To paraphrase Winston Churchill, we are now at a point that is not so much the beginning of the end but more the end of the beginning.
The house build is entering the final phase with Sky having virtually concluded what he was contracted to do and me taking over to finish my part of the work.
My work is fitting the kitchens and bathrooms including all the plumbing and electrics throughout the house. Much of this has already taken place in parallel with Sky’s work and we currently await inspection from Grenlec and installation of the electric meter to swap power from Sky’s temporary supply.
There have been things like tables and chairs we brought over from England to be given a coat of paint in a more Caribbean colour. There has also been masses of flat-pack assembly which Liz has mainly done, becoming an expert in the mysteries of IKEA’s international pictorial instructions and a dab-hand with an electric screwdriver. Along with unwrapping and hanging the numerous internal doors we shipped this has resulted in a huge amount of packing and cardboard waste. Sadly Carriacou has not yet latched onto the international effort to recycle so instead of this all going to the local landfill at Dumfries we chose to burn it.
Other work will be longer term such as the landscaping with steps, paths, gates and fences to put in place along with planting shrubs and trees. Returning our surroundings to the lovely green hillside it was from the baron building site it has recently become will take a while but at least everything grows quickly in the tropics.
But the real work of turning the building into a viable business by promoting the rental apartment to holiday makers looking for ‘a taste of the real Caribbean away from the tourists’ has to now begin in earnest.
We are starting to work on our website, with suitably enticing pictures to attract guests, and as we shall be living in the apartment initially we can ensure the accommodation works for visitors on every level.