Holiday in Barbados

I have been following this newsgroup for some time and have picked up
some useful tips. However, I am looking for some up-to-date info.

My wife and I are going to Barbados on 5 June for 2 weeks, staying at
the Sand Acres Beach Club, Christ Church. It will be our first visit
(except for a few hours ashore from a cruise ship many years ago).

The apartment is self-catering. What are the best places to buy food?
Supermarkets?

Where are the best places to eat? How does Oistins work? Do you buy
the fish separately then take it somewhere to be cooked? Is it
possible (and safe) to walk from Christ Church?

We don't particularly want to hire a car but might want to for, say,
2-3 days each week. Who is the best car hire firm? Is it worth-while
to have a car for the whole time?

What is the public transport like? Can we get to most of the island
that way for days out?

What about taxis? Would it make sense to get a car and driver for a
day's tour of the island, say?

What and where are the best buys?

When In Rome ... etc, so we intend to drink rum. Is it better to buy
some duty-free before leaving the UK or is it cheaper when we get
there (we bought some fantastic 100-proof rum last time, but it was
from a duty-free shop at the port). Do the locals welcome visitors at
the rum bars (shops?)

Sorry if this sounds like a request for a guide book, but I always
think personal recommendation is much better than reading a guide when
you never know if the author is paid for entries.

Many thanks,

Felix

One more thing that I just remembered:
I have always used to call home from Cable and Wireless office in
Bridgetown, or some phone boot on the street.
Calling home to Norway like that, has cost me almost 6 Barbados dollars a
minute.
This time, at my favorite internet place, they offered overseas phoning as
well. I called home for about 1 dollar a minute! Not bad saving at all.
This is where it is: If you drive from your hotel towards Bridgetown, you
will pass Rockley Beach on your left side, and Chefette on your right side.
Just a little later on, you have a small mall on the same side as Chefette.
The mall is named Hastings Plaza. Next to Hastings Plaza there is a used car
sales place. And across the street from that one, there is a blue and white
building. Look for the sign on the street with Internet Acess. You can also
use internet there for only 3 dollars for 20 minutes. Not bad at all.

Leif Arild

Leif Arild for President!

Thanks for your very detailed reply. We are really looking forward to
our trip. I'm sure there will be other questions, but your reply so
far is greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Felix

On Fri, 14 May 2004 20:59:49 +0200, "Petal & Leif"
<lejensen@online.no> wrote:

>
>"Felix" <cat@dog.com> wrote in message
>news:65a9a052pmp9fjmkbctpsk8499se9en7e9@********.. .
>> I have been following this newsgroup for some time and have picked up
>> some useful tips. However, I am looking for some up-to-date info.
>>
>> My wife and I are going to Barbados on 5 June for 2 weeks, staying at
>> the Sand Acres Beach Club, Christ Church. It will be our first visit
>> (except for a few hours ashore from a cruise ship many years ago).
>>
>> The apartment is self-catering. What are the best places to buy food?
>> Supermarkets?
>
>I am sure there is some small market nearby the hotel. But if you are
>looking for a larger one with more things and lower prices, you can take a
>trip to Trimart supermarket in Worthings. They have everything you need,
>pluss a little extra.
>Trimart is on the main road, not long after you pass St.Lawrence Gap.
>If you turn right in the cross between Trimart and the gas station, you can
>follow the road up 100 meters, and you have Big B on the left. That is also
>a large and cheap place to shop. And they have some nice and good local warm
>food to that is very cheap. You should try some macaroni pai while being in
>Barbados.
>Both these supermarkets are places you can go for big shopping. It is not
>within walking distance, but all you need to do is to go out on the main
>road and take a minibus. They go all the time.
>>
>> Where are the best places to eat? How does Oistins work? Do you buy
>> the fish separately then take it somewhere to be cooked? Is it
>> possible (and safe) to walk from Christ Church?
>

Trax,

Thanks very much for your detailed and helpful reply. We are really
looking forward to our trip.

Regards,

Felix

On Wed, 19 May 2004 17:50:28 +0000, Trax
<member4651@british_expats.com> wrote:

>
>Hi Felix,
>
>We live in Barbados as ex-pats, so hopefully I can answer a
>few of your questions.
>
>1. If you are on the South Coast, "Big B's" is
>probably the best place for food/grocery shopping. There is also a bank
>there and post office. Ask anyone for directions.
>
>2. If you go to the
>Oistens, the best place is called the "Fish Net". You normally have
>to queue for quite a while unless you go early (about 6pm). The best
>action happens after about 9.30/10.00pm after the tourist scene, when
>the locals start coming out.
>
>3. We're not that impressed by Coconut
>Car Rentals (having been let down by them before with guests), but
>Stoates Rental we would recommend, and though they are not always the
>cheapest, they are reliable and their cars in better shape. Car rental
>companies here never collect their cars on time - so don't lose sleep
>over it, but as long as you don't use it beyond the date you have paid
>for, there is no problem. They will fetch it in their own time.
>
>4.
>For cheap, local food, try Rotis and outside Big B's they also sell
>"Doubles" (curry filled pasties) which are excellent. Make sure you
>only buy them in the morning when they are fresh.
>Also, you can buy
>lovely fresh fish at Oistens to take home and cook. Other cheaper meals
>are flying fish, macaroni pie, BBQ chicken, rice and peas - available at
>most places. Don't expect fruit and veggies to be cheap - they're not.
>Mangoes are just coming into season now, so you should be able to get
>those cheaply, as well as bananas.
>
>5. Getting around without a car is
>fairly easy - there are ZR taxis (really little minivans) and yellow or
>blue buses. They are all very cheap, but the ZRs especially can be
>jammed packed, and the music v. loud. Their driving can also be rather
>hazardous at times. The buses tend to be a better bet.
>
>6.
>Personally I wouldn't walk around at night, unless it is a very lively
>and busy area. There is crime - though to be honest, it tends to be
>opportunist rather than violent crime in general. Just as in the UK, I
>would rather pay for a bus, than take a chance walking. Using common
>sense is the best policy.
>
>7. Bring high factor sun cream (we are
>always having friends coming over with Factor 8, and getting totally
>burnt within a day. We use Factor 45, and still have a great colour).
>Also, insect repellent is a necessity - we have had a lot of rain
>recently and there will be mozzies when you come. The best we have come
>across is OFF (green aerosol can). There are occassional outbreaks of
>dengue fever, so make sure you use something.
>
>8. The rum shops are
>great - a very good one is called Braddies Bar, not too far from Dover
>Beach. Again, most people can help you find it. Another place for food
>and drinks, with a lovely setting is the Carib Beach bar in Worthing.
>
>
>9. Fun days out are the catamarn trips (swimming with turtles), and
>also the Island Safari - great way to see the island (my friend swears
>they do the best rum punch in Barbados)
>
>Hope this is of help and that
>you have a wonderful trip. We have lived here for 2 and a half years
>and still love it. The service is slow, the people are laid back - but
>if you want to rush around, Barbados is the wrong place for you. This
>is the Caribbean!
>
>
>Regards
>
>Trax

> 3. We're not that impressed by Coconut
> Car Rentals (having been let down by them before with guests), but
> Stoates Rental we would recommend, and though they are not always the
> cheapest, they are reliable and their cars in better shape. Car rental
> companies here never collect their cars on time - so don't lose sleep
> over it, but as long as you don't use it beyond the date you have paid
> for, there is no problem. They will fetch it in their own time.

Well, for me it is not acceptable that they pick up the car very much too
late.
I am spending perhaps 14 days in Barbados. And one day wasted is actually
very much then.
I think it is disrespectful to treat people like that.
The day we spent waiting for Dons car rental, we could have used to go to
the west coast, go to Bridgetown or somewhere else. Instead we were sitting
all alone at the hotel, hour after hour after hour waiting. Not good at all.

Leif Arild
Norway

> I'm sure they don't mean to be disrespectful. They just don't
> see the urgency of collecting the car, if they don't have someone else
> needing it that day. They don't expect you to wait around either.

Yes, I am sure they dont mean to disrespect us either. But in my opinion
that is what they do.
When we agree that the shall come at 9, we call them at 10, and they say
they are just around the corner...
we wait and wait and wait... One very valuable day for us is wasted.
We had to wait for them, because we had extended our rental for 2 days, and had to pay extra. So we had no choice other than to sit there and let the time go by.

LA

> At the moment the weather is not running true to its usual
> form for this time of year. Normally in May it is hot and dry, though
> this year we have had rain almost constantly from January (Bajans are
> saying they haven't known a year like it before!)
>
> The last few days
> have been very humid and hot, with lots of heavy downpours. Apparently
> we are in the middle of a "tropical wave". The good news is, that as I
> write, the sun is out, and it is dry. I'm taking the kids off to the
> beach in a minute.
>
> Will post again in a couple of days and give you an
> up-date, hopefully with some good news!

Jepp, no reason to fear even if you see "rain" on the forcast in Barbados.
I have seen the weather forcast on CBC a hundred times, and it is more or
less always the same:
"wind from east, partly cloudy, some sun, and some few scattered showers"
We were in Barbados for 16 days in april/may. It was unusual much rain for
that time a year. But still, most of the time it was very nice. Have a nice
trip.

Leif Arild
Norway