Suggestions for trip to Grand Cayman..

We will be traveling to Grand Cayman Island w/ our four year olds twins. We will probably take one or two taxi rides, that are less than 5 miles in length. Any suggestions for a portable car seat that I could bring w/ me? Would you feel comfortable using a booster given the very limited use? Thanks.

I've never been to the Grand Caymans so I can't say for sure, but throughout the Bahamas and other Caribbean countries, I do know that not all taxies have seatbelts. Or some of them may have lap-only belts. I'm sure you could wait around or ask for a taxi with seatbelts, if you see some without.

How big are your twins? And have they ever ridden in a booster before? If they are under 40 lbs and not on the tall side, then a couple of Sceneras would do the trick. As for booster use, I think it would depend on how well they sit/fit in a booster. :twocents:

Wow - have fun in the Caymans, btw!!!

If they are under 40 pounds I'd get an Eddie Bauer Portable...this is just about the only situation where this seat/vest thing is a good choice. It's easy enough to throw two in a bag, and if you get a car with only lapbelts it's far preferable to a booster or nothing at all. If over forty? Um... not sure... probably a backless booster?

hehe We've been to the Caymans. For the life of me I can't remember how we got from the airport to the hotel. Probably a car was sent for us. You can go across the island in about a half hour from nearly tip to tip. It's not a big place. We rented a car and drove around a bit and took ourselves to the airport on the last day.

They do have some American cars, which is weird (left hand drive) but when we rented we rented a right hand drive car. It was straight from Japan, for the Japanese market, so someone had taped a kph to mph conversion on the car. I had a horrible time getting Piper's Radian in. It was a 2004 Civic, but no LATCH or tethers. So I wouldn't bank on having anything more than a seatbelt. That would eliminate the Safeguard Go, the travel vests, EZ on, and the Radian may be a bear. You may get an American car, but if it's a local taxi then they may be driving a RHD car, since it'd be easier for them as they drive on the left.

What are they sitting in on the plane? And how much do they weigh? There are some backless boosters that go down to 30 pounds (we have the Cosco High Rise, $15), and if they're pretty good sitters I'd probably be ok with them in those for the short rides with you guys right next to them. There's a lot of traffic heading up from Georgetown (where are you staying?), but it's on two lane roads, so it's just congestion. There's only a few miles of four lane highways.

Or you can call the hotel and see if they have a shuttle service. When we've gone to Jamaica, Costa Rica, and I believe the Caymans they always had a shuttle and it was a regular car. I can't remember the Caymans (sad, huh?) but in Jamaica it was a Lincoln Towncar (only car a LATCH install with the Radian was much much worse than the seatbelt), and in Costa Rica it was a Ford Expedition. The drivers simply waited while I installed Piper's seat. No meter running, no nothing.

HTH

Wendy

Thanks everyone. They are both under 40lbs..Also since there was a lot of descruction on the island a few fews ago i'm told all the cars/taxis are new so most very well may have latches. I have two Marathons but I'm not sure I can face bringing them. We are only going four nights and trying to keep it simple..

If there's LATCH, then there's shoulderbelts... maybe Ridesafer Travel vests?

A few years ago you mean? It's still rather visible, surprisingly enough. Like I said, though, our car was a 2004 Honda Civic with not even a tether. It had a lapbelt in the middle.

I asked my husband how we got to the hotel. He doesn't remember either. LOL Are we lame or what? It must have been a car, though. And I think it did have LATCH.

Wendy

They drive on the opposite side of the road there! I vacationed there in 2001. It so confusing when you look both ways to cross the street. Have fun!