No trace remains of the islands' original Indian population; today's inhabitants are mostly descended from slaves or slave owners. The hybrid Caribbean culture is evident in the food, in the music and in the handmade sloops that many locals use for fishing. Islanders reflect a mixture of British and West Indian influences when playing their dashing style of cricket and when they wash down a plate of conch fritters with a pint of ale.

Virgin Islanders are suckers for a beat. Fungi bands play scratch instruments such as gourds and washboards and sing songs that often comment on local social and political issues. Calypso, known originally as kaiso, was brought here by African slaves and used as a form of communication and rebellion. It's still an integral part of the islands' Carnival, which began as a celebration of slave emancipation.

A lot of islanders of African descent retain a strong belief in the spirit world: ghosts (jumbis) often get blamed for bad things and credited for good things on the islands. Jumbi stories were an important part of slave culture, used not only as spine-tingling entertainment on moonlit nights, but also as cautionary tales for children. The inspirational antics of Bru Nansi, a wily spidery man who prevailed in adverse circumstances, were an integral part of West African slave culture. Storytelling traditions persist today, though often in more structured settings such as community halls and festival gatherings.

To the islands, you're supposed to register it with the traffic office in Road Town