We have finally reached the six months milestone since we left our home and started our adventure in September of 2022, we think it’s time for another look back.

Leaving the Bahamas for the States, we stared out at the open sea, we monitor the changing color of the water. Each passing mile seems to bring another hue. Bright turquoise has given way to emerald to deep blue and now finally dark green. Our time in The Bahamas has come to an end. We knew this day was coming, but seeing the murkier water & busy skyline of US east coast has made it official.

Despite our early reservations about cruising the Bahamas on our 40′ sailboat & living in such close quarters for so long, we’re happy to say that in the end, our fears were unfounded. This adventure has been an incredible gift to Claudia and I and an experience that we know we will continue to reflect upon. After leaving home for The Bahamas, six months later we are returning as diving & snorkeling, cave exploring, spearfishing, blue-hole swimming, boat driving, coral reefs & sea-life identifying, dolphin swimming, shark chasing, conch horn blowing, knot tying salty sailors – with aspirations of becoming around the world sailors (not really, we know our limits).

The Exumas has ruin every other beach we may visit or any dip in the water we will take for the rest of our lives. These stunning turquoise beaches are breathtaking. Beach gatherings, hiking and snorkeling became a part of our lives. There are miles and miles of beautiful, empty beaches, and from the islands, you can view the ocean from every vantage point. We know we’ve been spoiled and will forever be grateful.

Something that always seems to divide the room right down the center: The idea of traveling to a foreign country and staying at an all-inclusive resort. Lots of travelers get sand in their shorts over this idea – they think we should immerse ourselves in the country’s culture rather than sip daiquiris by the pool for five days. That said, a large number of tourists who visit the Bahamas choose to make their homes at resorts.

We’ve always understood the appeal of both sides of the coin – some people are explorers and others are vacationers (many of us like a bit of both). Some people are comfortable with new horizons and feel enriched by the new experiences, and some only have a week’s worth of vacation per year and want to know what they’re going to get for their money – they don’t want any surprises.

And it’s all good – that’s why they make strawberry, chocolate and vanilla (Claudia’s favorite saying), that’s why we have options. Claudia and I have always find that meeting the locals is a highly privileged experience in our travels. Mingling with the locals on their home turf truly reflect who they are as human beings. This teaches us not only about them but more often about ourselves.

During our time here, we were invited to people’s homes to see how they lived, ate and slept. They proudly showed us their living rooms, kitchen layouts, and their big screen TVs. They drove us in their cars going shopping and to visit their aunts and uncles. Is this not privilege? Our experience taught us that the Bahamians are kind, gentle, peace-loving people and are very welcoming to outsiders. They love to express themselves through art, music and dance. There is also a sense of pride for their culture. Music is an integral part of Bahamian culture. Across the islands, we often hear music such as African rhythms, Caribbean calypso and goombay music, which is a traditional form of music unique to the Bahamas.

The staple of the Bahamian diet is seafood, pork & chicken. Beef is too expensive, so steak is out of reach but hamburgers are available. Some of the local delicacies include fresh conch, lobsters, fish and rock crabs. A common accompaniment to most dishes is pigeon peas and rice with tomatoes, onions and spices. The perfect way to wash down a delicious meal is beers such as Kalik and Sands, the Bahamian brands of beer.

The people we have met along the way have been lifesavers for us but friends are both one of the best things about cruising and one of the worst. Best because you meet some really amazing people. Worst because many of us are shy and find it hard to start speaking to strangers (fortunately Claudia is not shy.) . . . and then once we do make friends, we end up going different ways.

If you’ve come from a close-knit group of friends in your “shore” life, moving aboard and being on the move can be one of the tougher aspects of the transition to cruiser. Add in the fact that so much about your cruising life is different, there’s this huge learning curve, and it can be really tough.

If you’re an introvert like myself, meeting new people can be almost painful. You may not like crowds, or figure that everyone else seems to know each other so why would they want to talk to me? Several new cruisers have told us that they feel that more experienced cruisers are cliquish — everyone is talking to everyone and no one even says “hi”.

The very nature of cruising is that many people are on the move and there are others there who don’t know anyone; they are also looking to meet people. The people who are “local” or seem to know others also generally want to meet others. We can’t really say “don’t be shy” because if you are, you are. Claudia, by nature, is extremely social and her warmth seems to permeate to others easily. We would meet others by hosting “Sun-downers” (happy hours) on our boat, that’s a great way to break down barriers and quickly establish friendships. We’ve met so many great people like Mimsical, Tao, Anodyne, Phase-2, Blue Moon and many others. They not only made cruising fun for us, they became an essential part of our daily life.

Travel grants humility in numerous ways. It teaches the value of ourselves, those around us, and the numerous places we visit. Cruising has shown us how much we have, don’t have, and how much we still have to discover about the world. It’s a much-needed reality check when cultural stereotypes and norms get challenged.

Sometimes we lose perspective about the beauty and convenience of our own hometown, city, and country until we’re away. Our full appreciation for what we have at home wasn’t fully realized until we go abroad.

Our journey wouldn’t be as exciting if we didn’t have a point of reference between our normal daily life, or routine, and another lifestyle for comparison. Sometimes it takes thousands of miles for us to see how much we miss home, family, or friends to realize how much they mean to us. There are those little things in life, which may become major things we miss most during our time away. That’s one of the greatest parts about cruising abroad – you get the best of both worlds, by experiencing a new place, and returning to what you’ve missed.

As an Asian American, we’ve had our shared of unpleasant experiences during our trip south, but those experiences were encounter only in the US and not the Bahamas. There are many cultural differences we experience during our journey, but it’s incredible how similar we are to those around the world. Despite diverse backgrounds and lifestyles, cruising connects us with others and we begin to realize what we have in common. We’re all part of a larger story, and we bring each other together as we travel side by side, digging deep and acknowledging differences and similarities enables us to break down fear and prejudice.

We will always be a student of the world when cruising and travelling, because it’s a great excuse to learn new things and be immersed in other cultures. Cruising provides this urge to continue growing in our curiosities and asking questions, and exposing ourselves to new surroundings. Most importantly, we embrace those observations into lessons as we learn about ourselves as we continue through our journey back home.