I’ll admit, I’ve never been to The Bahamas before. Actually, I’ve never even been to the Caribbean come to think of it, so obviously I was pretty excited to be spending my spring break in Nassau. While I’ve heard from many friends about the things that are available in The Bahamas, I was still pretty unsure of what lay ahead for me. But that didn’t stop me from exploring. This post along with the ones to follow will outline the interesting adventures I come across during this week of fun, sun, and sand. Please follow along!
Note: Some paragraphs are in present tense, and some are in past tense. This is due to whether I wrote the section after the fact or during the event on my Android. Sorry for any confusion.
7:30 A.M.
The trip begins…early…very early. I’ve been upright since 4:30 and I still think I’m asleep. My flight will be taking me from the amazing Indianapolis International Airport (IND) to Orlando International Airport (MCO) and finally to Nassau International Airport (NAS). Going through security, I realized how crazy spring break week is compared to normal weekends. On early morning flights, the lines to check through security are short, if not non-existent. However, this morning had two lines winding three rows deep each.
Despite this, I have to give major props to the men and women working for the TSA at Indianapolis International. One, they moved us through the lines and through security in quick fashion. And two, they have never given me grief for bringing my camera bag along with my carry-on. It’s a little something I learned from renowned photographer Chase Jarvis. Another tip of his is to always bring a printout of the TSA carry-on rules and regulations just in case an issue does arise (http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1248.shtm).
(left) No plane ride is complete without Luigi. (right) They may say Recaro, but they definitely don’t feel like them.
3:30 P.M.
When we finally landed in Nassau, we hitched a cab to our destination, a condo a little west of the main strip of downtown Nassau. It was pretty nice not to be amongst a huge crowd of tourists at Sandals, Beaches, the Sheraton, etc. Also, we had a small strip of beach that is nearly uninhabited for some good rest and relaxation…something I was definitely looking forward to. The only downside is the fact that to get to shopping and the nightlife, it’s a bus ride by day or an expensive cab ride by night. P.S. – remember that everything must be shipped into The Bahamas, even drinking water. That means everything, and I mean everything, is much more expensive.
Everyone’s on the wrong side of the road!
Day 2 – 8:00 A.M.
After a quiet night of unpacking, grabbing dinner at a local sports bar, and picking up groceries, I started out my morning with a run around the condo complex and out and around the beach. I can definitely say this was the most enjoyable jog I’ve had in months. Why? I loved it because the runs I’ve had in the recent months have all taken place on boring treadmills while watching college hoops or reruns of House. It was nice again to be able to breathe fresh air and actually run toward a specific destination.
9:30 A.M.
I had just completed a successful run, and we were heading off to downtown Nassau for some shopping, a bit of cultural enlightenment, and lunch. When you arrive to downtown Nassau, you realize that the entire town is catered to tourists coming off of the cruise boats which are docked along the port within walking distance. I was halfway expecting more Bahamian businesses and commercial districts, but instead I was greeted with shop after shop trying to sell jewelry, handbags, and key chains.
I was, however, able to find what is essentially the town hall of Nassau.
We poked around for a while, checking out the various shops and such. I’m not much of a souvenir person, so I wasn’t really finding much. However, one store did catch my eye…duty-free alcohol! Not only were the prices somehow cheaper than the United States (okay, so not everything is more expensive), but you could buy and individual bottle of beer, and brown-bag it as you walk around town. Win.
Now THIS is how you do sightseeing/shopping!
Sipping on the Heineken started piquing my desires for some lunch, so I headed over to Señor Frogs. The atmosphere is great, everyone is happy (read: drunk), the food is awesome, and the drinks are even better!
When offered “The Yard” you take it. Also, disregard the chunk bitten out of the taco. I couldn’t resist. :)
The rest of the day consisted of tanning and relaxing. The rest of the week will be much more adventurous. Check back later for more!
Oops, day 1 and I'm already burnt.
Jon
The Bahamas – The Final Days | Jon Brewer Photography - […] you haven’t been following, here’s the previous days’ posts as well: Days 1 & 2 Day 3 Day 4 Days 5 & […]