From: paul.graveline%travel@wugate.wustl.edu (Paul Graveline) 
Newsgroups: rec.travel
Subject: CARIBBEAN TRAVEL ROUNDU11
Date: 1 Sep 92 13:18:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Travel Online, St. Louis, MO
Reply-To: paul.graveline%travel@wugate.wustl.edu (Paul Graveline) 

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You'll  have  to go to the store at least once to purchase munchies,  
sodas,  beer or rum and ice. There is a good local soft drink called  
Ting  that  is made from real grapefruits - I even saw people at the  
airport  taking  some home. If you want fresh fruit, go to the fruit  
stands  just past the grocery store. There are coolers at the houses  
for  icing  down beverages etc. I recommend you try the jerk chicken  
from  one  of the rastafarians on the side of the road. We liked the  
"Finger   Lickin   Jerk   Chicken"   just  around  the  corner  from  
Citronella.  
 
If  you do decide to go there are some basic things you should bring  
with  you:  bug  repellant - lotions work good, Bug spray - remember  
it  is  a tropical island, Sun Screen - The higher the better, flash  
lights  -  for  the  paths at night or a power outage, lighter - for  
table  lamps  (there  are electric ones also), very casual clothes -  
shorts  and  T-shirts,  2 cheap blowup rafts - easy to pack and very  
much  used,  mask,  snorkel  and  aqua  socks - a must for the reef,  
Benadryl  cream  and  pills  -  in  case  of an allergic reaction, a  
camera  -  recyclable  ones work good, bottle opener - no twist-offs  
in Jamaica mon, small radio - to pick up the local reggae sounds.  
 
Here's  some  phone numbers and names: Citronella - 809-957-4459 Ask  
for  "Junior"  TYKES  BIKES - 809-957-4863 Free pick up and drop off  
PP  CABS available at the LTU. We had Juanie and Aurthur. There is a  
pharmacy  in  downtown  Negril  if you need it. There is also a very  
nice  doctor  in town who helped us with some nasty sea stings. He's  
an M.D. from the US and is very nice. 
 
St. Martin by Ian MacFarlane 
--------------------------- 
My  wife  and  I spent seven days in late June at the Pelican Resort  
on  Sint Maarten and had a very relaxing time. We rented a week from  
a  timeshare  owner  who  advertised  on the bulletin board at work.  
Otherwise,  we  would  not have thought about timeshares. We are now  
looking  into  timeshares  with  the possibility of buying a week or  
two--but  we are wary of the over priced nature of this business. We  
are  not  yet  sure  we  can  find a deal that fits our needs and my  
Scotch soul. 
 
There  are  three  basic  reasons  to  go  to  St. Maarten: beaches,  
gambling,  and  duty-free  shopping;  although the novelty of French  
and  Dutch  cultural  co-  existence  on  one small, 37 square mile,  
island  should  not  be discounted as a tourist attraction. Everyone  
speaks English and the US dollar is universally accepted.  
 
Sint  Maarten/ St. Martin easily lives up to its motto "The Friendly  
Island."  It is a highly-developed island, with more hotels and time  
shares  going up every day. It may be overbuilt now and there is the  
danger,  especially  on  the Dutch side, of out-growing the electric  
supply.  A  combination  of the two spellings - St. Maarten - is the  
most  common  usage,  even  on  T-shirts  sold  on  the French side.  
Perhaps  because  the airport (Princess Juliana International) is on  
the  Dutch  side  and that is what you list as your destination when  
planning  a  trip  to  the island. There is an airport on the French  
side,  but  it  is  used  only  for small planes. Electricity is 110  
volts/60  Hertz  (US  standard)  on  the Dutch side and 220 volts/50  
Hertz  (European  standard)  on  the  French  side. Arrival Princess  
Juliana's  terminal is not air-conditioned and the wait for luggage,  
after  deplaning from the cool interior of a modern jet, resembles a  
stay  in a Turkish bath. We suggest you dress for the trip with this  
in  mind.  After collecting your luggage from within the one modest- 
sized  hall,  you  exit  the  small building immediately to the taxi  
stations,  parking  lot,  rental car booths, and independent hawkers  
of  rentals  or taxis. The competition for rental cars is fierce and  
they  offer  reductions  on  their  fees if you agree to listen to a  
sales  pitch  for  several  timeshare  resorts ($100 off for Pelican  
resorts)  you can get a good deal with some bargaining and patience.  
 
 
Getting  Around:  Taxis  are inexpensive, $10 will get you to either  
Marigot,  the  French capital, or Philipsburg, the Dutch one. $30 by  
taxi  takes  you  to  the  most  remote point on the island. For the  
mildly  adventurous, there are extensive and cheap mini-bus services  
in  and  between both the French and Dutch communities. The farthest  
point  on  the island from the airport, Orient Beach, is less that a  
half-hour  away by whatever means of transportation you use. Driving  
is on the right.  
 
Roads  are  narrow!  We recommend you rent a car. All the well-known  
rental  agencies  are  there,  along  with a few local companies. We  
paid  just  over  $150 for a small four-door Subaru from Hertz, with  
automatic  transmission  and  A/C. Many people rent four-wheel drive  
vehicles  because  some highly-rated beaches and tourist attractions  
are  in  rugged  terrain.  We suggest you get a convertible or a car  
with  air  conditioning.  This  allows  you  to drive to the various  
beaches  and to sample some of the many excellent restaurants. Watch  
out  for  the  roads,  even  with  a four-wheel drive. The roads are  
steep  and  not  in good repair, although we think they are slightly  
better  on  the  French  side. Main roads pass through the middle of  
several  of  the resort complexes and the driver is faced with speed  
bumps,  potholes,  and  crumbled  pavement.  Roads  are narrow. Side  
roads  and  driveways  exit  onto the main road, which is often only  
one  and  a  half  lanes  wide,  without warning or adequate vision.  
Traffic  has  to  be polite enough to stop and let cars out onto the  
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