The secret to drinking rum

There is surely no better way of passing the time than by doing nothing at all, fuelled by a large well-chilled drink. Nothing beats hanging out with a couple of similarly empty-headed chums in a warm patch of sun, glass in hand, watching the world go by.

It turns out that those past-masters of taking it easy, the Barbadians – or Bajans – have a term for this excellent use of one’s time: liming. And given that Barbados is home to the world’s longest-established rum distillery – the peerless Mount Gay, in operation since 1703 if not before – it’s all but impossible to lime without the aid of plenty of rum.

Visitors to Barbados might choose to drink this wonderful spirit in cocktails or punches but the locals knock it back neat and, if you want to blend in, do as they do. Head to a roadside or beachside bar and buy the local rum by the bottle and grab the proffered glasses, cans and bowl of ice.