USVI-On-Line

Last week, when Ruth posted a link to MaryBeth's pre-trip report that she posted before her first time to STJ, it prompted me to go back and look at some of the posts I made before our first trip, and to read the TR from our maiden voyage.

It struck me how so many things that I was so worried about knowing ahead of time then, are items that I consider to be of so little concern now.

Then a post on the "what do you need to bring with you?" thread served to remind me that there are still others, almost as raw and unsure as I was, that are looking for advice, tips, and, not the least, reassurance.

So now that I'm a grizzled "veteran", (of three whole trips!) I felt compelled to chime in on one of the eternal topics - namely, "what is there to do?/what do I have to do?"

Looking back, some of the things I had on my initial list were;

Rent a dinghy
Buy greens direct from Josephine
Buy fresh fish "on the street"
Go to Vie's

Three trips later, and to now, the last one is the only one I've managed.

I've also never done a day trip to the BVI's.

Or been to Woody's.

I'm not on a first name basis with any of the bartenders at The Beach Bar, Quiet Mon, or The Tap Room.

I've never dined at Zozo's, La Tapa, Rhumblines, or any number of favored eateries.

Never have gotten take out from Uncle Joe's or Candie's.

Our first visit was for a week. We spent it getting to know our way around the island (somewhat), getting lost a few times, not being sure if we were where we thought we were a LOT,and snorkeling.

The second trip was 10 days long. Since we figured we wouldn't have to spend as much time getting "un-lost", surely we'd check some more of those "to do" things off of our list.

Not so much.

Despite the fact that there are 52 beaches to choose from and we'd only been to a handful of them, we returned to some of our "favorites" from the year before because now they are considered "don't miss" locations for us. One of them we even went to three times (Leinster/Waterlemon) although one of those trips was a mistake (so much for not getting lost...)

Third trip was last fall. For most of the year we weren't expecting to be able to go at all, but things kind of fell into place (okay - they may have been pushed a little!) so that we were able to spend another week in "our" paradise. We had to forgo the luxurious (to us) villas we'd stayed in before, but found that what really mattered was that we were there.

We were a little less lost, tried a few new things, visited a few new places. We spent more time than ever before hanging out with people we knew directly and indirectly through this forum, and that made the trip very memorable, fun, and special.

Fast forward to the present. Trips four (in July) and five (October/November) are on the horizon and I've still yet to complete that initial "to do" list. Since I'll be staying very close to Josephine's place this summer there's a chance that I might finally make it to her operation.

But I might not.

And I'm not planning on it.

I used to read people's posts where they said that they spent almost all of their time either hanging out at their villa or eating out. And I couldn't understand why you'd take all the time and trouble to get there and not take advantage of the things that *I* like to do there.

I've recently read accounts of folks taking a tent to a campground and depending on hitchhiking and the VITRAN bus for almost all of their transportation. I found it hard to understand how you could limit your options by being so reliant on others to get around.

And I read a trip report where the couple crammed into one visit things I may not ever get to if I'm lucky enough to continue going for many more years - and I wondered why you'd want to do so much on vacation that you'd be exhausted by the end of it.

Then I realized that to some folks, my trips sound too limited. To some, too regimented. To some, too spontaneous. To others, they may sound too active. Or too boring. But to me (us!), they are perfect - except for the fact that they end too soon!

In a nutshell, what I've learned is this - there are a myriad of ways to enjoy a visit to STJ, and they're all valid. It's truly up to you.

So if you happen to be on island this July, or late October/early November, and you see a guy driving around lost looking for Josephine's Greens, or hanging out with a cooler waiting for the charter boats to come in, or even having that first Dark & Stormy at Quiet Mon, stop and say hi if you have time. Or even better, come and find me at the Beach Bar late Sunday afternoon - I'd love to hear about all of the things you've found to do that weren't on your list!

Well said, Augie! Maybe that's one reason we all love STJ so much. It can always be something different, just depends on how you mix and match it. Your "must do" list can change every time.

I have "must dos" that I have never made it to in 14 trips. In all those trips, I've never hiked Ram Head or seen Blue Cobblestone Beach. I have never eaten at Zozos at sunset. I have never had a black out punch at Quiet Mon or seen Sloop Jones's studio. I have never rented a dinghy. Everytime I leave, I say, "Next time I want to...." Maybe that's why for so many of us, there's always a next time.

Maybe that's why in 14-ish (yes, I have finally lost count) trips, I have never had the same trip twice. Some trips have been a flurry of activity with daysails and ferrys to Jost and a 2 beach minimum per day, some have been nothing but relaxing all day, not even caring if I make to a beach at all.

Yet, all of them have been perfect.

Nice post and I understand exactly where you're coming from.

One of my favorite things to do is just take in my surroundings, even if it's sitting on a beach watching first time snorkelers

We always plan so many things to do and probably only do 1/2 of them and that's ok with me because I know we'll be back.

It took us 3 times to get to Paradise Point, but boy, was it worth it at sunset. Something I won't forget.

There's also things we probably won't do this year, like go to Magen's (we're snorkelers). We may not even do the dinghy's (all I can think of is trying to get back in it.

But, I know we'll have a great time and that time on vacation is so short.

Again, nice post.

Awesome Augie

So very true, it to each of us what we want it to be & make it to be.

You made me think as well of how we are days away from our 7th trip in 4 years & the wonderful people we have met that have become very good friends, how blessed we all truley are to have the opportunity to experience such an amazing place.

The Shopper

Great post Augie.

I still bring along my FFFWD copy and say "I'm definitely going to hit Lameshur this year"- or Blue Cobblestone or Quiet Mon or etc etc etc.

After 5 trips, there are still so many things to do.

Makes me heart flutter and gives me goosebumps just thinking about it...

Our "to do" list, after 15 years still has at least 10 items on it.

Our first trip was in '95 and at that point, at least in my life, the internet was not a big factor in trip planning. So we really didn't know what we didn't know.

I remember calling Rosewoods' 1-800 number and requesting a brochere to plan our honeymoon! It was so exciting. My boss at the time had been vacationing on STJ for years so he was full of "must do this, make sure you try that advice" and we just went from there.

Some things I do remember worrying about:

The fact that Penn's booked our jeep with just a "yeah, sure it will be here" no deposit, no confirmation, just a phone call.

How things worked at Caneel. My resort experience was limited and when I read that men had to wear pants, I believed it and had my husband bring pants for dinner.

A year on the island MIGHT suffice to complete my current "to do list", but there would always be something new to add. Dreams... wonder if Ruth will have a yearly rate....

Good thoughts folks!

Loved your post augie.

The only thing on our "to do" list is to do one thing each trip we haven't done before. It seems to help "differentiate" each trip and remind me of all of the special things the island has to offer.

I will never forget the trip when I was reading the Guy Benjamin book and was inspired to find tamarind. We ate some off a tree (with the guidance of Vie's lovely daughter!) and then got the experience of eating tamarind balls at the market, along with some great homemade hot sauce and some crazy sex potion my husband was coaxed into trying.

But a real list would be too stressful.

I enjoyed your post Augie!

We are going in May for our 20th trip since 2000! Our goal each trip is do one new thing - it works and it's fun. We usually don't even plan it, we figure out what it was at the end of the trip.

In February, our new thing was Lameshur and we loved it. We'll be back there this trip. This trip, I'm hoping that Ron competes in the Minimal Regatta

Great post Augie.

Like Vicki, I have lost count of how many trips I have taken.

I will say this though, my "needs" and "must do's" get less and less with each visit (despite what folks think of my packing list!). With each visit "less" becomes "more" for me.

Less stuff, less expensive restaurants, less expensive villas, less shopping, less stuff to do.

More time doing nothing, more one on one time with my amazing husband, more time experimenting in the kitchen and trying new foods and spices, more time talking to locals, more time smiling and listening and just enjoying a slower pace that I would never allow myself at home.

I discovered that no matter how hot it is there, if you just slow down, you don't feel as hot.

I too like to add at least one new thing to each trip, that way I don't feel like such a slacker. But I have done an awful lot over the years and am glad that I took the time to do them.

On my first trip to STJ years ago right after college and after I had started my first "big girl" job (it was my first PAID vacay)... I really "discovered" myself.

I sat on the beach at Hawksnest and dug my toes into the soft sand and looked out across a sea of impossibly turquoise blue water and I took the first deep breath I had taken in what seemed to be my entire life. And then I exhaled.

At that point I started to think about who I was and what I wanted and what really mattered in my life.

It was a time before mortagages, car payments, stressful careers, marriage, and the loss of a parent.

It was a time when I had my whole life ahead of me. Given the stresses of everyday life, it gets easier to lose sight of that young woman. But, luckily, I am always able to find her again on each return visit.

I know that I am incredibly lucky to have found STJ and to be able to spend my free time there.

In the end it's really not about how much you physically do with your time on island, as much as it is taking time to be who you are -- or forgot to be -- somehwere along the way.

I think the great thing is once you are there, you don't feel like you HAVE to do anything. I think that's why STJ vacations are so relaxing- they are more about "being" than it is about "doing".

GREAT thread augie!!! Love this!

Two thumbs up on the post
We love to do nothing on vacation (and we're very good at it!). Other people amaze me at how much they can fit in, and I love to read their reports to get ideas of things that maybe we'll try someday. My better half and I have discussed several times how on such a small island there's still so many things we haven't done yet after 6 trips. We have our next scheduled in July too-maybe we'll see you to discuss all the things still to do

Great thread Augie, it is fun reading.

We've just gotten back after our 15th trip in as many years and we've already started on our "to do" for next year.

For a few years we shied away from hiking much, fearing the heat and humidity. Now we check back on Gerald Singer's blog for new trails that haven't made it into his book and we haven't done yet. Elk Bay from Haulover South? The snorkeling could be good.

Every year we plan on a trip over to the BVI's and have only made it twice and some day Anegada.

I want to visit Trinadad Charlies' gardens.

The really nice part of this forum is seeing how differently but alike we all spend our time on Island. What things are important and what isn't. I used to mock birders but now I have a life fish list in the back of my "Reef Fish" id book. Which created a "fish to see" list each year and conversely a "fish I don't want to see" list.

Thanks again for the thread.