Bahamas and Beyond...

Welcome to the Bahamas. I’m posting a bit late because I didn’t really have any internet access from Nassau. After a quick jump of a flight in a 20-seat puddle jumper, I arrived in Nassau at about 4pm on the 17th. I simply breezed through immigration and then onto customs where I think the guy looked at all my bags and just let me go through without any inspection to save himself the hassle. Frankly, I was thrilled.

I ventured outside to catch a cab, as I was letting one know where I was going a little voice asked where I was going and if she could join me. I came to learn that her name was Molly. She goes to school in Oregon and is originally from northern California. Once at our new Bahaman home, the Nassau Beach Hotel, I went off to check in. She had a friend that was already there and checked in. She let me know her room number so I could meet up with them later and that was that. While checking in, I, of course, was hoping for my very own king size bed. There is nothing like a massive bed all to yourself after two days of non-stop travel. To my disappointment, the hotel had been out of power for the entire afternoon and had just turned back on before I got there. Somehow, because of the power outage there were no king beds available, so I got two double beds instead. Howeva, because of my great luck, it just so happened that I would be neighbors with Molly and her five other delightful roommates.

I got settled and went over to say hello. All but one of the six was a west coast kid. Mark was a resident of New Hampshire and attended good ol’ UCONN. They had plans to go into town and asked me to come along. I of course overwhelmingly agreed to join them for the downtown Nassau adventure. We ended up at Senor Frogs, but quickly changed our minds when we heard about this club called Fluid. Yes, I know what your thinking, I too was a bit apprehensive, but once we got there the music just made my feet move! We danced the night away there and once the crowd died down we headed over to Senor Frogs. One of the ladies in our group smooth talked her way out of the cover charge and magically, we all got in. Once inside, we became the life of the party…well, really, we were the party. Anywho, once our legs had fallen off our bodies we all managed to crawl into a cab and head back home. I inched into bed as soon as I saw it.

Having arrived home at quite the late hour, I was hoping to wake up and drag myself to the beach and get some more shuteye in the light of the Caribbean Sun. Of course, that didn’t happen…for two reasons really. Number one, my wonderful concerned mother abruptly woke me up in the morning because she hadn’t heard from me. Well, what the hell was I supposed to do. Neither of the two cell phones I had worked and christ, I just left home, what the hell did I have to check in so soon for. Well, mothers are mothers and she just wanted to make sure I was alive. I was.

Of course when I answered that call I also realized it was nasty overcast and pouring rain. I rolled over and went back to sleep hoping to wake up to some sunshine in an hour or two. Needless to say, that didn’t happen.

Around noontime, we all headed into town to get a feel for the place in the daylight. It was quite different from the night scene. So many things were horribly depressing; already I have learned how much I fucking hate Globalization, and we’re just begun our global treck. From Starbucks to Subway, it came as no surprise that the US Embassy building shared a parking lot with the good old, piece of shit McDonalds. We grabbed a bite at a little local diner that was hoping; I went for a typical Caribbean favorite: Conch Fritters. And what a choice it was.

After lunch we perused through town a bit more and started walking in the general direction of our hotel. After having walked a ways, we decided that we’d stroll the rest because we had already started. Well, an hour and a half later, and five miles behind us, we arrived back at our pad. Nap time it was.

The Bahamas is so damn expensive, but the Duty Free Liquor stores were just the script the college kids ordered. We went back into town that night and once again blew up Senor Frogs. After two nights of nonstop dancing, my legs felt as though they were no longer a part of my body.

Of course, the next morning had a 0630 wake up call on the agenda because it was off to port we go!!! Thankfully, L was the last letter of the first group of people boarding the ship. It started at 0800 and the first group was supposed to be done by 1000. We got there a bit after 0800 and waited in line for at least an hour and a half. Thankfully, it was overcast and there was a light mist in the air keeping us cool while anxiously awaiting to board our new floating home. Past check in and safely through customs, we found ourselves stunned at the sight of the vessel we were about to board. And yet, even to this minute, it feels the reality of it has not set in. I was giddy for about a minute or so. I can’t describe it; there is still a numbness to the idea of it all. Perhaps, once we get to our first official port, San Juan, PR, the excitement will take over and I will be bursting with awe and wonder. It has been an incredibly long day. I can’t even begin to speak of how many names I’ve been told and yet how few I remember.


I can also say that the people on this ship are truly wonderful and amazing human beings. From the eclectic blend of students to the diverse faculty, and from the global crew to the overwhelmingly happy cabin stewards, this ship is a global melting pot…literally. There is quite the rigorous schedule on board this great ship, the MV Explorer.

For the fist night at sea, it has been quite comical. People are not dealing too well with the motion in this wide and vast ocean. The feel of the Sea is like no other; to some, calm and relaxing, while others are on edge and nauseated. For me, the roll of the ocean is soothing and makes for an easy night’s rest. There is something amazing about charting yout way through the most unknown territory on earth: the great ocean.

Well, that’s all for now.