Guest Post: Reliving A Bermudiful Time by Lauren Walens

I had been to Bermuda once before with her family seven or eight years ago (we debated the entire trip about the year we were last there). This time around we would be staying with another family in a house we rented on the south shore of the island. Only, two of our guests would be missing for a few days. The men – Rob and Mr. Conley – were sailing in the Marion to Bermuda race on a 42’ Hinkley named Sparky. When we arrived on Sunday, there was no telling what day they would sail in.

As we re-explored the island over the week I realized Bermuda is the perfect destination to return to. Below are my top three reasons Bermuda was a quintessential re-livable summer vacation:

The people are incredibly friendly. The property manager of the beautiful pink house we stayed in was named De – short for Arthur DeSilva. We learned quickly that everyone on Bermuda has a nickname. De made our trip. He was there when we arrived, brought us a bottle of wine when we realized we couldn’t buy one on Sunday, checked in on us every day and even drove us to the airport when it was time to go home. We encountered people like De all over the island, always willing to give us advice and help us find where we were going. The Bermudian people while used to living with tourists don’t seem jaded by it as I’ve experienced in other places I’ve traveled to.

The beaches are magnificent – no matter how many times you visit them! We revisited some of the beaches we had been to seven or eight years ago, but there were many more to explore. My favorite day of the trip by far was the day we took the bus to the west side of the island, entered a national park and walked along the shore going from secluded cove to secluded cove. The snorkeling was amazing and it was nice to know there were beaches still untouched by tourists. And it didn’t hurt that our walk ended up at Horseshoe Bay (one of the most popular beaches on Bermuda) where we could grab a beer and soak in the sun. Note the pink sand!

The water just calls your name. Bermudians don’t take their incredible seas for granted. There were so many opportunities to go out on the water, whether it was in a sailboat, on a catamaran or to experience the abundant snorkeling spots.

I must admit I’m still in denial that the days of college summer vacations are over. This trip to Bermuda couldn’t have come at a more perfect time with the stress of work and the nagging feeling to get away from it all. I’ll sign off with the one photo that I believe would make anyone immediately book a plane ticket to this bermudiful island: