Like a Windows wallpaper, Google Image result, and straight from your fantasy dream of paradise.. .this is exactly what CAYMAN ISLANDS is.
Let me give you a closer look.
Today, as I am on a break from work, we just decided after waking up to go to the beach for a dip in the water. and yes, we just put on our swimwear, pack some dry clothes and drove for 15 minutes and head straight to paradise.
I have been here since 2016, and ever since I have set foot on the Seven Mile Beach, I still enjoy being sun-kissed / caribbean-kissed, and every time I have the chance to the water, I just go and swim. Like what I've always said before, this is all FREE.
Apart from being a small island with only a population of estimated 60,000 people mostly expats, the size of the main island Grand Cayman, is only a 3-hour drive altogether.
The Cayman Islands is composed of 3 islands: Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. I live in Grand Cayman and I have been in Little Cayman too. These 3 islands are just a dot on maps. You can try finding us right above Cuba and left of Jamaica.
I have a lot to say about the island, but first.. how it is like to live in a Green Country?
Let us put our time-machine and go back to 2020.
As being an Island, part of he tourism here is to have cruise ships dock and let tourists stay or just roam around the island as part of their tour. Being a Filipino, I knew what was happening in Southeast Asia with Covid and its spread across the world. The island was just about to find out.
It was one elderly cruise ship passenger that was first diagnosed with COVID in March of 2020. As when it was confirmed, the government decided to initially close the borders both airport and seaport, and have us on lock-down for 3-weeks. So no one can come to the island, no community transmission, no tourist, no movement unless it was essential. The lock-down was then again extended for April and then May. All hotels were closed and yes, the tourism industry suffered. Everything was controlled and still we did not have covid cases in the community.
When everywhere else in the world were wearing mask, we all started living normally since September 2020. yes. September 2020. Everything is normal, School, bars, hotels are opened only for us locally. No mask, No social distancing required. This is all because we have not opened our borders and anyone coming in the island is quarantined in a facility controlled environment. All our covid cases were from incoming travelers. Reports would be 2 cases or 3 cases. We did not really bother to count.
Starting 2021, when vaccine started to become available, in January 2021, we had vaccines given for FREE to elderly and then became available for all starting February. I got mine in February. This is one perk of being a British Colony. We can get access to all that was offered in the mainland. And everything is free, covid-test and vaccinations.
We have been living our lives here normally the whole of 2021. Populations of vaccinated people are at 78% now.
But it is such an irony that in September 2021, when we were just about to enter the phase of welcoming tourists in the islands, then we started to find out community cases of positive. So at first they have postpone the opening of the island, and yes, we just started to wear mask again. You read that right, we are just requiring masks again.
So now, as the whole world starts to live with covid, and so are we. We try our best to religiously wear mask and to be socially distanced and avoid public places. It feels safer because we get to have our own spaces when we go out and avoid people, and also knowing that we have been vaccinated is an added safety net. But we are still very careful and try to stick to our small circle as possible.
We have just received the very good news and are very excited as the government has just announced that we are opening the borders on November 20, 2021. This means vaccinated tourists are welcome to the island and enjoy the beaches. This means a new normal for us too.
I, for one, knows that when the borders re-open, I know I will have to be more careful and cautious, but I like the idea of us being a part of the world again. Connected to the greater majority. We are no longer locked alone in paradise. You are welcome to experience our paradise too (vaccinated of course!). XD
Images are my own and avatar created with Bitmoji
Got questions? Feel free to comment on things you would like for me to write about the Island and I will look into it!