myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Firstly, let me congratulate Steve on an excellent site which is a good resource - one that I have found very helpful recently and shortly to test the quality of the advice.

Back on topic - don't be too sceptical about the guy wanting to rub you down with aloes on the beach. Just a little story with some (second hand but reliable) experience. My son visited Trinidad last year, and paid a short visit to Tobago. At that stage, he was suffering terribly from mosquito bites (looked like a collection of red blotches joined by the occasional pale spot) having been bitten alot over the preceeding couple of days. Sitting on the beach in Tobago, a guy with aloes saw him and said "Oh god, you look like you been in the forest!". After some negotiation, a deal was struck, some aloes was purchased and he was rubbed down.

The results were nothing short of miraculous. The itching stopped shortly afterwards and the huge red bites had started disappearing by the following day and were completely gone shortly afterwards. Now, my son has always suffered badly from insect bites and he was absolutely astonished at the results having only agreed to be rubbed down as a last resort - the itching was driving him to distraction. In the past, nothing has ever worked.

The advice given on this site is sound, if you don't want to be bothered, get in a firm and polite NO as quickly as possible. But don't for a minute think that all of these guys selling the aloes don't believe in what they selling or that it doesn't work.

Richard

Welcome Richard.

And thank you for the most positive testimonial that any of the 'Aloe Men' can ever expect.

It is true that it can work wonders and there are many nibbled and distressed people in great need of their support and soothing remedies.

Regards

Hi Richard

Welcome aboard!

You are perfectly correct about Aloe Vera - the effects can be stunning and the healing properties undoubted. That's why its used in so many products, I guess.

However, I must issue a strong warning about the Aloe Vera man. Within the last two hours my two guests were accosted on Grafton beach (we are currently at Plantation Beach Villas there) by the Aloe Very man. He first offered them cocaine or ganga and then, when they refused, virtually threw himself onto the lady and started spreading Aloe Vera over her. He totally ignored their requests to stop and then very belligerently and aggressively demanded money. They eventually agreed and paid him TT$40 just to shut him up.

They should have refused to pay him a penny and gone to the nearest security guards (Grafton/LGC or Plantation Beach Villas). Simply telling him that you intend to call the police is normally enough.

Just remember, if you are engaged in conversation with him and another visitor reports him and the police come along, he will be found with those drugs on his person. You could be compromised yourself.

Despite how uplifting I found Richard's contribution ...

Yes there is a dark side to the 'Aloe Men' that represent a general nuisance to visitors, in the main, on the Resort Beaches.

They (the bad ones) probably outnumber the good and honest guys by 20 to 1 ... or less.

The best way to approach this, I guess, is if you find yourself completely covered in Aloe Vera ... splosh !! ... before you have agreed a price ... then you have one of the bad guys !! ...

It has happened to me ... and if money is involved, I refer them with the kindest of regards to 'The Bursar' ... AKA, my ever dutiful, loving and protective wife who soon sees them off ... in her own sweet way !!

But Steve, the most sinister part of your warning is that any conversation with a guy carrying drugs could put us in a compromising position (if the police turn up) ... how am I supposed to know that anyone I talk to in Tobago is or isn't carrying drugs?

Interesting point.

Regards

Hi Paul

The police are not stupid, so in truth I was over-stressing the case to make a point. I'm sure the police would quickly realise that the visitors were innocents in the matter. However, my point is that this very day, an Aloe Vera trader (and there are only 2 known participants in this scam, I understand) offered my friends drugs before hitting them with the Aloe Vera scam. As I said to my friends, maybe they need to seek some help on the image they are presenting if they looked like the types who would buy drugs. Fortunately they knew I was joking.

Another warning: An increasing number of visitors are being caught with drugs after being sold gear by police informers. They are taking big steps to catch drug users and entrapment is not an issue here.

Hi Steve

Hope you are enjoying the last remnants of your holiday ... to be honest, not sure of you are there or here.

Regarding your point ... I get the joke.

But the point you made about drugs is interesting because, a couple of months ago, a client of mine (who shall be nameless for obvious reasons) related his fondness of Tobago to me as he knew I loved the place but told me an interesting experience.

The client is single(recently divorced), wealthy, respectable (I guess), middle aged and went to Tobago by invitation from some friends, got his own digs and, apart from other gatherings throughout the holiday, went out to Sunday School for a party and meet his friends.

This was in November 2004 ... when it was raining alot (another story) !!

He was driving back to his digs and was followed for some way by the Police before he was stopped and arrested.

He was taken to a Police Station and spent an hour or two being questioned about the possible possession of drugs (funny that they never searched his car) ... he had no drugs and didn't use them and he was sober too ... after questioning he was kept in a cell overnight and released in the morning and left to make his way home and recover his car.

Although he was a bit miffed by the experience, he accepted that he had been targeted because he was on his own and had mixed with many people, some of which could have been suspicious characters to the Police, assuming they were monitoring Sunday School that night.

I am not suggesting this is bad news because it is good that the Police are cracking down on illegal hard drugs ... it is good news anywhere, however it would be nice if resources were focused on the supply chains ... an argument that applies the world over.

For instance ... how many kilos of whatever could have been delivered to a remote beach on the northern coast of Trinidad or a remote beach in Tobago whilst the Police were giving my friend the undivided attention he preferred to avoid?

Nevertheless, my client has not been put off by his experience and will be back.

I am not trying to prompt a debate on this forum about drugs in Tobago ... (please do not reply on this issue). The issue is that the Police seem to be focusing on the 'end of the drug chain' ... and visitors could be caught up in this, as Steve suggests.

The main point is that I just feel that this story is worth airing for the benefit of those that like to venture out, mix, socialise and do whatever ... take care when going out ... no matter how reassuring it can be to know that Tobago is trying to crack hard drugs, 'things can happen' and Tobago is no exception to the safety measures that we should follow in our own countries ... where it is probably alot worse.

I hope this helps.

Regards

Yep...I had a very similar experience. Before we realized what was about to happen, the Aloe Vera man was rubbing aloe all over me. My husband quickly put a stop to that, but having no money with us on the beach, it took a donation of one of our beers for the Aloe Vera man to leave us alone. Definitely was one of our "well that's never happened before" moments.

Re: Aloes Man
Is this something one should expect to encounter at Store Bay? Not likely at the heavily fortified Pigeon Point, right?
Are there certain beaches where this is most prevelant?

Also, I've read quite a few stories in the Tobago News online about drug busts, particularly at Sunday School. Tourists have been given 14 days of hard labour and a stiff fine for a single joint of spleef. Just say no, eh?

Ah, just seven and a half weeks to go.
I'll stick to the rum punch for my jollies.

When we stayed at Grafton Beach on Stonehaven Bay, there was an Aloes man that came round the beach each day. Once you had said "No thanks" a couple of times, he just used to greet us with "Hey man!" each day - not threatening at all.

One day on the beach a guy came round offering us "interesting smokes" - we just said no and he went on his way. It was the only time we saw him - he was probably too spaced out on any other days!

Jane

Aloe Men do not lurk only on the southern beaches! It is true that Tobago might be somewhat limited in surviving historic monuments, but be assured that the ALOE MAN knows where the grave of the "Mother without knowing it" is. And, finding two white faces he immediately and without being the least intimidated by my shouts, started to inundate my fiancee in Aloe. She did not have a skin condition that could vanish but the Aloe man did, in rather a bad temper, when he did not get any money.