Turks and Caicos – My Final Day

(Read my interview with LisaRaye McCoy here at The Mad Traveler Online!)

The thing about travel writing is everything is generally a rush. You have a list of things to do, places to see, and then you have a recorder in one hand, camera in the other… So at times you really don’t get to savor a place. So it was with regret that I packed up my things at Ocean Club West. The suites are not for the mega-rich; this is best suited for couples and families (though certainly just as great for groups of friends). Just simply very nice, very comfortable. Modern kitchen and all the nice touches from an excellent bed to pleasant art on the walls. It fits that “home away from home” bill. Except my home isn’t sitting on a picture perfect beach, of course. And I don’t have a pool. Or tennis courts. Or an on-property restaurant and a sister property with even more to offer. I do have rum punch. But I have to make it myself. Not the same.

I took an early morning swim in a calm sea, and then I was off to the world’s only conch farm. As overharvesting drives down conch populations in various areas of the Caribbean, I find it hard to believe no one else is doing this. The seaside collection of on and off shore conch enclosures produces enough to make a profit and set aside a percentage of the little snail-like critters to be re-introduced to the sea. Everybody wins.

After lunch I had an interview with actress and First Lady of the islands LisaRaye McCoy-Misick who is making the adjustment from Hollywood to Caribbean quite nicely. The film fest had a component aimed at including the kids of the island and many school children were in attendance in their uniforms. As sunset came on, a few celebrities gathered on the beach for Footprints in the Sand — think Hollywood’s walk of fame with surf. Michael Clarke Duncan was on hand and when I asked him what he thought of the idea of a film fest in Provo. Click here for his reply!

One last soiree for me (I had to leave before the grand finale awards ceremony) and I shared a few drinks with Frank, one of the competitors on The Apprentice. Then it was late to bed, early to rise, for a flight to Miami and a book reading/signing in the area. Provo’s like a dream to me already…

(See a short article on Provo here at The Mad Traveler Online!)

(Read my interview with LisaRaye at The Mad Traveler Online!)