First Timer's STJ Trip Report: Days 1 - 3

[kijoto]

Wonderful start to your trip report!! I especially loved the picture of the 4 muscle bound kids at maho! Did your daughter keep the 3 boys in line?

[Kentuckygirl]

It looks like all of your research paid off! Great start. I am trying to convince all of my newbie friends that they really can pack everything in a carryon and backpack. I can't wait to read more.

[suzi]

A smile on my face on a Monday morning!!!

[LMG]

It's so great to see all your planning and anticipation come together- I feel like I had been counting down with you all. Great report.

[onthelake]

Thanks ... great to read a report on Monday morning.
We had a great time a Maho this year (opps - last year) too.

[Tracy in WI]

Thanks for the great report Katie! I enjoyed every word and agree that trip reports can never be too long! I think I need a gorillapod too!!

Looking forward to part two as I sit and look out at the THUNDERSTORM here in Wisconsin.....!

Tracy

[Nic in KC]

Thanks for the report! Sounds wonderful and a Maho day is always my favorite!!

Look forward to reading more...we have the thunderstorms here today too, then it's supposed to turn back to freezing tomorrow and be now. Go figure!

[liamsaunt]

Awesome start! I think I need a gorillapod. Looking forward to reading more. Make it as long as you want, I love the long reports!

[LandLockedBeachLover]

Nice report!! I also have a 9 and 11 year old, except our boy is older. Your report brings back happy memories of our last trip together! Keep 'em coming!

[PA Girl]

Monday morning + new trip report that is nice and long to help me delay working = a very good thing!!!!

You are an inspiration, carry-on only WITH KIDS!

[chicagoans]

Thanks all for your nice comments! Regarding carry on: there were some shirts I actually made myself wear once, since I brought them down there. Yes, we did laundry once at the house, but that doesn't bother me. We went from pj's to swimsuits every morning, so you just need an outfit for the evening, and of course everything is so casual and no one really cares what you wear. (I wore the same tank/skirt a few times to go out to dinner.)

Packing a fourth bag with frozen food was perfect for us, because of course everything somehow expands when you're there, and we used the (now empty) cooler to pack jackets and shoes for the trip home.

Thanks to a post from Gromit about ebags, I got hubby a nice 'Mother Lode' carry on for Christmas, and I got myself a Kipling backpack that is really sturdy but cute enough to use as a purse when we went out to eat.

Now I'm procrasting getting into my piled up work email, so next report soon come!

[augie]

Excellent first installment!

You know you had to be living right when your friends were able to catch a cab to Coral Bay.

[chicagoans]

I just got off the phone with a friend who read this trip report -- she was laughing at me about the "honey warm glow" and all that other cr@p in my first paragraph. OK, reading it again, I can see that I was really sappy! Is that the St. John disease people talk about? Losing our minds and rhapsodizing about the islands?

I'd like to say that I'm back to normal now, but I'm not sure I ever was to begin with...

[mbw1024]

you are diseased you dear girl!!!

honey warm glow was my favorite part so what does that tell you?