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When I awoke it was to a different view from deck than the one I went to sleep with. We had arrived in the Bahamas and our first port of call was Freeport.
Instead of scrambling of the boat bright and early with all the other passengers, we decided to enjoy our floating hotel a bit first. That is not to say we didn't get up early, because we did ( after all, there was a lot to do!) The selection for breakfast was vast, because of this, Emily and I decided that the best thing to do would be to deal with this in portions. We decided to have two breakfasts with a break in between them.We used the gap between our two breakfasts to explore the gym facilities. Yes, I know this doesn't sound very interesting because, after all, every gym looks the same. However, this one did have a great view - you felt as though you were running on the water!
Now that exercise was taken care of, I was free to relax and have fun, so we did what all the rich and famous do: lie on a beach chair and have a drink brought to you, complete with cherry and umbrella. Delightful!
After lunch it was time to explore Freeport (and as I discovered, not quite as interesting as I would have hoped.) It looked like a pretty typical port - industrial and grubby, but what did strike me was its similarity to Africa. When you disembark from your ship you are greeted by a tourist market much like any you would find in South Africa (or anywhere in Africa for that matter.) There were vendors selling straw baskets and carved knick knacks and women offering to braid your hair. There were also taxis, and not the yellow cab kind, but the mini-bus-squish-as-many-people-as-you-can-kind!
As in Africa, there is also poverty. Everything was a little bit shabbier and older than it should be. I felt the contrast between our bright and shiny American boat and this place whose life blood seemed to be the tourist trade. But I also felt at home. It made me miss Africa, were everything doesn't always happen on time or work properly. I didn't realise that his would be something that I could miss.
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