What a day in paradise this has been. We hired a golf cart for $30 for the half day and toured Man O War Cay.

First left out of the marina and down the Queen's Highway - just wide enough for two golf cars to pass - tarmac for a while but once outside of town - just 3 small shops - it disintegrates into a rough track cut into the island's natural rocky base. In places the track is overhung with casuarina trees, their feathery leaves tickling the cart canopy.

The road is lined with palm trees, huge spreading shrubs called seagrapes which are salt tolerant like the mangrove, blooming purple bourganvillia and wildly colourful blossoms at every turn - the hot sun enhancing the heady perfumes.

The island gets skinny in places, at one section it is less than 20ft wide. The blue waters on either side just lapping the edge of the track. One side is the Sea of Abaco and on the other, the Atlantic ocean - beautiful white sand beaches line the shore - there is no one in sight.

Around the next corner suddenly, William jams on the brakes - we grind to a halt at the entrance to a private house and he points to the road sign which says 'Canary Wharf' - looks like an original - next to it is an old UK telephone kiosk and two red Royal Mail post boxes - one is Victorian and marked 'Guildhall - next collection 5.30 pm'.!!

Pretty pastel painted houses are scattered throughout the island - and in addition to the residents' properties there are some stunning vacation homes available for rent.

The small resident population of about 300 are a close knit community and most are in some way or another related. Tourism is their main form of income but dont come here if you want discos, nightclubs, casinos, public transport, slick internet signals, motor cars, smart boutiques, restaurants, or alcohol!

Visiting Man O War Cay is like going back in time -no cars, 2 small grocery stores, a hardware shop, one restaurant and bakery, and that's about it. It is one of the 'dry' islands of the Bahamas and no liquor is sold on the island or served in the restaurant.

Everything closes down promptly each day at 5pm and all day Sunday.... Oh, such memories of a previous life...no 24 hr Tesco at the bottom of the road.

There's a gorgeous feeling of total peace - just the place to come and de-stress......... or write your next novel.