This week’s special additional episode of Eye on Travel broadcasts from the West Indies, the island of Nevis and the Four Seasons Resort. It was taped just before the pandemic. Peter talks with Helen Russell, Author of The Atlas of Happiness, on what better time to talk about the pursuit of happiness and what it exactly means for a nation to be happy. Then Susan Gordon, who left Philadelphia for Nevis 23 years ago, tells us about the history of Nevis’ sugar mills, and what that has to teach us about the island itself and its special architecture. Coincidentally, Gordon is the author of Searching for Sugar Mills. And then, a fascinating look at the unique and surprising relationship of Alexander Hamilton and Nevis. There’s all this and more as Eye on Travel broadcasts from the Four Seasons Resort Nevis in the West Indies.
Click here to listen to Eye on Travel from Four Seasons Resort Nevis in the West Indies.
Suzanne Gordon, Author of Searching for Sugar Mills, left a great job in Philadelphia to move to Nevis and has lived there for 23 years. She tells us what originally brought her over and why she stayed. She speaks about the history of Nevis’ sugar mills, tourism, and architecture as well as why Nevis has preserved its original architecture. She also discusses the diaspora of Nevisians, what it’s really like to live in Nevis and how the island has changed.
Helen Russell, Author of The Atlas of Happiness, and her husband decided to start a new life after her husband got offered his dream job in Denmark. Helen speaks about the work-life balance there, happiness in Denmark and its social programs. She says she has been around the world pursuing happiness and is figuring out what it means for a nation to be happy. Peter and Helen also discuss hospitality. They then dive into what makes countries like Denmark, Japan, and Bhutan “happy.”
Evelyn Henville, Historian and Head of the World Heritage Committee for Nevis, is a Nevis local who was born in St. Kitts and eventually moved to Nevis. She tells Peter all about the enriching history of Alexander Hamilton’s role on Nevis and how the locals rebuilt his childhood home, which has since been owned by numerous families, and made it into the island’s famous museum. Henville then shares an unexpected connection between Hamilton and the Nevis Coast Guard. She goes on to say that this eventually caused St. Kitts and Nevis to win a place prestigious in 2017 from UNESCO.
Yvette Thomas-Henry, Regional Vice President and General Manager at Nevis’ Four Season Resort, is originally from St. Thomas, but she made her way back to Nevis where her parents are from. She discusses everything you need to know about Nevis ranging from how to get here all the way to how closely knit the hotel’s staff is. She also tells people what it is like to live on Nevis and how much of a struggle it can be to order things to the hotel.
Chris Gray Faust, Managing Editor for Cruise Critic, and Peter go into great detail about the up and coming luxury cruise market and how companies like Viking, Virgin, and Ritz Carlton plan on starting or expanding their already established cruise ships. She specifies that Viking is planning on taking its expedition ships to the next level by having an enclosed marina for maximum comfort while traveling to Antarctica. Additionally, they converse about the future of tattoos at sea – what could go wrong?
Ignacio Ottley, Purchasing Manager for Four Seasons, is the unofficial turtle liaison for the Four Seasons there and is also a poet. He shares his knowledge on turtles, describes monitoring turtle movements and what you can learn from the experience. He also speaks about the fun contests that the hotel hosts with the kids who visit. It ties back to conservation and nature-immersion efforts. He even gives us a taste of his poetry by reading a poem he wrote about Nevis’ Four Seasons, called Queen of the Caribbean.
