First Trip to the Caribbean...

The countdown to our trip began when Keith Studebaker, our sales rep from Ben E Keith Foods, broke the news a month ago. Our sales order with their company qualified us for another 2-person, all-expense paid trip to the Bahamas.

A month ago, it was sunny and humid in Wichita, Kansas, but we knew it won't be long before the weather turned cold and chilly. With this in mind, we looked forward with great anticipation to three mindless days of basking in the sun. Early September, I followed closely weather reports on Tropical Storm Rita building up towards the Florida Keys. She threatened to turn into a hurricane, with winds up to 65 mph. Thank goodness, she missed Grand Bahama - our vacation was still intact.

As I begin this journal, the countdown is nearing its final date. We leave in three days. The last couple of weeks, I've spent my mornings surfing the internet on restaurants and things to do at Grand Bahama. Of all the reviews, the Stoned Crab restaurant seemed to rate favorably with many visitors. So that'll certainly be one of the restaurants I have to make reservations at for an ocean-side table.

The Lucayan National Park also seemed like a not-to-be-missed attraction. Though I'm unsure if we should make our way there, pay the US$3 entrance fee and explore on our own; OR sign up with a local tour company and make a whole day activity out of it for US$70 per person. I'll decide when we get there.

Further reading on the internet also put a damper to my expectations of glorious white beaches, beautiful flamingoes and a festive atmosphere on the island. Hurricane Frances and Jeanne ravaged the Grand Bahama last year, 'littering' the beautiful white beaches with tons of seaweed and debris. According to some of the blogs, this will take Mother Nature a few years to bring the beaches back to their once pristine state. The hurricanes also drove away the flamingoes - the national bird for Bahamas and a key attraction at the Rand Center. Again, I'll 'validate' this information when we get there.

Other destruction from last year's hurricanes included the International Bazaar, a shopper's paradise according to travel brochures. I imagine this to be similar to the International Marketplace at Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii. Here blog reports described it to be a ghost town as several stores were boarded up, yet to be repaired, or closed.

There have been reports of frequent power outages at certain hotel resorts. The web blogs cautioned readers to pack flashlights. We're staying at a newer resort - the Westin Lucaya - and from our past experiences with the Westin group of hotels around the world, they do upkeep a strict level of comfort and standards. Besides, I've got a small, but bright flashlight on my key chain anyway.

Our e-tickets and itinerary arrived this week. Keith has already set us up for a complimentary round of golf on the second day.

I've checked our passports for validation. I found this website www.bahamas.com comprehensive for first-time visitors to the Bahamas.
We're ready!