Bahamas: Day 1 & 2

We arrived in the Bahamas on the 8th and checked into the Wyndham Resort where we stayed for one night. We walked around the beach front resort, I drank the locally brewed beer Kalik, which has twice the alcohol of American beers, 2 for 1 sounds good to me. We met up with our friends, Sunny, Bill, and their amazing son Alex and began to discuss and realize what is ahead of us. Writing this we have not yet began to sail, though we are now at the port in the Bahamas and the anticipation continues to grow as we prepare to sail to Dominica.

The Bahamas number one source of revenue is tourism, so the folks here have been very accommodating and helpful. You can get around the island pretty cheap, and it's even cheaper if you travel in groups together, but the accommodations are expensive. In the evening, our group went to a fish fry and ate Conch (pronounced "Konk") and it was good....a lot like Calamari. Then a group of eight of us took a cab to Paradise Island, to Atlantis. I thought Vegas was over the top amazing with their structures, then I saw this place. Marble everywhere, a gigantic aquarium, pimped out restaurants, large casinos' and entertainment venues. Pokerstars.net was even hosting a poker tournament with players from all over the world. If you've never seen this place, look it up on the web and make your plans to check it out in this lifetime. Be sure to see it during the day and at night.

Day two we checked out of the Wyndham and our group headed to the docks, downtown on the island. There is a bustle to this area as cruise ship folks seem to be much of the business. Scooter, horse and carriage rides, boat rides to other islands, local food and host of merchants selling a bit of everything. I walked around with my friend Bill and his son. Our better halves were in meetings on the boat due to their staff responsibilities. I bought some postcards and stamps, a couple pieces of art, took many pictures, and even went to a local Pirate museum. Kind of reminded me of walking through a Pirates of the Caribbean ride, without the animatronics and Disney fluff. Much more brutal and graphic, but a great experience none the less.

Tonight the ship crew made a terrific BBQ dinner with salmon, ribs, and jerk chicken with beans, slaw, and several salads. We enjoyed our dinner with a great retired couple from Boulder, CO. Elizabeth has been retired for three years ands Keith just retired so he could travel on this voyage. He is the law enforcement head on the boat. Daniel from NYU, a good friend of Faith's from UCI also joined us.

The theme that has been evident from the beginning is that this experience will change you. Faith and I have meet dozens of folks who are doing this for the second, third, and fourth time because they absolutely love the community that comes with being on the ship and I'm guessing traveling the globe in the process doesn't hurt. You can talk to anyone and everyone wants to know you. I'm a people guy, so this has been great so far and we haven't set sail yet.

Internet is limited on the boat, but doable as only so many users can be on at the same time.

Anyone reading this been to the Bahamas or sailed on a Semester at Sea voyage?