On our last day we went on a P&O excursion to the Atlantic side of Barbados, had lunch in the Atlantis Hotel, called at one of the parish churches before we waited at the airport for our flight to Gatwick to leave.
Saturday, the 3rd November Bridgetown, Barbados
As a change from being woken up by prayer chanting we were awoken this morning by noises from the docks. These noises were the beeping of the trucks on the quayside below us. The doors to the warehouse below were now closed and we could see the murals depicting island life in the past.
While I was out on the balcony I noted the work needed on both the balcony itself and the rather tired carpets in the cabin.
We had been picking up statements regularly to check up on the size of our bill to prepare ourselves for the final surprise one. The final statement, for the cruise, was in the letterbox outside our cabin door. Unfortunately this statement was a combination of our statement and our neighbour’s statement. Down at Reception, I joined a long queue to ask for a new statement. Other passengers seemed to be having similar issues to our table companions last night. Their tours were leaving shortly but they did not have any tickets.
We packed our carry-on bags and left the room for the last time. Our final breakfast was in the Oriental and we were on a table with mainly newly arrived passengers. Our servers were very busy and once the food was being delivered confusion reigned as the majority of the orders were plated up wrong. Unlike our companions we just ignored the missing items on our plates.
Our Farewell to Barbados tour
From P&O – the tour description:
Farewell to Barbados, Atlantis Hotel
Take in the beauty of the east coast, enjoy the island sights and savour a light lunch at the beautiful Atlantis Hotel, before your flight home. Enjoy a drive through Holetown, home to the rich and famous and otherwise known as the ‘Gold Coast’. before heading to the east coast. Admire the panoramic views and rugged Atlantic coastline as you make your way to Bathsheba for a brief stop. This idyllic spot is well photographed and its stretching coastline depicts a picture-postcard view. Continue to the ‘The Atlantis Hotel’, a charming boutique hotel located on the stunning rugged coastline of Tent Bay. Here, you’ll be served a delicious light lunch, whilst soaking up the wonderful views.
Afterwards, you’ll continue through the countryside to visit St John’s Church. perched on a cliff at 800 feet above sea level, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The present building was constructed in 1836. and the pulpit is constructed from 6 different woods: Ebony. Locust, Barbados Mahogany, Manchineel. Oak and Pine.
Your tour will conclude with the drive to the airport.
Essential information. The visit to the Atlantis Hotel is for a light lunch only and is not intended as a beach or swimming stop. This tour involves approximately 30 minutes of leisurely walking over varying terrain, including some cobbled stone pathways and steps. Comfortable, flat walking shoes are recommended. Please note that this tour is only available for passengers returning to the UK.
… from P&O brochure
Leaving Bridgetown
As we walked past Azura we could see this moored private yacht
and here’s our final look at Azura.
Our tour left from the side of the warehouses rather than from the coach rank through the cruise terminal.
The coach was full and once out of the cruise terminal we turned North and headed up towards Sandy Lane. We made the obligatory pause outside of Number One Sandy Lane to hear all about the famous people who lived there. Then we turned East to head towards the Atlantic side of Barbados.
We crossed the island hearing about the changes taking place as plantations stopped being farms. The land was being taken out by housing and by offices and even shopping complexes.