Found this little story over on BuzzFeed thanks to our friends at Living Overland, "41 Camping Hacks that are Borderline Genius". While some of them are certainly innovative, most have been seen before in various forms, and many are just plain silly.

The latest from Jordan, he's still in Myanmar and is having a very interesting time. Read all about it!

Jordan's latest update, this time from Myanmar.

We really wish we could be out & about with him, can't wait to see what adventure awaits!

Jordan has another update for us, this time from Bangkok.

Apparently his best advice for exploring a new, foreign, land is to run around early in the AM. That's military training for you :)

Enjoy this report!

Have you ever dreamed you could ski every day regardless of season, temperature, or any other factor? Can you imagine moving to one of the hottest places on the planet to do just that?
In Episode 2 of A Skier's Journey, we learn about Ski Dubai and a 26 year old Moroccan that has done just that. He may ski more than anyone on the planet.

Ready to pack your bags?

 

National Geographic has posted thier top 25 picks for the best ski towns in the world. All of the usual suspects are included, with a few interesting additions, just to keep things interesting.

Among our favorites are Whistler and Jackson, Wyoming. We've been hearing a lot of good things about Bozeman lately, and since our new friends from Expedition Overland live up there, it's on the list for the upcoming season. Not sure why Vail was omitted, but it's their list...

Are there any missing? Are any of these destinations in your future? Let us know on Facebook ;)

While on a somewhat ordinary flight for fun, a "cool guy" named Ryan Thompson decided to fake an in-flight emergency in order to propose to his girlfriend. While the video is certainly entertaining (Adventure Journal reports that she did say 'yes'), we're not sure if this is the safest way to start a new life together. It sure is interesting though. What do you think?

Read the full story

Source: Adventure Journal

Eastern view of Long Island at 2000ft above Jones Beach
Here at Adventure Insider, we go to great lengths to get our adrenaline fix.  For those of us based in NYC, escaping the daily grind can me difficult at times.  With this in mind, we had to ask ourselves, "How do we get the hell out of the city ASAP?" The answer came easy; learn how to fly.  The Northeast provides some of the most beautiful flying in the country, while offering some amazing adventure travel opportunities.  The best part of it all, besides the view, is soaring 5000 feet over bumper to bumper traffic on the infamous New England toll roads.  Throw some climbing gear, mountain bikes or surfboards in the cargo hold and adventure travel is limitless.  Adventure Insider has some pretty exciting stuff coming out in the near future, and we look forward to sharing every thrilling moment with you.

A view from the eastern cliffs of San Sebastian
For an adventure traveler, a trip to Spain cannot be complete without visiting Basque Country in the northeastern part of the country.  The dramatic geological clash of mountains meets sea (reminiscent of Marin County, CA) provides endless opportunities for adventure sports, including surfing, mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking, wind surfing, hiking and many more.  Basque Country's capital, San Sebastian provides the perfect Trifecta that makes me weak in the knees: great surfing, miles of cross country mountain biking and world class cuisine.  The streets of San Sebastian are a harmonious mix of antiquated cobble stone and sweeping modern plazas which are cluttered with bar and restaurants serving traditional pintxos and local wines.  San Sebastian will not disappoint the hedonist in any adventure sports enthusiast.

A seal swims in the icy waters
I am sitting in the little Bering Air offices in a back corner of the already tiny Nome airport. It’s dank, dark, grey, and cold outside. 8:30 am and the sun won’t poke its head above the horizon for another hour or so. I am waiting to catch my flight from Nome to St. Michael via Unalakleet. I am flying through some daylight hours so I will be able to see part of this corner of Alaska from the air. The flight to Nome from Anchorage was dark with nothing to see. It took what seemed forever just to get through security in Anchorage. The highlight of the airport was flirting with a tall, sexy Russian girl who was working at the Starbucks. However, now that I am here, in Nome, I am in full swing adventure mode, preparing to live in the Yupik Eskimo village of St. Michael for the next several months of my life, training sled dogs and running dog-sledding trips into the Northwestern Arctic of Alaska and into the Russian Kamchadal region. Sitting here in the Nome airport, surrounded by the goings-on, I realize that I am minority out here, and that this will be the first time I have ever lived as such. There are not many Viking looking white-boys out here. This is Yupik country, and I am the outsider. At 6-feet 1-inches, and blonde, I “stand out” in the crowd, double entendre intended. Flying out of Nome and into St. Michael is a white-knuckle affair, and one that leaves a lasting impression of the isolation and austere vastness of the arctic. White, wind-whipped seas, and low rolling volcanic cones covered in arctic tundra are the only things you see as the plane makes its way across the lonely part of the world. After landing, my new boss takes me directly to a fuel tank farm where he immediately gets me to work, pumping out mud and water from around the tank perimeters. The first look at the village brings one word to mind, squalor. There is no doubt that while this is technically part of the United States, the village and area is essentially a third world country. Hunting on the ice
Village life is filled with mud, garbage, human waste and more mud. It is generous to call the village ugly, yet the region surrounding it is somehow mystical. There is an intangible quality that hangs over the land, making it seem almost prehistoric. The only other place in the world I have experienced anything similar is in the remote regions of Iceland, another tundra covered northern land. There is no doubt that this is frontier living. Even in the 21st century, being here strikes a feeling of being on the edge. One Yupik elder describes this land by saying “it is not the end of the world, but you can see it from here.” Regarding the human interactions, this is the frontier as well, as disagreements are more often solved with fists or bullets than mediation. Beyond the thought that a mere disagreement may be met with fists, the biggest obstacle here as best I can figure is mud. Nasty, gross, filthy, dog-shit filled mud. It is everywhere and it is a part of life here before the snow and ice arrives. No outdoor gear purchased from fancy gear stores survives this stuff. This is the land where Carhartt, and industrial work clothes are essential. Wear a fancy-boy piece of Patagonia and it gets shredded in days. This is especially noticed when working the dog lot. This is my second day in, and I have started working the dogs and dog yard. The dogs get fed a mix of seal fat, high protein kibble and water twice a day. To get the seal fat, raw flippers and blubber get placed into a large outdoor double-boiler where it gets rendered down into a liquid tallow that gets poured over the kibble. Consider this high-octane fuel for the dogs as the calorie return on it is incredible. In addition to the seal fat, Tom Cod also get boiled down, into a soupy fish-broth given to the dogs. Don’t think that the seal and cod magically appear either; Glen, a Yupik, routinely goes out on seal hunts, and the cod is retrieved from nets dropped into the frigid Norton Sound. About every third day, I make a run out to the nets to pull up the fish, place them into large plastic tubs, then bring them back for boiling and rendering. A caught seal is butchered
If this all sounds grimy and gross, I can tell you, it is. However, I am fortunate because my house is one of the only houses in the village that has its own shower. I am very lucky that after a day spent scooping dog waste, boiling seal fat and handling dogs I get to come home and take a hot shower. Most of the Yupik are not so lucky, as indoor plumbing is a rarity in these parts. For toilet needs, this is the land of the “honeypot”. Outhouses have holding pots called “honeypots” that are used for waste. As they fill up, you carry them out to the side of the muddy streets where they are collected by a weekly “poop-patrol” and they are then brought out to be dumped into a huge lagoon of human waste. Hepatitis runs rampant out here. Before you begin thinking it is all bad, let me tell you that the rewards out here truly help erase the bad. I was invited to go on seal hunts with the Yupik which is an honor and spectacle. As a “Gussiq” – white guy – I am not allowed to hunt the seals, and I don’t want to; but being invited to go out in the boats and observe the hunt, as well as be there on the beach when they return is an experience that is worth the hardship. I was taken out on my first seal hunt with Glen. He told me to “go dress like you’ve never dressed before” and to prepare for the nastiest conditions I could imagine. I put on two layers of long-underwear, an expedition weight top, primaloft pants, Gore-Tex bibs, arctic boots, a down jacket, glacier glasses, a parka mushing-overcoat, fur trapper hat, gloves, hat and seal furred mittens. Barely able to move, I waddled down to the beach where we all loaded into the boat and made our way out into the minus 10 degree weather. Even with all this, I was astonished at how fast my feet and fingers cooled down, and I am a seasoned high-altitude mountaineer. I can honestly say this was one of the most uncomfortable excursions I have participated in. Once out in the boat and floating through the pack ice, I was amazed at how astute, observant and aware the Yupik men are when hunting seal. Glen could spot a spotted seal head from at least a mile away. I have no idea how he pulls this off, but it is truly an amazing thing to see. Glen’s brother in law, Paul, came along and he shot two spotted seals. As we pulled up to the beach of St. Michael, many of the locals turned out for the butchering. The Y’upiq once hunted spotted seals using harpoons and hand-thrown “atlatls” – a combination slingshot and spear. Today, they use .22 caliber rifles to take the seals. Even so, the fact they can spot the seal out in the ice and land a shot is testimony to their skill and heritage of living with what the surroundings give them. When they hit a seal, it naturally floats due to the blubber and fat, making retrieval a matter of keeping an eye on the dead animal and navigating through the pack ice. The retrieval proved to be physical, and rough. Glen directed the boat through pack ice, and “bergie-bits” – loose chunks of ice that can be the size of Volkswagons. This is particularly dangerous, as the saying “the tip of the iceberg” is a reality. What you see on top is about 1/8 of what is below. Disturb it too much and it could roll, and take you with the boat out. The haul is divied up by social caste
As Glen brought the boat up to the floating seals, Paul grabbed the gaff – a long metal hook – and handed it to me while he crouched low into the boat and held onto the sides. Paul directed me to thrust the tip of the hook as deep into the seal’s blubber and flesh as possible and then pull it in toward the side of the boat. If this sounds easy, it isn’t. While the seal’s body is covered in a blubber-layer, it is not soft. I had to truly swing the shit out of the gaff to bring it onto the dead seal’s back. Once the hook was set Paul told me to begin pulling it in toward the boat where he and Glen would pull it up and into the bottom. Pulling the seal across the water, and through ice is difficult as the seal weighs close to 300 or 400 lbs. Imagine trying to pull a black bear across an obstacle laden room and you get an idea of what it is to pull a seal through ice-filled water. I could only imagine how this was done when the Yupi’q would hunt the seals out of kayaks and skin boats. Paul and Glen yanked the seal up and into the boat, along with gallons of the briny and ice-cold water. It splashed everywhere and soaked us through our various layers of clothing, adding to the discomfort. Soaked gloves and mittens made the situation seem more dangerous as my fingers began to numb out with a rapidness I have never seen or experienced before. Once the seals were on the boat, Glen brought the boat back to the beaches of the village. I jumped out from the bow, and gripped the ice-covered line and began to pull the boat up with full force, taking advantage of the inertia and making sure to get the boat as far out of the water as possible. The three of us coordinated a lift and toss of the seals onto the beach. Again, our gloves were soaked, and every fiber of me was screaming to get the hell out of the cold and into the warmth of the house. There was still work to be done, and I had to stay with the men to prove my mettle as a measly Gusiq. This was where things really got interesting. Paul and Glen cut the seals up and handed out choice cuts and the ribs to the elders of the village. Everyone got some of the seal, but according to a “pecking order”. The elders got the best cuts while the village n’er do wells got the fat and entrails. It was something, watching this take place, knowing that it has been done this way for hundreds of years prior. This is not like going into a Safeway and buying a steak. After the beach-side butcher house antics, I retired to the house where I tried in vain to thaw out and heat my core and body back to normal levels. Once I recovered I bundled back up and went out to feed the dogs, which takes about an hour of time to prepare, dish out, and clean. The excess blubber from the seals would be used for the dog food and I would be responsible for boiling it down into the creamy tallow that gets added to the kibble. Spending time in the village, you fall into a pattern of work, sleep, and waiting for the weather to cooperate. Finally, snow hit us, and the dogs can get run. The dogs themselves know when the time is prime for sledding. They bark and howl and twitch with giddy anticipation with the thought of harnessing up and hitting the trails. I love each and every one of these dogs, but make no mistake, these dogs are not pets. The reality of dog-mushing is that the dogs are working dogs, born and bred to break trail and pull weight. When they know the time has come to run, they come alive. About Eric Cedric Eric Cedric is a former mountain guide and expedition leader with 20 years of professional experience. Cedric has worked on Denali, Elbrus and a handful of Himalayan peaks. In addition, Cedric is a private pilot and professional environmental and conservation writer. Cedric splits his time each year between the Adirondack Mountains, Southern California and Costa Rica.

There are few things that top off a day of climbing properly: cold beer, red meat seared on a hot grill, and plunging into fresh cool water. For the latter there are a few places are gaining popularity thanks to the facility of the Google search: Paradise Cove in Colorado, Mill Creek in UT and Split Rock in NY. We’ll save you the trouble.

Mill Creek, UT

Mill Creek is a short hike to a nice pool with some shorter cliff diving, making it a popular destination. If you’re truly adventurous, treat yourself and hike further up  the canyon to another pool.  It does not have the sheer cliffs of the lower pool, but it is much more secluded. If you climb up the small waterfall at the end of the pool you can walk around to a small natural water slide. The waterfall is the destination for most, but continuing up canyon provides a nice hike in a beautiful setting. Climbing areas nearby: All the awesomeness near Moab. Getting there: From downtown Moab, head east on Center Street, turn right on 400 E, then left on Mill Creek Dr. Follow Mill Creek Dr. when it bears right at Sand Flats Rd. Finally, left on Powerhouse Lane until it ends at a dirt parking area. From the pullout you will see the trail heading east on the south (right) side of the stream. Less than 5 minutes from the car is a sandstone gorge below a small dam that provides a great place to hangout a short distance from the car. For the more adventurous, continue heading up canyon, staying on the well-used trail. The trail crosses the stream a few times, so don’t be afraid to get your feet wet right from the start.

Paradise Cove, CO

Paradise cove used to be a word-of-mouth, locals-only hangout. Today it’s much easier to find this retreat, thanks to blabby writers like us. Here you’ll find sheer rock leading down to a very respectable pool.  The pool is deep enough that only the truly brave touch bottom, and the water is free of obstacles.  There is something for everyone -- from the tame 16 foot jump to the crazy 100 footer.  There are also plenty of sun-soaked rocks to warm up on.  Year round the water is brisk at best. Best visited on really hot days. Climbing areas nearby: Eleven Mile Canyon. Everything else in the South Platte Getting there: From Colorado Springs, drive west on U.S. Highway 24 for 26 mi. About a mile past Divide, turn left onto Twin Rocks Road. Drive 5.8 miles until the road dead ends at Teller County Road 1. Turn left and drive 5.9 miles to a fork in the road. Veer right on Teller County Road 11 and continue 4 miles until the road dead ends. Turn right onto Teller County Road 112. Drive 2.7 miles to a dirt parking lot on the left at the top of a small rise. The trail to the cove starts across the road. Follow a clear a half a mile to the pool.

Split Rock, NY

The Mohonk Preserve outside New Paltz, NY is a climbing mecca. Home of the ‘Gunks’, the Mohonk preserve attracts thousands of climbers from around the world each year. However, during the summer, the heat and humidity can be nothing short of brutal. A dip in Split Rock can be more than just a welcome relief. Although Split Rock may not be the biggest secret, there are many places to swim in and around the preserve but Split Rock is not only the most secluded and serene but also contains the coolest water. Climbing areas nearby: The Gunks Getting there: From New Paltz head west on Co Rd. 299 until it dead ends. Make a left onto Hwy. 44 for about 1.5 mi. Go under the small bridge and follow the road to the bottom of the hill and look for the parking area on the right. From the parking lot head south on the trail to the Trapps and make the first left. In a few hundred yards find your refreshing oasis. You are required to have a preserve permit to use the area but if you show up early enough you may sneak by before the ranger station is staffed. Obviously, reverse the direction if you are coming right off the crag.

This article originally published in Spring 2011 issue of Adventure Insider Magazine. After my recent visit to The Bahamas, I realized that too many people may hear the name “The Bahamas” and automatically visualize the grandiose, Vegas-like Atlantis super-complex on Paradise Island or an easily forgettable stop in the port of Nassau during a Caribbean cruise. These people are greatly mistaken and (unfortunately) uninformed about overly-friendly residents and unique character of The Bahamas and its 700 islands and cays.  Once port visitors venture past the strip of duty-free shopping on Bay Street, they will find Nassau's true identity bursting at the seams with its rich history defined by its unique landscape, colonial architecture, evidence and stories of pirates and 18th century explorers and true Bahamian culture. For first-time visitors, Nassau is a great way to begin your exploration of the Bahamas.  With countless historical landmarks, beautiful colonial  buildings and pristine beaches, one could happily spend days sightseeing.  A great way to see Nassau’s true natural beauty is by chartering a boat to explore the coast and nearby islands.  Captain Ryan Russell at High Seas Excursions (http://highseasbahamas.com) can provide a personalized trip off the coast of Nassau, whether its fishing, snorkeling or discovering private beaches on remote islands.  His intimate knowledge of the surrounding islands and extremely kind, laid back crew will provide an adventure that guests will not forget.  Nassau also provides the perfect setting to begin the exploration of the maritime Bahamian cuisine, which is essential to the backbone of Bahamian culture.  Residents pride themselves on serving some of the freshest seafood in the world.  Here, conch reigns supreme with Caribbean lobster running a close second.  If you are in Nassau during the weekend, inquire about the Fish Fry, a notorious community gathering dedicated to eating local cuisine and meeting new people. Much of the essence of Nassau, past and present, is captured at the Graycliff Hotel (http://www.graycliff.com).  This exquisite colonial building turned perfect vacation getaway was originally built in 1740 by Captain John Howard Graysmith, a pirate of the Caribbean.  The establishment’s extremely gregarious, hospitable proprietor and welcoming staff will show you 5 star living within its nearly 300 year old property.  Relax with a bottle (or two) of wine and a cigar in the lobby (which could pass as a James Bond movie set) and spark conversation with first jolly Italian gentleman with a necklace made of gold shipwreck treasure.  There is only one, and his name is Enrico.  If you get him on the right day, be prepared to stay up until early hours of the morning listening to stories of his former life as a Ferrari race car driver and international bachelor.  Guests who are lucky enough to experience Enrico’s overly animated storytelling can be guaranteed a sore stomach the next morning from the hours of convulsive laughter through the night. The Greycliff now boasts the third largest privately owned wine cellar in the world, a cigar factory and one of the county's only 5 star restaurants.  The wine cellar, a former prison, holds some of the rarest wines in the world including Bordeaux wines predating World War II, as well as the oldest registered bottle of wine, a 1727 German Riesling.  The Greycliff Cigar Company has become one of the most recognized name in fine cigars.  Guests at the Greycliff are able to tour the cigar factory, witness the magical process of cigar rolling and even try to roll their own.  At the Greycliff Restaurant the chefs expertly and harmoniously blend Bahamian, French and Italian cuisines to create one of the most exquisite fine-dining experiences in the Bahamas.  There are few places in the world where one can learn to roll a cigar, tour one of the rarest collections of wines in the world and enjoy a lobster cappuccino.  The Greycliff Hotel is a historical landmark and a must-see destination for anyone who sets foot in Nassau.

Now for adventure!

Nearly 23 out of 700 islands are inhabited, which leaves a lot of room to explore.  Most larger islands and even several cays have airports, and further exploration can be done via boat.  With vast areas of reef, James Bond-inspiring landscapes, unique geological structures and rich fisheries, The Bahamas provide any type of outdoor adventure that you can think of including, spear fishing for lobster and grouper, scuba diving on unexplored reefs or blue holes, trekking through uninhabited islands and even surfing on the outer islands. One of the best ways to begin a tour of the Bahamian Islands is by flying into Exuma, also called the Pearl of the Bahamas, via Sky Bahamas or any other Bahamian airline.  The Exumas are a tropical paradise made of a chain of 365 cays and islands stretching over 100 miles with two major islands, Great Exuma and Little Exuma.  The northern tip is located 35 miles southeast of Nassau.  The Exumas offer hundreds of miles of empty, pristine white-sand beaches, an over-abundance of marine activities and spectacular geological structures.  The bright aquamarine water is so intensely colorful that it turns the clouds blue.  The islands are dotted with towns of historical importance that were settled during England’s colonial rule as commerce hubs or plantation settlements.  The Exumas’ culture exemplifies Bahamian lifestyle on the outer islands.  The landscape dictates the way of life.  Residents are easy-going and say that they would not live anywhere else in the world.  Many catch their food from the sea daily and have a visceral connection to the delicate marine ecosystem. The best way to experience The Exumas’ adventures to the fullest potential is by chartering a boat to the northern islands and cays with Captain Pat Smith at Four C’s Adventures (http://www.exumawatertours.com/).  Capt. Pat will have his boat ready to launch when you reach Baraterre, located at the northern tip of Greater Exuma.  After you have made it this far, it's your marine playground.  Here, the true adventure begins. During the full day excursion, Capt. Pat navigates north through crystal clear waters passing untouched beaches and celebrity-owned islands.  Passengers can request to stop the boat to explore anything they desire including islands, reefs, sandbars or perhaps dock at locally owned bar along the way to chat with the locals about day-to-day life in the islands and cays.  As a member of a guided tour, visitors are able to participate in some of the most Bahamian of activities, diving for conch and spearfishing for lobster.  Guides have the local knowledge to ensure a successful hunt resulting in the most rewarding meals of a lifetime.  Conch is a staple in the Bahamian diet, and conch salad is the most celebrated dish.  Once lunch is caught, Capt. Pat will boat to a sandbar that rises from the middle of the sea.  Then, he expertly butchers the conch and dices onions, tomatoes, green bell peppers and chiles.  Add fresh lime juice, orange juice and sea salt and lunch is served. Staniel Cay provides a great base to explore the northern part of the Exumas.  In fact, it is so perfectly positioned that it provided the base for the filming of the 1965 James Bond movie, Thunderball.  Accommodations, boat rentals and kayak rentals are available at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club (www.stanielcay.com).  Only a two minute boat ride from the Staniel Cay Yacht Club is the infamous Thunderball Grotto, an underwater cave saturated with tropical marine life and breathtaking underwater geological features.  Be sure to bring a waterproof camera.  If you are thrill-seeking and the tide is high enough, climb to the top of the cave (bring booties) and take the 20 foot plummet through the narrow hole at its peak. Staniel Cay is a scuba diver’s paradise.  Located just a short boat ride north, the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park offers 176 square miles of wildlife reserve and national park.  The PADI dive center on the island, Staniel Cay Divers (http://www.stanielcaydivers.com) can guide divers to a range of sights -- from a relaxing drift dive for those looking to become certified to a technical deep water dive for the highly experienced.  The adventurous owner/divemaster of Staniel Cay divers prides himself for quality over quantity, so crowds on the boar are never an issue.  With countless dive spots never visited, the possibilities for new exploration are nearly endless.   Danger Bay, located within the nature refuge proved to be a great dive.  The dive begins with a 40 foot descent with reef sharks circling.  After the descent, divers tour of the underwater coral maze teeming with eels, lion fish, lobsters, tropical fish and conch.   After about 30 minutes of swimming through small caves and under overhanging coral structures the dive path winds back around to the boat where the sharks surround one last time.  Divers of all levels are guaranteed to be pleased with the dive opportunities just a short boat ride from Staniel Cay, weather permitting.  The PADI dive center is extremely accommodating and will find the right dive for any level of experience. Although exploring the Thunderball Grotto and the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park provides the most the most adventurous experience around Staniel Cay, other locations can provide relaxing entertainment.  Boaters can dock at nearby Compass Cay to swim with the island’s friendly nurse shark population or just pet them from the dock.  Visitors can also find the swimming pigs of Big Major Cay.  The geographic misplacement and unorthodox activities of the pigs has captured the fascination of visitors.  Whether the pigs were brought intentionally as a food source or escaped a sinking vessel, the pigs have created a remote colony in the middle of the Exumas. After exploring the northern cays and islands, Greater Exuma and Little Exuma offer visitors plenty of opportunities for rest and relaxation.  A day with OFF Island Adventures (www.offislandadventures.com) is the perfect way to finish an adventurous tour around the Exumas.  Captain Steve’s laid-back, educational tour around Elizabeth Harbour is breathtaking.  The 6th generation Bahamian will point out amazing rock structures, blue holes and world famous sandbars that attract top fashion icons for photo shoots, as well as the filming of the blockbusters, Pirates of the Caribbean II and III.  As lunch time approaches or thirst sets in, ask Capt. Steve to stop by Chat N Chill on Stocking Island (http://www.chatnchill.com).  The restaurant is off the beaten path and only accessible by boat.  Public transportation is available by water taxi from the Government Dock in Georgetown.  Chat N Chill epitomizes a tropical destination bar and grill.  It is a great place to mingle with locals, play volleyball with new friends or find a secluded spot on the restaurant’s expansive beachfront property.  If feeling particularly indigenous, order the famous Bahamian Goombay Smash and a conch burger.  Do not miss out on the island’s pig roast every Sunday at noon; however, great food, drinks and conversation are guaranteed on any given day.  For those feeling overly hedonistic, the Sandals Emerald Bay Resort and Spa (http://www.sandals.com/main/emerald/em-spa.cfm) offers a range of services designed to soothe mind and body.  The deep tissue sports massage can be quite useful after snorkeling for dinner, diving with sharks and day-long boat excursions. After touring Nassau and The Exumas by land and sea, it is clear to me why Bahamians love their way of life.  The country’s unique landscape and colonial history have shaped its people and culture.  Bahamians depend on the vulnerable marine ecosystem as a food source and as an attraction for their thriving tourism industry.  This respect for the sea and its gifts drives a nationwide respect for not only natural resources but for neighbors as well. The result is a nation with a low domestic crime rate and minimal environmental exploitation.  The Bahamian people and their land are welcoming and hospitable.  The love of their country is unwavering and infectious.

Must-Do List:

• Dive in Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park in northern Exumas
• Visit the Greycliff Hotel, Restaurant, Wine Cellar and Cigar Company in Nassau
• Snorkel for conch and make your own conch salad
• Visit Chat N Chill (best on Sundays) on Stocking Island
• Explore the Thunderball Grotto just north of Staniel Cay
• Order lobster at Santana’s Bar and Grill in Williamstown, Little Exuma

About Jonas Ahern

Jonas grew up in southern Delaware, coastal Maryland, and central Florida and attended the University of Florida.  While earning a B.A. in History and a B.S. in Zoology, he discovered his love of travel, wine, craft beer and home brewing.  During his study abroad in Sydney, Australia he became hooked on adventure travel.  He backpacked through the Tasmanian wilderness, studied reef ecology on a small island in the Great Barrier Reef and endlessly searched for new and remote surf spots up and down the east coast of Australia. After graduating from college, his obsession with adventure inspired him to pack up and drive cross country. He worked seasonally for two years between wineries in Northern California and a ski resort in Vail, Colorado.  He now lives in New York City and works as a craft beer and wine specialist.