marvellous!

Sadly the rain cloud over my home covered up the red Moon but I was sent this rather lovely photo ... more idiots were interviewed on the news last night who were convinced that werewolves and vampires (not the mosquito variety) would rise at the sight of this coloured Moon. I can confirm that there were no werewolf or vampire sightings ANYWHERE in the real-world ... enough said ...

I AM HOME!

Last night was an adventure! The BA flight to take us home arrived in Antigua on time. However, as it transpired, a bird had sadly been sucked into an engine and had damaged a blade which could not be repaired AND the next BA flight from Antigua to London is Thursday evening! Eek!

SO - BA diverted the direct flight from Barbados-London to Antigua to pick us all up and take us home! It nearly could not land though as there were HUGE thunderstorms around the airport ...

We arrived home 5 hours late BUT we arrived home! Yay!

I slept the whole way home missing all meals and any movies that were on offer. I am still exhausted. I have to say that if you ever go to Antigua and fly BA - PLEASE try & use the "Outbound Lounge" ... it's so stress-free, comfortable and convenient ... and Nicola (the smiley face who looked after us) ensured that we got on that flight home! Ahhh!

So home for just a few days ... editing in London AND then late next week - Mauritius! I feel like a mouse on a wheel ... but I love it!

The Antigua episode ... is done & dusted ... and it's been an awesome day!

Up early and checked out of Hermitage Bay ... and we drove swiftly to the Antigua Yacht Club in Falmouth Harbour.

Here I met up with Captain Nickey Emmanuel - from ondeck ocean racing - who took me on a yacht trip onto the Atlantic Ocean. This was a "racing yacht" and I did learn to tack & jibe (or is it jive?) ... and steer! What fun! I never thought I would enjoy sailing BUT I did ... hmmm ... a new hobby perhaps?

To the Big Banana for lunch - pizza (yum)!

Finally we arrived at the airport! Don't get me wrong - I don't mind queuing for hours - being frisked at least three times - being scanned in a humiliating way and having to undress & dress in front of strangers BUT I much prefer not to!

Here at the airport, if you fly BA, you can use The Outbound Lounge. Basically a maximum of 15 people can use this facility (which is the private jet "terminal") - you can turn up, sit and have a drink & some food, order Duty Free from reception, use security & immigration where the queue is non-existent and the staff smile ... and you are finally whisked to your aircraft by private minibus ...

My flight leaves in a couple of hours and in the morning, I will be back in the UK! Whoo-hoo ...

Actually ... I think I spoke too soon. The aircraft has just "gone tech" and we may be stranded for another 24 or 48 hours! Ugh! I suddenly am not very happy ...

 Capt. Sharma of the (SL) Mystery (Sweet Little)

 With Rear-Admiral Nickey Emmanuel

 Mirabella V - cost $50 million to build and is the largest single-mast yacht ever built!

With "the lady from the Ministry" - Cherrie Osborne - without her, this shoot would have been a total & utter disaster!

 With our driver & friend Keron Francis

Our flight lands ...

The Outbound Lounge

The lovely Stephanie Mack - Marketing & PR for the Lounge

It has been "Hermitage Bay" day ... yes, we have been filming here ALL day!

This property opened in 2007. It features 25 suites set in 140 acres of lush greenery ... all untouched by the hand of man.

HB is set at the end of a dusty track ... and when you are here, you feel like you are on a private island. You are SO far away from humanity ... which is actually quite cool.

Of the 25 suites - 8 are down by the beach ... and 17 on a hill ... I am "on the hill" ... I have a 1-bedroom suite - 1100 square feet - large bathroom & bedroom - a tanning deck AND a plunge pool that overlooks the beach and the WHOLE (well some) of the Caribbean Sea! AWESOME!

Today was a public holiday here ... so everyone was on the beach in front of the resort ... partying!

First up, an interview with the lovely Rachel Browne (GM) ... followed by a suite review and a trip to the lovely Spa.

I then burnt in the afternoon sunshine while the boys went crazy filming.

By the way - the West Indies cricket team WON against India - but it would be fair to say that the Indian team was as weak as jelly ... 3/4th string ...

Last day tomorrow!

 The lovely Rachel Browne

 The beach party!

 My pool

 My view

  I am up there somewhere!

 Up early and popped over to the Cedar Valley Golf Course. Guess who I go to play with? One of the greatest cricketers of all time - Sir Vivian Richards! He's a nice guy. He plays off a 5-handicap ... that means he is GOOD!

 The one in the middle is mine! 1-bedroom suite with pool ...

 Last night I had a picnic on the beach! By myself ... boohoo!

 Sir Viv smacks a 6-iron off the tee ... onto the green below ...

 We both par'd the hole ...

 A statue of VC Bird - the first Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda

 Nelson's Dockyard

 Shirley Heights ... named after the Governor General Shirley ... party party on a Sunday evening! The "jump up" is legendary!

 The steel band plays ...

Greetings from Hermitage Bay!

I don't like cricket ... I LOVE IT!

We checked out of the gorgeous Jumby Bay this morning and travelled to the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in St John's. It was built for the cricket World Cup in 2007 which was won by Australia.

West Indies were playing India. India won the toss and put the Windies into bat. They scored 225 runs for 8 wickets ... thanks to a superb 92 by Andre Russell. India were - at one stage - 100 for 7 .. and still won!

It was an exciting game ... and quite positive if you are Indian!

I interviewed one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time Curtly Ambrose. He is 6ft 7" ... a giant!

The Windies crowd were crazy happy - the Party Stand was full of happy, inebriated fans ...

We are now in the tranquility of Hermitage Bay ...

 Curtly

 The Turbanator - Harbijan Singh

Indians celebrate!

Burn baby BURN!

It's been rather hot today! And this morning it was sticky as well! Ugh! I am burnt to a crisp and have lost more weight sweating!

Anyway - took the ferry over to the mainland and then drove up to St John's - the capital of Antigua & Barbuda. First up we visited Susie's Hot Sauce. This sauce is the ketchup of Antigua ... except it's fiery hot. The company is a real cottage industry run now by Rosie McMaster - the daughter of Susie who sadly passed away in 1990. Since 1960, this sauce made of peppers, garlic, vinegar and a mix of secret herbs & spices has been a staple here in the West Indies ... and it's now sold in the USA, Canada & UK.

Anyway, Rosie showed me how it's made .... the different varieties (some made of fruit) and we did a tasting that BLEW me apart! I am not good with spicy food ... and the hot sauce nearly killed me ... literally! Tim LOVED It!

Lunch at the Big Banana - awesome pizza!

Then over to the Museum of Antigua & Barbuda ... where we met with the curator Michele Henry. She was fabulous!

The Arawak Indians arrived in Barbuda in the 8th century BC ... and on Antigua 32 AD ... The islands were under British protectorate for 250 years ... and the French for 3 months and they eventually gained full independence in 1981.

The museum is set in the old Court House ... filled with stories of death, marriages, births and fabulous exhibits.

Last night here on Jumby Bay. I am so sad ... it's going to be a BEAUTIFUL sunset ... I feel it ... !

 I made this bottle

 with Rosie

 ouch ouch tooo hot!

 Big Banana

 with Keron - guide

 Shrek

 a call home

 with Michele

The Jumby Bay sunset -- nice photo Jimmy!

Hot! Hot! Hot! Sweat! Sweat! Sweat! Bite! Bite! Bite!

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!

Samantha climbed in heels! I kid you not!

My BlackBerry torch app saved the day!

Samantha and her father - Foster!

This made me laugh so much! I need a bottle!