Caribbean Camping

Last weekend I went camping with my Host Dad's family and friends. I was expecting it to be a small group of people but it turned out to be around 60 of them and very similar to the Camp I used to go to with my Dad's family and friends.

The campsite was at one of the most northern points of Grande Terre (the flat island of Guadeloupe). On the way we stopped off at Hell's Gate. This is an area of the coast where the cliff has divided and created an opening that narrows down to almost a river and then reopens. There is a clearing there and the water was calm and clear. 

Everybody kept their tents as close to the trees as possible to try and protect them at least a little from the sunshine! If you go camping in France or Spain you have a tent that is not waterproof as it is so unlikely to rain and it keeps the tent cooler. As it is tropical, there is a lot of rain here so they are the same tents we use in England. Very hot when the sun is already 22 degrees + at 7am.

Talking of the very early sunshine, this was the beach at 7am. This was a pebble beach rather than a sand beach which makes it look a lot like a Dorset beach! The difference being the temperature of the water!

There were some really beautiful shells and pebbles washed up along the beach. How is there so much detail in something that has been bashed around so much?

Late Saturday morning we went and watched Whales! They swim past this part of the island most days and unfortunately as the sea was so rough we weren't able to properly see them, but you could see the shadows under the water. It was fascinating that amazing creatures were naturally so close!

I lasted 2 days and 1 night camping- most of the day time I spent reading in this hammock. It was bliss! I was bitten by some ants though and that seems to have provoked Mosquito's to have a bite now.

The food was very interesting- I was told it was 'poor people's food' as it was all simple and cheap to make in bulk for so many people. Some was lovely, like the Salt Fish for lunch on Friday, or the mini root fritta's that evening. The stuff that was not so great was the lentils in a grey gloopy gravy, which was bearable until I realised there was 'pork' in there. The 'pork' is not really pork. It is the bits of pig which we do not use at home, it is all bright, bright pink, even once cooked and honestly just made me wretch.

Saturday morning we all made dumplings together - a combination of flour and water, for lunchtime. This turned out to be the grey gloopy stuff with the dumplings, red beans and so much 'pork'. My plate had already been served up so I couldn't refuse it. Sometimes I wish I was rude! I left all the 'pork' but had to have the rest. Yuck, yuck and yuck. Next time I will pretend I am vegetarian.

The rest of the food over here has been really lovely so far though! My Host Mum's Mum is an amazing cook and lives just across the road so I am sure I will have some amazing French-Caribbean meals!