rental car...a/c?

Necessary gets my vote -- I haven't had real luck in catching the tradewinds while driving around, so I find it pretty hot in the car during the midday hours even if all the windows are rolled down.

Most rental cars are equipped with AC anyway at no extra cost, so why not have it as an option, even if it only gets used for the few minutes after the car has been closed up for a while in the afternoon sunshine.

HC

Definitely air conditioning! I'm fine in our condo without air conditioning because the trade winds allow a constant flow of air but when I am out and about in the car I think it's necessary. There is no extra cost on the rental car and if you really don't want to use it don't.

I'm to the point where I dislike AC. It simply feels cold to me. I have AC in my car but haven't bothered to have it recharged. I love all the warmth getting in. Same deal in my apartment. I just use fans. I work outside all day and just guzzle down water. Granted, my first morning outside, I had to get in the car after an hour and run the AC for ten minutes. Now I never need to.

How well you hold up seems to depend largely on how much you expose yourself to the warmth. Someone told me the more you're out in it, the thicker your blood becomes and the better you hold up. My impression is that many former mainlanders never make the adjustment to the warmth, but they probably could if they exposed themselves a little more to it each day.

It was kind of funny flying down here the first time. Apparently, a fair number West Indians do not have AC in their homes, because the temperature on the plane was a pleasant 74, and some of them had blankets!

Thanks guys!

What you say about climatizing to the weather, FormerOhioGuy, is probably true. When I lived in northern Canada we put on t-shirts when the weather went UP to minus 20.
So I suppose the opposite probably applies, as well.

So, for lack of time to re-condition my blood, I will go with the flow and get the a/c.

I am coming down to scout out possibilities for setting up a business - wish me luck.
This board has been most helpful and terribly friendly!

Angela

I've been thinking about this AC thing off and on all day, and it occurs to me that it's a very good idea to become as accustomed as possible to being in the sun if you live here. Eventually, you may have to live through a hurricane like Hugo. Many roofs will be blown off, and the trees will lose their canopies. Clean-up will be physically grueling and done in direct sun.

If you're not acclimatized, you may end up having to move back to the mainland. If you're acclimatized, you can stay and help clean up.

The bottom will fall out of the real estate market. If you're on island, you'll be able to buy properties dirt cheap and fix them up over the next few years and make a lot of money. I've heard stories about this happening after Hugo.

Let's hope this doesn't happen, but you might want to try to prepare yourself for the possibility.