T&T Tour Gromits Trip Report Days 8 & 9: Overnight o

[Gromit]

Day 8 and Day 9 - Overnight on Jost (tips for getting there hassle free); Renting a car on Jost (such that it is); Soggy Dollar Bar; Lobster at Sydney’s Peace & Love; Hanging with Forumites; Review of Ivan’s campground; BBQ Nite at Foxy’s; return to STJ; and Sweet Plantains.

iTunes Daily Soundtrack

Steal My Kisses – Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals
Could You Be Loved – Bob Marley & the Wailers
Where You Lead – Carole King
Southern Cross – Crosby, Stills & Nash
Friend of the Devil – Grateful Dead
Galileo – Indigo Girls
Dreams Be Dreams – Jack Johnson
I Melt With You – Jason Mraz
Somewhere in the Sun – Kenny Chesney
Drive Me Crazy – Kevin Lyttle & Mr. Easy
Sunny Hours – Long Beach Dub All Stars
Agora So Falte Voce – Maria Rita
My Baby Just Cares For Me – Nina Simone

Apologies in advance for the length of this one!!

We got up in the early AM and headed to Cruz Bay to catch the ferry. I always make sure to allow plenty of time to find parking (or to park and walk) and to grab a little breakfast. Filling out the forms for customs also takes some time so getting to the ferry dock early keeps my mind at ease and I don’t feel rushed.

We had enough time to hang out, walk over to Deli Grotto for breakfast, time to run into Pia and LMG at said Deli Grotto, watch a iguana being spared imminent death (he had decided to take up valuable real estate in the road in front of Morgan’s Mango), and time enough to read the Virgin Islands Daily news and catch up on the general goings on.

So here’s what you need to know about day-tripping to Jost:

-Make sure you bring a pen with you (blue or black ink only) to fill out the appropriate forms.
-Make sure you have your passports with you
-Make sure you have $60 per person (payable in cash or credit card – they even take Amex)
-Make sure that all members of the party stand in line for tickets.
-Make sure that you listen carefully to the ferry folks or you could end up on the wrong boat. (one family in a rush to GET-THE-BEST-SEATS-AND-GET-ON-FIRST got on the WRONG boat).

Of course we had all of our stuff for the overnight with us but we’d kept this stuff to a minimum.

Given the mama drama I was really looking forward to getting off on our own for a night.

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This was Cousin Gromit’s first trip “outside of the country” and the first stamp in her passport. She was very excited and I was excited for her!

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It was also fun to have Pia, LMG, Tracy in WI and her son and her hubby Juice along for the ride. It was shaping up to be a fantastic day.

Cousin Gromit and me
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LMG
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LMG & Pia

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The Flip Flops

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Tracy in WI & Her son

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I had asked LMG if she called the day before to confirm her car rental on Jost and she said she hadn’t. I called the week before just to make sure I was on their radar and Paradise car rental assured me all was “OK.”

Anyway we arrived at Jost, got through customs and after finally getting some cell signal we called our respective car rental agencies.

I had rented thru Paradise and LMG had rented thru Abe & Nice’s. Having been thru this process with Vicki in December, at least I knew what to expect.

When I rented thru Paradise I had asked for their larger vehicle. They had assured me that all was OK. Mind that you feel like you are talking through a coconut on a string and can barely hear the person at the other end of the line so at some point you just have to take it on blind faith that all is well.

There were five people in my Krewe. So when the chick from Paradise rolled up in an impossibly small Suzuki (think something that you’d pull out of a Cracker Jack box) you can imagine my surprise.

“This is the BIG car?” I ask politely.

“Oh no,” she replies. “Dis de small one, other one is broken.”

“Broken?” I ask plaintively.

“Broken,” She says in a very final and apologetic tone.

I look at my group and look at the car and while we could make this work (think frat boys piled into a phone booth) I start to wonder if there are other options.

I indicate that LMG has rented from Abe & Nices and the girl from Paradise says that Nice has a larger car and she KNOWS that she does for sure.

Things are not going according to plan and I feel awful but I know we can find a way to make this work.

So I apologize to the chick from Paradise and tell her it’s just not going to work and she too apologizes for the inconvenience. So we wait for Abe & Nice to arrive.

Nice arrives with a larger car for LMG. The process for car rental is that they drive you back to their place to do the paperwork. If there’s not enough room in the vehicle then some of your party stays behind until you get it done and come back. This was the case with both our groups.

Lucky for us Nice DID have another car and was willing to rent it to us (thank GOD!) although it was much more than the original rental, I was willing to pay whatever at this point just to get us started.

So we head back to their place (across the bay from Sydney’s Peace & Love) to fill out the paperwork.

In true island fashion LMG went one at a time. Instead of giving us both paperwork to fill out at one time we had to wait until LMG was done before I could start. Then of course Nice took some time to figure out what she was going to charge us.

I swear she was going to throw stones or consult an abacus. I still have no idea how she came up with a number. But in the end I just handed her a handful of cash and signed the paperwork. Where else can you rent a $30,000 car by just handing someone a handful of cash? We prepaid for gas too to alleviate any issues trying to find where to fill up.

FINALLY, we head back to the ferry dock caravan style to retrieve our peeps.

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At this point I am feeling pretty awful especially since I know that everyone’s time on island is limited and we’ve just wasted some of that valuable time. But there was only so much that I could do.

In restrospect I would have just told them to take a taxi to Soggy Dollar and we would meet them there. Of course this defeats the purpose of renting a car as a cost savings (depending on the number of people in your group).

By the time we returned to the dock we found our respective krewes had made friends with the taxi driver and were ready to go!!

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And off we went to the Soggy Dollar bar for some PAINKILLERS!!

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LMG surprised Mic who seemed VERY pleased to see her and we searched thru the pay it forward posters in search of drinks that had been left for the forum and specifically for Flip, LMG and myself. I picked up the tab on any of the others that remained as a thank you for everyone’s patience with the whole car rental debacle.

And we hung out at the Soggy Dollar bar for most of the morning.

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Hanging out at the Soggy Dollar bar is a source of entertainment that is not to be missed. Like the famous painkiller itself -- it’s a strange mixture but it works.

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Cousin Gomit with her "this doesn't suck" face on

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Hubby

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Pia and LMG had indicated they were jonesing for some lobster from Sydney’s Peace and Love. Mr. Gromit and I had planned on going there for dinner that night but we were happy to go along with whatever Flip Flop and her hubby wanted to do. They decided they wanted to see Sydney’s, so off we went.

We needed to make a quick stop at Foxy’s on the way though. Flip had been coveting a really cool Foxy’s shirt I picked up on our trip in December and I was hoping that they still had some left. Sadly they did not have any left so she looked around until she found another equally cute option! Mission accomplished.

We walked around the shops at Foxy’s for a bit and then decided it was time to head over to Sydney’s for lunch and to meet up with our fellow forumites.

Sydney’s is a neat spot.

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We were all a bit confused with their ordering process. You write down what you want to order and you make your own drinks and keep track of them on the tab yourself. Nevertheless we got it all sorted out.

Several of us opted for lobster while others opted for variations on the menu. Preparation took a LONG time. Plenty of time for us to get creative and Mr. Flip Flop to give up his shirt to the hallowed walls of Sydney’s. We all signed it and he got a replacement. Thanks Mr. FF for your sacrifice!

And we waited and waited and waited.

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We waited so long that we honestly got a bit suspicious as to whether we would make it back to the ferry in time to get the Flip Flops and Cousin Gromit back to STJ.

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At some point I decided that I wanted to change into something a bit more comfy. My tie dye t-shirt is a bit thick and there wasn’t much of a breeze. So I headed back to the car to change into something a bit more breezy and light.

It was here that I was approached (the first of MANY times) by local who asked me, “Do you smoke?”I smiled politely and said, “No thanks.”

After all, the last thing I need is to end up in prison in the BVI – even if it IS the BVI, I doubt they have A/C in the bedrooms or serve lobster for lunch.

He was super sweet and I know just trying to make a buck but I was gonna have to pass. He then offered to make a conch shell that could be used as a horn for any member of our group for like $20. I told him I would ask my Krewe to see if they are interested.
I headed back to them and asked and no one was. It sounded like a neat idea and is probably a really fun thing made on island but I have a sneaking suspicion that getting that back thru customs might have been an issue… maybe not, but not worth wasting $20 on.

Back to the food…..

Honestly the lobster at Sydney’s is one of the best bargains in the VI’s IMHO. You get a whole lobster plus family-style sides for $35.

Finally the food arrived. Everyone seemed to enjoy their choice. It was really great.

Not the best picture of my lunch...

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In all honestly Foxy’s service isn’t any faster, but it really sucks up a lot of your time on island. So if you are pressed for time you may want to re-think where you go for lunch or just be comfortable with the fact that it’s gonna take some time. Or better yet, just hang out at or near the Soggy Dollar bar all day and just grab food there.

As we had at many points along the trip, we all made the most of it. We had some great conversation, laughed and drank and laughed and drank some more.
By the time we paid the bill it was pretty much time to get folks back to the ferry for the trip back to STJ.

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We dropped our Krewe off, said our goodbye’s to Tracy and her hubby and son and also good-bye to the Flip Flops, Cousin Gromit, LMG and Pia. It was a GREAT day even if it got off to a bumpy start!!

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After seeing everyone off we hopped in the car and head to Ivan’s to see our “home sweet home” for the night.

Ivan’s is a cool little spot and let me just say up front that we were SUPER pleased with the accommodations and Ivan’s in general.

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For $65 we got a great little cabin just steps from the beach. We even had a cute little front porch with some comfy chairs. And yes, that is a fake parrot on the roof....

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It’s Spartan to be sure but the bed was King size and comfy, there was plenty of built in shelving, a light, a plug, a mini refrigerator and a fan.

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The cabin was painted in bright colors with this cool little poem left by a temporary resident.

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Our cabin was reasonably close to the bathrooms and showers and also to the bar (very important).

There were lots of cabins and of course anyone can pitch a tent anywhere in the sand near the cabins –a few folks were doing this.

The bar at Ivan’s, like many places on Jost, has an honor system. When you check in you can put your name in the book and you make your own drinks and keep track of them. You pay up at the end. At night the goodies are locked up tight. So if you want to drink at night go somewhere else or bring your own.

There’s also a community kitchen and folks can cook for themselves.

White Bay is a beautiful spot. Ivan’s has beach chairs and plenty of shade beneath the Seagrapes if you so desire.

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It’s very quiet and you can either hang with people and socialize or just be on your own.

I honestly could see myself staying here for a week in the winter when it’s a bit cooler. Considering the price it and with some preparation I could honestly enjoy an extended stay here for very little money.

I could see this place being an pretty cheap and easy escape especially if you rent a car and bring plenty of money for eating out.

Certainly this place isn’t for everyone but if funds are tight and there’s a great airfare sale going on I would come here again and stay longer.

If I did a longer stay I would definitely bring some citronella candles and my own padlock although in all honesty the bugs were not bad and I never felt like our stuff was unsafe. Of course we were never far from our stuff either and anything of value could be locked in the car if we were concerned (which we weren’t).

Ivan is a lovely and delightful man. A quiet soul and obviously well respected by folks on island. He was everywhere. No matter where we were on Jost we kept running into him (more on that later).

Anyway we hopped in the water and whiled away the afternoon. We watched the charter boats come in and try to pick up mooring balls for the night. Even saw some folks jockey for the last one which was quite entertaining. I had never really paid attention to this kind of stuff before, but since beginning to plan our sailing trip with my online BFF’s in December I have become more aware of this kind of thing.

After a while we decided to get cleaned up and head into town to Foxy’s and to see what options we had for dinner.

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The main street here is very colorful and totally different at night than during the day. Thus far we had only taken day trips to Jost so we were looking forward to seeing what nighttime would hold. Lights are strung up all around Foxy’s and twinkle in the darkness.

When you want to find out what’s going on, I usually find that the bartender is the best source for any kind of info.

I went to the bar and ordered some drinks and asked the bartender, “So… what’s up for dinner tonight?”

“It’s BBQ night,” he says, “Good time. You have a reservation?”

“Uh, no. I don’t,” I answer sheepishly. “Do I need one?”

He responds intensely, “You need a reservation.”

He points to a woman on the phone in the corner and directs me to talk to her.

Now there’s one thing I know for sure, woe be the tourist who interrupts a West Indian woman on the phone. They don’t like it, and don’t take kindly to it and so generally I am careful not to do it. But seeing no other option I walked in her general direction and kept my distance not wanting to be pushy.

After a few patient moments, knowing that she was totally aware of my presence but pleased that I didn’t interrupt her, she says, “May I help you?”

I smile and observe the usual niceties, “Good evening” etc etc and she smiles, obviously pleased that I know the “rules.”

I ask politely, “Is it possible to get a reservation for dinner tonight?”

“You don’t have a reservation?”

“No,” I say apologetically.

“You need a reservation,” she says firmly.

“Yes,” I say.

She sizes me up and finally says, “Ok. I make you a reservation.”

After putting our name on the list she walks over to a table near the bar, points at it and says tersely, “You sit here. 7:30. BBQ open and you sit here.”

“Yes,” I say.

“You sit HERE,” she says again. “Nowhere else. Here. 7:30.”

Got it. Here. 7:30. Nowhere else.

I smile and she smiles and it is clear that we both understand one another.

At this point it’s around 6 pm so we just sit at a random table and drink our drinks and just relax. Deep breath. Soak it in. Relax. I am relishing this time away just me and Mr. Gromit.

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As the minutes tick forward we watch as a young man walks up the dock with large fish on hooks and strolls to the BBQ area which has been smoking for hours.

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The smell of BBQing chicken and ribs wafts through the restaurant. The fresh fish he is carrying is destined for the grill and we watch as he prepares it right then and there.

At around 7 pm something shifts and dinghies start heading in to dock for dinner. Large and small groups gather around tables and order drinks. Everyone smells the smoked meat and we all start to salivate.

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At this point we have NO IDEA what to expect or what the cost of dinner would be. We were winging it.

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We talked with table neighbors and just waited until 7:30 when miraculously everyone stands up from their table and heads to the buffet line.

The deal is for $29 you get a ticket. That ticket allows you access to one large platter and a smaller dinner size plate. You can take as much as you want but you can only go through the line one time.
Man was I impressed with this spread. Caesar salad, pasta salad, fresh veggies and fruit, BBQ chicken, ribs and fish, corn on the cob, potatoes. And everything was EXCELLENT!

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Towards the end of the meal Taboo saunters about the place keeping the appropriate distance from the tables. It’s fun to watch as everyone sneaks a little meat off their plate and holds it at thigh level for Taboo. And Taboo is slick, he knows how to play it cool. He floats by, paws padding in the sand and gently swallows his booty and moves along as if nothing happened. You gotta love an island dog with smooth moves like that.

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The only down side to the evening was that there was no breeze. Foxy was off island getting his O.B.E. from Queen Elizabeth but his stand-in was really pleasant and played a lot of blues. He was the opening act for another group.

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But by the end of our meal we were hot and exhausted and felt like it was time to head back to the cabin for the night.

Ivan’s was blissfully quiet and peaceful. Folks were really respectful and the bed was comfy. I kept my flashlight close by for nighttime trips to the Loo (I’m calling it the Loo since we are now, of course, in the BVI!)

After a restful night’s sleep I awoke early to the smell of someone smoking some chronic in a neighboring cabin. I looked at my watch. It was 5 am. Seriously??

So I decided to grab a shower and hunt down breakfast. I had made some notes in advance about breakfast options and was glad that I did.

So we set off into town in search of morning grub. My first intention was to find Christine’s Bakery. But I wasn’t sure exactly where to go. We couldn’t really find it but we found Ali Babbas and spotted Ivan sitting down with our cabin neighbor and a couple of other regulars.

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A sign said, “Breakfast served here” and a giant oar above the bar that said "Shit Happens" and that was all we needed to know. If it was good enough for Ivan, it was good enough for us.

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We went to the bar to order and asked what the options were.

The bartender (and I’m pretty sure the owner) says, “Eggs, bacon, toast, coffee or sausage.”

To which I responded, “Yes, the first one.” Mr. Gromit didn’t bat an eyelash, pointed to me and said, “Whatever she’s having.”

View from Ali Babbas

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So we sit down in comfy chairs and just chill.

Looking around I realize that I am the only girl in the joint and jokingly ask Ivan and his buddies if they don’t mind a little estrogen in the place, to which they all chuckle. They just sat around telling their fish tales and I am enjoying the banter.

It’s 9:00 am and I’m thirsty. I look over at the bar and there are two locals drinking a beer. So, not feeling as bold as I usually do, I ask Mr. Gromit if he doesn’t mind getting me a beer and does so gladly. Yes, it’s 9 am and yes I am having beer. It’s vacay. Don’t judge me.

I decide that it’s worthwhile to send a photo of my frosty carib to Vicki H, flip Flop and ScubaGirl.

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A mix of both pride and shame. To which Vicki responds, “STILL drinking or drinking again?” That’s my girl.

We watch as the street comes to life and wait for food to arrive. The food was simple and good and relatively inexpensive.

After breakfast this little guy decided to pay us a visit.

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Little slut of a dog (LOVE IT!)

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After finishing up breakfast and paying our tab at the bar we decided to wander around a bit.

About 10 feet down the sandy main street from Ali Babbas, I see a sign: Christines Bakery.

Of course.

So we wander down the alley to her place and poke our head inside. There is a single glass case filled with baked goodies: Cookies, coconut cake and banana bread. We decide to grab one of each to hang onto for a snack later in the day.

After breakfast we drove around the island a bit and headed back to Ivans to check out of our room and to just hang out for the rest of the day.

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/S_ ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/Sky-0 ... 9.JPG"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7V ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/Sky-2 ... 0.JPG"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/e2 ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/Sky-5 ... 1.JPG"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ER ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/Skow2 ... 4.JPG"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3A ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/Skow7 ... 7.JPG"></a>

Purple Toes holding up well....

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0v ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SkoxC ... 1.JPG"></a>


Before long it was time to board the ferry back to STJ. We left the car in the lot, with the keys under the mat as instructed and we were on our way.
As we sailed back to STJ I was blissfully happy and relaxed and glad to have taken some time away for ourselves.

When we got back to Casa Luna we got cleaned up and ready to head out to Sweet Plantains for dinner.
It was fun to run into run into my “Twilight Sisters” Nothintolose, her sister Cat and their krewe. I just wish that we could have hung out longer!!

Dinner at Sweet Plantains was AWESOME. I was bit intimidated by “curry night” since I cannot really tolerate spicy foods. Hurts my tongue! I have one main rule: Food should not inflict pain. Nevertheless they assured me that the flavors were mild.

The crab dip app was REALLY spicy for me, but enjoyable. And for my main course I had the coconut curry shrimp but asked that they make it as mild as possible. It was DELISH!

I will be sure to return to Sweet Plaintains in future!

After dinner we swung by Skinny’s to grab a quick drink before heading back to the villa. It was nice to be with my peeps again.

Off to bed and only one more full day left to go!

Tomorrow: Mystery beach, Forumites and Skeeters, Oh My!!

[PA Girl]

Forgive my ignorance and yes, I am too lazy to search for the info myelf - where is Syndey's in relation to White Bay? Is it on White Bay or a different beach?

[LMG]

Great report, Grommie! After having spent a few days on Jost last year, it made me sort of sad I haven't done it again since. But soon come! It looks like you guys had a really nice time staying over at Ivan's.

That rental car thing made me feel bad, too. And then I have to laugh at myself for uttering the words "allll the way to Little Harbor" as if it's even the equivalent of my daily commute.

And it's interesting that Sydney Jr. (the conch shell guy) made you such an offer. All I got was an offer of a conch shell, and of course marriage. Apparently he "loves Colorado" though he's never actually been here.

Okay, I'm babbling. Great report! Had a great time with everyone!

[Gromit]

PA Girl-- Sydneys is in Little Harbor. They cater mostly to boaters. You basically go up to the main road and turn right and keep going until you see the harbor.

Apparently they are much more lively at night.

That's another thing about Jost, there's PLENTY of parking since most folks arrive by boat and usually just walk or take taxis.

[PA Girl]

Thanks

We will be doing a group trip to Jost in Feb and the PA family might venture over there for lunch. Our son will be with us and I think a more quiet place to chill out may be in order.

[djmom]

what a great idea and fun adveture. thanks for sharing!

[msgcolleen]

Now you're making me think that I need to do an overnighter to JVD. Do they offer A/C at Ivan's?

Great reporting Grommit~

[liamsaunt]

Sounds like a really fun adventure! There is NO WAY I could get John to stay at a place like Ivans. He doesn't "do" camping, even cottage camping. Too bad, because that BBQ sounds pretty great. I'd camp if there was good food involved. I think.

[Tracy in WI]

Great Job Grommit! SO happy you had the alone time on Jost - I may have to plan that for the future.

You and LMG had nothing to worry about with us waiting at the ferry dock - we were dancing, singing and playing musical instruments. It was pure fun!

Thanks for letting my gang join your gang for the day!

P.S.(That photo of me is horrendous - is that what I really looked like?? Stupid humidity....!)

[djmom]

Becky, Ned won't do camping either. Big babies-chickens- Both of them!

[Gromit]

Trust me guys... Flip Flop will tell you I am a Ritz Carlton kind of girl. Hell when I went to Disney I had to stay at one of the top resorts on the Club level no less. I upgrade to first class on airplanes whenever I get the chance. I have an unhealthy attachment to my Amex platinum card and I like my nice stuff.

But honestly, I can do Ivans. It's clean, simple and cheap. If you do it right and plan ahead you can have a pretty nice set up on the cheap.

I will admit that without the fan I would have been crazy hot, but in the winter months the temps are cooler and I can see it being a lot more comfortable-- not that it was ever really uncomfortable).

The thing about Jost is that it feels like what STJ must have been like 15-20 years ago.

For me the trade off for not having fancy digs is feeling like you have ann island all to yourself.

But that's just me.

[Pia]

Great job girlfriend

[Gromit]

Oh and Peasy aka Scubagirl-- please note that I added a Kenny Chesney song to the playlist JUST for YOU!!

My goal has been to highlight songs from my playlist that don't inlcude Kenny or Jimmy Buffett -- mainly because they are the obvious choices. To me they are just a "given"

Hopefully these damn TR's aren't boring everyone. I know I add a lot of extra detail in there that most people could care less about, but to me these details are what makes a trip to the VI so interesting

Oh and if the photo quality looks a bit crummy it's cause those were taken on the fly with my iPhone.

[ClevelandDave]

I've been waiting on this part of the TR. Good for you, doing the cabin at Ivan's!

Thanks a ton for the interior pics. It actually looks better than I imagined.

Who needs all of that ancillary fluff when you get a nice bed, a fan, Ivan's bar and White Bay.

Paradise!

[mindehankins]

This is so great! What a great report...you've kind of sold us on Jost now! Is it feasible to take the ferry, and then use taxis to Ivan's and to eat?