Our house

Our roof is painted white, as are all roofs in Bermuda, because there is no mains water. The roof acts as a watercatch, funneling water down to a tank (cistern) under the house, ours holds 9,000 gallons which is rather small new builds normally have tanks of approx. 20,000-30,000 gallons.This water is pumped up to the house by an electrical pump. Makes life rather difficult when there is a power outage!!

I take it you do not get charged water rates then Tropicgal. Or are your local authorities as devious as South West Water?

No Chilly, we do not pay water rates but we do pay a Land Tax which I suppose is similar to Property Rates in UK? The tax It is based on the size of the house, whether there's a pool or similar amenity etc.

We do occasionally have to buy water which is delivered via tanker and pumped into the tank.

That is a similar system to Corfu. My brother pays a hefty levy for his swimming pool.

Your house looks great and thanks for sharing with us over here, TG. Do you like living in Bermuda? I realise there are pros and cons to every situation, but would you like to swap your house for one in Penzance? Could you realistically return to your home town for good if you wanted? My brother in Canada thinks not in his case. Another brother in N.Z. wouldn't want to and another in Oz emigrated from Penzance. Personally, I wouldn't entertain the idea of emigrating. The idea is appealing short term certainly but for holidays only. I'm a bit afraid of long-haul flights too. Above all, however, Penzance is where my heart is even if it's nice to get away for a while.

Thanks TPP. Yes, I do like living in Bermuda. Of course there are drawbacks like everywhere else. Bermuda has no manufacturing industry and we import everything so the cost of living is high. For instance a loaf of bread is $6.50 which is approx. 4 pounds 30pence, a bottle of laundry detergent is $10.00 or 6pounds 60pence just two examples. However a bottle of rum is $17 or 10 pounds 50 pence!! I really don't think I could live back in UK now. I have to say that Cornwall and more particularly Penzance have my heart but my home is Bermuda, my grandchildren are here and all my friends. However, we do tend to suffer from 'Rock Fever' living on such a small Island! We have to get away quite often so traveling is something Bermudians do very frequently, we have just returned from Grenada, West Indies and will be visiting Brazil in June and US, Cornwall and Holland in September.

I can well understand that you would not like to leave your dynasty! My brother in NZ often reminds me that he has seven Kiwi grandchildren! I'm glad to learn that you have the means to get away and I envy your forthcoming visit to Brazil. One of my nephews was married in Barbados and another in Bermuda a few years ago though they both live in Cornwall. My sister-in-law also visited a friend in Grenada last year. I have to say that my 'Caribbean' is a European and cheaper one, say Portinatx, or Formentera, on Ibiza. Google them and you'll glimpse why!