I still had no idea yet where we were going, that was until a soldier who happened to be sitting next to me at the gate said,
”So have you been to the Bahamas before?” It was then that I found out. I joked with the soldier, who was on his way home to surprise his mom for her birthday. We all wound up talking for about an hour. The brave guy had his jaw shot off at one point…he didn’t think he was going to live…but now he is out and well, and enjoying life.

The plane ride to Bahamas was uneventful.
We arrived on the beautiful island, were picked up by our driver, Randy and whisked away to Paradise Island, home to the famed, Atlantis. Atlantis is a tropical resort and hotel featuring 3000 rooms spread out over six buildings; the Reef Atlantis, The Cove Atlantis, Royal Towers, Coral Towers, Beach Tower and Harbor side resort, which is where we stayed. Harbor side looked like a quaint village.

Atlantis also has a large marine habitat, marina, some water attractions, a spa, a casino and a large conference center. It was gorgeous.

The first night we took it easy. We had a fantastic dinner at the Mesa Grill and I have to say I ate the best, corn chowder soup I’ve ever tasted.  Which is saying a lot…remember you’re dealing with a girl who had dinner at the Explorers’ Club where bull’s testicles, kangaroo and beaver were on the menu.

After dinner we walked around the resort, dropped a few coins in the slot machines at the casino and walked through the indoor aquarium where giant stingrays and a bevy of sharks swam the nighttime waters.

The next morning we didn’t get started till 10 AM. (Hey it is vacation.)
We all got along great. After a leisurely breakfast we tried to talk to a local about doing a half-day adventure by boat. Apparently we were too late…but the woman we spoke to did try to sell us a time share…(Been there done that!)

So we opted to stay at the resort and take advantage of all it had to offer…including some things that offered an adrenaline rush.

First up, a walk to the Royal Towers. There they have a replica of a Mayan Temple…but not just any Mayan temple…this one hosts four water slides, the biggest one being the Leap of Faith which boasts a 60 foot, nearly vertical drop followed by a trip through a clear glass tube past shark infested waters.  Not for the weak of heart, but I figured it would be a perfect warm up for my up coming cliff dive in the Dominican in a few days.

Of course I was jumping up and down like a kid, “Who is going to go with me?” Shereen smiled, “I’ll be happy to take the video”.
I laughed, “Oh come on, it will be fun.”
“Not for me, I don’t like anything that doesn’t have an escape route.”
“But there is an escape route…out through the tunnel!”
“Not quick enough.”
I looked at Joe, ““I’ll wait till we go on our underwater hotel adventure in Russia…and sit this one out.”
“Steve?”
“Yesssss?”
“Will you go?”
“I’ve been on higher ones…sure I’ll go.”
“Yeah!” I had my partner in crime.
With that we preceded barefooted on the hot cement…”Ohhing and Ahhing” our way up the steps to the top of the temple.
I was a tad nervous…”There’s no way for me to fall out of the slide right Steve?”
“Nope. Just keep your arms and legs crossed like the sign shows…otherwise not only will you get hurt, you’ll wind up with a huge wedgie.”
“Well I sure as hell don’t want that on the video.”

After a half an hour on line we were facing the slide.
Steve went first.
I sat down, waited for the guy’s signal and then leaped forward. My stomach went into my mouth and I laughed. I zoomed past the sharks in the tube…they looked frustrated. I could picture them saying to one another, “Damn there goes another one. If only that tube would break just once!”

Shereen caught it on camera.

After the Leap of Faith we went on a few more slides. Then we headed over to the pool and had fun trying to toss each other into the waterfall.

After that a leisurely trip down some man made rapids.

Of course before we called it a day, I needed one more adrenaline rush. So I decided to go on a ride they called the Abyss, a body slide in pitch-black darkness.

This time not even Steve would go. The line was short for this one.
There was no guide at the top. You simply sat at the top of the slide at the opening of this hole about the size of a manhole cover. You had this traffic light above you. When it turned green, you flung yourself into the shoot and prayed.

I hadn’t read anything about this ride…so I had no clue how fast, how deep…nothing. All I knew was that everyone who went before me screamed really loud.

At first I thought it was only the girls screaming…but then I heard the guys…
“AHHHhhhhhhhhh” as they fell into the Abyss. I waited my turn determined not to scream. The green light signaled my turn. I lunged forward and was flung straight down (55 feet) into the darkness. Then all of a sudden I was outside, then back inside again, then drenched through a waterfall, and finally I wound up in a cave with two large freshwater aquarium tanks surrounding me. “Okay, no need to do that again!” I was satisfied that I didn’t scream. The sharks once again looked at their meals behind glass windows.

After that a short stroll on the beach was in order.

Still wet, Joe wanted us to take a short bus ride over to the “One and Only Ocean Club.” (That’s really what it’s called.) It was once a private estate and has a reputation for serving the world’s elite customers…you know movie stars, CEO’s, government officials, etc.

When we got there we felt funny going inside in our bathing suits…so right outside the club, in full view of the doorman, (and anyone else walking by) we got dressed…Yeah we are one classy bunch. Then we headed inside this world-class hotel like we owned it.

We walked through the hotel and out the other side that lead to their gardens, which were designed after the gardens of Versailles.