It never ceases to amaze me how differently some tourists conduct themselves when they go on vacation, like they won’t have a good time unless they relax their normal routines. They arrive wearing rose-colored glasses and believe they have discovered Paradise, and are shocked when they experience anything unpleasant or contrary to their expectations. I am not saying that ALL visitors to Bequia fit this category, but over the years I have come across more than a few who DO.
Every Paradise has a bad apple or two and Bequia is no exception. The Island is friendly and laid-back, but robberies can and DO happen. I grew to dread hearing the words “we’ve been robbed” from Bequia Villa Rental clients, and I heard them on more than one occasion. I always felt badly about the thefts, nothing puts a damper on a vacation faster than being robbed, especially when you think you are vacationing in Paradise!
A perfect example of what NOT to do while on vacation is to leave the doors and windows wide open when leaving the house, apartment or hotel room for more than just a few minutes. I rented a house at Lower Bay to people from England, they were repeat clients who loved to soak in the sun’s rays with the help of strong rum punch and even stronger weed. The two couples always had a wonderful time on Bequia, at least they DID until they were robbed while having dinner one evening at a restaurant. Arriving at my house the following morning, one of the ladies bemoaned the fact that a family heirloom had been taken, a valuable necklace that could never be replaced. When I asked how the thief had broken into the house they informed me that the doors and windows had been left open, they never locked up when they came to Bequia. When I suggested (strongly!) that they secure the premises before going out they brushed aside my advice, saying they didn’t come to Bequia to lock up, and that lightening never strikes the same place twice. Hah! The very next morning they were back on my porch, the thief had entered the house again while they were out. So much for the lightening not striking twice theory! The bedrooms had been ransacked but nothing was missing, the family heirloom was already gone and they had taken their wallets and purses containing cash and credit cards to the restaurant with them. Once AGAIN I stressed that they had to lock up when they went out at night, and was given the same dismissive “we don’t lock up on Bequia” response. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the same four people walking up my driveway the next morning, they had been robbed yet again, but this time the story had a new twist; They had stayed home the night before, and while dining on the front porch the thief climbed through a bedroom window and rifled through the wallets and purses he had missed on the two previous occasions. This time around I couldn’t fault my clients, that was one BOLD thief!
A few years later I had the opportunity to visit the two couples while at a tourism trade show in England, and was amused to see expensive security systems in both homes. When I asked why they took such precautions at home but were so careless while on vacation I got the same answer – “we don’t go to Bequia to lock up!”
I call this the “Rose-Colored-Glasses-Syndrome”. My advice to anyone on vacation is to safeguard all valuables, why have a vacation ruined when it can be avoided?