Yes Folks, we arrived onto the rock that is Barbados on February 28th. The flight was good putting us in a false sense of holiday mode, but this is no holiday. So far things have pretty much gone to plan. We had our appointment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who furnished us with a letter to take to Port Customs, making us Exempt from duty on any personal effects brought into the country.
We then managed to tackle the maze that is The Barbados Port Authority, where we had to face Customs regarding our container load of household effects that came into Barbados a few days before we did. Well let's just say that there was a lot of waiting and being sent from one window to the next, without a lot being done. Many Officers on site were standing or sitting discussing various topics amongst themselves, without much care for the mere civilians trying to obtain their property. Anyway, three hours later (and I am told this is a record fast time......), we were told that our paperwork was in order and our items were to be released. Not before they tried to charge us duty, from which we are exempt due to the letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The next hurdle was to co ordinate the delivery of a rented 10ft container and the household goods being brought over to the house by the shipping agent in Barbados. This was fairly smooth, as the container was delivered early the following day and we were promised our household effects would be brought over the same day that afternoon. Well, it was almost perfect, but they were unable to fit three large boxes and one item of furniture. This we were told would be brought over the next day. Well that did not happen, as it rained. Not just a little, but a lot.......so no delivery!!! Eventually we got the last pieces three days later.
During this time we have also managed to see the Head Teacher for a local school near to where we are living, and it seems we will be able to send our daughter Loretta to the school as there is a space for her. The only problem that we have right now is that many of the book stores do not have the full stock from the book list that the school has given us. There is also a rush to either buy or have the school uniform made before the pencilled in school date in April for her to start school.
................and yes we are still unemployed!!!!!!!!
So our first two weeks in Barbados have been OK. I will upload pictures when I can, but it has been a struggle just to get online, this being the first full session so far.
