TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands BVI street addresses

Something I'm just curious about -- As far as I can tell, most BVI homes and businesses do not have street addresses. So I'm wondering...

• Is this true?
• Do folks consider it a problem?
• Has anyone considered using Plus Codes? maps.google.com/pluscodes

Dan

Yes its true and can be a problem for some but not really for me or my guests .We (Laura and I) tell folks look for the access road at the bottom of the Long Bay Hill in Little Apple Bay. Pull in and stop at the house with the pink roof.I've had trouble finding houses up in the hills...

Or you could try something that's taking off in a big way in Europe, What3Words. The world is divided into 3 metre squares, each with a 3 word address. One of the address for Chateau Relaxeau Caribe, for instance, is tuxedo.nuzzling.roosts ( https://what3words.com/tuxedo.nuzzling.roosts ) You can then use that to navigate in Google Maps, Waze, whatever. Much easier to remember 3 words than the google plus codes

I grew up and lived in Japan for a long time. There are no street addresses or street names there - postal addresses are chopped into sectors and the postal delivery people learn what is in their sector. Only major throughfares have names (although bridges, regardless of size, are named) and building numbers are selected by whim by the owners - they have no meaning and "Flower building #33" can be next to "Sunshine 422". If it works for one of the more populous countries in the world then the BVI shouldn't have problems dealing with it. The only problem I've encountered in the BVI was trying to get FedEx to accept "Nanny Cay Marina, BVI" as an address with no street number or zip code

Traditionally no addresses - just "on the left after Dr. Pickering's house" or "pink house behind Alphonso's". There has been an attempt to change that to help emergency services. Of course there's no mail delivery.

Lime/Cable & Wireless/Flow has an off-island call center, which demands an address if you request service. So we make one up, like "Ratman Lane". They are none the wiser, and since we have to pick them up by boat, it is pointless.

This brings to mind a somewhat sexist - but with tongue fully in cheek - quip that I rib my wife with about maps, and directions, and... women. I hope this is taken as light heartedly as intended.

If women ruled the world, there would be no maps - just books with lists of instructions on how to get from point A to point B.

"At the white house with the red car in front, take a left and go just past that small store with the cute green awnings and it will be on the left, or the right I can't remember."

Every woman that I've said this to (only a few frankly) has laughed and said "So true!" so I hope it's "safe".