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Published: August 6th 2008
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The Bahamas
The flight from Quito, Equador at 9am, to Miami, in the US was a bit bumpy as the pilot looked to fly around bad weather, but the journey through Miami Airport was even more turbulent as their organisation and signage to help passengers around their airport was really quite hectic and uninformative. But after a stressful few hours through mayhem and having been booked onto a later flight, because I had missed the first, I eventually get my connection to Bahamas Capital, Nassau.
When I arrive, I confirm my initial ‘Town Hotel’ booking over the phone at the airport and head there by taxi. At £37 a night it was simply cheapest room on the Island, a venue I would be staying for a couple of nights at the start and four days at the end of my stay in the Bahamas.
On the way into town the taxi driver told me that I had arrived on the Bahamas Independence Day, celebrating 35 years of independence from the British! I felt quite privilege and made it my purpose to make the most of my good timing. A couple of hours after booking in to my hotel
I head off to the East Fort where their National celebrations were taking place giving give me a real feel for the Islands of the Bahamas.
The event comprised of the best of their national music and dance talents, plus a military tattoo which featured the famous Bahamas Royal Police Band. Despite a tropical downpour the highlight of the evening for me however was when I jumped the VIP fence to get up close and personal with Miss Bahamas - their Miss World entry. I was happy to chat away with her and her attendance Miss Bahamas - Tourism & Miss Bahamas - Black.
The following morning I rose early to enjoy one of the Bahamian’s famous Junkanoo street festival parades which started about 5am in the morning and continued through to about 10am. It was full of colourful dancing and rhythmic pulsating street music beat. The young and old were involved in the celebrations as the local Bahamians lined the streets in celebration before the burning heat of the day took over.
Later that day I organised my ferry crossing to Eleuthera (small Island around two hours from Nassau), followed by an evening in a harbour
side Inn called Senior Frogs where I met a marine science teacher from the States and sang karaoke.
The following morning I rose early to take the fast ferry to Eleuthera to a hostel which became my home for just over two weeks. Named Surfer’s Haven and overlooking the Atlantic coast, it’s famous for…you guest it…Surfing. But although I don’t surf I chose it simply as it is the cheapest place to stay in the Bahamas. Although basic, I am given a double bedded room with a fridge and an overhead light fan which other than the local lizards and ants (and a pet room mouse) became my constant companions during my stay.
Eleuthera is about 100 miles long and is no wider than two miles across at any one point, so it is very long and thin (unlike me?). On my arrival I fill my fridge with local provisions from the nearest grocery store in Gregory Town (about a 40 minute two mile walk from the hostel) and make myself at home for some complete rest from my travels. I spend the time reflecting on my adventures and achievement and start to think about what I might
do on my return to the UK. Where I spending some time trawling the internet and writing off for various jobs that I am currently qualified for.
Despite my thoughts about when I will return, I am determined to make the most of my time in the Bahamas. During my stay I spend much of the time at an internet café run by an American lady called Double D (don’t ask) which was a five mile trek every other day. Fortunately, the Eleutherian people are very friendly and most days I hitched a ride.
The rest of the time I either went snorkelling at beauty spots such as Current Cay, Hidden Beach and Surfers Beach Cove, which I walked down to to swim most days. Having already enjoyed snorkelling in the Red Sea Egypt, the Phi Phi Islands Thailand, the Great Barrier Reef Australia and the Galapagos Islands I wasn’t sure whether I would be surprised by my Bahamian efforts…but surprised I was…in addition to the many colourful tropical fish which frequent the world seas, the first amazing sight was an Eagle Ray with a wing span of around two metres flying past me at Current Cay, but
The Beauty Of The Bahamas.
Representing their country - Miss World, Miss Tourism & Miss Black. my real delights came on my last snorkelling trip which I took alone at Hidden Beach. This is where in an effort to follow a sea Turtle (my first ever sighting) I swam out a bit far for comfort to come face to face with a small five foot Reef Shark…caught out in deep water and having made an effort to try and make him move away and finding that he really wasn’t prepared to budge, so with my heart pounding and adrenaline high, I simply turn and swam at Olympic sprint speed back to shore. I have to say this was both a scary and exiting experience and a fitting finale to my snorkelling adventures around the world.
The evenings were generally quiet where I went through all of my DVD films I had brought with me and a couple of evenings I attended the famous Elvina’s Bar Jam Night where locals and guests entertained the masses including Tom the manager of Surfers Haven.
I also hired a car on a couple of days (the first time I had driven for seven months) which allowed me to discover the delights of North & South Eleuthera such
Colourful Bahamain People On Independents Day
The Turquiose - Representing The Sea; Yellow The Sun and Black The People as Preachers Cave, Current Cay, Governors Harbour, Rock Sound and Lighthouse Beach.
My final evening was played out at the Governors Harbour Fish Fry where I enjoyed a fried Grouper while chatting to two nice couples around my age from Alabama in the US, this was followed by my last night at Elvina’s where I said my final farewells to the locals I had met over the last two weeks.
First thing in the morning Daniels Taxi took me to Lower Bogue to take a water taxi over to Harbour Island…a beautiful Island which houses many of the rich and famous from around the world. Already I had passed the homes of Lenny Kravis and Maria Cary on the Island of Eleuthera, but I wasn’t prepared to bump into on the walk around the Island Uma Thurman frolicking around in the sea with her young daughter and friends children.
Harbour Island is simply beautiful and is surrounded by pink sand beaches and barmy turquoise waters. Before I board the ferry back to Nassau I enjoy a traditional Cracked Conch lunch at a water side restaurant bar and along with a local Kalik beer.
During my final
few days in Nassau I spend much of the time preparing my trip to the USA with my son’s Ollie and Josh and emailing the boys with plans starting on 31st July. I have booked five nights at the Carter Hotel - Time Square at the heart of Manhattan; before our three week motor home road trip which should take us from NY through to New England; Niagara Falls to Chicago; Memphis to Nashville and Washington DC back to New York for our final return journey to the UK on the 26th August.
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