The slightly different year in review 2021

Usually, I post a year-end review on WhatsApp or Facebook for 2021. But this year, there's much more to tell, and a few photos just won't cut it. That's why I'm sharing some fun and interesting facts from 2021 and how we experienced the year here in the Caribbean.

0 trips in 2021 or a whole year traveling?

I've been asking myself this question for a long time now. Am I traveling or just living here? When does it become a trip, and when does it become a move? We left Switzerland in 2020, at a time when there was no sign of the pandemic. On the bus, if we didn't have anything to drink with us, we had to pull a scarf over our mouths. Those were the restrictions in Switzerland in September 2020. In Barbados, there was a mask mandate everywhere, which is why we hesitated back then. However, nothing has changed in Barbados in this regard since then.

I feel at home here, even though I miss friends and family. But I feel the same way in Germany and Switzerland. No matter where I am, I always miss someone. Video chat helps to compensate for that a bit, but it's not the same, of course.

Now, after more than a year in the Caribbean, I like the simple life here. You don't need a watch here; times are written small and people are surprised when we arrange to meet at 2 PM and then show up at 2 PM. We're not the Swiss or the Germans here, but the Europeans.

2021 was the first time in over 20 years that I didn't leave the country. Yes, if I used to drive to Luxembourg to fill up my tank, that was already changing countries 😉 In 2021, I was in Barbados, nowhere else. No island hopping, no shopping trip to the USA, and we also postponed the trip to French Guiana for a space shuttle launch. My bucket list has only shrunk by a few items.

A year without…

Sturdy shoes

That is by far the best feeling here and therefore belongs in my 2021 year in review. You don't need sturdy shoes here. Flip-flops, you can go anywhere with those. No, not Adidas slides with white tennis socks, even though we see that now and then. TUI is allowed to„My Ship“put on again and actually managed to get the tennis socks to the island =)"

Last year, driving was only possible barefoot. That works wonderfully. The kids sit in the back or sometimes in the front, depending on their mood.

Prostitution tolerance limit

They simply don't exist here. That's strange. I had to get used to that, and it took a full 3 months until I had a glass of rum. In fact, it's safer here if you adapt to the driving style of other road users. That's impossible when sober. But it's still safe here. Hardly any accidents happen, and if they do, it's usually just minor bodywork damage that can be hammered out and repaired. Nobody really drives fast here.

Our second taxi ride here was very adventurous. The taxi driver who took us to the car dealership to pick up our car was dead drunk. At noon, shortly after 1 p.m. *OMG*“

Officially, there are no breathalyzers or police checkpoints in Barbados, unless you steal something in the north, then they'll be waiting for you in the south *snap*.

Speed limit

Strange, but just like with alcohol, there aren't really any restrictions here. Sometimes there's a sign that says 60 or 80 on it. But you only see those sporadically. Often though, there are signs that just say „Slow down.“ In fact, I haven't looked at my speedometer in several months. When I see "Slow down," I brake briefly. Here, you just drive according to the road conditions, and that usually means about 50 maximum. I'll have to completely readjust when I get back to Europe.

Frost, snow, hail, everything that is cold

That's actually not entirely true anymore. Indeed, in Barbados, with a relaxed average temperature of 28 degrees Celsius, there's naturally no snow or ice (except with rum). They celebrate white Christmases here because of the white beaches. We learned that in 2021. So, a White Christmas is guaranteed here.

However, since the body adjusts and gets used to the heat after a few months, we now wear long dresses now and then. When it's 33 degrees Celsius at noon and only a frosty 27 degrees in the evening, that feels cool *brrrrr*. Sounds strange, but it's true.

Online stores

Online shops, what were those again? Unfortunately, there are no online shops here in Barbados. You can order things from local shops via WhatsApp, but here it's more like you text them and they reply with a few photos and the price. Then, you usually have the items on the same day. The selection here is rather modest. They have everything, but usually only one model of it or just once.

A great experience in 2021 was that I didn't need much here. I bought two shirts and two pairs of flip-flops had to be replaced. A pair of snorkeling fins and new goggles, and that was my consumption in 2021.

PCR tests or whatever other tests have been invented

Barbados - I'm Lovin‘ it. As written above, we hesitated back then because the situation in Switzerland was so much better. I don't know to this day what happened in Germany and Switzerland afterwards. I've always heard snippets of the current situation, but I still lack the overall picture. My last test was in October 2020, 24 hours after arrival. My first test was 72 hours before. That's it. I like this consistency here in Barbados. Overall, there have been no ups and downs in the last year. Mask mandate, done.

The official figures are no better here than anywhere else, and in some cases even worse. Barbados slips from 180th place to 150th place. My theory is that the numbers can also be used to effectively control tourist numbers, but of course also the behavior of the locals. Nothing is questioned here. The Prime Minister says it, so it's done. However, this ensures a good mood in the country. Nobody here is agitated, aggressive, or depressed. People dance together, sing together, laugh together, have a picnic in the park with 50 people on Sundays (a tradition in Barbados) and simply enjoy life. And this fun and joy are truly contagious, and we often felt positive and cheerful afterward.

A year with...

This list would be extremely long now. We've done so much, and I've already written a lot of posts about it. Not just on my blog here, for example, about the Hurricane and volcanic eruption, but also on my Instagram Channel.

We have visited many botanical gardens, tried almost all the restaurants (only almost all!), discovered all the playgrounds on the island, and taken the train quite a few times. There's only one railway line here, a small museum railway that used to transport sugarcane.

As mentioned above, there was a hurricane and a freak storm with 500 lightning strikes per minute. This is all very untypical for Barbados, which is practically not on the Caribbean belt that is hit by storms every year. These were all very exciting events for us, which is why they belong in my 2021 year-end review. Thankfully, no one on the island was harmed, and where we could help, we did help or donated.

In addition to all the excursions and events, I used the year 2021 for further education. I read 30 books. That's significantly less than in previous years. However, I attended many more training courses this year. Thanks to Corona, all of this is now online, and I no longer have to get on a plane to reach a good trainer. That helped us become a bit more independent and allowed me to continue growing. Yes, I'm now over 1.80 meters tall 😛

I've also easily adapted my hobbies to the environment around me. Instead of hiking, I now go snorkeling and spearfishing. I do the latter with a buddy in the dark. We mostly catch crayfish and lobsters, which of course taste much, much better when caught yourself. However, our catch is still relatively small. We'll be working on that in 2022.

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Conclusion

2021 showed me that I made the right decision in 2020. It was a great year for me and of course my family. It wasn't easy, it wasn't stress-free, very challenging, but therefore also very fulfilling.

The children attended a Montessori school here, made friends, and learned English. They even correct our English now. I've learned a lot about the culture here in Barbados from the Bajans, as the locals are called. We had so many advantages here during the pandemic (empty beaches, never having to queue anywhere, cheaper entrance fees, an enormous sense of community, and much more) that we tried to give back as much as possible to the locals and therefore the population and thus Barbados to support. That feels good, and we will start the year 2022 with the same mission. Let's see where the journey takes us this year.

I wish you all, your families, and friends a wonderful 2022. Stay healthy, stay positive, and make the right decisions.

❤️