I feel really fortunate to travel for a variety of reasons--generally fly fishing related. I've found over the years, regardless of where I am, I'm most energized when wandering foreign streets and meeting new people.
In the case below, on a recent trip to Andros Island, I had access to a cruiser (bike) and rode up and down the 9 miles along Mangrove Cay (think the middle part of Andros which is the largest Bahamian Island). People drive, by the way, on the left hand side of the street (A former British Colony. Independence was July 10, 1973).
There really is no "town" per se on Mangrove Cay. Just scattered, simply constructed, and sometimes vibrant homes along the main road which is on the east side. There are a few conch shacks where people stop and drink Kalik (Bahamian beer) and eat conch salad or fried chicken.
What was striking to me, I had never been to Andros before, was both how few tourists there were and how kind, genuine, and happy in a sincere way, the local people are.
There's not a lot of money floating around Andros and people are living very simply. Below, I came across this great group of kids after school playing basketball in a half concrete, half dirt, yard.
They were pretty young and found a wooden pallet to jump from. What surprised me was how excited they were to not only have me and my friend John Huber watch them play and show interest in them but to also have me take pictures of them.
Not one of these kids had proper shoes on and the rim was bent and small concrete chunks were scattered across their playing area and none of this slowed them down.
Mangrove Cay, Bahamas.