Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

Around the Island of  Nevis, West Indies

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

Nevis is a small Caribbean island that is only 36 square miles. It is part of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies.

Due to its small size and having no deep water port, this island has been able to maintain a "neighborhood" feeling among the residents. It's a laid-back, nature-rich vibe.

Yes, this is changing, as "progress" makes its mark. Gratefully,  however, these changes have been slow-paced.

We took a private driver around the island to view places we knew from decades ago, when we helped open up the Four Seasons Resort in 1991.

Take a look.

Map of Nevis

Here is a map of the island which shows the one main road going around it.

Billy has pointed out the location of the house we rented in Gingerland all those years ago.

As you can see, Gingerland is on the southeastern part of the island.

With a population of around 2,500, it's one of the island's most densely settled parishes. Centuries ago, cultivation of ginger was a key crop in the area, hence the name "Gingerland."

Curiously, the island's racetrack is in this same parish, and monthly horse races draw crowds. We watched one of those horse races when we lived here all those years ago. "Hub cap chicken" (chicken deep-fried in a hubcap as a vat) was served and big slices of watermelon sold right out of the trunk of a Volkswagon.

One of the horses didn't see the sense of running around in a circle to get to the finish line, so he went straight across the field, leaving the other horses behind.

Did he win? I don't know, but we were pretty amazed at his spunk.

On the map above you will also see an arrow pointing out The Hamilton Villas and Spa where we stayed twice on recent visits.

Magazine photo of Charlestown, Nevis

This photo of Charlestown, Nevis is from a local tourist magazine.

It's a revealing shot because it gives you the "old downtown," the pier on the right, and the full town while looking up to the Nevis volcano.

Marked on the photo above are 10 historical places of interest - museums, churches, a heritage trail, and a tribute to the Jewish community of the island. Apparently the Jewish immigrants brought with them the knowledge of growing sugar cane, which changed the island forever.

View of the Caribbean Sea

Friends we have known since the "Four Seasons Days" have a home here on the island right at the 15th hole on the golf course.

This is the view of the Caribbean Sea from their front porch.

Not bad, huh?

View of St. Kitts

There is an historical church on Nevis called The Anglican Church of St. George named after the Patron Saint of England. It is a significant historical and cultural landmark and reflects the island's British colonial heritage.

This is the view overlooking the grave yard and out to the Caribbean Sea. Not a bad resting place.

St. Kitts is in the background.

The Anglican Church

Here is a more complete view of the church, which stands as a focal point of the local community.

It was constructed in the 19th century with stone in a traditional Caribbean architectural style.

Its historical significance is tied to the island’s plantation era, when Anglicanism was the dominant religion among the colonial elite and enslaved populations were often baptized into the faith.

One of the benefits the Anglican Church offers, are the historical records that it holds, including baptisms, marriages, and burials, which are valuable for genealogical research, particularly for descendants of Nevisian families.

View of The Yachtsman Grill from the sea

Billy is taking this photo from out in the Caribbean Sea looking back on shore.

The Yachtsman Grill is very conveniently located on the property of The Hamilton Beach Villas and Spa and was just a few minutes away from our villa.

We would swim here in the sea twice daily and have a Carib beer late in the afternoon while watching the spectacular sunsets.

This is a very safe area to swim and families feel confident in bringing their children to this shore, called Pinney's beach.

View of St. Kitts from Pinney's Beach

Now, if you were to turn around in the water from your location in the previous photo, you would see this view of St. Kitts.

The catamaran that is in the middle right of the photo is "The Spirit of St. Kitts." This custom-built sailing catamaran is primarily used for scenic day trips, charters, and excursions between St. Kitts and Nevis.

It measures approximately 78 feet in length overall, and it makes for a spacious vessel capable of accommodating up to around 50-60 passengers comfortably. 

Day trips are affordable at $120USD per person, offering an open bar (rum punch, beer, soft drinks), a buffet lunch (grilled chicken, salads, local dishes), and snorkeling gear.

Tours depart daily from Basseterre, weather permitting, with pickups from cruise ports or hotels.   

It couldn't be easier. 

Main road coming out of Hamilton Villas and Spa

As we walked out of our Villa, we would come upon this road - which is the main road around the island.

Combis and taxis run fairly frequently on this road, and you just need to flag one down. To get into town from this location it's about $4EC per person, a little over $2USD.

Notice Mount Nevis straight ahead. As you could see on the map, the volcano of Nevis is in the center of the island, see from everywhere you are.

Today's view of the house we used to live in

This is the most recent photo of the house we stayed in during "The Four Seasons Days."

We shared the house with other Four Seasons workers, and our bedroom was on the right, back end of the house.

Today, the home has air conditioning, and the railings are painted white - which used to have that bright orange trim the same color as the porch.

See all those stubs in the yard? At one time those were exotic bushes, trees and flowers. I remember it being lush and beautiful.

We are backed up right to the jungle as you can see, and we would have daily visitors of rust-colored furry cane spiders the size of your hand!!

Yes.

They terrified me, those ugly, 6-foot-jumping creatures.

I killed one once with a kitchen spatula and hair spray.

I know it sounds cruel, but one out of a 100 couldn't have made a difference in their population.

I was living in the jungle, and I was a survivor!

Photo of our house in1991

Here is a photo of me from back in those days. I have my California lime green summer shorts on.

You can see the previously mentioned orange trim on the railings.

Since we were living on the Windward side of the island - at the time - there was no need for air conditioning.

The cistern was located in the whole bottom area of the house. We didn't know we were on cistern water, fed by the city daily drop-by-drop, until one day we ran out!

We showered out back under a drain pipe during a storm. Except the storm stopped suddenly and there we were, naked, covered in suds when the maid walked in.

Holding her belly and laughing hysterically at our situation, we couldn't blame her. We just had to wait until the storm began again. But we learned an important lesson.

Soap up in priority order and rinse off quickly!

St. John's Figtree Church

Nevis is known for its numerous stone churches, scattered across the island, many of which date back to the colonial era.

This one, St. John's Figtree Church was built in 1680. It holds the marriage certificate of Horatio Nelson and Fanny Nisbet, who is the mother of Alexander Hamilton. Alexander was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first U.S. secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795 under the presidency of George Washington. 

Windward side of the island

The windward side of the island runs along the Atlantic Ocean. The sea is much rougher here, with whitecaps often seen.

The Leeward side has the calm Caribbean beaches that many tourists dream of.

Medical University of the Americas

Continuing on around the island, we came upon The Medical University of the Americas (MUA).

It is a private, for-profit medical school located on the island of Nevis in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, established in 1998.

Situated in Charlestown, MUA is part of the Global University Systems, and is known for offering an internationally accredited Doctor of Medicine (MD) program.

Accredited by the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM), recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education, MUA’s degrees are accepted for practice in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and other countries.

Nelson Springs Resort

Nelson Springs Resort is a boutique beachfront condominium-style resort on the Caribbean side of the island.

Named after the historic fresh water spring where British Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson reportedly watered his ships in the 1700s during his time stationed in the region.

The resort features 24 luxurious two-, three-, and four-bedroom furnished condos.

On-site amenities include an infinity-edge swimming pool with a swim-up bar, tropical gardens, a spa for treatments, tennis courts, and direct beach access for swimming, snorkeling, or relaxing under palm trees.

Snackette and Bar

On Nevis, there are many little bars and eateries like this one on.

These are the places where locals gather, and because we like to get local also, we take advantage of their reasonable pricing. It's a good way to meet the down-home natives who are quite friendly.

Alexandra Hospital

Alexandra Hospital is the primary healthcare facility on Nevis, located in the capital of Charlestown.

Established as a cornerstone of the island's medical infrastructure, it serves the approximately 12,000 residents of Nevis, and any visitors who might need care.

The hospital, named after Queen Alexandra (consort of King Edward VII), reflects its British colonial heritage and has been a vital institution since its early development. According to this sign, it used to house the Governors of Nevis and hosted Royalty upon their visits.

The hospital is currently undergoing a significant expansion project, but has faced cost overruns and delays.

Another view of Alexandra Hospital

Alexandra hospital has new areas spanning over 60,000 square feet with facilities like a physiotherapy wing, pediatric unit, expanded operating theater, and enhanced radiology services.

Overall, Alexandra Hospital balances historical significance with ongoing efforts to meet modern needs.

Charlestown Fire Station

This fire station serves as the primary fire response hub for the island.

Located adjacent to the Charlestown Police Station on the main road, it is a central point for emergency coordination.

Apparently, there have been some issues with the structure of  the building, prompting the commissioning of a multimillion-dollar New Castle Police Station and Fire Unit.

Renovating and maintaining the town's social needs infrastructure is quite costly, with the New Castle Police Station and Fire Unit building coming in at $5.5 million Dollars. 

Downtown Charlestown on the Gold Coast

This is downtown Charlestown with an asphalt road and dividing traffic lines.

Gutters for water runoff, sidewalks, and pedestrian crosswalks are all fairly new, but even with millions of Dollars slated for improvements, it's a slow-go.

Nelson Springs sign

British Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson used this natural freshwater spring as a vital water source for his naval vessels during the 1780s.

He was here in the Caribbean for about three years when the British were enforcing the Navigation Acts, which lead to conflicts with local merchants and American traders.

Naval ships typically anchored offshore and sent rowboats to retrieve water.

Nelson could have learned of this spring from local inhabitants or earlier European settlers who had mapped natural resources of the island.

This spring is a valued source of fresh water to Nevis.

Goats in the road, a common sight

Here's something you might not see on the roads in your home town, but it's fairly common in Nevis.

Goats wander in small herds munching on greenery at the side of the road.

Traffic stops, of course, as the goats have the right of way!

Billy!

Back at Pinney's beach, Billy is taking an afternoon swim in the calm, blue Caribbean.

I'm standing on shore in front of Yachtsman Grill looking out.

You can see that it's just so beautiful here...

If you like an unhurried, easy going, relaxed experience on a pristine island, then Nevis is for you.

St. Kitts is just a water taxi ride or a sailing excursion away if you want to visit a more developed island, but people come to Nevis to chill.

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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