So, for years now we have heard a lot of people talk about the Caribbean Islands and how they are a must see. Paradise on Earth, as they say. Well, I am here to tell you don't waste your money on Grand Cayman! We used Cayman Airways, which not only pushed back our departure time by an hour then left a half hour after that, they damaged our bag and then arrived and took off late on our return only to be turned around at Tampa Airport and rerouted to Miami. We finally got to Tampa 4 hours late. Don't get me started on their free Rum Punch on the flight, which is poured from a gallon jug with no fruit in it at all. My wife and I spent a week here and while I can say the Ocean Cabanas Dive Resort, we found on Airbnb was excellent, the rest of the island left much to be desired. Our Hertz rental car was severely lacking in upkeep, as there was a nail in one of the tires, the sun visor could not be used on the driver's side, as the mirror would fall out and the other side had no visor at all. Let's not forget the tank was not filled up and the vehicle was dirty inside and out. Even though the Hertz site stated they were open until 10, they actually closed at 6 and left the vehicle outside, in the previously stated condition, unlocked and with the keys on the visor. We visited two beaches, cemetery and 7 mile, both of which were underwhelming with hardly any sea life around the reefs and no shells. We did the touristy thing and did the Cayman Crystal Caves and Botanic Gardens, which were very overpriced and not worth the sweat. We ate at a few restaurants and only found one that was worth the price and the time, which was the Kitchen Steakhouse. The island shops and restaurants charge a premium for their souvenirs and food and don't get me started on the exchange rate, which is an extra 25 cents to every Cayman dollar, along with the mandatory 15% tip at most restaurants. As with most places, their restaurants are owned by foreigners that don't hire the local natives. There are a lot of abandoned houses, but plenty of new condos being built. Our only saving grace was their grocery store, Fosters, which saved us a bunch on their hot food. We did not encounter any VAT tax while there, but they made up for it with their overpriced everything. Finally, we found out they don’t have any help is hit by hurricane and you could be there for weeks, if not months, without any water, or assistance to return to the U.S. In summary,...
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