Practical information

Daily transport to and from meeting venue

Transport from the hotels (indicated by the host) to the meeting venue will be provided by the host on a daily basis.

Tea/Coffee Breaks and Lunches   

Tea/coffee breaks will be kindly provided by the host and are arranged for mid morning and mid afternoon. The host will also provide lunches when these are taken at the premises.

Social event  

CIMH will be offering the participants of VLMG-8 an informal Ice Breaker on Monday 9 May. This will take place in the evening after the meeting. More information will be given closer to the event’s date.

Off-site activities - Thursday 12 May

An Island tour is organized for Thursday 12 May, as a courtesy of CIMH. This will take place in the morning, ending at Sunbury Plantation House, where the group will have lunch.

Sunbury Plantation House is of historical importance for the Island, which goes back over three hundred years. The property features mahogany antiques, old prints and an unique collection of horse-drawn carriages. Visitors are welcome to take a house tour (time permitting).

Group work is planned for VLMG participants on Thursday afternoon. This will be organised in the gardens of Sunbury Plantation House. We will be leaving the site around 16:30.

You are advised to wear comfortable clothes and shoes and bring water with you.

Currency

The official Barbadian currency is the Barbados Dollar. The currency symbol is $ and its ISO code is BBD. The Barbados Dollar is fixed to the U.S Dollar and does not fluctuate. The conversion rate is $1.98 BBD to $1.00 U.S.

Barbados banknotes in circulation are 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 Dollars. Barbados coins are issued as 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents and 1 Dollar.

In Bridgetown banks are open Monday to Thursday from 08:00 to 15:00 and Fridays from   08:00 to 17:00.  ATM machines can be found in the airport, some gas stations and next to banks.

You will find that US currency is accepted across the island, and most stores and restaurants accept major credit cards. Of course most Barbados hotels and other lodgings also accept these various forms of payment.

Power Supply

The power voltage in Bridgetown is 115 volts, and frequency is 50 Hz.  The electrical sockets most commonly found are Type A and B outlets (see picture below).

Internet Access

Wireless Internet Access will be available in the meeting room at CIMH. Participants will be provided with a password on the first day of the meeting.

Weather in Bridgetown in May

Temperatures in May typically range from 25°C at night to 31°C during the day (77 to 88°F).

For current weather forecasts please visit http://www.barbadosweather.org

You may also want to have a look at the CariCOF Climate Outlooks for the Caribbean at http://rcc.cimh.edu.bb/long-range-forecasts/caricof-climate-outlooks/

The RECENT OUTLOOKS (on the right hand side menu) include precipitation and temperature for the period May to July.

Time Zone

The standard time zone in Bridgetown is UTC/GMT - 4 hours.