In late 2017, we decided to see if our parents wanted to take a trip with us. We had now been traveling for over eight years and never took a trip together. We looked for a destination that was easy to get to and safe. We knew it would be a Caribbean location. We also wanted to go somewhere we had never been. Ultimately, we decided on the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort.
Everybody would be traveling from different cities, but I worked out flights that would all converge into Charlotte before heading to the final destination. We arrived to meet our parents at the gate for our next flight with only 45 minutes to spare. That is cutting it close for us. We typically like at least a 2 hour layover for contingencies, but this was the only way for all of us to get on the same flight. Before we were able to catch up with everyone, it was time to board.
A few hours later we were landing in the Caymans! We made our way through immigration, got our bags, and found a taxi. The drive to the resort was an easy 15 minutes and a nice way to see the island. Once we unloaded from the taxi, it was time to check in. We were greeted by very friendly staff and provided a refreshing non-alcoholic drink. In order to score some extra Marriott points, we had booked all of the rooms for our party. Once we got the rooms and keys sorted, it was beach time.
The beach is narrow and the chairs were closer together than I prefer. We were lucky and got a front row corner seat very early, so that made it a bit more comfortable. The water was what you would typically envision on a Caribbean island, light blue with a bright white sand shimmering at the bottom. The water temperature was just perfect and a refreshing break from the hot sun. I had previously competed in Triathlons, so I decided to swim some laps around the buoys and my wife relaxed at the beach.
My dad and I enjoy golf, so we decided to head over to North Sound Golf Course for a round. It was a 25-30 minute taxi ride to the course. We started around 8:30am. After renting some very used clubs, we teed off. Almost instantly I was soaked in sweat. The morning was humid and there was no breeze at our location. Luckily I kept a good grip on the club. As we made our way around the course, I had hit a tee shot that landed near a small dense tree. As I approached to take my next shot, the tree became alive with rustling and shaking branches. I had no idea what was going on. If it was was a bird it would have been the size of a pterodactyl! I quickly used my foot wedge and found a better lie away from the demon tree. About two holes later, I discovered what was causing the ruckus. Large Iguanas were nearby the water and in trees. They were huge and their tails were endless. There wasn’t a shortage of wildlife on the course. There was also a chicken crossing the fairway.
The food at the Marriott resort was surprisingly good. It might have been one of the best buffet breakfasts we have ever had on a trip. It was pricey, so at least it felt like it deserved the price. We had lunch at the outdoor bar and really enjoyed the Calamari they had. It was perfectly fried and salted. We would come back just for that! All in all, every meal we had was delicious and filling. We never even ventured out of the resort for meals since the Marriott had enough variety for each day of our trip.
I was able to get some nice pictures of the Sunsets.
Before we knew it, the trip was over. We headed to the airport and once we cleared security, we were on the way back.
