bahamian dreaming.

As mentioned in my previous post, we are headed to the Bahamas this Saturday.  We booked our trip in early December and have been counting down the days ever since.  I love having travel plans scattered throughout the year, as it gives me something to look forward to when times are really tough.  For example, when I was sitting in traffic this morning (1 hour and 20 minutes for my 18 mile commute), all I had to do was pull up the forecast and see this to regain my composure:

I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.  A high school senior the day before graduation.  A mother before her child leaves for their first day of school.  That is, I'm excited, anxious and scared all at once!  I'm so focused on the trip, quite honestly, that I keep forgetting my birthday is this Thursday.  This may have been the best plan I've ever had-- distract myself from turning 30 with an amazing Caribbean vacation.  I'm so focused on packing and planning that I'm not wasting any time on worrying about entering a new decade of life!

This trip will be an adventure for us both, especially because neither of us have ever been out of the country.  Admittedly, I'm a little nervous about the ideas of being in a foreign country.  Also, as a planner, I've been driving myself a little crazy trying to learn any and every thing I can about where we're going and what to expect.  However, I have gotten good at stopping myself and remembering to enjoy it all.  We're only there for 5 days/4 nights, and have lots of plans to relax, explore and do new things.  I am most excited about our two "free" adventure packages that we received from our travel company:

• Dolphin Swim at Blue Lagoon Island : I've ALWAYS wanted to swim with dolphins, and now I'll get to do it!  We'll have about an hour in the water with the animals and then spend the rest of the day exploring their private island.
• Exuma Powerboat Adventure : This is a day-long trip where we'll travel to a few different cays.  Along the way, we'll feed iguanas, sharks and stingrays, then have lunch and go snorkeling.  This trip is the highest rated adventure I've found in the Bahamas, and I am so pumped.  I especially think Jeremy will enjoy shark feeding time!

To those of you who have been outside the US before, do you have any tips for a first-time traveler?  Even better, if you've been to the Nassau-Paradise Island area of the Bahamas before, do you have any suggestions?  We're already planning to stop by the market on our way to the hotel to stock up on drinks and snacks so we don't break the bank buying $3 bottled water on site.  Anything else you think I should know?