Castara Retreats - 7 days & counting!

[Gaby Williams]

Well having "hovered" around the edges of the forum for the past couple of months & can hold it in no longer! My husband & I will be spending 2 weeks at the Castara Retreats from next Thursday & I can't even begin to say how excited we are.

This will be our first visit to Tobago, in fact we have only been to the Caribbean once before on a all inclusive package to St Lucia. The holiday fitted the brief at the time but we did realise very quickly it was not something we would do again (all inclusive that is, St Lucia was lovely).

Anyway, I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to this brilliant site. I'm pretty sure if you look hard enough you can find the answer to any question (about Tobago) you may have when planning a visit.

.......now where did i put my snorkle & flippers!

Gaby

[Steve Wooler]

Hello Gaby

Welcome aboard!

It's always nice to convert a forum "lurker". Mind you, I guess everyone started that way.

I'm sure you're in for a real treat at Castara Retreats. Have a brilliant holiday and be sure to come back and let us know how you get on.

[Gaby Williams]

Thanks for the welcome Steve & yes we certainly will report back

Gaby

[Bill B]

It's 10 in the morning and I'm looking out the window at the first snowfall of the season. Admittedly it's only flurries and barely sticking but geez it's not even mid October yet.

We won't be in Castara until Jan 15th and really envy you being there so soon. I'm sure you will have a wonderful time. We've been to a number of islands and feel that Tobago is the most beautiful and has the nicest people living there.

Bill

[Gaby Williams]

Hi Bill

Can't believe you are seeing snow already!

We are still enjoying an Indian Summer here in London. I expect things will have changed by the time we return from Tobago.......... to more traditional English rain

Have a fantastic vacation in January, we will try not to drink all the beer!

Gaby

[David Watkins]

so that's a warm beer then Bill?
David(on de wy in 7 weeks)

[Bill B]

David,

As long as you're buying

Actually I'm more like you Brits as I prefer good beer warmer than most Yanks who like it icy cold. Of course I said 'good' beer, as most of the stuff made here in the states is swill and can only be tolerated if its ice cold. But then again after the first few it doesn't really matter - warm, cold, good or bad it all goes down

By the way the sun is now out, the little bit of snow has melted and its going up to a whopping 45F (7C) today.

Bill

[Sally Hudson]

Dear Gaby,
We stayed at Castara Retreats in August and it is absolutely stunning. Everything about the place is perfect, the accommodation, the views and the people who run the place. It is every bit as good as it looks on the website. When we were there we had booked diving up in Speyside so we didn't spend as much time with Duck as we would have liked but we will make up for that when we go back in February. I believe his boat trips are good and his barbecue was fantastic. Nothing is too much trouble for the team. Marieta's food is some of the best we had all holiday and she is happy to cook for you on other days, not just arrival day. Porridge is wonderful and it is good to have such a happy, approachable person on hand when you are new to a place. Sitting out on the decking in an evening watching the sun set and the fireflies dance over your head while listening to the waves below is sheer perfection. Have a wonderful holiday.
Sally

[Donna Baylis]

Hi Gaby

We are also flying out to Tobago next Thursday but are staying at the Rex Turtle Beach purely because we have 2 young children who love the swimming pool & mixing with other children & a Husband who likes a bit of watersports activity. We visited Tobago in March/April of this year for 2 weeks & went out & about quite a bit. We visited St Lucia 2 years ago & really liked it but found it just a little too big for our liking, a family we met there said if we liked St Lucia we would love Tobago & how right they were so I'm sure you will not be disappointed.

Donna

[Bill B]

Gaby,

Why did you wait so long to make your first post? You could have been having all these great responses and getting all excited months ago.

Our weather here in the Chicago area is totally goofy. Monday evening we were sitting out on our patio in shirt sleeves having cocktails and by last night the wind was blowing about 50 miles an hour and we dropped below freezing. Next week we're supposed to be back to shirt sleeve weather again.

At least in Tobago even if it rains you know it will be warm.

Bill

[Jo B]

<We visited St Lucia 2 years ago & really liked it but found it just a little too big for our liking, a family we met there said if we liked St Lucia we would love Tobago & how right they were so I'm sure you will not be disappointed.>

Donna

We had exactly the same experience! Our first Caribbean trip was to St Lucia, to Marigot Bay which was really rather lovely, we kept well clear of the Northern developments. We returned for a second year but then met a family out diving, who said exactly the same to us!

So, we have just returned from our second holiday in Tobago, both times staying in Castara, and they were absolutely right!

Jo x

[Gaby Williams]

Donna

Maybe see you at check-in on Thursday! I'll be the one with the husband carrying every form of anti-mosqito spray available

Gaby

[J Newton]

Hi Gaby,

hope you have a great time. We brought different mozzie repellent with us, but only really needed it when out at dusk or in the rainforest. The so called high-tech ones don't seem to do anything apart from dissolve everything you come in conatct with, particularly the print from plastic bags - which turns you into a walking advert for PennySavers. Try the local stuff - it works much better, saves you room in the case, and smells nicer.

Jason

[Phil Dean]

Have a great time guys, 7 weeks until I go, got my avon skin so soft packed for the mozzies..works well for me and smells a hundred times better than the harsher chemicals (and gives me lovely smooth skin )

[Gaby Williams]

Yep got 2 bottles of the Avon stuff & I'm picking up 150 citronella incense sticks on Saturday - dont' suppose they will work that well but they do smell nice!

I can just picture us now on the deck with a rum punch & the fireflies dancing.....my hubby swatting

[Donna Baylis]

If you do get bitten have any of you tried using a tiny yellow contraption that I think is called a click-it. I have bought mine from Boots & have been using it for several years. It sounds quite nasty but it sends a little current through the bite & eventually stops it from itching, it really does work.

Donna

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Donna

Yes, they are quite good. If you check out our article on "Insects & Nasties" and how to deal with them, available via the Odds & Sods/Health Matters menu above, you will see we recommend these devices (the most common being the Zanza-Click and normally a green colour.

[David Watkins]

Steve,the zanza click is not sold by Boots now-apparently it is outlawed for some reason.
David(47 and ticking)

[Steve Wooler]

Hmm!

I can't find anything about it on the Internet and suspect that Boots are playing safe. I always thought that it probably wasn't an ideal product for anyone with a heart pacemaker or any heart condition. I know you can hardly feel the zap, but I can also see it being of concern in some cases.

[Gaby Williams]

Hi Donna

Yep we've got one of those too! We have even been taking vitamin b for the past month as apparently the little blighters don't like the taste of it.

Gaby