Why do houses in Bermuda have white roofs?

All the houses and buildings and even the bus shelters in Bermuda have white roofs. This was one of the first things I noticed when arriving on the island, and I wounded why.

I have found out that they are all painted with a limestone powder mixture, so when rain water runs of the roof it gets sanitised on the way down and collected in a tank under the house. The water is then pumped out and used for everything you need water for in your home, you can even drink it, although I must admit I haven't as yet tried it.

Its a great idea as there is no other natural water souse on the island.

Christmas in Bermuda...

This year will be very strange in the build up to Christmas. Today they were putting the finishing touches to the decorations round town, and it was weird to see a Christmas tree next to a Palm tree.

It will take me a while to get used to the fact that it's not going to get colder, and it will be warm weather for Christmas. But it's still exciting to see the decorations going up, and it will be great to see the traditions of a Bermudian Christmas.

The Christmas count down has begun, 24 days to go :-)

Bermuda Aquarium...

I took the bus today to a lovely little village called Flatts, this is the location of the Bermuda Aquarium & zoo.

The Aquarium was a great place to see all the sea life that live around Bermuda, they had a great collection of creatures everything from a playful Octopus to kissing fish.



They also have a museum were you can learn all about Bermuda and the wildlife on the island. Then on the walk back to the bus stop you can look down into the harbour and see huge sting rays swimming very close to shore.

The Bermuda Christmas Parade...

I attended the annual Christmas parade in Hamilton today. The streets were lined with hundreds of people waiting for the floats to pass, it was a great atmosphere and really felt like the start of Christmas. Even though it was a warm evening.

I was surprised how many dance groups there were in Bermuda, they were all fantastic and well rehearsed, it was nice to experience a variety of different music and dance. You could really see how much effort had been made to make the parade a success.

The smallest dawbridge in the world...

I had a day off from work today so went for an explore, I took the ferry to the west side of Bermuda, and went for a 8km walk down the coast.

Bermuda is made up of qwite a few smaller island, especially on the west side so there are alot of bridges. I walked over one and saw there was a very small wooden secion in the middle, there was a sign that said it was the smallest dawbridge in the world.

The gap, when the drawbridge is lifted is just wide enough to let through the mast of a sailboat.

I got to see fireworks after all...

I have always been very excited about bonfire night ever since I was little, and have always enjoyed watching fireworks, having a bonfire and playing with sparklers. But when I found out that Bermuda didn't celebrate Bonfire night I was a little disappointed, as this would be the first time in my life when I didn't attend a bonfire party.

But then a friend discovered that there was a party to be held at a beach near to St Georges on the east point of the island. I was very excited, and it was a great evening. We bought some sparklers and stood by the bonfire while watching the professional firework display.

It was a little strange that it was still warm and on a beach, usally for bonfire night I would be wearing a coat and a scaf not just a t-shirt, and would be in the back garden.

I felt very satisfiyed and kept my tradisions alive.

From where I type...

I few days in from arriving in Bermuda, I discovered a free Internet connection at the Bermuda, Hamilton Library. You have to first become a member and then you can use the wireless as much as you like.

In the day there are tables set up so your can surf the net outside in the sun, even when there closed I have found that you can still pick up a signal, so this comes in handy when I Skye home in the evenings.



Swimming outside in November...

I went to a Halloween pool party the other day, and while enjoying swimming around the pool, kept forgetting that it was the beginning of November. It was great, lovely and warm, and the sun beaming down. Everyone else who was there though, thought it was now getting a bit cold at this time of the year for a swim, so didn't come in.

Back in the UK it would be unheard of to have a Halloween pool party in the first place never mind swim outside in November.

Clever Bermuda Ants...

I was sat at my desk in my bedroom the other night, when I saw that a team of ants were carrying off a dead moth across the floor. I left them to it as I thought it would save me the job and I carried on with my e-mails.

I had just finished my dinner and put the plate on my bed side table, 5 minutes later I saw that the ants had now changed direction and there was a great highway of them down the centre of my room. I went to investigate and they had now found my plate and were carting of bits of Tuna and rice down the side of the table.

There must have been hundreds if not thousands of them at this point marching through my bedroom. I watched them for a while as I found it quite fascinating that they had set up this great venture in a matter of minutes, but to there disappointment I removed the plate and watched them disperse back from whence they came.

It will be great experience for me...

Walking to work on my first day was a wonderful 15 mins, it was warm and the sun was shining. I even had breakfast in a little park opposite to the mall where I am working.

I really enjoyed my first day at the shop, although I kept saying £ instead of $ that’s going to take me a while to get that straight in my head, and the coins look like USA coins but have the queens face on one side this makes it very confusing, and the 10 cents is the same size as the UK 5p and the 5 cents is the same size as the UK 10p but I am sure I will get the hang of it.

It will take me a while to adjust to this new way of life, but it will be great experience for me in so many different ways, both in business and personally.

The grand tour...

Waiting to be picked up by my new employer, I sat and wrote postcards on the veranda of where I am staying, just taking in the landscape around me. I am renting a room in a wonderful old house with lots of character, in a place called Pembroke.

I was picked up at 9am after rush hour, the main town in Bermuda (Hamilton) has only really got two main roads going through it, so it can get very congested in the morning and afternoon.

Lisa my new boss gave me the grand tour of all the shops and design studio of Designer Flowers, the company I am now working for. It was great to meet everyone who works there, they are from places all round the world, so this means there is such a range of floral designs and styles from each of us.

I was then shown the shop that I will be the manager of, I was very excited and looking forward to getting started. At the moment I still feels like I am on holiday, so it will be strange to start working.

My first day in Bermuda...

I woke the next morning and really had to think we’re I was, realising I was still in Bermuda I planned my day. I decided to go from one side of the island to the other and the best way to do this is by ferry. This might be an everyday activity for the local people but I was very excited to see the island from a boat, you could really get an idea of the shape and scale of the place.

I also had my very first experience on a scooter a friend of mine over here has one and offered to take me around. It was great with the wind in your face as you travel along the very small roads of Bermuda, and most of the time you have the sea at one side of you. It is so beautiful, the turquoise water and bright blue skies and fantastic palm trees, oh and even pink sand.

I had such a fantastic first day in Bermuda and I have even got red arms to prove it.

I have arrived...

I had a very relaxed smooth flight to Bermuda with British Airways, lots of in flight entertainment to keep me busy. After 7 hours of looking down at the Atlantic, I was so excited to see land. Even when the screen in front of me said 1 mile till destination there was still water below us, and the runway stretched the whole width of the east side of the island

The humidity really hit me when existing the plane and this was at 6:30pm. They had a large sign saying welcome to Bermuda with a logo of some Bermuda shorts above it.

I then went through immigration and had to be interviewed about my reasons for entering Bermuda. Thankfully my new employers had left my working visa with them so all was well and they happily let me in to their country.

There was a lady waiting for me when I walked through the gates holding a sign with my name on it, that’s never happen to me before I felt very important. I was then taken to my new home away from home and met my land lady who made me feel very welcome and couldn’t do enough for me.

I was a little jet lagged and ready for bed at his point but I was lying there being serenaded by tree frogs making high pitched noises, I’m sure I will get used to them.

Bermuda here I come...

Three months ago I got a job as a Florist Manager, in Bermuda!

After lots of preparation, dentist trips and goodbyes, my bags are packed and I’m now ready to leave England and set off on my new adventure.

Bermuda here I come...