Bahamas - Taylor Casey, 41, Chicago, last seen in at yoga retreat, Paradise Island, Nassau, 19 Jun 2024

[branmuffin]

Her passport being missing is interesting to me. You don't typically keep your passport on your person when you're out of the country, I leave mine safe in my hotel room.

Was Taylor in the habit of keeping her passport with her because of the communal living accommodations? Surely they offer some kind of valuable lock up option for visitors, I would also feel uncomfortable leaving something like that out in my tent.

She could have kept it on her person for a couple of reasons. Number one, for safety considering she was staying in a tent which probably didn't have a safe. You'd think the ashram would have had a safe somewhere on the property unless that's one of the things they tell their guests: you're here to immerse yourself in the yoga so don't bother bringing expensive jewelry or lots of cash. Number two, she may have been keeping it on her person because many people at the ashram had no idea she was transgender. Depending how old her passport was perhaps it didn't match with her current gender. AFAIK both the US and Canada allow an individual to list M, F or X for unspecified on their passports. It doesn't have to match citizenship or birth certificate.

 

[mlhenn]

Her passport being missing is interesting to me. You don't typically keep your passport on your person when you're out of the country, I leave mine safe in my hotel room.

Was Taylor in the habit of keeping her passport with her because of the communal living accommodations? Surely they offer some kind of valuable lock up option for visitors, I would also feel uncomfortable leaving something like that out in my tent.

When I’ve traveled out of the country, my passport always remained on me. I kept it under my shirt and in a passport pouch.

Daily Life at the Ashram

The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat provides an immersion experience into the daily practices of a yogic lifestyle. Please see to find all the practical details about a stay at the ashram in one place, including What to Bring, Internet Access, etc.

sivanandabahamas.org

According to their site:

Valuables​

Please note that there are no safety deposit boxes available at the ashram—you are responsible for your personal belongings and valuables.

 

[mlhenn]

Rates, Accommodations & Room Information

We welcome everyone to the ashram and offer a range of program and accommodation options. Please note that all guests must be registered for a program during their stay. The total cost of your stay at the Yoga Retreat is based on your choice of program and accommodations. Use the tabs below for more

sivanandabahamas.org

Wonder if there were any day/drop in guests around the time TC was last seen…

The Ashram is happily accepting day visitors!

Day Guests/Drop-In Rates​

If you live in the area or you’re just passing through, consider joining us for the day. We are happy to welcome people who would like to participate in the ashram’s educational activities and share a meal with us!

 

[RickshawFan]

The only time I think I've seen tents pitched that close together in a low ceilinged space like that was a small group of rough sleepers who set up their poptents and tarps in a corner of a small multilevel carpark in my local area.

And even they had an area nearby with some camp chairs and a salvaged computer chair where they could sit and talk and get some fresh air.

MOO

Yes. Exactly. A homeless encampment.

It’s not even a dorm like the one at the “retreat” Caitlin Armstrong hung out in for a few dollars a day in Costa Rica. That one was spotless and had mattresses. And lockboxes.

 

[RickshawFan]

Rates, Accommodations & Room Information

We welcome everyone to the ashram and offer a range of program and accommodation options. Please note that all guests must be registered for a program during their stay. The total cost of your stay at the Yoga Retreat is based on your choice of program and accommodations. Use the tabs below for more

sivanandabahamas.org

Wonder if there were any day/drop in guests around the time TC was last seen…

The Ashram is happily accepting day visitors!

Day Guests/Drop-In Rates​

If you live in the area or you’re just passing through, consider joining us for the day. We are happy to welcome people who would like to participate in the ashram’s educational activities and share a meal with us!

The thing is, there was perhaps more opportunity to get close scrutiny from an overnight guest than a day-tripper.

 

[RickshawFan]

She could have kept it on her person for a couple of reasons. Number one, for safety considering she was staying in a tent which probably didn't have a safe. You'd think the ashram would have had a safe somewhere on the property unless that's one of the things they tell their guests: you're here to immerse yourself in the yoga so don't bother bringing expensive jewelry or lots of cash. Number two, she may have been keeping it on her person because many people at the ashram had no idea she was transgender. Depending how old her passport was perhaps it didn't match with her current gender. AFAIK both the US and Canada allow an individual to list M, F or X for unspecified on their passports. It doesn't have to match citizenship or birth certificate.

That’s the problem with the tents IMO. No privacy from prying eyes, but with the appearance of privacy.

 

[acutename]

Since these tents are much higher quality and roomier than the photos where Taylor was staying..... Some reviews do say the advertised photos are nothing like on-site reality.
And this is a tropical island: there's no way these tents can be aired out, even if you had ALL the "windows" open. This is, like, suffocating. The contents of your tent would be open for everyone to see, and any time someone went to the bathroom in the night, you'd be woken up.
Imagine a fire....

the one "safety" aspect to this is that if anyone were to try to rob you or attack you, everyone would hear commotion or screams...I stayed in a strange rickety boarded set of rooms in central america once and I actually felt a bit safer that the walls were paper thin because my neighbors would be able to hear if anything were to happen, IMO (not saying this is ideal for comfort or fire safety but sort of safety in numbers for other risks)

 

[imstilla.grandma]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1606874143516253

 

[HoneyBunOne]

As far as her passport goes.... I know the ashram says they don't have a safety deposit box for guests to use, but that doesn't mean they don't ask for guests passports for safe keeping. That "safe keeping" may be their own kind of secure box or safe, or an unlocked drawer, who knows? That's of course if this did indeed happen. I'm pretty sure I've been asked for my passport for safe keeping at a resort before. At a more mainstream hotel or resort, they may want to keep your passport to ensure you check out correctly and don't do a runner with a massive mini bar tab outstanding or the like. Given this place doesn't have completely private and secure lodgings, it would make sense that valuables you MUST bring (like passports if you're from overseas) could be secured by management for the length of your stay.

Has the ashram spoken out on the passport issue?