In 1997 I had six months working with The Bahamas Environment, Science & Technology, (BEST), Commission, based in The Office of The Prime Minister. I was pulling together data from several government departments to create a management information system which enabled development decisions consider environmental issues. The result was a GIS. It was great working there, my Bahamian colleagues were the most pleasant and the kindest people with whom I've ever worked.

I had mixed feelings about The Bahamas, the sea was incredibly beautiful and there were many good beaches, but luxury holiday resorts for Americans on package holidays who just want to lie by the pool or push coins into slot machines are not my scene. I was disappointed that there were negligible facilities for independent travellers, or young backpackers. I calculated that an independent traveller spending a couple of months around the Bahamas would contribute considerably more to the local economy than someone on a luxury resort package holiday. More to the point, independent travellers would spread their money around the Outer Islands, which are economically starved, they would encourage the setting up of small businesses catering for tourists and perhaps make local public transport viable. The other disadvantage is that The Bahamas is expensive, a small beer is usually around $3.50, a meal $15 and an hotel room in low season $150, around 10 times the prices of South East Asia, where I normally hang out.