For a weeklong holiday on a remote island with sunshine, beautiful beaches and the bluest waters, I spent zero minutes chilling out in the sun under a wide umbrella.

The only few moments of calm were all while hanging out at our friends’ plantation-style home, while they cooked and fed us.

Every couple of hours this big cuddly thief, Hobbes, would make off with a bandana or flipflop to add to his precious backyard treasures. When the swimsuit disappeared, however, we had to resort to some sneaky tricks to get it back.

Yeah, the doorbell.

My first impression of Bermuda was that it is like a giant resort, with lovely landscapes, picture perfect houses, friendly people and organised activities. They have cute electric rental 2-seaters and scooters with white helmets to easily identify tourists and forgive their transgressions. Souvik felt like being on a movie set, with many ‘extras’ that randomly walked around greeting each other. With a population of just 60,000 it does seem like everyone knows everyone else.

Another significant observation was that the Bermuda shorts are a reality, and follow the same palette as the colours of the houses.

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Of the many touristy things to do in Bermuda, I thought the Crystal Caves was pretty cool. A very short 30-min tour but interesting if you have an afternoon to spare, and want a respite from the sun and heat.

Going up the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse was worth it, for the sweeping views of the island. It’s windy at the top; just opening the door to get in or out gave me an inkling of what a real storm might feel like.

In between meals, Akalpita pointed out all the spots for various hues of blue that I never tire of.

The Horseshoe Bay Cove was a feast to the eyes, and made me want to stop and admire every time I passed it on my way to the dive centre.

The Causeway had the most jaw dropping shades of blue, but every time I showed up with a camera, the clouds would arrive to tone them down.

After poking through most corners of the island, I wrapped up the holiday with a walk through the town centre to watch the traditional Gombey dancing in the street.