Day 1: Getting There is Always the Longest Day EVER
Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:16 pm
Day 1: Getting There is always the longest day ever!
About 9 months ago an opportunity arose to travel to St. John and help an amazingly generous, wonderful, local friend. Helping out afforded a place to stay and minimal expenses other than getting there. After discussing it with my hubby, he quickly encouraged me to go. We have two kids, 3 and 7, and I knew that would be a handful for him but he did not hesitate, not even for a second.
He knows that as much as he likes St. John, I LOOOOOOOOOVE St. John. When I return from a trip, until I have the next trip in the books, I am unsettled. It doesn't matter if that trip is 6 months or 2 years away, I just have to have the next one to look forward to. (YES, I am currently in the early stages of planning the next visit).
There could be no better gift to me than 10 days uninterrupted on St. John and without the regular, routine mama responsibilities. All with the knowledge that my kiddos are in completely capable hands. And all with the knowledge that though I could never repay this gift, my husband would never, ever expect me to. I am extremely lucky to have a non-titfortat marriage. My mom friends just looked at me with jaws dropped when I told them. His dad friends looked at him like, "Dude, don't set this precedent for us!" Truthfully, he was more than happy to do it. AWESOME!
Still I felt a mixture of incredible excitement and a twinge of guilt as I arrived at DCA for my departure. I worried, of course, that my kids would suffer or that he would go nuts. Thankfully, everyone was just fine. I left each a little goodie bag a day and they were too excited for their daily prize to miss me too much! It was about day 8 before my little guy started walking around the house saying, "MAMMMMMMMA" not crying, not screaming, just saying. I think he must have been just making sure I truly wasn't there!
My flight was early Friday morning out of DCA at 8am, connecting through Atlanta. The plane departed DC about an hour late, due to rain, but I had a two hour connection so no worries.
Technically speaking the flight from ATL-STT was on time. I boarded and proceeded to sit for 2 hours on the runway. All southbound flights out of Atlanta were grounded due to a major storm system. As NOT fun as sitting on the runway was, I prefer it to getting off, rebooking or reboarding and taking off later. I also prefer sitting to almost dying from turbulence. Whatever it takes to get us there safely works for me. As long as we eventually take off, I am good! And NO KIDS made it much more tolerable. I empathized with those traveling with little ones.
At least my bag made it on, its the blue one at the top of the ramp. Rainy Friday in Atlanta.
Am I the only one who likes the biscoff?
Snack in hand, I am on my way.
Soon enough we are on the ground in STT
So we arrived about two hours late due to our two hour late departure and then my CHECKED bag <shameful> (No I still couldn't manage carry-on only even by myself!!, next time I will try again) seemed to be the last to arrive.
I headed to grab a cab and was on my way to try to make the 7pm ferry! This was the latest I had ever been on the ferry to St. John. Typically it is at least daylight. It was strange, but beautiful. I always start to take my deep breaths on the way across the water to my happy place.
Again, my bag was the next to last coming off the ferry but as I texted my traveling buddy who was awaiting me, "that's ok, I AM HEREEEEEEE!!!!!!"
All in all, door to dock, this was a 14 hour one. Usually we do it in about 10-12.
There is absolutely nothing like walking through that “security” fence and seeing a smiling face on the other side.
We headed to the Banana Deck for a late dinner. Splitting an appetizer of spring rolls and an entrée of Shrimp Curry which was HUGE and delicious! I let my body settle into the warmth and rhythm of the St. John night. Soon it was time to pay the bill and head over to Coral Bay.
Tomorrow: Ferry to Jost, Hanging out with Mic & Visiting with Ivan!
About 9 months ago an opportunity arose to travel to St. John and help an amazingly generous, wonderful, local friend. Helping out afforded a place to stay and minimal expenses other than getting there. After discussing it with my hubby, he quickly encouraged me to go. We have two kids, 3 and 7, and I knew that would be a handful for him but he did not hesitate, not even for a second.
He knows that as much as he likes St. John, I LOOOOOOOOOVE St. John. When I return from a trip, until I have the next trip in the books, I am unsettled. It doesn't matter if that trip is 6 months or 2 years away, I just have to have the next one to look forward to. (YES, I am currently in the early stages of planning the next visit).
There could be no better gift to me than 10 days uninterrupted on St. John and without the regular, routine mama responsibilities. All with the knowledge that my kiddos are in completely capable hands. And all with the knowledge that though I could never repay this gift, my husband would never, ever expect me to. I am extremely lucky to have a non-titfortat marriage. My mom friends just looked at me with jaws dropped when I told them. His dad friends looked at him like, "Dude, don't set this precedent for us!" Truthfully, he was more than happy to do it. AWESOME!
Still I felt a mixture of incredible excitement and a twinge of guilt as I arrived at DCA for my departure. I worried, of course, that my kids would suffer or that he would go nuts. Thankfully, everyone was just fine. I left each a little goodie bag a day and they were too excited for their daily prize to miss me too much! It was about day 8 before my little guy started walking around the house saying, "MAMMMMMMMA" not crying, not screaming, just saying. I think he must have been just making sure I truly wasn't there!
My flight was early Friday morning out of DCA at 8am, connecting through Atlanta. The plane departed DC about an hour late, due to rain, but I had a two hour connection so no worries.
Technically speaking the flight from ATL-STT was on time. I boarded and proceeded to sit for 2 hours on the runway. All southbound flights out of Atlanta were grounded due to a major storm system. As NOT fun as sitting on the runway was, I prefer it to getting off, rebooking or reboarding and taking off later. I also prefer sitting to almost dying from turbulence. Whatever it takes to get us there safely works for me. As long as we eventually take off, I am good! And NO KIDS made it much more tolerable. I empathized with those traveling with little ones.
At least my bag made it on, its the blue one at the top of the ramp. Rainy Friday in Atlanta.
Am I the only one who likes the biscoff?
Snack in hand, I am on my way.
Soon enough we are on the ground in STT
So we arrived about two hours late due to our two hour late departure and then my CHECKED bag <shameful> (No I still couldn't manage carry-on only even by myself!!, next time I will try again) seemed to be the last to arrive.
I headed to grab a cab and was on my way to try to make the 7pm ferry! This was the latest I had ever been on the ferry to St. John. Typically it is at least daylight. It was strange, but beautiful. I always start to take my deep breaths on the way across the water to my happy place.
Again, my bag was the next to last coming off the ferry but as I texted my traveling buddy who was awaiting me, "that's ok, I AM HEREEEEEEE!!!!!!"
All in all, door to dock, this was a 14 hour one. Usually we do it in about 10-12.
There is absolutely nothing like walking through that “security” fence and seeing a smiling face on the other side.
We headed to the Banana Deck for a late dinner. Splitting an appetizer of spring rolls and an entrée of Shrimp Curry which was HUGE and delicious! I let my body settle into the warmth and rhythm of the St. John night. Soon it was time to pay the bill and head over to Coral Bay.
Tomorrow: Ferry to Jost, Hanging out with Mic & Visiting with Ivan!
