Fairplay Supermarket - Anguilla
Don't be surprised if you give a local person walking by the side of the road a ride in your car and then that person gets out without thanking you, even if you have detoured to take them to their destination...don't know why, as most islanders are usually friendly and polite...they just seem to take it as their due!Anguilla is a small island of about 8,000 people, largely dependent on British aid and assistance (with defence, offshore regulation etc)pretending to be a country...This leads to a few unfortunate repurcussions, such as seemingly interminable waits at customs and immigration, especially at the airport: 30 mins may not be long, objectively speaking, but in non-airconditioned heat, it SEEMS long when a planeload of about 20 people takes a half hour or more to be approved for entry, when virtually all are American tourists (often complaining about the wait--despite the absurdities of the US immigration system and practice). The officials DO seem to dourly enjoy their rubber stamp function and taking their time, rather as they do in places like the former Soviet Union.The same is true of things like any contact with the traffic department, although that should not worry tourists, as the car hire places can issue a short-term (to three months) tourist licence on cardboard for about USD$5, on presentation of a home country licence. Anything to do with work permits or residence will involve waiting, and waiting, and waiting, usually...be warned! In the end, it is just a matter of some lady stamping a few bits of paper, but--oh!--do they make a meal of it!Anguilla even has, not only a radio station, but a black-and-white TV station, broadcasting a couple of hours per day. Pretty dull and really just a relating of small events on the island or the visit of the Chief Minister to some other island.The point is, don't make fun of their aspirations...there's no mileage in it, it is impolite (even if almost irresistible!) and the locals might well be annoyed. for a tiny group of people, they are quite 'nationalistic'.
Don't be surprised if fruit and vegetables are very expensive and the choice very restricted: almost all such are now imported from Florida and other places. You might pay USD5 or $6 for a mango which, in somewhere like Jamaica, might be less than $1.
