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BAHAMA MAMA
By Rian Miranda – Riyadh
“Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get—only with what you are expecting to give—which is everything.” -Katharine Hepburn
Yes, I did it again! I joined Dave as his guest in the Bahamas for the second time to attend their annual company convention at ‘The Atlantis’. My favorite part of the conference was the yearly trade show and the Iron Chef competition, where all Executive Chefs from different company-owned restaurants are grouped into teams to compete in what is considered one of the highlights of the event. It was thrilling to watch each team come up with their own signature dish based on the secret ingredient they’re given on the spot. Dave’s team successfully placed first among the rest, and I couldn’t be more proud as I watch them cheerily bask in their sweet victory.
Luckily, this time, we were blessed with 70-75 F weather for a week while we were there. This year we were able to get a tan and dared the water park’s exhilarating water slides. My love challenged me to take on the iconic Leap of Faith that propels individuals at a tremendous speed from a 60ft almost-vertical drop from the top of the world-famous Mayan Temple, but I almost fainted as soon as my turn came to sit on the slide and saw what was before me.
Since Bahamas depends mostly on tourists for their economy to thrive, everything’s pretty much expensive in the island—like a can of soda that costs $3.00 from a deli. Because they need to import almost everything, the government appraises duty and excise taxes to make their revenue since they also don’t have income tax or sales tax. So while it is true that you have to break your wallet (or bank account) when you come here for vacation, here are a few frugal tips I’d like to unashamedly share with you so you can enjoy without worrying about every dollar you spend:
1. Bring your own sunscreen. The cheapest sunscreen that we found at a convenience store was $19.75, when you can get the same bottle for $10 or less in your home country.
2. Set a budget and plan your meals. Food and beverage is definitely expensive here. If you’re staying for less than a week, bring some easily consumable treats like a pack of bread/loaf, corned beef, canned tuna, meatloaf, mayo and chips to satisfy sudden hunger spells. Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts offers the same price as it is in other countries, so it’s good to know that your regular latte is at least one thing that is standard and constant.
3. Bargain for souvenirs. Haggling isn’t something to be ashamed of if you know you’re getting a deal for the right price. Of course you have to be conscious of the product as well. I bought 2 locally woven cotton bags for the price of 1 that was initially sold to me for $25 each.
4. Book your water activities from online offers prior to your travel or you can get discounted package rates as well from the dock stations of cruise ships.
5. Save expensive taxi fare and rent a scooter for $50 (for two people) a day, if you want to go around downtown to see tourist spots such as The Straw Market, Queen’s Stair Case, cruise ships, historical forts, marina village, and The Atlantis.
But these things aren’t exactly the main reason why I was there. I’m grateful to be with the love of my life once again, even for a brief period. Despite the lack of proximity, we are proud that these short getaways only reaffirm our deep faith and commitment for each other in our journey to a longstanding and healthy relationship.
Love is like jumping off a cliff. It deems not how high you jump, or if you’re a good swimmer. The only important thing is your willingness to jump with the person you love. Because once you took that leap, it does not matter anymore what your next move will be. As long as you’re holding each other, with God in the center, you can survive anything. I may have been weak and failed in taking the Leap of Faith, but I took the water roller coasters with open-air and enclosed twisting tubes that propelled us down the white water rapids—and I wasn’t scared because my love is by my side—screaming, laughing, and relishing every moment.
Happy Hearts Month, everyone!
Follow Rian – Instagram: msrianmiranda, Youtube: www.youtube.com/rianmiranda
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