USVI-On-Line

Okay, I can see it....VickiH....Flip-Flop...Gromit.... it can be the "sometimes you gotta' leave it all behind" tour.... Nice.

I want my own jeep & my own room

Pia -- good advice!!

I love this thread! Do you want to know what I am doing differently this time? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!
I don't want a single thing to be different. I'm like a little kid who gets inexplicable delight from watching the same silly movie over and over and over again.

Between my husband's stressful job and me with my hands in too many pies and a teen and a tween running in two different directions life often seems to be a Jackson Pollacklike version of controlled chaos. I love the quiet predictibility of my beloved St. John. We're staying at Gallows again because we love it. We'll pick up groceries and bevs at Stafish because it's there. We'll say we are going to cook dinner at home but we won't. We'll snorkle every day and take under water disposable camera pictures that we'll never get developed. We'll take a day trip to the Indians or the Baths or Jost unless we don't. We'll go to Gibney and Honeymoon and Hawksnest or Maho or Cinnamon and we'll stop and say hi to Tutu and Vie. And we will rest. No plans, no shoes, no problem.

Gromit wrote:The boyz would be pi$$ed!!!

but hey, you know me-- I'm ALWAYS game!

My boy(s) would get over it. A happy mama, well, is a happy mama

I've done a lot different (and had a lot more fun) since my first trip X# of years ago!!

My first stay was at the Westin ~ only Villa's now!

My first stay we didn't have a jeep ~ now we rent the whole week.

My first stay I didn't know it was OK to explore ~ now I do..

I have learned so much from then to now. But isn't learning half the fun!!

XOXO
Bug

I think I'm going to do less.
Last time felt like the first real trip, like I was being initiated. Now I can just be. I feel really lucky to be able to say "next time" at all.

This will be my third trip to STJ, and here are a few things we're doing differently this time. Some have been inspired by advice I found on the Forum!
-Renting different, smaller villa (still in same Choc. Hole vicinity of last two)
-Bringing only hubby this time (last time we were joined by another couple)
-Shipping a box in advance with snorkle gear, miscellaneous clothes and food (shipping to Frenchman's Reef in STT, where we are spending first night)
-Packing fewer clothes
-Securing snorkle boat trip in advance
-Eating at restaurant bars (vs. tables) wherever possible. It's more fun!
-Being better informed, thanks to all your wonderful advice/suggestions!

Here's what will be different when we go this coming March:

• We're going in March for the first time; previously it has been July and January.
  
  We'll be staying for only 4 days - but after a week of sailing, it'll still be a nice long vaca.
  
  We'll be splitting a villa with another couple. We traveled with them on our last trip (they were newbies, and SO get it now!) but stayed in separate places. We know it will work out well.
  
  We're staying between Cruz and Coral Bays (Luna Vista). We've stayed in both Cruz and Coral Bay, but never in between.
  
  Due to the fact that we will be sailing, I'll be forced to pack light
  
  I'd like to finally get to Miss Lucy's - we have missed her place every year for one reason or another!
  
  Gibney/Oppenheimer Beach - another place we haven't been yet.
  
  And hopefully a Beach Bar meet & greet - anyone else going in March???

I guess we were really lucky. We brought a newbie couple with us two years ago and we're heading back again in March. Same villa, sharing a jeep and can't wait. We had a blast together but they just were happy to let us plan and follow along. We're adding a day trip with flyaway charters this time and another kayaking day but otherwise just love snorkeling from beach to beach. I want to try "Vie's" beach this time and a couple of others we missed. We are out early (7:30 a.m.) every day which most people would hate but we love getting to the beaches when they are empty and finding our spot in the shade.

So - newbie's aren't all bad. Just be up front about details ahead of time.
sue

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For our upcoming trip in 2 weeks, we are traveling with 1 newbie couple who are very active, and one couple who have been to St John with us before and dont really get it, but do like St John. We will be with the newbie's in a small simple villa( Nautilus) for 5 days before the other couple arrives and we move to Sol Inclination. This will be trip #22 for us. There are some things that we will do that we have never done, some things that we havent done in years, and some things we will just do differently.

* we are all renting separate jeeps for the second week, as one of the couples loves the villa gravity thing and the other does not care for some of the beaches that we love.

* get to Cinnamon with the newbies--we havent been in 7 years as most people in the past dont want to schlep either the kiddies or the chairs.

* hiking to Honeymoon and going down to Gibney--both with the newbies. Last time I had to hitch a ride part of the way back on the Caneel food cart. This time I will walk. I will draw the line at hiking from the visitors center to Salomon. Seems like a great excercise for the newbies during the second week.

* while the newbies are doing Solomon and the other couple is shopping on STT, I will CALL Sloop Jones and if he is in I will drive out there ALONE, without my DH whining "are we there yet?" On the way back, I will stop at Skinny's, ring Howie's bell, and have a drink without listening to my DH complain about the smell.

* hired Palm Tree Charters and one of our stops will be at Waterlemon. No more dreading the long hike out, putting it off..and never getting there.

* take the pubic ferry to the Baths with the newbies. We have done just about every charter there, and have also stayed on VG and we really like to spend more time at the Baths than the commercial charters allow.

* do the Reef Bay Hike. We have never done it and if I dont do it this year with our active newbies, I doubt we ever will.

* booked a spa day with Nomadic Spa for the day after the hike. I think I will schedule myself first, and then maybe have a second massage after everyone else has finished.

* return again to either Paradiso or Stone Terrace for a change of pace from Zo Zo's. Havent been to either in 5 or 6 years.

* and then we will do something we always do--keep our eye out for a great place to stay for our next trip and hope it's "soon come".

This year we are spending 3 days in Key West before flying to STT. Never been to Key West before, I'm really looking forward to that.

We are taking Newbies, but Newbies who are already boat people. Nothing worse than Newbies, who aren't boaters.

Other than those two things I can't see us doing anything different that we haven't done on all our 12 trips.

Can you tell I'm a creature of habit? Just a little!

Cheers!