LOL - not meant as a knock on the women. Just seen so many newbie's arrive in Bermuda and get locked into getting plastered come Friday and wonder why they can't meet women.

SG - I know! I was kidding ya!

BM - 6'5" AND Irish....ummmmm - WASSUP - this one is MINE! hahahahaha

Kiddin! kiddin! 

thanx wikigirl
i'll need the sunscreen alright. we dont get much sun over here. but i'll brown up in no time. so what do you do out there? are you an expat or a real life bermudian. i met a guy from bermuda a week or so ago. he says he owns the flanagans irish bar. so he is one contact i have before i go. what are the winters like in bermuda? is it easy to get to know people in the expat community? is it expensive to get to new york? as i have family there and would like to get a visit in as soon as possible.
thanks

I am in the insurance industry - I know, I know, a rarity on this island I am! and I am a real life ex-pat, tho' I prefer the term 'forner'...as I am not really an ex-Canadian, I'm just sort of an "on hiatus" Canuck.

I suppose that knowing the owner of the Irish Pub isn't a bad contact to have at all - heh heh!

And now you're asking the right questions --- TRAVEL ---- you WILL do that often - I can guarantee that! Every few months I get into my "Get me the hell off this rock" mood. Trips to New York can be had for a deal, usually in the off-tourist season, which someone already said was April - October. There are a number of competing carriers that will sometimes offer competitive rates...just don't bring ANY luggage! (hahaha!) And if you have family in NY - then you're set! No hotels = big savings!

Our 'winter' this year was VERY mild, so I am expecting a very hard summer...but I know from experience that sometimes the winters here are HELLISH - being that we're on a sub-tropical island, you don't expect to ever have to see a sweater again - but in the bad winters, you will need several - all at the same time- and it's not 'frostbite' kind of cold, it's damp wet cold, that you can NEVER escape because NOTHING is heated here (except the rum hot toddys). The only good part about the winters is that they're REALLY short. I will swim all year round save for February and March *usually*. But again, I am from the snow belt in Canada - and there is NOTHING as bad as that (although I do miss it on occassion - it's an illness, you understand)

In the bad summer humidity, I personally transform into a VAMPIRE and avoid the sun as much as possible - this includes going to work EARLY and leaving really LATE and if I have to go out in between then it's only on the shady side of the street. Sometimes, it's even too hot to go to the beach! But again, that super intense 'summer' only lasts for a month or a month and a half. And our days are short, so it's not like I stay inside til 9:30...When you're not steeped in cold dampness and aren't being boiled alive in the humidity the rest of the year is pretty AWESOME!

I have found it pretty easy to get to know as many people from every community on this island - local, ex-pat, and the not-quite-local-but-no-longer-ex-pat people save for the St. David Islanders - who must be pretty elusive because I have only ever met people who 'used to be' St. David Islanders (when you get here, you'll understand what I mean by all this - there are soooo many rungs of 'status' here- it's pretty amusing trying to figure them all out! It's a passtime!)

Well...like Mike and SG said - feel free to ask as many questions as you want - we have a "Wiki section" on this site that we're a (very very) slowly populating with information for people such as yourself...right now I think we have info on Cable and Internet provider (courtesy of Jimmy Jones) and information on Grocery Stores (courtesy of me, with editing courtesy of Jimmy Jones)

I am actully going to use this particular thread as inspiration to get off my butt and get some better info up there!

"St David Islanders"?....yah talkin crep. They are still there and have been since the beginning.

Your just comparing apples and grapefruits as they say in the cumpootar wurld.

Yes there are new immigrants into the area known as St. Davids, just as there are in Hamilton.

$1000/month is doable but you'll be very lucky to get anything other than a house share for that or if it's a single apartment it'll not be nice at all and in a not so nice area.  $1500/month is more realistic.....and even then...good luck with that
Opening an account from abroad I doubt you'll be able to do but I don't know, it doesn't take long anyway once you're here so I'm not sure why you'd want to.  Yes you can keep it once you've left although if it sits dormant I'm assuming it's like anywhere else in the world and that will maybe result in it being closed.
I'd be careful about bringing all your hard saved money here mate.  The dollar is in a precarious position now, the euro is very strong so while it looks good to get the exchange rate, the dollar is buying les and less each year so maybe take some advice on that before committing all of your money.
Your mode of transport will be governed by where you live and work I guess.  Bicycle will be fine though if you're close enough to work but the roads are very narrow so expect some close calls and winter really can get wet and cold...what about shopping etc?? You're a big guy by the sounds of it, don't underestimate the sun/humidity when cycling during summer.
Mopeds are fine, same risks apply as with a bicycle though and the roads here get like ice rinks when there's a little bit of water as the oil that has seeped into the surface rises to the top.  I took a couple of spills when I first arrived but experience now has meant that I've not had one of a few years.  Moped will run about $2000 second hand and $4000 new...all depending on what you want.  Check out www.bermuda.e-moo.com for an idea of all things that you might be looking to buy, rent etc.  A car is the move really.
Beach bars....??  An application for one on a lovely beach just got turned down so there are none, technically, but it's semantics really, there are a couple in the hotels for example but you pay $10/drink for the experience.  You can take your own booze to beaches though, the ony places it's legal to drink in public areas.
Gof clubs would be a good idea, there are public courses but it gets so drainingly hot and humid here that a round can be hard work without a buggy (some courses insist on you renting one)....a typical round I'm guessing with green fees, cart etc would set you back $80-$120 but someone here will have more accurate numbers for you...suffice it to say, it's not cheap.
There is a gaelic foot ball team, I could find out details of that no problem.
Loads of football teams depending on the standard you want to play....also rugby...check out the Wiki on here for Police Rugby (you don't have to be a police officer).

Jeez you ask a lot of questions...........

Accommodation:- Most people prefer to live in the central parishes, however the downside is you pay a bit more. If possible try and avoid the western end only because traffic can be a problem if you have to commute during the rush 1/2 hour...Price wise, I am not really that up on what the going rate is, but you should be able to find something. Best thing is to accept that your first place of abode won't be the best, but use it as a staging ground to find something better/more suitable. Once you have found your feet and made the "correct" contacts, you will find something that is suitable. I think in the first 5 years here I moved once a year. I am now at 8 moves in total.

Banking. Bank accounts can be opened pretty quickly. I can't remember what I did but I think I brought a bank cheque with me and deposited it as soon as I got here. I took some US dollars with me so i had some cash until it cleared. Depending on how much you have I would investigate internet banking, both here and in Ireland. I can access my local and overseas account here, and can move money around as I please, so rather than clearing your uk account, take what you need and then you can move it around later. Take your credit card and use them in emergency until you get new ones through the bank.

Transport. Hire a "scooter" (if you need one) when you get here, then borrow someones to take the test for a 100cc, unless you have found a scooter/bike before then. Watch out for the tests classifications. (I tested on a 50cc bike, bought a 100cc bike, got caught for speeding and when in court was made to look like a ? and had to "contribute" some additional funds to Government for not having the correct license...). Regular bikes are available but the max cc is 150 I think.

There is quite a large Irish contingent here that enjoy the nightlife, if you have the accent like you say they will put you under there wings very quickly.

Not sure about taking golf clubs, you will have to pay duty on them when you bring them in, and golf is very expensive. If you are going to play a lot of golf then it's worth while, but if you are only going to play the occasional round then might be better to borrow. I came here with mine, played a lot to start with, then lost interest, but my clubs were made specially made for me, as I am vertically challenged like yourself.

Night life:- Plenty of it. Booze cruises, pubs, happy hour, parties etc etc, this is best left to the "younger" Generation to explain.





Wikigrl. The above is copyrighted in my name but feel free to use it for wikipedia 

cheers jimmy jones
good info there man. the golf clubs will have to stay i reckon. my dreams of the pga will have to remain just that for another while so. im looking forward to the rock. life here has just got a bit dull and i always wanted to live abroad somewhere, if only for a while. my contract is only for two years anyway. the duty you pay when u arrive. what is this? i think my employers said they would pay this anyway. so it might be an idea. well i might beable to borrow your clubs!lol. 
the one things that is essential is that im able to follow my beloved man united when i get there. might not seem important to most. but i'll miss them more than my family i think.lol. is there bars that show all the european soccer as they seem to call it there. its always been football to me and the day i call it soccer! well it ain't happening. aye i'd like to play abit out there alright. have let myself go and not played in a while. rugby. never played would you believe. i might be the right size now. make a good secong row maybe.lol. aye played the GAA when i was younger. would be good to get to know ones that way i guess. and cheaper than the golf. anyway mate cheers gluck