Life in the Left Lane

Rating:
Summary: Considering a Caribbean retirement ' Read this first.
Review: No typical tourist guide is this. Emy Thomas provides a refreshingly frank account of life in St. Croix. She deals directly with the pleasant ' the beaches, the people, the pace of life ' and the sometimes unpleasant ' hurricanes, and occasional crime.

Emy Thomas has found her own way to enjoy this island paradise. Hers is no superficial experience. She enjoys St. Croix in all its richness. Not for her an imposing mini castle in an expatriate enclave. She goes out of her way to live modestly yet comfortably. She knows some creole, and is deeply involved in local social initiatives. She seems to blend and integrate with the majority West Indian population much better than could be expected of the stereotypical New Yorker. She joins the locals in laughing off the perpetual Government inefficiencies, rather than getting upset. But her journalist background is not entirely forgotten. She still manages to take a few swipes at local politicians.

If you know St. Croix already, you will readily identify with Emy Thomas' perspectives and sense of humor. If you ever wondered what a Caribbean retirement would be like - read this before you decide. It will prepare your mind, and most likely will make you want to do it even more.

Rating:
Summary: Considering a Caribbean retirement � Read this first.
Review: No typical tourist guide is this. Emy Thomas provides a refreshingly frank account of life in St. Croix. She deals directly with the pleasant � the beaches, the people, the pace of life � and the sometimes unpleasant � hurricanes, and occasional crime.

Emy Thomas has found her own way to enjoy this island paradise. Hers is no superficial experience. She enjoys St. Croix in all its richness. Not for her an imposing mini castle in an expatriate enclave. She goes out of her way to live modestly yet comfortably. She knows some creole, and is deeply involved in local social initiatives. She seems to blend and integrate with the majority West Indian population much better than could be expected of the stereotypical New Yorker. She joins the locals in laughing off the perpetual Government inefficiencies, rather than getting upset. But her journalist background is not entirely forgotten. She still manages to take a few swipes at local politicians.

If you know St. Croix already, you will readily identify with Emy Thomas� perspectives and sense of humor. If you ever wondered what a Caribbean retirement would be like - read this before you decide. It will prepare your mind, and most likely will make you want to do it even more.

Rating:
Summary: A breeze to read
Review: This is a delightful little book, well worth reading if you plan to visit any of the Virgin Islands, especially St. Croix. The author's style is light, and yet packed with relevant and carefully researched information about the subtleties and nuances of Crucian life as well as the history, geography, flora and fauna, and much more, all of which can help visitors to appreciate this island and its culture far more than a "tour book." It leaves the reader feeling like a sweet little Caribbean breeze has just passed by...

Rating:
Summary: A breeze to read
Review: This is a delightful little book, well worth reading if you plan to visit any of the Virgin Islands, especially St. Croix. The author's style is light, and yet packed with relevant and carefully researched information about the subtleties and nuances of Crucian life as well as the history, geography, flora and fauna, and much more, all of which can help visitors to appreciate this island and its culture far more than a "tour book." It leaves the reader feeling like a sweet little Caribbean breeze has just passed by...