

the aqua water off the Bermuda coastline





Solace is momentarily broken, a head pokes out of the crystal waters. I wade out to say hello to my only friends here, a pair of sea turtles, who, frankly, make me do most of the talking. sea turtles just off the coast "The Rock" sits in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, 650 miles off the mainland, no other islands near, no other islands far. The sound of waves softly rolling onto the deserted shore amplifies my sense of isolation.



I walk back to our Airbnb in Somerset Village. Few sidewalks exist on the island and I find myself squeezing up against walls and gates to offer vehicles the safest passing lanes. Fortunately there is little pressing to do for most islanders, and they treat their gas pedal accordingly.

Bermuda vegetation- bright flowers

Plant life flourishes and vivid colors accent the emerald green base; it feels like the Garden of Eden. Plant life flourishes and vivid colors accent the emerald green base; it feels like the Garden of Eden.





You'd be hard pressed to find a building painted less brightly than the surrounding vegetation, with pink, orange, green, and blue hues being the most common. Whatever you can critique Bermuda for, drabness is not on the list

a Jamaican restaurant, note the colors

$18 for less than a gallon of bottled water.

Tap please



The island is tiny- 20 square miles. Even with the windy, hilly roads, driving from tip to tip takes less than an hour; width wise you can walk from one side to the other in half that.

Fortunately, no matter your location you're surrounded by spectacular aqua water and some gorgeous beaches, which is frankly the best reason, and likely the only reason, for anyone to visit The Rock. Just make sure your savings account is flush when you land, it won't be upon exit.

















my little crab heads towards the clear water

palm trees swaying on the Bermuda shore

My son enjoying himself down a a tubular slide in Bermuda. 7 seconds of bliss





Bermuda tips - if you do decide to see Bermuda, SKIP Hamilton altogether, sit yourself down on a nice beach around Somerset Village, and only come for a couple days. The beaches are very nice, but that's all there is really.

At night, the melody of insects and birds helps create a sense of pure tranquility. Walk down to the beach to add the sounds of the ocean for an unparalleled meditative experience.I meander to the store in the morning and my reflective state gets concussed by sticker shock. At least in part due to the isolation of the island, Bermuda was ranked as the world's most expensive country , handily beating out Switzerland and Norway Groceries cost anywhere from double to triple what they do in the US. A small house starts at 800k, and a half our taxi ride will run you $70-80.Dining out is almost a non-starter, due to the food being both exceptionally high in cost and terribleness.