High and Dry in the BVI

amusing autobiography of an expat British Virgin Islands 1970-72

By: Lally Brown

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Romp through the Seventies Caribbean with this light-hearted autobiography. Have you ever felt there must be more to life than this? It was the early Seventies and my husband and I were trapped in the numbing bondage of nine to five jobs. We were young, impulsive and thirsting for new experiences. Throwing caution to the winds we sold our new home and bought tickets on a banana boat to the West Indies. This is the story of our adventures. From Trinidad and Tobago to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Anecdotes include gambling with a Princess and a Baroness, Army mutiny and trial for treason, and Playin’ Mas in Trinidad. Experience life as it was in the British Virgin Islands before cruise ships and tourists. In 1971 the BVI was virtually unknown as a tourist destination. It was the recreational retreat of the rich and famous including Rockefeller, Jimmy Carter, Dr ‘Baby’ Spock, Liz Taylor, Jacky Onassis and Jack Cousteau. We lived on Tortola for two wonderful years. Read about our triumphs and tragedies and meet the colourful characters who lived in the BVI and the ‘snowbirds’ who flew in for winter.

A perfect beach read.

What an extraordinary life Lally Brown has lived. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore made listening to this book while vacationing in Aruba pure bliss. Lally and her husband risked everything to live a life that most of us only dream of; I envied their courage. Island adventures in the British Virgin Islands held me spellbound as I experienced the joys and hardships of living in another country. This book had me in stitches, then almost in tears, with every feeling imaginable in between. From whales to sharks and countless other creatures, the ocean teemed with life. Lally even got to visit neighboring islands, train to dive, and she even saw princesses. My most important takeaway was that I should always shake out my shoes when I travel to avoid any nasty surprises before putting them on.
I am a big fan of all of Lally Brown’s captivating books.

Personal and Intimate Journal about the BVIs

This is a unique and intimate tale. Such a delightful and informative snapshot in time

enjoyed the time listening

5 stars: A highly entertaining read with lots of shenanigans/adventures. The author managed to make even the most mundane things sound funny. The virtual voice was chosen perfectly. I felt like a humorous bestie was talking to me.

Brought to Life!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading High & Dry by Lally Brown about 5 years ago, but as I listen to its reading, parts I had forgotten are coming back to life. Simply lovely and expressive reading!