Jamestown--If you think grocery shopping is a chore, spare a moment for those on the tiny island of Saint Helena who never know what will be on the shelf from one day to the next.
"This is like living under Soviet rule," jokes Francois Haffner, a French tourist determined to eat well on the remote South Atlantic island, famous as the place the French military leader Napoleon was exiled until his death in 1821.
"In the first store there is butter, in another there are lemons, and in the third you can find some cream. There are no greens, and eggs aren't there every day," said an exasperated Haffner.
"The fish comes at 1:00 pm, the bread after 11:00 am -- but no later than 12 noon -- and all the shops close at 5:00 pm."
The shopping schedule requires that hungry tourists and residents dedicate a good chunk of time to planning how to fill their stomachs.
"There are no stores where you can find everything, and shopping takes some time," said Haffner.
AFP
