Gorgeous, glamorous but not green

God I love island life. Something about stepping out of the plane onto those wobbly metal stairs, blinking in the sunshine as the propellors roar in your ears and blow your hair in your eyes, makes you feel impossibly rich and glamorous. And as you're handed down onto the boat by some friendly local, making sure to look very nonchalant like you hop on and off boats all the time, then speed off across the bay towards your gorgeous destination, you just know you're money.

And Harbour Island has to be one of the most beautiful Caribbean islands you could hope to visit. The sand is, as billed, pale pink and the sea turquoise. If you're going to pick a beach to be your first, it's not a bad one to pick, is it Dot? (I fear we may have spoiled her for life.) As we carried her down the beach at sunset she laughed out loud at the loveliness of it all (no wonder - imagine how delicous the Caribbean breeze would feel against your skin after a winter bundled up against the wilds of Pennsylvania, and imagine it's the first time you've ever felt it) and when we dangled her little feet in the water, she squealed and tap danced. I wish I could post the piccies but the hubby forgot the bloody memory card reader - bugger.

But it was really only once we got here today that it occurred to me what uneasy bedfellows island life and green living make for. Not only could we not have got here without excessive burning of fossil fuels, but neither could all the gorgeous hotel decor or yummy food (fish aside) and drink. This whole green thing does make it harder to waft around exotic locales in a kaftan feeling barefoot, dishevelled and carefree - you know too much.

On the other hand, something that makes it very easy to waft around feeling barefoot and dishevelled, if not entirely carefree, is when the airline leaves your suitcases in Nassau, especially if all your summer footwear is in said suitcases (and yes Mum, I know I should have packed a bikini in my hand luggage but I thought I'd wing it). Ah well, at least I over-budgeted on the Dot clothes and nappies front so the only thing that might become a problem is the breast pads - I decided to revert to the disposable ones for holiday as I wasn't convinced a 50mm thick disc of felted wool was the best way to accessorize a skimpy bikini top, but only brought one spare set. Let's hope the bags are delivered tomorrow as promised.

Anyway, so my point was, I really hope someone invents eco-friendly jet and boat fuel soon because a) this is a heavenly experience, b) Dot loves it and I want only to make her happy and c) after a spartan winter in Milanville, it is amazing to feel even a teeny weeny bit glamorous. We need to find more ways to make being good feel good too.