Dear Tweeters,
If anyone out there in Tweeterland has advice in regard to a birding trip to Trinidad and Tobago, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to contact me off-list.
I am in the very early stages of planning a trip there. The staff at Asa Wright Nature Center got right back to me, and I plan to spring for a stay there, since it seems to be de rigueur. Not sure how long to stay there, though.
My main questions are these.
1. How long do most birders stay on a trip to T&T?
2. How many nights does one usually stay at Asa Wright?
3. Is Tobago on the usual itinerary?
4. Would it be wise to rent a car? I usually do, unless I have a guide, or it's a country where the driving is absolutely insane. 
5. How safe is it? I do hear a few bits and pieces about violent crime, although that does seem to be mainly in the capital.
6. Any other hotspots suggested?
7. I understand that hurricanes are quite rare in T&T. Still, it is the rainiest part of the rainy season right now, in August. Would it be nutty to go in late August-early September?

Thanks!
Yours truly,
Gary Bletsch