Why: Barbados was the first West Indian island I visited. This was on January 7, 1986, my 50th birthday. For the first 18 years of my life, I'd woken up on my birthday to a freezing cold bedroom on a council estate in Carlisle. I promised myself that if and when I got to 50, I'd wake up to palm trees, white sand and warm sea.

We went on Concorde and booked into Cobblers Cove. I ran straight into the sea on arrival - and ran straight out again, screaming in agony. I'd stepped on a sea urchin.

I started exploring that wonderful West Coast beach, walking the coves, swimming in that silken sea, and I found four words coming into my head: The Med is dead - I tend to think in headlines. We have been back to the West Indies every January since to the same hotel, my favourite on the planet; quiet, luxurious, but ever so relaxed.

What's the best thing: I love the people in Barbados, the landscape, the climate. My perfect day - well, three perfect days - is walking that West Coast beach, stopping, swimming and having drinks, then getting the bus back. Next day, I take the bus to where I got to the day before. In three days, I've covered all 10 miles or so.

My advice: Barbados is perfect for first-timers to the Caribbean - then I'd recommend island hopping, perhaps to Bequia or Domenica.

How do I get there? Airtours (08701 577775) offers 14 nights' self-catering, departing Gatwick June 5, for £449pp inc tax. The Destination Group (020-7400 7045) offers seven days' self-catering in Homar Rentals apartments, travelling out on Tues and Thurs in June for £399pp inc tax - both offers based on two people sharing. BA offers flight-only out of Gatwick from £339pp (before June 22).

• A Walk Around the West Indies, by Hunter Davies, is published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson at £18.99.