An Island Paradise or A Death Trap from Hell

Currently reading: The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by Maarten Troost on page 240.

I like going on vacations to islands. I like the beach, the seclusion, the all inclusive resorts that pop up. But, until this book I never really considered how terrible island life may be.

I keep saying that once the kids are off to college, the wife and I can move to the Bahamas. We can swim in the ocean everyday, we can eat fresh fruits, enjoy the island culture... But, what about everything else that comes with moving to an island?

Now, I am not saying that the Bahamas is anything like Tarawa where Troost spent his time. But, it does stand to reason that you have to take a lot into account. What is the culture like? What is the history like? How is the medical industry on the island? What about music? Do they have electricity? Air conditioning? How often are there flights out?

The two biggest things that may make island life hard are possible lack of American news and island fever.

I know there is the internet. And I know most places are pretty tuned in to the modern world, but what if you move out to your island paradise and there is no connection to american news? Where are you going to get the seedy details of American scandals without looking like a pervert? Consider trying to find out the details of teachers sleeping with underage students or celebrities cheating on celebrities, or what Bill Clinton did with the cigar? Americans are fairly lewd in their news and I might be embarrassed to search it out if I was somewhere else.

Then there is island fever. I hadn't really hit me, but some islands really aren't that big. And it may be great for a few days maybe a few weeks, but as the months went on could I really survive without going crazy being imprisoned to a small island?