From Paris to Guadeloupe

In March I have done a short trip to another continent, to the island of Guadeloupe. I had never been there before, in the Caribbean part of the world, so it was all new and exciting to me.

My trip started with a nightbus from Rotterdam to Paris, because my flight left from Paris Orly airport. I was a bit mislead, I thought, because it's not Charles de Gaules, I guess it's a small airplane. How wrong. My seat was on row 64, and there was even a second floor in

that big plane. I can never sleep on planes, so I watched some movies and had my meals, and before I knew it, the ocean was replaced by a green island, and we landed on the airport of Point de Pitre!

So far I made it, and I actually got a bit more excited, and a bit more scared too. Quite disappointing that I didn't get a stamp in my passport, it's just France of course, even though on the other side of the ocean than the Metropole. Never before I am greeted like this at an airport, there were some musicians singing songs with a caribbean touch and that highly added to the holiday spirit. Just like the big bottle of rhum, showing that the island of Guadeloupe is proud of their alcoholic beverage.

It took me ages before I had the right shuttle, but 4 hours after landing in Guadeloupe, I had my Seat Ibiza, my faithful white friend for the week here. It was already dark when I had to make my way to Sainte-anne, the place where my studio was. It was a rainy day, and driving in the unknown, in the dark, wasn't the most comfortable drive for me. But hey, I was in Guadeloupe, I had nobody to depend on and I'd enjoy every moment as much as I could. So I drove, asked

the way to the holiday park in a gasstation, and around 9pm I finally reached my destination!

The owner of the bungalowpark was a very nice and informative man, explaining me everything while he accompagnied me to my home for a week. It was such a nice little place: A one bedroom studio with an open kitchen and a bathroom. For the welcome I got a bottle of cold water, a bottle Guavedrink, a pineapple, bananas and a bottle of Rhum to make my own 'Ti Punch'. This Ti Punch is a local favourite drink, you put cane sugar in your glas, pour rhum on it, and a slice of limon, stir it and then enjoy.

Being dutch as I am, I haven't used my rhum but I put the bottle in my suitcase to take it home as a souvenir...

My first night in Guadeloupe ended quiet, I bought some food in the supermarket and had a light meal while watching the French tv. My heart full of excitement for what was to come.