Newbie to Tobago and solo traveller

R Shah · Post by **R Shah** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 9:41 pm

Thanks for your suggestions guys.

Anyway I've contacted Tobago dive experience and they have not, as yet contacted me back.

Like Brian says, they could be useful, as they are willing to pick up directly from Casatra (where I'll be staying).

Brian Taylor · Post by **Brian Taylor** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:16 am

we are not divers, but we got two very good reports from our guests over the last two days... both of them are trying to go again these days. however, we would love other companies to pick up guests here or maybe on the jetty in parlatouvier, but so far they don't seem very flexible...

so we must work with what we have...

Julia C. · Post by **Julia C.** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:56 pm

I realise this is going off the subject, but why is there no jetty in Castara? It's something I've been wondering about.

Gisela Grell · Post by **Gisela Grell** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:18 pm

Sorry Julia, but I'm very happy that there is no jetty in Castara. The corals are very close to the beach and the stingrays come close and I'm sure it will damage the corals and keep the stingrays away.

Cheers

Julia C. · Post by **Julia C.** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:39 pm

No need for sorry. I didn't mean I wanted a jetty in Castara I just wondered why there wasn't one.
Is the coral the reason? And excuse my ignorance but how would a jetty in the middle of the big bay hurt the coral? Is it because it would bring in bigger boats?

R Shah · Post by **R Shah** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:14 am

Got a response from TDE. They do pick up from Casatra, but only when they dive from around there. They said to get the best diving though, it would be worth while heading up to Speyside.

I think I'm going to stick with that idea, but dive with Extra Divers.

On another note, and be forewarned this is going to sound like a bit of a dumb question, what sort of clothing should I be bringing with me? I know during the day it will be shorts / tee-shirt stuff. But at night does it get super cool, or just a pleasent coolness?

Also, the mozzie situation, how bad is it? Will I need to cover myself with Eau de Deet in the evenings? or will a mozzie coil in the room be enough?

Thanks again for all the help. Arrive on Thursday and am really looking forward to getting some sun.

Julia C. · Post by **Julia C.** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:16 pm

You won't need any warm clothing for the evenings - take your coolest things. The only time I needed something warm was on the plane.
If you're going out in the evenings I'd definitely wear "Eau de Deet" or similar, infact we needed to apply stuff most of the time. I also found long thin cotton trousers and a thin cotton shirt with long sleeves useful against mossie bites and for protection against getting too much sun.

Gisela Grell · Post by **Gisela Grell** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 6:00 pm

Dear Julia,

sorry maybe I got that wrong. I thought a jetty is something like a Jetski (this little motorbike on the water) but now it looks to me that I'm completely wrong.

Can you help me out? Seems like I have to improve my English much more.

Cheers

Julia C. · Post by **Julia C.** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 6:59 pm

Hi Gilsela
No worries - your English is about 1000000 times better than my German!
I've looked jetty up in my partners English to German dictionary and it says in there "landungsbrucke", so I hope that makes sense. It's a wooden platform, long and narrow, going out into the sea. Boats can tie up to it, letting people get in and out of the boats and people fish from them.

There maybe good reason why Castara doesn't have one. I just wondered why.
Julia

Tricia C · Post by **Tricia C** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:34 am

I see that "eau de deet" is recommended ! LOL Is there someone that can tell me the BEST thing I should buy here in Canada before I leave to help against these mossies (mosquitos) and bugs at night? I'm hoping that since 5 of our 6 nights are AC we will be okay to sleep...but I guess being out at night at restaurant & bar areas we'll be needing bug-repellent?! Tricia & Alison (11 - 18th March in Tobago ! Yay ! )

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:41 pm

Hi Tricia

After years of experimentation, we have abandoned all the products we can buy back home. By far the best solutions that we have found for us personally - and Jill is a total biting-insect magnet - are the following:

1) Citronella mixed with coconut oil and or any other nice-smelling carrier, such as an after-sun/moisturiser cream. Make up a large bottle of solution and then regularly rub over your exposed bits.

2) Call into the PennySavers supermarket here on your way from the airport (or the pharmacy in the small mall opposite) and buy the most popular locally available bug deterrents Off! or Go! We particularly recommend the orange 175gm 'Fresh Scent' spray cans of Off! which cost around TT$45. It contains 15% DEET (although I don't know of any health concerns with DEET, spraying yourself with active ingredient chemical can’t be great for you, so the lowest strength that actually works has got to make more sense). The ‘Fresh Scent’ Off! even smells quite pleasant. You must re-spray every four hours max. Avoid the 'Family' pump-action bottles of Off! which only contain 7% DEET - they work but you need to re-spray every hour or so and it works out more expensive.

While you are in PennySavers, buy an electric bug deterrents for protection at night. They are a small round device the size of a saucer that heats a deterrent mat to give off a controlled amount of repellent over about an 8 hours period. There are two popular makes – BugMat and GoodKnight. Our GoodKnight Classic cost TT$30 and came with more than enough tablets for a normal holiday. Additional packs of the repellent mats are available at all the supermarkets. Just position one of these burners between the fan or window and the bed and switch it on about an hour before you go to bed. If you’re totally paranoid, use two burners. They’re cheap and you would have to have a very sensitive nose to actually smell the deterrent yourself.

Believe you me, we have really found that either of the above work MUCH better than any of the home-based products and at a fraction of the cost.

Have a great trip.

Gisela Grell · Post by **Gisela Grell** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 1:40 pm

Hi all,

You are much too quick for me Steve, I was just starting to answer Tricias question when your post came along.

Tricia, have a look at "Health & Security" and on this site a little bit below at "Mozzies and other biting nasties". But Steve did write already the most important things.

Julia, "landungbrücke" they said in the 2nd world war for a jetty (hey, I learned a new word!)

the easy way in German would be to say "Steg" but I'm sure, there are better words for it...
By the way, if I wasn't German I would never ever have the idea to learn the German language. It is so difficult, even for the Germans

Tricia, don't worry about the mozzies (another word I learnd here), a little bit of citronella would keep them away. Enjoy your stay!

Cheers

Giselle (who seems to have to wait until May before she can come back)

R Shah · Post by **R Shah** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 8:42 pm

OK so I'm finally back in cold, windy Jersey after my week in the sun. I've already posted reports on Porridge's Place, the diving and the flight, this is a report on my stay there.

Got off the plane and walked to immigration, was quite cool walking away from the lone 747!! As I was towards the front of the plane, got disemarked pretty early on, meaning I was towards the front of the immigration line (good thing!!) The immigration man was probably the friendliest I had ever experienced, a welcome start to my stay.

Waited for my bags, very small luggage carousel. However my bag came out pretty early (manually brought over from the side, not on the carousel).

Jeanell was waiting for me. We stopped off at Penny and Save for some shopping. Jeanell was at hand to find stuff for me. By the way the supermarket takes credit card. We then stopped off to get some veggies.

Got to Porridge's Place. Unpacked, showered, etc. Then hit Castara village. Basically just walked around to see what there was. Went to both the little beach where Ali Baba's is and the main beach. Spent the evening reading at Porridges Place.

Most of my days revolved around spending the day down at the small beach, which was very nice. Not so many people and the Boat House with a supply of drinks (now which one is better Carib or Stag, I can't tell the difference!!)

Was lucky enough to meet some very lively Canadian ladies (you know who you are!!) which made the trip very enjoyable. Most of my evenings were spent drinking with said Canadian ladies. This resulted me in doing less diving as I planned due to being very drunk in the evenings!!

I hired a car for a few days and drove around the island, which was good fun. I got lended Porridges car, with is sub-woofer, so I had fun blasting the music out. The roads were an interesting drive, very hilly and the roads not off the best condition. However most days were spent on the beach reading and being in the sea.

Did go to Sunday School which was a blast. I thought the thing would be bigger and more would be going on. However the steal band was great, only problem is they were in a small open dancehall, which meant it was very hard to see them, as they were surrounded by tourists (like me!!) The clubbing was good fun (but probably not to everyone's taste). There were two club areas. One where the steal band were (that was more dancehall music) and a club across the road (more reggae, slightly slower music). The ride home was was extremelly funny!!

Costs wise, I think Tobago was reasonable. Some things I found expensive, other things cheap. The diving was expensive, compared to other parts of the world. Also the taxi trips did not come cheap. Food (ie eating out) was reasonable. However the drinking was very cheap!!

The mozzie situation, they were there, I got bitten, but I didn't have to bother with any sprays, as the bites were minor.

Weather in general was fine, much warmer than back home!! There were a couple of days of non-stop raining, one day was when I was diving. It was actually quite bad out in the sea that we got caught in a hail storm!!

Overall I had an enjoyable, relaxing stay (which is what I was after). I got to meet and hang out with some of the locals. Going on my own, I was fine, however I have been travelling on my own before. I don't think Tobago is that geared to single independant travellers. However if you are a couple or a group of people Tobago and Castara especially is spot on. I would love to go back again with a group of friends or with a signifcant other.

Some pictures from my trip (I got lazy with the camera and only took a few):
http://rups.smugmug.com/gallery/1282512
http://rups.smugmug.com/gallery/1282587

I hope this report is of help.

I would also like to say thanks to all the people who helped me with all my crazy questions before me going out. In reality I didn't have to worry too much!!

Paul Tallet · Post by **Paul Tallet** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 9:02 pm

Seems like you had a good time Mr Shah ... I sense I would enjoy your company.

Thanks for the feedback and so eloquently written.

Regards

Paul Tallet · Post by **Paul Tallet** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 9:05 pm

Just seen the photos ... COR !

Fantastic.

Gisela Grell · Post by **Gisela Grell** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 7:55 pm

Hi Mr. Shah,

seems like you enjoyed your stay at Tobago and thats all what counts. Thanks for this interesting report and you took very nice photos.

Maybe see you there on your next trip.

Cheers

Roger D. · Post by **Roger D.** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:36 pm

Nice pictures - Makes me want to go again. I'm happy you had a fab time.
Paul, I wonder why you sense you would have a good time with Mr. Shah

R Shah · Post by **R Shah** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 9:00 pm

Roger D. wrote:Nice pictures - Makes me want to go again. I'm happy you had a fab time.
Paul, I wonder why you sense you would have a good time with Mr. Shah

???

Roger D. · Post by **Roger D.** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:22 pm

Paul Tallet wrote:Seems like you had a good time Mr Shah ... I sense I would enjoy your company.

Thanks for the feedback and so eloquently written.

Regards

Shah, It was directed at Paul. I've been conducting one of Paul experiments on Storm Surges.