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Nice to Know ..... Cont'd

Transportation

 

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Barbados Bus Schedule

 

Government's Barbados Transport Board buses are blue with yellow stripe. They run most of the island and have 3 terminals. 2 in the capital Bridgetown (at Fairchild Street and Princess Alice Highway) and one in Speightstown. These buses run all around the island including popular visitor sites such as Farley Hill National Park, Bathsheba, Harrison's Cave, Gun Hill Signal Station and Oistins. Look out for the red, white and black signs that indicating scheduled bus stops. Blue buses (Government run) don’t give change – so have the fare ready $2.00 Barbadian dollars for adults and $1.00 for children under 18 years of age. $2.00 Barbadian dollars are 1 US dollar. Foreign coins are not accepted.  For schedules: http://horariodebuses.com/EN/bb/index.php

 

The Transport Board also offers a Scenic Tour of the island each Sunday. This is an inexpensive way to see the island and a chance to interact with locals.

 

The Transport Board also compete with the private owned route taxis (called ZRs) and the yellow coloured mini-buses. They usually run when filled up. The yellow buses are more exciting with reggae blaring and a muscular driving style.

 

Taxis

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Taxis have a ‘Z’ on the license plate and usually a ‘taxi’ sign on the roof. They’re easy to find and often wait at the side of the road in popular tourist areas.Although fares are fixed by the government, taxis are not metered and you will have to haggle for a fair price.

 

The rate per kilometer is about B$2 and the flat hourly rate B$50. ‘Official’ fare from the airport: Speightstown ($100.Bd ($83 + tip)).

 

 

CAR HIRE                             They drive on the left in Barbados. Seat belts must be worn.

 

You need a Barbados Driving Permit which is easy to get from the Barbados Licensing Authority (located next to the Police Station in Holetown on the first floor in the big pale green block of Government buildings).  You need your own driving licence to get a month or a one year permit. Office hours are Monday to Friday9.00am – 12.00pm.

 

Many people hire a car for part of the time and then use buses/taxis for the rest. Rental companies deliver the car to you and issue a permit.

  

Rental companies:

 

Elizabeth Gibbons, Destiny Car Rental: 246-266-8594

Ingrid King 428 5180

Leisure Rentals 423 5377

Stoutes 416 4456

 

Given a day’s car hire is more than the cost of a taxi to the airport we would always recommend taking a taxi from the airport rather than waiting around to collect a hire car. This saves you having to drive/navigate unfamiliar roads after a long day travelling. Much better to have the car hire company come to the apartment with the car. Book car hire well ahead if travelling at peak times especially Christmas, New Year and Easter as many hire companies get booked out.

 

Geography & Climate

 

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Barbados Climate

 

Barbados offers sunshine everyday. The constant cool breezes of the Trade Winds keep average day time temperatures of 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, 27 to 29 degrees Celsius. Night time temperatures average 76 degrees Fahrenheit, 23 degrees Celsius. December to May in Barbados are mainly the driest months. Afternoon rain showers fall during the months of June to November. These are often welcomed to cool down from the blazing sun, and can last simply a few minutes.

 

 

Barbados Geography

 

Barbados' total land area is 430 km2 (166.0 sq mi), and it has a coastline of 97 km (60 mi) length. Sometimes compared to a pear[3] or leg of mutton for its physical shape. Along the north-south axis Barbados has a maximum length of 34 kilometres (21 mi), and east-west maximum breadth of 23 kilometres (14 mi).

 

The physical characteristics of Barbados are its lowlands or gently sloping, terraced plains, separated by rolling hills that generally parallel the coasts. Elevations in the interior range from 180 to 240 meters above sea level. Mount Hillaby is the highest point at 340 meters above sea level. Farther south, at Christ Church Ridge, elevations range from sixty to ninety meters. Eighty-five percent of the island's surface consists of coralline limestone twenty-four to thirty meters thick; Scotland District contains outcroppings of oceanic formations at the surface, however.

 

Sugarcane is planted on almost 80 percent of the island's limestone surface. The soils vary in fertility; erosion is a problem, with crop loss resulting from landslides, washouts, and falling rocks.

 

Most of the small streams are in Scotland District. The rest of the island has few surface streams; nevertheless, rainwater saturates the soil to produce underground channels such as the famous Coles Cave.

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