Mar 18, 2008, 3:51 GMT
Nassau, Bahamas - The doors of homes in these parts are left unlocked, the children enjoy going to school and even the flamingos seem to be having a grand time.
And where can you find such a happy, contented atmosphere? Try the Bahamas archipelago, or the so-called 'Out Islands' to be precise. Unlike New Providence and the capital Nassau, or Grand Bahama with its free port and gaudy fast-food chains, many of these cay islands are completely off the beaten tourist track.
Only around 30 of the low-lying 700 Bahamas islands are inhabited. And there are also more than 2,000 coral reefs in the shallow waters which prove a magnet to sailors and divers alike.
One of the islands where people do live is Eleuthera. On the map it looks like a giant seahorse with a very thin middle section. The island is 180 kilometres long but mostly between only 3 and 4 kilometres wide. The narrowest section is a mere 10 metres across.
To ensure that Eleutherans never have to travel far to catch a plane there are three airports and regular international flights to Fort Lauderdale in Florida. According to tourism director Glenda Johnson, there is an airport for every 100 hotel rooms on the island.
From the tiny settlement of Governor's Harbour, one of the oldest inhabited places on the island with some handsome colonial houses, headmistress Karen Crean and 10-year-old Nigel are happy to show visitors around their school.
Nigel is surprised to hear that some children in Europe are not keen about going to lessons but then they don't live on a paradise island where pineapples and oranges ripen in the Caribbean sun. These tropical fruits flourish on Eleuthera which is more than can be said for tourism - the industry's heyday was back in the 1950s and '60s when many rich industrialists from the United States chose to spend their vacation here.
These days Eleuthera and the other cays attract those seeking tranquillity, the carefree feeling which results from a remarkably low crime rate and the chance to sunbathe on beautiful pink beaches lined with coconut palms and slender casuarina trees.
'People from all over the world appreciate that things move more slowly out here and that people have more time for each other,' said Simon Worley, a 42-year-old Englishman on board the Sealink ferry between Eleuthera and Nassau. The globetrotter and businessman says he could easily have afforded the flight but prefers the authentic atmosphere on board. 'I want to enjoy myself and this way I can get a four-hour cruise.'
Snacks on board are remarkably cheap, an exception in the Bahamas which enjoys one of the highest standards of living and price levels in the Caribbean. The streets are kept spick and span and are also some of the safest.
It is dusk and soon the lights of Nassau come into view. The apartment towers of the Hotel Atlantis Paradise Island can be clearly made out. This complex boasts more than 3,500 rooms and there are 800 one-armed bandits in its casino.
In the harbour the fishermen unload their catches amid stalls offering fresh coconuts, pineapples and bananas. The men chat with their pals while the women parade around with their hair in curls.
For many a traveller the pier here marks the start of one of the last great adventures which the Caribbean has to offer. The Lady Mathilda looks as if she could do with a lick of paint but the crew is at pains to stress her seaworthiness.
The postal vessel takes up to 36 hours to reach Great Inaqua, the most southerly of the Bahama islands and the third largest. A return journey including a cabin and meals costs 100 US dollars. In the next few days other ships will be setting off for Abaco, Bimini, Cat Island, Harbour Island, Exuma and Long Island. Each of these cays has its charm and attractions but this is particularly true of Great Inagua.
Pelicans feel particularly at home in the salt lagoons of the Inagua National Park, along with herons, cormorants, parrots and up to 80,000 flamingoes. The pink birds outnumber the 970 locals here by at least 62 to 1.
Exactly 15 postal vessels are anchored in Nassau harbour this evening while just as many are plying the waves outside. They transport everything to these islands from car tyres to toilet brushes, from electrical cables to rum - in other words all the things the islanders need in order to go about their daily business.
'Sometimes we take along a few goats and chickens,' said Quincy Sawyer on board the Bahamas Day Break 3. The blue-painted prow is streaked with rust and the air-conditioning has broken down. At night the crew members while away the voyage by playing cards or domino with the passengers. The trip to Eleuthera takes eight hours and costs 35 dollars, including a bunk to sleep in.
Small, propeller aircraft fly to almost all the cays and where no runway is available amphibious versions set down on the waves. Visitors might get cold feet when they disembark but they will be impressed by the warm hospitality in these parts. It is not unusual for motorists to simply stop and offer pedestrians a lift into town.
For those who would like to get to know the locals a little better, there is a 'people-to-people' programme with around 1,000 families participating. These invite visitors who have registered their interest beforehand at the local tourist office to a stroll around the countryside or a sporting event. 'Many a tourist has made friends for life by taking advantage of this scheme,' said the programme's director Marilyn Johnson in Nassau.
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