Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I made it here. Time to get to work!
Got to Eleuthera last night. At the library now,looking out at the bluest water they make. 25 bucks for a cab to town, raining, looking for some ruins to sleep in, and got to G and G in the nick of time to ask if the truck was here yet. "what truck?" was the reply.
Ah, Bahamas.
Good thing they turned away Cash at the airport. It was a royal bitch lugging all my stuff around last night , but if I had a big dog and a cage, it mighta been harder, unless i strapped him to a pallet and had him pull me around. But if I said "Chow, Cash!" Or "Mush!" He'd probably thinkit was dinner time and eat me and the pallet thinking it was mush. Luckily, he doesn't care for cereals.
So, the "what truck?" guy offers me a ride to a "cheap hotel for 50 or 60 bucks", after I told him I was going to sleep under one of the semi trailers on Cupid's key,and when I got there it was full. The lady, Jean, calls the Cigatoo inn (120 but she can get me a room for 80). THe guy next to me offers to put me up in his extra bed, Jean gets pissed (the other hotel belonged to her sister)and I leave with him. Turns out later, he was here on a boat when we were, I think I met him and his buddy in the library here. THey had just gotten back from rolling a ford explorer picking up their friend from the airport. The vehicle was totalled, they hadn't dressed their gaping wounds yet, and he was putting me up.
Ah, Bahamas.
I bought them some groceries, and went to the bar to try to get them some rum, but ended up just buying myself 2 beers and some chicken wings. Stopped by Larry and Dan's, but they're not home.
I walked to G and G today to ask again, found out the truck was sent today, gets here tomorrow, and I can get it THursday. The truck was 400 to buy, the shipping is 600, and the 60percent duty on the truck, (a surprise to me) is on the truck AND the shipping. SO it's not 240, it's 600.
AH Bahamas.
I walk back to the library to buy some internet time, and literally half a block away, guys in a pickup flag me down and offer a ride. I tell 'em where I'm going and they still insist. I ride half a block. SHortest hitchhike EVER.
Ah Bahamas.
I spent my last $3 on a sandwich at the takeaway, and after finding out I can't opena bank account here without a letter of reference from my own bank, I was terrifed that my atm card wouldnt' work, as they often are seized because the banks think it's fraud when they appear over seas. Luckily, i got some loot from the atm.
I'm 2 days from the truck. The pallet of tools is here. The trailer is missing. (can't blame the Bahamians, it's a florida company) and I didn't even bother asking about the boat. Met some cheap cement workers already, and am going to be introduced to a local builder who might have some good ideas for me. I might hitchhike up to the lot (15 miles) to bask in the glory till I can start being productive. I might stop by the hardware and buy a hundred feet of string so I can measure where exactly it is. It's 474 feet and some change from the corner. WIsh me luck.
Sleeping outside on the beach, most likely tonight, since the rain appears to be over. There's tiki huts on the beach on Rainbow bay as i recall, so no biggie anyway. The sun is shining, the smell of the beach is blowing in, the bouganvillea are in full bloom,and people are already using my name on the street when I walk by.
I miss my people, my wife, my little boy.
Yes, this place is as beautiful as I remember.
Ah, Bahamas.
Good thing they turned away Cash at the airport. It was a royal bitch lugging all my stuff around last night , but if I had a big dog and a cage, it mighta been harder, unless i strapped him to a pallet and had him pull me around. But if I said "Chow, Cash!" Or "Mush!" He'd probably thinkit was dinner time and eat me and the pallet thinking it was mush. Luckily, he doesn't care for cereals.
So, the "what truck?" guy offers me a ride to a "cheap hotel for 50 or 60 bucks", after I told him I was going to sleep under one of the semi trailers on Cupid's key,and when I got there it was full. The lady, Jean, calls the Cigatoo inn (120 but she can get me a room for 80). THe guy next to me offers to put me up in his extra bed, Jean gets pissed (the other hotel belonged to her sister)and I leave with him. Turns out later, he was here on a boat when we were, I think I met him and his buddy in the library here. THey had just gotten back from rolling a ford explorer picking up their friend from the airport. The vehicle was totalled, they hadn't dressed their gaping wounds yet, and he was putting me up.
Ah, Bahamas.
I bought them some groceries, and went to the bar to try to get them some rum, but ended up just buying myself 2 beers and some chicken wings. Stopped by Larry and Dan's, but they're not home.
I walked to G and G today to ask again, found out the truck was sent today, gets here tomorrow, and I can get it THursday. The truck was 400 to buy, the shipping is 600, and the 60percent duty on the truck, (a surprise to me) is on the truck AND the shipping. SO it's not 240, it's 600.
AH Bahamas.
I walk back to the library to buy some internet time, and literally half a block away, guys in a pickup flag me down and offer a ride. I tell 'em where I'm going and they still insist. I ride half a block. SHortest hitchhike EVER.
Ah Bahamas.
I spent my last $3 on a sandwich at the takeaway, and after finding out I can't opena bank account here without a letter of reference from my own bank, I was terrifed that my atm card wouldnt' work, as they often are seized because the banks think it's fraud when they appear over seas. Luckily, i got some loot from the atm.
I'm 2 days from the truck. The pallet of tools is here. The trailer is missing. (can't blame the Bahamians, it's a florida company) and I didn't even bother asking about the boat. Met some cheap cement workers already, and am going to be introduced to a local builder who might have some good ideas for me. I might hitchhike up to the lot (15 miles) to bask in the glory till I can start being productive. I might stop by the hardware and buy a hundred feet of string so I can measure where exactly it is. It's 474 feet and some change from the corner. WIsh me luck.
Sleeping outside on the beach, most likely tonight, since the rain appears to be over. There's tiki huts on the beach on Rainbow bay as i recall, so no biggie anyway. The sun is shining, the smell of the beach is blowing in, the bouganvillea are in full bloom,and people are already using my name on the street when I walk by.
I miss my people, my wife, my little boy.
Yes, this place is as beautiful as I remember.
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