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What are the Top 5 Things that Could
Go Wrong while in the Caribbean?
So you finally made it. You’re in the
Caribbean! The brilliant sun is beating down on you and you have
sand beneath your feet. It’s tropical heaven and you’re loving it.
But hold on just a minute. Have you thought about all the things
that could go wrong during your stay? Because believe it or not,
without proper planning and prevention strategies, there’s every
chance your “dream” vacation might turn out to be not so dream-laden
at all.
So here are some of the factors that
you need to consider when on the road and how to deal with them.
No. 1 Cultural Expectations and
Culture Shock
Many people arrive in Puerto Rico,
Antilles, Antigua, Jamaica, or St.-Martin with what can only be
described as wildly romantic expectations about its people, only to
feel completely let down that everyone is dressed in Western
clothing and if ever there are indeed people dressed ethnic, it’s
only because they’re selling you something.
This sort of disillusionment is most
common in the more populous parts of the Caribbean, such as Barbuda,
Antilles, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Guadeloupe, although that’s not
saying that these countries really have nothing to offer of
Caribbean culture you’ve come to expect.
One good tip is to let go of all your
pre-conceived ideas of what the Caribbean culture should and should
not be and let personal experience be your guide.
Traveling alone will give you a
better chance at intermingling with ordinary citizens. By its very
nature alone, you can already tell that independent travel does have
its perks when it comes to experiencing an exotic destination such
as the Caribbean.
Backpackers especially are very
fortunate to stumble upon a rural village and discover that most
natives, even the poorest, are disarmingly open and hospitable. Some
of them might even treat you to a glimpse of how the life of a real,
full-blooded Carib is really lived, and you’ll be amazed.
So if you really want to learn more
about the Caribbean culture and its native civilization before time,
then head on to the isolated parts of the region where
commercialization has yet to make its mark. The region of Antigua is
as good as place as any to visit for a diverse cultural experience
and cultural sights around the islands.
If not, you can always go island
hopping. The Cayman Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands seem to be
the perfect destinations for such a cultural adventure. Charter
boats are available almost anywhere around these parts, with a
usually jovial crew ready to point out to you the sights and some
itty bitty stories and myths about them.
As with culture shock, that part is
often overstated in the Caribbean. All you have to do is allow a few
days to adapt to the overall vibe of the islands. Expect that in
less developed countries, there is a much higher level of dirt and
noise than you have at home. Expect that you might not be able to
follow the language – something that can be recompensed by studying
the language before leaving home.
And if you feel somewhat like a
target for crime, most people are. It’s normal. It helps if you try
not to be too conspicuous as a tourist.
No. 2 Moving Around
That’s why it’s called traveling. And
in the Caribbean, where the tourist destinations and sights are vast
and widespread, you might find that you’ll be doing a lot more of
that than in other places. Buses, trains, and taxis - these are
luxurious compared to night buses, back of pick up trucks, or
below-par boats, and there’s every chance you might end up in one of
these if you’re the more adventurous type.
You will be surprised by how far
distances are and how bad roads can be in hard-to-reach areas. Some
areas don’t even have roads, yet that’s what makes it perfect for
hiking and camping! So really, it all depends on what you’re looking
for when traveling to the Caribbean.
In the Caribbean, the variety of
choices you have is amazing – hiking, rappelling, rainforest
gliding, paragliding, camping, mountain trekking, mountain climbing,
mountain biking, etc. Plus, there are the activities you can do in
or on the water – scuba diving, snorkeling, skinny dipping,
swimming, body surfing, windsurfing, water skiing, whale watching,
boating, cruising, and more.
You will most certainly need a means
of transportation in order to get to the places where these
activities take place. Some, like hiking, biking, boating, etc.,
already provide the means by their nature. But others, such as
mountain trekking, camping, gliding…you will need to get to the
rainforest first where the campsite for the gliding team awaits.
Booking a tour with this kind of activity will greatly help.
No. 3 Looking after your Things
and Avoiding Crime
It’s a little difficult to write
about crime when traveling to the Caribbean. If we emphasize the
subject, first time travelers will have trouble swallowing the pill
and end up getting paranoid about the whole thing. And yet, if we
don’t talk about the thing at all, inexperienced travelers will
think that it’s virtually risk free.
So, let’s simplify the whole thing
into three things:
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First, the Caribbean is not
ground where crimes fester and encroach into society. The crime
rate is pretty high, which is true especially in those
territories encompassing Latin America, but not dramatically
high as in most other countries.
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Second, thieves will be present
in your trip, as they are everywhere else. It’s a normal
occurrence. If you don’t want to be a victim, don’t give these
criminals the occasion to make you one. In a word: beware.
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Third and last, it doesn’t hurt
to be a little paranoid about it. At the very least, it will
help you take better care of your things and avoid getting into
trouble during your trip.
It’s an accepted rule that you
exercise a degree of caution when you travel to the Caribbean, but
only a degree. More is bordering on paranoia. Believe me, you don’t
want that kind of stress while you’re in your supposedly “dream”
vacation.
Just bear in mind that people with a
criminal intent make up a tiny fraction of less than 1% of the
population, so don’t be overly suspicious of every person you meet.
No. 4 Getting Ill
This kind of trouble can strike at
anytime and at any place you happen to be. Getting is an unfortunate
caveat when traveling. It doesn’t happen always so it’s a mystery
when it does happen. We’re talking about normal stomach problems
here, like food poisoning and diarrhea, not the more serious kind
(e.g., malaria, yellow fever, dengue, hepatitis, etc.).
In most cases, it has to do with
contaminated food. Maybe the chef at that lovely, out-of-the-way
restaurant you checked out didn’t wash his hands when he tossed your
salad, or maybe the food just wasn’t cooked that well.
The travel adage, ‘boil it, cook it,
peel it, or forget it!’ will apply in the Caribbean. Watch out for
those cold salads, ice cubes in drinks, and hand-made ice creams,
raw food, and buffet warnings, because really, they aren’t called
‘warnings’ just to look pretty.
Don’t let this kind of thing bother
you too much. Don’t get paranoid about food poisoning. It’s probably
not going to happen to you anyway, but it’s best if you prepare for
it. Over the counter drugs will probably do it for you and as for
dehydration, Gatorade type sports drinks are much easier to drink
than water and will replace sugar you have lost.
As for bottled water, they are
generally available in the whole region. If you’ve decided to spend
most of your time on a Caribbean beach, you will most likely have no
problems of this sort. However, if you want to go hiking or mountain
trekking in remote areas, be sure to bring Iodine pills (not even
chlorine) with you to put in your water. Chlorine just can’t do what
Iodine can with those really nasty bugs.
Some of the commonest illnesses you
will get while on a vacation in the Caribbean include:
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Colds, flues, and sore throats
Diarrhea is easy to handle with
non-prescription drugs. Or you could just wait it out and let
whatever got into your digestive tract flush itself out. Be sure to
drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and try slicing apple
very thin and leaving them until they turn brown. The bacteria
related to diarrhea and other symptoms normally die after 36 hours.
If the symptoms grow worse in your case, consult a doctor about it.
Dehydration is the reason you feel
awful during a bout of diarrhea. You can take dehydration salt
sachets to solve the problem and/or drink lots of liquids. If you’re
hungry, stick to dry biscuits, boiled potatoes and rice.
The frequency of constipation is
rather unusual, considering how many travelers expect to get
diarrhea. Again, drink plenty of water, eat fruit, and have some
natural laxatives at hand. Coffee and herbal tea could also help.
Colds, flues, and sore throats are
common after long haul flights. They are also easily activated in
the Caribbean’s damp climate. You might get skin irritations
somewhere in your Caribbean vacation, either due to certain elements
in the air, something you ate, or all those exotic plants
surrounding you. But they can be easily dealt with Hydrocortisone
cream or other travel sized remedies. If they get really bad, you
can try anti histamine pills.
No. 5 Bargaining
Well, this doesn’t exactly fall under
the “things that could go wrong” category as it could be really fun,
once you get the hang of it. Don’t go thinking stars though when we
say it’s easy enough, because the reality is: it’s a they win, you
lose situation. Try to be sporty about it and buy only the things
that you really want.
Don’t be fooled by the charms of a
smart seller whose goal is not massively inflate the price for
ignorant tourists. You aren’t one of those, are you? So don’t fall
for any of it. The actual price from starting prices can be up to
ten times less so keep that in mind when you haggle with the vendor
for a seashell bracelet or a flowery, tie-dye wrap around skirt.
And so these are basically the top 5
things that could go wrong when you go on a Caribbean vacation.
We’ve taught you how to deal with them. Now it’s time for you to
apply them. So go on ahead and leave your work and the tension
associated with it for a month’s stay at a dream Caribbean
destination.
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