Bermuda for beginners

Well, here I am, in sunny Hamilton, Bermuda.  I’ve been here a couple of days, so it’s time for some first impressions, I think.

First of all, contrary to popular belief, Bermuda is not in the Caribbean.  In fact it’s about a thousand miles north-east of the nearest recognizable Caribbean island, and actually lies some 450 miles due east of Cape Hatteras in North Carolina.  So it’s a pretty isolated speck of land.  And speck is not an exaggeration: the island (in fact, group of islands) measures a mere 21 square miles in area, and since from its most easterly point to its most westerly is just 20 miles (according to Arthur, my local cabbie who picked me up at the airport), it’s rarely more than a mile across.  In many places, the distance is mere yards, and the Atlantic is clearly visible on both sides.  Viewed from the air or Google Maps, the island has a roughly fish-hook shape, with a scattering of islets around the perimeter and a larger one settled in the main bay area (so in the curve of the fish-hook).

Yet despite its miniscule size, there are about 400 miles of roads – by which I’m referring to proper, honest-to-God tarmacked roads, not unpaved tracks.  Most of them, even in the capital Hamilton, are very narrow and winding and undulating – it’s a surprisingly hilly place – and there seem to be few footpaths alongside.  My hotel is a ten minute walk from the office, on the edge of town, and at least a third of the distance is walking along the side of the road, hugging boundary fences and hedgerows to avoid being mown down.  It reminds me of some of the lovely Cornish lanes I used to drive on vacations many years ago.

This little rock also houses a population of around 65,000.  Again, refer to Google Maps, and this time view in satellite mode.  The entire island appears to be covered in white dots, as if God has flicked a celestial paintbrush overhead and scattered droplets of emulsion over the place.  Zoom in and you will see that these dots are in fact buildings – houses, hotels, warehouses, offices and so on.  Apart from the beach areas, a handful of parks and sports grounds, and a golf course or two, there is precious little free land area at all.  So there is very limited agriculture, no orchards, no potato crops, nothing.  There is a small dairy farm and that’s about it.  Everything has to be imported – and so everything is expensive.

Until 1948 or thereabouts, there were only a handful of cars on the island, and most of those were owned and run by the government - police force, ambulances and so forth.  There was a small railway line running around both north and south coasts, linking Hamilton with the more remote (if that’s the right word) areas, but hardly any private cars.  But as the population grew, and its offshore banking and tourism industries expanded with post-war American affluence, the government changed things around a little.  The railway was closed down (today the tracks form a jogging and cycling path around some of the most beautiful parts of Bermuda), roads were built, and private citizens were allowed to buy cars.  But strict limits were imposed that stand to this day – only one vehicle per household and a 25kph speed limit island-wide.  Given the nature of the roads, this is no bad thing.  Motor scooters are very popular too, and seem to outnumber cars around the city, and so are bicycles.  Helmets are mandatory for both, including for passengers on the scooters, and using seatbelts in cars and taxis is likewise a must.  There are no hire cars on the island, which is just as well, so if you want to get around under your own steam you need to hire a scooter or a bike, or use the bus and taxi networks.  I plan to rent a bike at the weekend and explore a bit….which could be fun.

The people are very friendly indeed.  Walking around town, between hotel and bank, or around the shops, complete strangers flash you a broad smile and a jaunty “Good morning, how are you today?”  It all makes a change from surly London commuters barging past you on the steps of Bank station, or crazy Warsaw drivers cutting you up on the school-run.  Even the beggars here are friendly and polite: “Lovely day today, sir.  Can you spare me a dollar for a coffee please?”  Well, a buck certainly won’t buy a coffee, but I’d rather be asked politely like that than some of the confrontations I’ve had over the years, in cities everywhere.  I was actually surprised to find homeless people and street beggars here, given how wealthy Bermuda is, but they exist as they do everywhere – and if that’s not a sad indictment of 21^st Century Planet Earth I don’t know what is.

Bermuda is a Crown Territory, and its Britishness is evident everywhere.  You drive (albeit s-l-o-w-l-y) on the correct side of the road.  The road markings and traffic lights and pedestrian crossings are British style.  The buses are the same as the ones in Oxford and Edinburgh and Gravesend – no bendy buses here (the roads couldn’t take them).  Among the normal international brand stores like adidas and Benetton there is a Marks & Spencer, a shop called The English Sports Shop, a Red Lion pub (and of course the inevitable Flanagan’s Irish Sports Bar).  In the food court at the mall close to the office you can buy delicious looking chicken and mushroom or steak and vegetable pies – and of course pizza and pasta and sushi and oodles of fresh fish dishes.  There is Weetabix and Colman’s Mustard in the supermarket.  All very homely, apart from the weather which is much better.

The island lies in the Gulf Stream, so the sea is warm as is the year-round climate – blue skies and fluffy white clouds and plenty of sun.  But it’s not excessively Caribbean hot – so far this week around the mid-20s: very comfortable and pleasant.  It’s also on the edge of the hurricane belt, and sometimes catches storms of Biblical proportions (although rarely a direct hit). That said it will be just my luck to be here for the first hurricane in years……now that WOULD be something to write about!

What else?  Oh, yes – dress code.  Shorts are de riguer here – the world famous Bermuda shorts.  Everyone wears them, and very natty they are too.  They are perfectly acceptable at work, provided they are a single colour (no lairy patterns or loud flowery designs here) – the most popular colour is pink, which is the national colour.  They are worn with dark knee-length socks, black business shoes and a normal shirt and tie (and sometimes a jacket or blazer for important meetings).  Many people at the bank wear them, and I have to say it actually looks very smart in an English sort of way.  One guy there is French, so of course he has to be different: khaki shorts, a check shirt, no tie, and sailing shoes with no socks.  My colleagues and I have agreed that in a couple of weeks we too will join in the fun  - they are leaving for home visits next week so will bring suitable gear with them on their return.  I may well invest before then……  A couple of weeks ago I wrote and published a piece on LinkedIn (advice for new consultants – how to survive life on the road) and one  of the key points is to blend in with the locals.  So shorts it is – I can hardly not follow my own advice!

So there we go.  My initial thought is this a cool place and I’ll enjoy my time here.  There is the obvious caveat that so far all I’ve seen is a surprisingly shabby airport, the road into Hamilton, my hotel and the office, and a couple of shops.  I’ve not visited a beach yet – I’m told they are stunning and the best in the world - , nor a pub; I’ve not hired a bike or caught a bus.  All that is to come, starting this weekend. 

Watch this space….