GBI Pictures and Web Site
 

Every few months I post a message on several Bahamian forums about my amateur web site devoted exclusively to Grand Bahama Island. You will NOT find vindictive or insulting postings there, or at the least they won?t be there for long. Our ?friend? from several message boards has been banned under several different IP addresses already. Many people ask about pictures. There are links to over 400 pictures on the home page. I am always looking for fresh pictures, so if anyone out there has some they?d like posted just email me at home and let me know. There are also links to some detailed trip reports, fishing information, a message forum to help people, and interesting information from some very reliable people about weddings and tours on the island. There are links to 23 resorts on the island via the home page. The web hosting for the site is free, so expect some dreaded pop-up ads, except on the Message Forum. People have complained about those pop-ups in the past so if you want a link to software that can get them under control email me at home and I can help. I developed the site for the sole purpose of helping people going to GBI. Some very knowledgeable frequent visitors to the island and extremely helpful island residents monitor the help forum so please take a moment to check it out, and I hope it helps some folks going for the first time. The URL for the home page is http://www.fortunecity.com/oasis/bahia/443/index.htm

Danny

Danny, thanks for letting us know and I will get over to your website and take a peek. I haven't been to GBI in a long time and would love to see the changes on the island. There is alot going on to improve the economy there, and the government is encouraging growth and supporting tourism by improving the tourism structure of the island. Actually I was involved in an interesting program recently, providing training for a couple moving to GBI from the US to work for one of the large companies on island in the port. I worked with them to give them an idea of what living in the Bahamas would be like and it was a very interesting day.

Anyway, thought I would say thanks for the link and talk to you soon.

Oh by the way send ANOTHER note to Fodors and ask that Harrald be BANNED again, before he stirrs up more problems.

Thanks wantsomesun. Looks like folks at Fodors don't need any nudging when it comes to zapping posts that carry zero intelligent content.

Danny

So we arrive at GBI on 6/17/2004.

Version 1: We get to the "totally renovated condo" right on the beach, and after hauling our luggage to our rooms in a "shopping cart", we find that for the next 3 days we'll be re-experiencing mismatched 70s decor, dealing with an ant problem, unable to easily open our sliding glass door, standing in 6 inches of dirty water that won't drain while we shower, have only about 4 minutes of hot water because the hot water heater is so small and have to listen to a noisy air conditioner drone all day and night right above the bed. Ugh. We head down in the smelly elevator and through the unairconditioned and depressing/creepy building to the pool snack bar where it takes almost 45 minutes to arrive to get our lunch since the barmaid was also the waitress and cook. It couldn't have been windier outside and a rainstorm is visible out on the horizon. Figures.

Version 2: We got to our oceanfront condo in plenty of time to enjoy most of our day at GBI and had a great time conversing with the 3 other people in our cab. The building certainly is dated, but oh well. We get to the condo and while it's not what I expected, we're not going to be in the room that much anyway. We head down to the pool snack bar where it takes forever to get our lunch, but with our Kalik beers in hand, we watch the wind whip up the ocean about 50 feet from us on a nearly deserted beach. Our lunch finally arrives, hand-prepared by our friendly waitress - grilled cheese $2.50. Cracked conch and fries $6.00. What a deal, and we heard it was so expensive here. The weather could be better (there's always tomorrow) but we are so happy to be in the Bahamas.

We made the best of everything and turned our rough beginning into a dreamy vacation. We struggled with the public/private transportation system, survived a hot day at Paradise Cove and eventually relocated to another hotel, but always made the best of it. In fact, our 2nd hotel was so magnificent and we were so wonderfully spoiled, I'm going back in 2 weeks and GBI is my new favorite destination.

Aren't Califonians supposed to go to Hawaii? And what does drug trafficking have to do with your review of GBI? We were approached in a bar by someone who asked us, "do you like to party" to which we replied no. But shame on me, I guess, for feeling flattered that I looked like the drug taking, partying type!

Sure I have a comment Harald. It's great to see you're back, using another phony alias, continuing your normal routine of plagiarizing other's old reports and posting them all over the internet. Have a good day.

Danny