Join the Tropical Trader on a shopping extravaganza!

Yes it is true, you can now come shopping with the Tropical Trader at Amazon.com & Endless.com.

As a member of the Amazon.com Associates Program the Tropical Trader is now able to offer you access to the huge range of items available at Amazon & Endless.  So, follow me into this amazing retail experience without even having to leave your chair.  Just cast your eyes to the Amazon.com and Endless.com  boxes and banners running down the right hand side of the page (scroll up or down as necessary) and along the bottom of the page, click on any  of interest and off you go! Simple as that.  These will change from time to time so be sure to revist the Tropical Trader on a regulare basis to see what is new!

I fully realize that following Christmas many of you will be suffering considerable wallet or purse damage. However, the world does not stop and birthdays, anniversaries and other occasions will not go away, so be prepared and take advantage of any appropriate offers as they arise. Why not browse and select some interesting books to take on your holiday to the Caribbean - it will be fun and take your mind off the foul winter weather that many of you will undoubtedly be experiencing.

I thank you for shopping with me.  Please spread the word to all your friends as the Tropical Trader needs all the help he can get!!

Finally, please remember if you revisit a previously viewed item/page, to kindly do so by entering the Amazon.com or Endless.com websites again from this blog, otherwise the Tropical Trader will be left out in the cold. Not a good place for a Tropical Trader.

Happy shopping.

How do I get to the island of St. Lucia?

The simple answer is, quite easily. Quite easily because unlike some of the Caribbean islands, St. Lucia has two airports, one of which can take all sizes of aircraft including Boeing 747 jumbo jets, which facilitates direct long haul international flights.

The larger one of the two is Hewenorra (UVF) situated in the very south of the island at Vieux Fort. The second smaller one is George F.L. Charles (SLU) located at Vigie, Castries and caters to the smaller prop driven inter island aircraft. Hewenorra is shown on the photograph (click on it to enlarge and you will easily see an American airlines jet on the runway).

There are several long haul international flights each week:-

U.S.A. American Airlines and Jet Blue.

Canada. Air Canada.
United Kingdom. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic    .

Germany. Condor, although this is only seasonal at present.

Most travellers from Europe transit in London.

The vast majority of visitors stay in the Rodney Bay area of the island which is in the extreme north and a little under a one and a half hour drive from Hewenorra. Conversely George F.L. Charles is only about a 15 minute drive to the same location.

On arrival at Hewenorra there are several alternative means of transferring to the north. Most common is by taxi (many of which are actually mini buses so can easily take a family and luggage). There are plenty of them and they are clean and tidy. However, there are no meters in St. Lucian taxis so make sure you agree the price before beginning the journey.

Some hotels provide transfers and so check with your hotel prior to leaving home. All the larger hotels and resorts have staff and information desks at the airport to assist their clients.

By far the cheapest route is by bus but this takes longer and requires a change of buses in Castries if proceeding on to the Rodney Bay area. I would not recommend this option unless you are travelling light and are a true budget traveller.

If on the other hand you want to transfer quickly and in style there is a helicopter service which takes passengers to the George F.L. Charles airport and then by road to the final destination. Apart from the speed this affords spectacular views during daylight hours so you get the additional benefit of seeing the island like very few others do!

One final note. Both airports run alongside fantastic beaches so it is quite realistic to take a last swim just prior to departure. Not many places offer that facility!

Some facts about the Caribbean island of St. Lucia.

The volcanic island of St. Lucia is one of the Windward Islands, with Martinique 21 miles to the north and St. Vincent 26 miles to the south. That is, between longitude 60 & 61 degrees west and latitude 13 & 14 degrees north.

It is 27 miles long and 14 miles wide at it's widest point, with a total area of 238 square miles. The population is approximately 160,000 with the vast majority living in the north, either in the capital Castries or even further north in and around the Rodney Bay area, where most of the tourist facilities are located.

The official language is English although French based Creole Patois is also spoken widely by the local population. However, all official documents and forms are in English, making it very easy for the English speaking visitor or resident.

As a former British colony the law is based on the British system which of course is a big advantage for any British national wishing to own property on the island or conduct business.

The currency is the East Caribbean dollar which is linked to the United States dollar at a rate of 2.70 EC dollars to 1 US dollar. Several other major currencies, the euro and pound sterling for instance are widely accepted, particularly in the tourist areas. I would though recommend changing your spending cash to EC dollars at a bank where you will get the official exchange rate as opposed to varying rates at retail outlets.

The time zone is 4 hours behind GMT (5 hours behind BST) and 1 hour ahead of  USA Eastern  Time  (except during USA summer time, when it is the same).

There is much, much more to tell and additional posts will follow including a brief history of the island, details of how to get here, what to do when you arrive, where to stay and things to do, plus how to go about buying property in St. Lucia; so watch this blog. Or even better sign up as a 'Follower' so you won't miss anything!

Wonderful home for sale on the tropical island of St. Lucia.

Have you ever considered living, or holidaying in your very own home on a beautiful tropical island? Well if you have here is a rare opportunity to own a superb property in one of the most sought after areas on the magnificent Caribbean island of St. Lucia.

The property is shown within the yellow box on the photograph from where there are spectacular views across Rodney Bay and the Caribbean Sea to Martinique (please click on photograph to enlarge). It is only a short walk to one of the best beaches on the island as well as shops, supermarkets, bars & restaurants. Full details at:-

http://caribbean.craigslist.org/reo/1827061778.html

This advertisement will be re listed from time to time when the link and title will change. Therefore if at a later date you are unable to locate it, please post a comment saying so on this blog and I will quote the new listing for you.

The Tropical Trader leading the Caribbean life.

It can be a hard life here in the Caribbean! This photograph shows the Tropical Trader experiencing one such difficult day.

Indeed at present St. Lucia is awash with some wonderful yachts, over 200 of them, all participants in the 2009 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC). The rally is held annually when they sail from the Mediterranean (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) to Rodney Bay, St. Lucia. Almost all have now arrived and it is party time down at the marina!

This is an important event in the St. Lucian calendar as it brings much needed revenue to the island as well as considerable publicity around the world.

So, if you are a yachtsman or someone just interested in seeing boats of all shapes and sizes, it is a good time of the year to visit this wonderful island.

Welcome to 'Life in the Caribbean'.

Good day to you all and welcome to my blog. I am an English national living in the Caribbean on the island of St. Lucia. The main purpose of the blog is to exchange experiences and to offer any advice I can to those who are thinking of visiting the island for the first time, or indeed relocating here.