A Trip Report to Anguilla

Do's and Don'ts

Your Intrepid Reporter, Laine Parnell

Sunscreen

First 'must' is the sunscreen! You don't want to miss a single day to sunburn. (A friend of mine went on her 'dream trip' to Hawaii and got so badly burned on her FIRST day, she spent the rest of her holiday in her hotel room, and even missed a week of work on her return home.)

Driving

Anguilla Trip Report Site Map:

Home Page.

Arrival in Anguilla.

Living in the Lap of Luxury.

Beaches, Beaches, Beaches.

Bacchanalia (Food and Drink).

Night Moves.

Do's and Don'ts.

When you first start driving around, you'll be quite a bit slower than local drivers. Pull over and let them pass, that honk you hear is not angry, it's a polite way of telling you they are about to pass you. Two honks means they are saying Hello to someone they know. Lotsa honks means a wedding!

Look out for speed bumps! There is usually one at the start of a village, and another at the other end. And then there is the dreaded speed DIP on the road into Sandy Ground...you will lose your car and your teeth if you take it at more than 1 mile an hour.

Go into Shops

You must go into as many shops as possible. The staff are always willing to chat with you and you will meet wonderful people. You can talk to other customers as well, the whole island is like an old fashioned country 'general store' in friendliness and relaxed attitude.

I once stopped into the Exotic T-shirt shop by the Sandy Ground roundabout to return something for a friend, and ended up on the steps with Seena, the proprietor, for a half hour chat after she closed. She told me of the 'old days' before electricity, TV and cars and we talked about Vancouver, which she had visited.

Up to date information on Anguilla shopping.

Hitchhikers

I won't tell you that you MUST stop and give people a lift, because some people just won't be comfortable with the idea. But...I did it and had nothing but fabulous conversations with great people.

I gave a lift to Jean from Montserrat, staying here with her children until the volcano says it's OK to come home, a fellow who was on his way to Sandy Ground one morning to be 'ballast' in a boat race, Loretta who was healing a broken heart, dozens of high school students to and from school, a very inebriated sculptor one night, oodles of elderly ladies doing shopping and moms with children.

Tried to keep track in my daily journal and finally gave up.

Back for a Final Word

Up-To-Date Information on Anguilla...

Copywrite...Laine Parnell, December 1997.
Home Page.