usvi-on-line
STJ Spring 2011 - Pt. VII Final Installment/Wrap up
STJ Spring 2011 - Pt. VII Final Installment/Wrap up
(Link to previous installments at bottom of the page):
First things first - we didn't take any pictures on our travel home day, so there won't be any imbedded in this post. But, if you'd like to see our collection from the trip, some of which have been included in the trip reports, here's a link to the photo album on Flickr:
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjudP5mp
It was too easy to leave this time. For all of the trouble and angst we experienced getting here, the island could at least have made it a little troublesome to escape its gravity. But no, everything went like clockwork.
Leisurely breakfast, everything packed, the remaining leftovers packed for lunch to be eaten in the terminal at the airport, boarding passes printed, everything loaded in the jeep - all with absolutely no issues. Nothing left to do but drive away.
Since we had plenty of time we drove back via North Shore Rd. instead of Centerline. I expected pangs of regret, but they didn't come. At the end of our very first trip we had felt this way - at that time we were just so happy to have finally fulfilled our longstanding promise to come for a visit that we didn't have room in our hearts to feel sad. But on each succeeding visit, it seemed to get harder to leave. Maybe it's being secure in the knowledge that we have another visit already planned for the fall, maybe it's just part of the evolution of our love affair with this place. Who knows?
Getting on the car barge, across the island to Dependable, and through to the airport went seamlessly. Having carry on luggage only, pre-printed boarding passes in hand, and arriving so far ahead of our flight, all contributed to this zen like experience.
The flight left on time, there were no unscheduled stops, and we were on the shuttle back to the off airport parking lot literally just minutes after getting off of the plane. We loaded our bags and headed for the exit lane. I went to get the ticket to put into the machine and...I can't find it! It's not like me to not have it in the wallet where I surely would have stashed it when I first got it. And now cars were lining up behind me and the attendant said that he couldn't lift the gate to exit, so that I could pull over and look more thoroughly, until I paid.
"Do you have your boarding pass for your outbound flight?"
"Of course not"
Another employee came over and had the growing line of cars behind me back up so that I could back away and let them exit. Great. Jason was sifting through the pile of credit cards, IDs, and other assorted cards that I had flung on the floorboard while frantically searching the contents of the wallet.
"Here it is", he said, waving the ticket in the air.
It had become stuck to the back of a credit card. I knew that I wouldn't discard something I'd need like that. Red faced, I got back in line. OK - a little bit of drama. Now I miss being on St. John.....
==============================================================================
It was a great trip. Thank you for the kind words on the trip reports - writing them allows me to extend my vacation just a little bit, so they are a labor of love.
Some random thoughts and observations in closing:
As important as taking pictures are to us, I will not travel without at least two cameras anymore - just in case.
The American Airlines fiasco has me reevaluating my policy of only buying trip insurance for trips during hurricane season. If, as was rumored, our Monday flight had been canceled as well as the Sunday one, it wouldn't have been pretty.
It was our first trip in season - other than the villa rental prices being higher, it didn't have a significant impact on our trip - there's a lot of island, and if you don't want to be in a crowd, you can find places where you won't be. If we ate all of our meals out, then it might have more of an impact if we wanted to eat at certain places, but then we'd probably just adjust by making reservations - not something we're really averse to, just something we haven't had to do on St. John yet. oh yeah - I also believe he folks that warned us that the few degrees colder that the water would be, would be noticeable!
I get the allure of the BVIs now. That being said, there are still a lot of things we've yet to do on St. John.
The family that is this forum stepped up in a big way - first when the airline was jacking us around, and again when the camera died. As helpful a place this is for newbies to learn about the ins and outs of St. John, the people here really show their sense of community when anyone has a problem, be they little bumps in the road like ours were, on up to the biggest curve balls that life throws at you.
And to quote Jason's favorite comedian, Daniel Tosh, "and for that, we thank you"
I look forward to reading all about the adventures of those of you heading to the island between now and our next trip - that's the juice that keeps me going.
Peace,
augie
Part I: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... hp?t=19951
Part II: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... hp?t=19954
Part III: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... hp?t=19955
Part IV: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... hp?t=19963
Part V: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... hp?t=19973
Part VI: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... hp?t=19990
First things first - we didn't take any pictures on our travel home day, so there won't be any imbedded in this post. But, if you'd like to see our collection from the trip, some of which have been included in the trip reports, here's a link to the photo album on Flickr:
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjudP5mp
It was too easy to leave this time. For all of the trouble and angst we experienced getting here, the island could at least have made it a little troublesome to escape its gravity. But no, everything went like clockwork.
Leisurely breakfast, everything packed, the remaining leftovers packed for lunch to be eaten in the terminal at the airport, boarding passes printed, everything loaded in the jeep - all with absolutely no issues. Nothing left to do but drive away.
Since we had plenty of time we drove back via North Shore Rd. instead of Centerline. I expected pangs of regret, but they didn't come. At the end of our very first trip we had felt this way - at that time we were just so happy to have finally fulfilled our longstanding promise to come for a visit that we didn't have room in our hearts to feel sad. But on each succeeding visit, it seemed to get harder to leave. Maybe it's being secure in the knowledge that we have another visit already planned for the fall, maybe it's just part of the evolution of our love affair with this place. Who knows?
Getting on the car barge, across the island to Dependable, and through to the airport went seamlessly. Having carry on luggage only, pre-printed boarding passes in hand, and arriving so far ahead of our flight, all contributed to this zen like experience.
The flight left on time, there were no unscheduled stops, and we were on the shuttle back to the off airport parking lot literally just minutes after getting off of the plane. We loaded our bags and headed for the exit lane. I went to get the ticket to put into the machine and...I can't find it! It's not like me to not have it in the wallet where I surely would have stashed it when I first got it. And now cars were lining up behind me and the attendant said that he couldn't lift the gate to exit, so that I could pull over and look more thoroughly, until I paid.
"Do you have your boarding pass for your outbound flight?"
"Of course not"
Another employee came over and had the growing line of cars behind me back up so that I could back away and let them exit. Great. Jason was sifting through the pile of credit cards, IDs, and other assorted cards that I had flung on the floorboard while frantically searching the contents of the wallet.
"Here it is", he said, waving the ticket in the air.
It had become stuck to the back of a credit card. I knew that I wouldn't discard something I'd need like that. Red faced, I got back in line. OK - a little bit of drama. Now I miss being on St. John.....
==============================================================================
It was a great trip. Thank you for the kind words on the trip reports - writing them allows me to extend my vacation just a little bit, so they are a labor of love.
Some random thoughts and observations in closing:
As important as taking pictures are to us, I will not travel without at least two cameras anymore - just in case.
The American Airlines fiasco has me reevaluating my policy of only buying trip insurance for trips during hurricane season. If, as was rumored, our Monday flight had been canceled as well as the Sunday one, it wouldn't have been pretty.
It was our first trip in season - other than the villa rental prices being higher, it didn't have a significant impact on our trip - there's a lot of island, and if you don't want to be in a crowd, you can find places where you won't be. If we ate all of our meals out, then it might have more of an impact if we wanted to eat at certain places, but then we'd probably just adjust by making reservations - not something we're really averse to, just something we haven't had to do on St. John yet. oh yeah - I also believe he folks that warned us that the few degrees colder that the water would be, would be noticeable!
I get the allure of the BVIs now. That being said, there are still a lot of things we've yet to do on St. John.
The family that is this forum stepped up in a big way - first when the airline was jacking us around, and again when the camera died. As helpful a place this is for newbies to learn about the ins and outs of St. John, the people here really show their sense of community when anyone has a problem, be they little bumps in the road like ours were, on up to the biggest curve balls that life throws at you.
And to quote Jason's favorite comedian, Daniel Tosh, "and for that, we thank you"
I look forward to reading all about the adventures of those of you heading to the island between now and our next trip - that's the juice that keeps me going.
Peace,
augie
Part I: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... hp?t=19951
Part II: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... hp?t=19954
Part III: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... hp?t=19955
Part IV: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... hp?t=19963
Part V: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... hp?t=19973
Part VI: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... hp?t=19990
Come see us!
Definitely!
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