A Powerful Goodbye On A Trip To The Bahamas

A Storm Brewing In The Bahamas

The island was aware of the day I was leaving my trip to The Bahamas behind. It tried to stop me—told me I’d be gone too quick. A flash of lightning flickered above the turquoise water, although, the more clouds that came, the more indigo ink began to pour into the waves. The thunder rumbled not far behind. The wind picked up around me—it was powerful. 

I sat underneath the cabana on the beach in front of the house I’d called home for the past week. Taking a swig of my iced almond milk latte, I watched the storm rumble toward me across the ocean. I couldn’t believe my time was over. After all, my trip to The Bahamas began just 5 days ago. I had never been on a trip to The Bahamas before, just heard crazy stories about celebrities and tropical pigs and, well, Pablo Escobar if I’m being honest.

Taking A Vacation Vs. Taking A Trip To The Bahamas

Some people are fine just visiting a place like this through resorts: All-you-can-eat-and-drink, pool parties with people who speak their language and Instagram pictures to prove they left the country. That’s fine and all, but I’m not so sure I could ever be one of these people.

While lying by the crowded pool, I would be thinking about all of the secluded beaches nearby I’d rather go to, like the Tropic of Cancer Beach. While grabbing a comped drink, I’d be dreaming of all of the local dive bars and the stories they hold within their dusted walls. Even if dinner was included with my stay, I’d be thinking about all of the local cuisine outside of the resort’s secured gates that I would never get the chance to try if I didn’t just step out into the real world.

This is the difference between traveling and taking a vacation. I don’t remember the last time I told someone that I was on vacation. I simply say, “I’m traveling.” To me, calling it a vacation would mean that I had something I needed to take a vacation from: Work, school, home, whatever. However, saying that I am traveling, simply means that I am exploring somewhere outside of where I normally am. I will be taking in the local culture and trying the new cuisine and seeing what my short-term home will look like, but here’s the thing:

Every time you travel, you trade a little piece of yourself.

Making Memories In The Bahamas

Not only are you leaving a memory behind for the locals to look back on, but you’re bringing a tenfold of memories back on the plane with you. I can no longer look at a dessert menu without dreaming of that Guava Duff from Big D’s. Every time someone says Domino’s, I’m not thinking of the American pizza. I’m back in that moment at T’n’T with a Kalik beer in hand, watching a group of Bahamians that grew up together prove their skills for probably the umpteenth time with a set of dominoes.

Maybe you take back small pieces like this, or maybe you take back the bigger picture. Either way, wherever you go, you’re exchanging these core memories for another and I think that’s a beautiful thing.

So, next time, when you think about taking a trip to The Bahamas, let me interest you in Great Exuma. It’s a small island, not known to most tourists. It’s full of conch fritters, starry nights and lots of laughs over at T’n’T and I can guarantee you, that you’ll go home with another memory.

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