Tuesday, July 9, the trip started very smoothly with our flights from Detroit to Charlotte NC and Charlotte NC to San Juan Puerto Rico. We were scheduled to take a flight from San Juan to Port of Spain, Trinidad, and had confirmed seat reservations on that flight. However, at the San Juan airport, they said that because of a weight restriction, they could only fill about 3/4 of the 60 seats on the plane and that 6 of the 12 members of our group were being bumped. We said that we needed to all fly together, so we all gave up our seats on that flight. We were then put on a flight from Puerto Rico to Barbados, spent the night in a hotel in Barbados, and then took a flight from Barbados to Trinidad early Wednesday morning. The Scouts were happy to get another country's stamp in their passport and enjoyed Kareoke night and the dinner at the hotel. It was a very short night, as we had to leave at 5 AM for the airport.
Wednesday, July 10, leaders from the First Queen's Royal College Scout Group met us at the airport. We were transported into town to Queens Royal College, which has some beautiful old buildings and were welcomed to the camp. We discovered that since this is the rainy season and the grounds were very wet, Scouts were actually camping indoors in the classrooms of the school and we joined them there. The Wednesday to Friday activities were each a long bus trip away from the college, so we missed Wednesday's daily activities and settled in to await the return of the Scouts. In the evening, our Venturers met the Trinidad Scouts who are members of their camp troop and patrols. Breakfast and dinner were catered in to the college and gave us a great opportunity to try different Trinidad specialties. Lunches were sack lunches we took with us on activities.
Thursday, July 11, some of our group took a hike through a rainforest to a beautiful waterfall that was especially challenging because of the wet ground. The rest of us took a walking tour of Trinidad's second largest city and then kayaked through some mangrove swamps and saw several Scarlet Ibises, Trinidad's national bird. In the evening, we saw the performance of a steel drum band. We really enjoyed that.
Friday, July 12, we all went to the ocean for rowing, kayaking, sailing, and cycling. We could have spent a little less time there. At night, we had a very long bus ride, about 3 hours each way, for some “turtle spotting.” What we were able to see was a very close view of a large (700-800 pound) sea turtle laying eggs and then spreading sand to cover them up. It was definitely worth the long bus ride.
Saturday, July 13, was a very leisurely day, with activities on the college grounds. Many of our group slept in to catch up on lost sleep.
Sunday, July 14, we all walked to the local Anglican Church. It was a very interesting service, but at one hour 45 minutes, it was quite long. Sunday afternoon was a relaxing time at Queens Royal College. Sunday evening, they put on a great show for participants and parents with a number of different bands.
Monday, July 15, was a day at the beach for the participants with a "party " in the evening. We presented Roger Berkeley, the leader of the first Queen's Royal College Scout Group, with a book, our Troop 180 neckerchief, and an American flag that had been flown over the U.S. Capital for presentation to their group. He was very pleased.
Tuesday, July 16, we spent an hour or so shopping in Port of Spain, then participated in a "parade" in downtown Port of Spain with the Queens Royal Scouts and leaders, their troop band, and our U.S. Scouts and leaders. Our route was a rectangle of about 8 city blocks. There was then a reception hosted by the mayor of Port of Spain along with lunch. In the afternoon, we finished packing up camp and said goodbye to the Trinidad Scouts, then left on a short evening flight to Tobago.
Wednesday, July 17, we took a bus sightseeing ride ending at a great Tobago waterfront. We all rode in a glass bottom boat to a coral viewing area, to an area where we could go snorkeling, and then to a beach where we could swim. We had a great time.
Thursday, July 18, we took a hike in the rainforest to a waterfall and then ate a great lunch in an oceanfront restaurant. We did some sightseeing and then spent some time at the efficiency apartment and the complex's pool.
Friday, July 19, we walked to nearby Store Bay for swimming and shopping and then took a late afternoon flight back to Trinidad. We didn't get a lot of sleep that night, as we had to get up at 2:00 AM for a 3:00 AM trip to the airport. We had a 6:00 AM flight to Curacao and had to get to the airport two hours ahead of time. We were amazed that a group of 66 Cubs, Scouts, and leaders from a troop in Bonaire, another island in the Netherlands Antilles, were on the same flight after spending a week in Trinidad.
Saturday, July 20, on our arrival in Curacao, we were greeted by a leader who we knew from 1997 and 2000 Michigan International Camporees and many of the Scouts who were preparing to be members of the Netherlands Antilles contingent to the World Jamboree in Thailand. We dropped off equipment we would not need in camp at Randall's home and went with them to their World Jamboree preparation camp that had been going on since Wednesday. I was amazed to see how many of the Scouts in that camp were wearing Michigan International Camporee 2000 patches. The island of Curacao, with a population of less than 200,000, was planning to send a contingent of about 60 Scouts, troop leaders, and contingent staff to the World Jamboree. They planned to have monthly camps until a couple of months before the World Jamboree and then bimonthly camps. Our Scouts were assigned to their three patrols and participated in camp activities, a visit to Willemstad, and a boat tour of the harbor. That evening, there was a reception for our Scouts and leaders and theirs hosted by the Lieutenant Governor of Curacao. Among those present were the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles and several of his ministers. I was very impressed. I presented a Troop 180 neckerchief to the prime minister and a U.S. flag flown over the capital to the Netherlands Antilles Scouts. Our Scouts then went to a dance club with the Curacao Scouts and had a great time.
Sunday, July 21, we had a very impressive sunrise Scouts Own service on a hilltop overlooking the city. After packing up camp, we spent the rest of the afternoon at a beautiful beach. The parents of one of the Curacao Scouts hosted us for dinner that evening. Some of the Curacao Scouts are great dancers and were demonstrating the steps to our Scouts.
Monday, July 22, we traveled downtown, did some shopping, and toured a great museum on the history of slavery.
Tuesday, July 23, we first visited an ostrich farm, seeing many older ostriches and some babies just hatching. A couple of our leaders purchased ostrich eggs (as far as I know the eggs got back to Michigan safe and intact.) After a short visit to a small "zoo" and a trip to a government run agency that has handicapped people make Curacao souvenirs, we toured a nice cave system, much more extensive than we expected in Curacao. That evening, we went to an old fort for a beautiful overview of Willemstad at night and finished the evening with Kareoke.
Wednesday, July 24, in a light rain, we visited a very old Jewish cemetery and then the oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere. After some shopping, we went to a beach for our last Caribbean swimming and then back to our host homes to pack, have a great last Curacao meal, and go to the airport. With the assistance of the leaders in Curacao and Trinidad, the return trip went very well and we were delighted to learn that, since we were "in transit" through Trinidad even though we stayed there from 11 PM to 7 AM, we didn't have to pay the US $17 per person departure tax Thursday morning. The return flight went much more smoothly than the flight to Trinidad and 10 of us got upgraded to First Class for the long Puerto Rico to Charlotte flight. We all arrived back in Detroit just about on time. Our first coed overseas trip was a success.
Bruce McCrea, Scoutmaster