Grand Turk

Grand Turk is an interesting place. Just one island of many that make up Turks and Caicos, it is itself very small, despite its name it’s not even the largest island in the nation. It does however have an interesting history (I wont go into it much here – you can use Wikipedia for that!) and, unlike most places we’ve visited, a simply stunning beach in which our ship docks – just a small concrete pier (or jetty, really) that stretches out from the fine white sand, through the amazingly clear blue water.

We’d signed up for a Dune Buggy excursion – 3.5 hours or tearing across the sands and surf, seeing the sights and sounds (those that could be heard above the un-muffled engine) of island life.

There were about 12 of us on the tour, and we all split in to pairs and jumped into our own buggies. The first thing I noticed was these weren’t really dune buggies, not like I imagine them. They were more like cut down cars with open roll bars and no CD player. Ahh well! We were still going to have a grand old time!

We tore off in a line together, me driving and Jo beside me – helmets on, bags stowed by our feet/out of the way, the sun streaming down – through some tracks of mud and sand, deafened by the engines, playing follow my leader (Sadly we were not allowed to overtake at all…) till we reached a higher point on this remarkably flat island. The guide got us all up and showed off many points of interest (The airport, the old US naval base, our ship, the salt pans, the mock up of John Glens space capsule in which he splashed down not far from Grand Turk, etc.) and took our pictures if we wanted them.

Then off we went again – whipping about the place in a long line, fighting the temperamental throttle and steering, trying to keep up with those in front (then trying not to hit the back of them when I got the hang of it) and looking out at the lovely scenery.

We then stopped off by the long-abandoned US base (They conducted underwater acoustic research there, apparently) at a very pretty lighthouse. Unfortunately there was enough time only to have a wee and see the outside before we were off again… This time around a quarry (not as exciting as it sounds) before we were back where we started.

The 3.5 hour trip had lasted about 1.5 hours, and the buggies didn't go on any actual dunes. Oh well! Money well spent…?! (it was still a good bit of fun)

We were a little disappointed in the tour – not that it hadn’t been fun and interesting, it certainly had! Just that it didn’t live up to the hype in the brochure. Not a lot could be done about that – it seems it’s the first time the ship has been there, and so the first time Thomson have used these suppliers. Lessons, we are assured, have been learned.

After the “dune buggies” we wandered around the shops on offer. Sadly, these are not the traditional local shops of some destinations, nor are they the hilarious patchwork shanty town shacks of others – they are modern touristy places, bland, boring and expensive. We did pick up a t-shirt as Jo needed to cover her shoulders (actually, to be fair, it’s a lovely t-shirt and wasn’t that expensive) and then looked for somewhere to eat. The only place we could find was Jimmy Buffet’s Marghariterville…

Imagine if you will, someone from Weatherspoons wanted to make an upmarket Caribbean style bar, restaurant and pool to appeal to American tourists who have money to burn and like their food quickly. Not that it’s bad – the food we had was actually very nice (some chicken wings and breaded conch – which was delicious but tough) and the margheriters (well, we had to, really) were great… but 2 starters and 2 drinks for $50…. Give me the clapped out little beach bar any day of the week!

We then went for a little swim in the lovely water… It’s hard to hate a place which has a beach that good, particularly – and surprisingly – one at which the ships dock (you expect the water to be like that in Dover or Calais really – all churned up and dark… But here it was the opposite – you could almost see the keel!);

But it’s hard to love somewhere that charges so much for things I don’t like, and is only really set up for rich Americans of which I count myself neither (although I know a case could be made for the former, what with writing this in my fancy cabin on a 3 week Caribbean cruise…!)

After the swim we went back to the boat to get free drinks and eats, then before we realised it was the evenings game show, and we were roped in to play – Family Feuds (which was basically Family Fortunes) with Jo as our captain. We made one family with the 2 of us and the 2 Manchesters being our kids (of course). A great time was had by all, and eventually WE WON! That’s a couple more tote bags in the… bag…!