Friends From Away

A Story by Vanessa

One of the wonderful things about Bequia is that it attracts some really nice people. Many of those people chose to stay and live on Bequia, but many more chose instead to come frequently on vacation.

Bequia was not always an easy place to get to, but by the time Rachel and I were growing up it was getting easier and more people began to vacation there. It was a place you could really get away from it all. The downside was that other than the beach there wasn’t a lot for young kids to do. Hence lots of friendships started between local kids and visiting kids. Quite often the families would vacation there every year or every few years, and we local kids were waiting to play with them when they returned!

Friendships also happened with the adults. My parents were both very friendly people, and we met many friendly people on holiday and formed lasting friendships. Many people on Bequia have similar friendships with people who visit every so often.

It was so much fun to discover a friend you met the year before was once again on island. Sometimes they stayed in hotels or guest houses, sometimes they stayed with us. As we grew older we were able to visit these friends when we went on holiday. It seemed that wherever we went, friends were waiting to take us out, show us sights, and put us up. A very charmed life indeed, having friends in England, France, Canada and the States!

For such a small place it is surprising how many people have visited Bequia. Every once in a while I will mention where I am from and someone will say “Oh yeah, I’ve been there!”

To this day we still have friends we met on island and who love getting together whenever our paths cross. Lots of Bequia people do I am sure! I like to think that Bequia is unique in this. Probably not true, but a nice thought all the same! There is for sure something special about the island and the people.