On Bermuda Time: Reflections on an expatriate life in the Caribbean

by David LaHuta on

Moving to Bermuda was never my idea, but when my wife followed her career to the City of Hamilton I hardly protested. After all, who wouldn’t want to relocate to an idyllic archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean? Bags packed and container full, we waved goodbye to our metropolitan apartment and soon discovered what so many island ex-pats already knew: Bermuda is a wonderful place to call home. Of course, living outside one’s country has its perks. Ex-pat life stokes reinvention, exploration and the willingness to try new things. With it comes unforced cultural exchange and memorable firsts like when I tried carting home groceries on a scooter.

It was a few days after my arrival when I initially drove my 50cc rental bike to the market. Not yet the bag-packing veteran I am now, I neglected to bring a backpack for my groceries so I stuffed them in my scooter’s rear wire basket. I did my best to cram it all in, but after driving over one of the island’s ubiquitous speed bumps my locally-grown squash up and popped out. No harm done, really. I safely pulled over and retrieved what I’d lost, but had it been my jar of roasted garlic tomato sauce I might be singing a different tune. The next day I made a beeline for the hardware store and purchased three bright-yellow bungee cords, gear I now know is indispensable for island life.

It’s all part of the Bermuda learning curve I suppose, but I’ll take tropical hiccups over big city headaches any day. Consider the tree frogs. I’ve since had visitors who couldn’t imagine falling asleep to a cacophony of amphibians each night but I wouldn’t have it any other way. In the U.S., chirps from the tiny beady-eyed frogs would probably drive me crazy. But in Bermuda I somehow think they’re charming-certainly better than listening to honking horns and police sirens. Since relocating to tropical climes, I now have similar thoughts about rain. How can I fault the occasional shower when it provides the very water I drink? In Bermuda, rainwater is collected on whitewashed staircase-shaped roofs then funneled into cisterns below. If there’s no rain, you pay to have water delivered to your home. And guess what? It’s not cheap.

The trick is to celebrate the subtle differences instead of grumbling about them. Ex-pats may make up more than twenty percent of Bermuda’s residents, but it’s important to realize that we’re all just guests. Sun-drenched, lucky-as-clover guests but guests nonetheless.For example, you’d think buying a car would be easy but the process has its share of hurdles, beginning with obtaining a driver’s license. Paperwork needs to be filed, doctors need to be seen, tests need to be taken. Sure, it’s frustrating, but car ownership is a privilege afforded to the very few-literally, since island car rentals are verboten and residents are permitted only one per household-but I’m just grateful to be part of the process. No huffing and puffing here and that’s exactly my point. Living abroad allows you to experience a dynamic new life. Who am I to bellyache about how it unfolds? Much to the contrary, the varied cultural differences are the main reasons why being an ex-pat is so wonderful. Although living in such a beautiful place doesn’t hurt.

In summer, Bermuda’s temperature rarely rises above 85 degrees and in winter, it averages a balmy 65. From the desk of my home office I see palm trees swaying in the breeze, the pale blue Great Sound and lush bougainvillea dotting the hillside. The island’s infamous pink sand beaches are nearby too-in fact, my home is just a five-minute walk to some of the finest slices of sand I’ve ever seen. Flanked by majestic rock formations and teaming with tropical fish, Bermuda’s beaches are unrivaled and certainly a pleasant backyard to call my very own-at least for a little while.

David LaHuta reports on travel, tourism and the great outdoors for the New York Times, Caribbean Travel+Life and Outside Television among others. His island blog, Bermuda Shorts, can be read daily at http://davidlahuta.blogspot.com.

Teen climber Jordan Romero prepares for final Seven Summit

by Kraig Becker on

When we last checked in with teenage mountaineer Jordan Romero, he had just finished climbing Mt. Everest and in the process, setting a record for the youngest person to accomplish that feat. Jordan was 13 at the time, and razor focused on becoming the youngest person to reach the top of the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. Now, a year and a half later, with one mountain still on his list, he is preparing to achieve that goal as well.

Next week, Jordan, now age 15, will leave the U.S. for Antarctica, where he and his father Paul, along with step-mom Karen Lundgren, will attempt to climb Mt. Vinson, the highest peak on the continent. If all goes according to schedule, he’ll arrive in the Antarctic on December 16 and start the climb the following day. Over the following two weeks, Jordan and his team will face brutally cold temperatures, high winds, and the threat of avalanches, all for the chance to stand on the summit of the 16,050-foot mountain. If successful, Romero will become the youngest person to complete the Seven Summits.

Jordan first conceived of the idea of climbing the highest mountains on each of the continents when he saw a mural of the Seven Summits in his elementary school. That was back in 2005, when he was just nine years old. The following year he was off to Africa, where he trekked to the top of Kilimanjaro, which only fueled his desire to climb those mountains. In 2007 he checked Kosciuszko (Australia), Elbrus (Europe), and Aconcagua (South America) off of his list, and summitted Denali (North America) and Carstensz Pyramid (Oceania) in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

Last year, he gained recognition worldwide for his successful climb of Everest, igniting a debate in the mountaineering community in the process. Many climbers began to wonder just how young was too young, which later prompted Nepal and China to set strict age limits, requiring Everest climbers to be at least 18 years old. The move was applauded by many, although some felt that Jordan was proof that young climbers could do well on the world’s tallest mountains.

[Photo courtesy of Jordan Romero]

Video of the Day – Thailand’s Yi Peng Festival via iPhone 4S

by Stephen Greenwood on

The Yi Peng festival is a special event in Northern Thailand that occurs on the 12th full moon of every year. Coinciding with Loi Krathong (a festival celebrated throughout Thailand) it is observed by lighting sky lanterns and letting them float into the sky, resulting in what appears to be large flocks of giant jellyfish floating through the air.

There have been many fantastic videos and pictures that capture this event, but today’s Video of the Day is especially stunning for one reason: it was completely shot on an iPhone 4S. Produced by Vimeo user Tada Archawong, it shows just how far a little color grading (with Magic Bullet Looks) and a great mobile camera can go.

So, adventurers; it may just be time to kiss your DSLR goodbye. If you’ve already said goodbye to traditional cameras in favor of mobile devices, we want to see what youv’e captured! Paste a link in the comments section below, or post pictures to our Flickr Pool – it could just be our next Photo/Video of the Day.

You Fancy, Huh? Delta lures top travelers with Porsche transport program

by McLean Robbins on

If you’re a Delta Diamond member heading into ATL, you just might have a surprise waiting for you on the runway. Delta’s being secretive about the details, but they’re piloting a new program for their HVCs (High Value Customers), using a fleet of six Porsche vehicles to transport fliers to far-flung terminals or even to their cars.

Here’s how it works – you’ll get off the plane and find a Delta rep waiting with a sign, where you’ll be escorted to the car and whisked away to your destination – sometimes right off the jetway.
Why Porsche? The luxe car brand is moving their North American headquarters to a new location just adjacent to the terminal, and of course Delta’s hub is in Atlanta.

According to The Ticket Atlanta, Delta’s only comment has been on the Flier Talk Boards to state that the cars are part of their partnership with Porsche, they didn’t pay for the cars, and that the cars are for customers only – not executives.

What do you think? Smart move by Delta or a catering to the 1%?

[Flickr via SOCIALisBetter]

Weird monument in Wales has interesting history

by Sean McLachlan on


If you’re staying in Aberystwyth, Wales, you can see it from pretty much everywhere–a tall tower on a bluff to the south of town. At first it’s hard to see what it is, so my wife, five-year-old son and I decided to walk there and have a look.

It was an easy two or three kilometers from town through a wooded trail up a fairly steep slope. What greeted us once we made it through the trees was rather surprising–a giant stone cannon pointing at the sky. The bluff gave a commanding view of the town, a horse racing track, and the open sea. A little plaque declared that this was a monument to the Duke of Wellington, who beat Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo with some timely help from the Germans. It was erected c. 1852.

But. . .why? What’s the connection between a Welsh seaside report and one of the British Empire’s greatest heroes? There isn’t even a statue of the Duke duking it out with the undersized French dictator. From town it looked for all the world like the smokestack of some Victorian factory.

The owners of our B&B, the Seabrin Guest House, told us the tale. It’s called the Derry Ormond Tower, after the local landowner who first came up with the idea of the tower. Ormond was a veteran of Waterloo and wanted to honor the general he served under.

Originally the cannon was supposed to serve as the base for a statue of the Duke of Wellington astride a horse, looking suitably imperious. Money ran out, however, and some say the statue languished in a stonemason’s yard in Cardiff until someone with deeper pockets took it off their hands.

So Aberystwyth is left with half a monument. Ah well, at least the view was nice.

What’s your favorite odd monument? Tell us about it in the comments section!