A Winter of Discontent Turns to Summer: Bahamas Trip Report

I was in a rather foul mood the night I busted out of the Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure. I had not played my best, my cards had been poor, and I was upset at myself for ultimately losing patience and sticking in my chips in a bad situation. Furthermore, I wasn't too excited about spending the next week in an overcrowded house on tourist-packed Paradise Island. (By the way, it should be noted that the overcrowding was entirely my fault, and it was never an issue except for sleeping).

Paradise Island remained the same - swarming with tourists, chain retail outfits, and generic, overpriced restaurants. The Atlantis resort was particularly troubling for me - sprawling, extravagant, and flawless, but severely lacking in those things that make me happy, like charm and flavor. I felt special distaste towards the throngs of 17-24 year old boys who seemingly have not seen the light of the sun this milennium. Certainly, I was likely viewed as one of their kind, and I'm sure many of these young fellows have a lot to offer even away from the poker table. But en masse, they (we) make up a dreary horde of nerds particularly laughable while viewed in a sheeny vacation spot like Paradise Island.

I hate being a tourist. I hate the idea of coming down from America to a less developed country to be serviced by the natives. I hate lounging around on their land eating the best of their food, relaxing in their best spots while they work.

The night after I busted out, I went to the beach and listened to music while staring at the waves. I make this activity a priority any time I visit the ocean. It's one of my favorite things to do. That night, the most memorable song I listened to was "Nada" by the Refreshments:

I hear the thunder
From the storm down in Mexico
I leave the border far behind
I feel the dust coat my teeth
And turn my face to mud
I tip the bottle and bite the lime

There is no moral to this story at all
Everything I tell you
Very well could be a lie
Been away from the livin
Don't need to be forgivin
I'm just waiting for that cold black soul of mine
To come alive
___

It turned around after that first day. I've written before about the power sunshine has on my body and mind. I can never underestimate it. It's almost like there's a magical chemical in sunlight that I need to feel my best (Vitamin D?) Life is never bad in the sunshine.

I got over my tourist issues as well. We got off Paradise Island and spent some time on New Providence Island. We took a very exciting motorized scooter tour of the island, which was half the coolest thing I've done and half a chilling reminder to get health insurance. We went to Nassau. We went "under the bridge" to Potter's Kay, ate fresh conch salad and talked for an hour with an old-school crawfisherman. We snuck into the most lavish** place I've ever been, an 18-star seaside resort with a $850-$6000 room price.

And at each location, we talked to Bahamians. Bahamanians don't feel subjugated by tourists. They are grateful for the business. They are intelligent and polite and don't hold themselves away from the tourists. By the time we left, I didn't feel like a dick anymore.

Our crew was great. Four girls, four guys. Less than half professional poker players. A nice difference** from the Horde at Atlantis. If I go back to the Bahamas for this tournament in the future, I will try to avoid Atlantis.

Life is good when you're drinking a pina colada on the beach in the sun. It's just that simple, I'd like to think. The most memorable song from the trip was "Sunsets" by Powderfinger:

Sunrise building a reprise, in my heart
Regret tight around my chest, plays its part
Until it's gone
Until it's gone
But to shower you with pity will do you no good at all, no good at all

Now we're watching the sunset, sunset, sunset, sunset
Over the beaches, beaches, beaches, beaches
Watching the sunset, sunset, sunset, sunset
Over the beaches, beaches, beaches, beaches
Watching the sunset, sunset, sunset, sunset
Over the beaches, beaches, beaches, beaches
Watching the sunset, sunset, sunset, sunset
Over the beaches, beaches, beaches, beaches