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Trip Report, Part VI: Out with a Bang (or rumble)
Trip Report, Part VI: Out with a Bang (or rumble)
TRIP REPORT, PART VI: Out with a Bang
When we last left our little gang, we'd just finished our dinghy day. Friday dawned sunny and gorgeous, nice weather for our last full day.
We had no preconceived plan for where to spend our last day, but everyone felt pretty crispy and tired. We just wanted to relax. When you want shade and just want to relax, there's only one beach for my money, and that's Maho.
We stopped by Baked in the Sun for breakfast and then headed to Maho. Dave and I stopped on the way to take a quick look at Serendip Condos in case we need more budget-friendly accomodations in the future. What a view from up there! We met the Manager and he was very friendly. In my opinion, it's a worthwhile property to consider if your budget is less this year (ie, most of us).
Once we got to Maho all of us quickly got into limin' mode. Most of the group sat and read while I took some pictures:
After a while, we went on a snorkel expedition. The current had definitely picked up from earlier in the week, and the normally placid waters of Maho were picking up a bit. Visibility was reduced, so after stalking a stingray and a barracuda for a little while, I got out and communed with the beach chickens.
As I was drying off, a curious cloud rolled in:
Everyone else on the beach saw the cloud too, and within a few minutes we had ourselves a nice little tropical downpour. We waited it out under the trees and within ten minutes the skies had cleared again. Our group decided to leave around 1:00 and head into town for lunch.
I reluctantly said goodbye to my beloved Maho. It's definitely my favorite beach on St. John, chickens, cats and all.
I had yet to visit Sun Dog on this trip, so I naturally suggested it for our final lunch. We rolled up and ordered a host of appetizers. A few of us had drinks (why not?) and I ordered my favorite drink of the trip, a Drunken Monkey. After two, I was not only full, but I probably looked a little like a drunken monkey myself.
After lunch it was -- what else? -- back to the villa for pool time and more bevvies. We had dinner reservations at Asolare that evening, but they had to be early. The restaurant was closed for a private function after 8:15, so we showed up for what some might call "the early bird special," but what I call "a sunset seating."
I hear less about Asolare on this board than I do about Zozo's or La Tapa. In my opinion, Asolare is the best dining experience on the island, hands down. The service tends to be slightly more casual than Zozo's, but it's always very friendly without seeming forced. And the food and view - both are just superb. I had two specials, the shrimp tempura appetizer and the dinner special, which was a Mahi filet topped with a Caribbean Lobster tail served over crab mashed potatoes with asparagus. No food porn, but d*mn it was good. You'll just have to trust me.
Dinner involved lots of wine, so a few of us were tipsy on the way home (like me). We debated going to a bar, but I think the group was just feeling kind of sad. We were trying to decide when our next group trip will be - 2010? 2011? We are on a once-every-three-years schedule, but may move it to every two years. We'll see. This was the first time to St. John, and I think the crowd was pleased.
We returned to the villa to chill and enjoy a round of cocktails to celebrate our last night. By 11:00 we were all snug like bugs in our bed. Rain fell hard off and on all night, which made being warm and dry in our villa beds all the better.
IS THAT A TRUCK?
I was waking up between 6:30 and 7:30 on this trip, mostly because the sun rose so early compared to home. I'm usually pressed to get out of bed before eight at home, even on weekdays. What can I say? Early doesn't look good on me.
My little eyes popped open on Saturday morning and I consulted with Mr. Clock. It said 6:30, which I thought was patently ridiculous. But see, I'd been asleep since 11:00 the night before, and nature came a calling. Please understand that I'm not trying to be gross or give TMI, but I'm just trying to paint a picture for you folks.
So, I get my bones out of the bed and head into the bathroom. I sit on the loo and within two seconds, I hear a very loud rumble. "Wow," I think to myself, "that's a big truck." Problem is, the rumbling isn't stopping. Then the roof starts rattling and I think, "did a plane coming from St. Thomas crash on St. John?" Then it hits me like a lightbulb -- this is an earthquake!
Dave yells from the bedroom and I quickly finish my, um, business. I run into the bedroom and explain that we're in an earthquake! I watch as the pictures on the wall jangle back and forth and have time to ask "should we go outside or something" just as the rumbling seems to fade.
Our house is awake by this point and Design Chick runs out of her room, saying "oh my God, did you feel that?" Mr. Design Chick spends every week in San Fran, and he's yet to feel an earthquake out there. He had to come all the way to the VIs for that adventure!
And that's the story of how I experienced my first earthquake: On the toilet. I aim for glamour.
After the excitement of the morning, we pack up and get ready. I attempt to style my "sleek bob" back into some semblance of its normal self, and by 9:00, we're on our way. The plan was to return the cars, drop off bags at Connections, meet at JJ's and then take turns leaving as our ferry times arrive.
THE RAINS, THEY COME
After we successfully drop off our cars at Courtesy, four of us head to Connections to store our bags. Dave and I needed to be on the 11:00 ferry, and Mr. and Mrs. Design Chick didn't have to leave until 1:00. The Accountant and her BF headed on to JJ's, as they planned to leave at 10:00. Connections is quite the place to be seen on St. John. All manner of people were conducting business, and we waited patiently for our bags to be taken. I was casually looking at the classified board, you know, for jobs and apartments (Any lawyers needed down there? Wait, let me guess, there are too many of them), when I saw the best sign of my life. See the post entitled, "Chickens: Beach vs. Townie" if you want to know what the heck I'm talking about.
We head to JJ's for breakfast. This was my first time at JJ's, even though I'm typically drawn like a moth to a flame to anything that has the words "Texas Toast" involved. We sit at an outdoor table and place our order. We're all feeling a little sad but can't help noticing that last night's weather seemed to have returned. What started out to be another perfect morning was starting to cloud over, and quickly.
Within five minutes Cruz Bay was engulfed in a downpour. A hard downpour. The outside tables mostly cleared as people waited out the storm. I saw SusanNJ at that point, but I didn't know it at the time. Once the worst of the rain was over, we sat down and ate breakfast in the drizzle. My "sleek bob" had turned into a wavy, frizzy nightmare, but at least I tried.
After breakfast, we said goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Design Chick and waited for the ferry. The Accountant and her BF were with us, having decided to chance the 11:00 ferry for their 2:35 flight. While we were waiting, we learned there would be a 11:15 ferry running to Charlotte Amalie. Would we rather... hell yes, we would.
So we ended up taking the Charlotte Amalie ferry for the first time. It is SO much better than the Red Hook ferry. If given the chance again, I'll take the longer boat ride any day. As we headed towards CA, we noticed that the impressive cloud formations were back, and rain fell intermittently. What a nasty day, and lucky us, we get to fly out in this mess.
Can you tell I'm trying to stall because the end is coming?
We get to CA and quickly arrive at the airport. Our check-in takes under ten minutes and within no time we're sitting in Cyril E. King's terminal, the most exciting place in the world. My favorite part about good 'ol Cyril is how, as the incoming planes disgorge their passengers, said passengers are paraded around the outside of the terminal, in plain view of all the folks waiting to go home. It's just mean. As Design Chick and I watched the Delta plane unload, we were behind the glass saying tormenting things like: "Enjoy your time in the sun, if you SEE any." We later regretted those words.
While we were waiting for our planes, bands of rain kept coming through, each one harder than the next. All our planes were late, but eventually they all arrived. As our plane was sitting on the tarmac waiting to leave, I noticed a Citation (not sure which number, but either V or X) taxiing the runway. It pulled around and as it came to a stop, a blue helicopter was landing right beside it. The high-rollers inside were out of that plane, luggage and all, in under three minutes. I watched as the blue chopper took off and realized that what I just witnessed was one heck of a pimp way to travel. Any idea what or who I saw? Maybe a transport to a private island?
Our flight home was decidedly bumpy. Our first hour was spent in dense, fluffy clouds, the kind typically not associated with smooth air travel. We were in a tropical wave that would later turn into Hurricane Omar, and within a few days we felt very, very sorry for those folks we saw arriving in St. Thomas on our day of departure. We had great weather, but our trip very easily could have gone the other way.
I really enjoyed this trip, though it was not without the normal issues associated with group travel. I've decided that, next time, Dave and I will have our own rental car. It just makes life easier. I'll also choose a different house (and probably a different rental agency) the next time around. But overall, I had a great time with awesome weather and good laughs. I noticed more closed businesses and seemingly homeless people than I recall seeing in 2007, which was sad. The result of a poor economy in the U.S., I suppose.
But I can't say the trip was without surprises: donkeys, sharks, dinghies, painkillers, bruises, cliffs, earthquakes and a tropical wave.
What an adventure.
When we last left our little gang, we'd just finished our dinghy day. Friday dawned sunny and gorgeous, nice weather for our last full day.
We had no preconceived plan for where to spend our last day, but everyone felt pretty crispy and tired. We just wanted to relax. When you want shade and just want to relax, there's only one beach for my money, and that's Maho.
We stopped by Baked in the Sun for breakfast and then headed to Maho. Dave and I stopped on the way to take a quick look at Serendip Condos in case we need more budget-friendly accomodations in the future. What a view from up there! We met the Manager and he was very friendly. In my opinion, it's a worthwhile property to consider if your budget is less this year (ie, most of us).
Once we got to Maho all of us quickly got into limin' mode. Most of the group sat and read while I took some pictures:
After a while, we went on a snorkel expedition. The current had definitely picked up from earlier in the week, and the normally placid waters of Maho were picking up a bit. Visibility was reduced, so after stalking a stingray and a barracuda for a little while, I got out and communed with the beach chickens.
As I was drying off, a curious cloud rolled in:
Everyone else on the beach saw the cloud too, and within a few minutes we had ourselves a nice little tropical downpour. We waited it out under the trees and within ten minutes the skies had cleared again. Our group decided to leave around 1:00 and head into town for lunch.
I reluctantly said goodbye to my beloved Maho. It's definitely my favorite beach on St. John, chickens, cats and all.
I had yet to visit Sun Dog on this trip, so I naturally suggested it for our final lunch. We rolled up and ordered a host of appetizers. A few of us had drinks (why not?) and I ordered my favorite drink of the trip, a Drunken Monkey. After two, I was not only full, but I probably looked a little like a drunken monkey myself.
After lunch it was -- what else? -- back to the villa for pool time and more bevvies. We had dinner reservations at Asolare that evening, but they had to be early. The restaurant was closed for a private function after 8:15, so we showed up for what some might call "the early bird special," but what I call "a sunset seating."
I hear less about Asolare on this board than I do about Zozo's or La Tapa. In my opinion, Asolare is the best dining experience on the island, hands down. The service tends to be slightly more casual than Zozo's, but it's always very friendly without seeming forced. And the food and view - both are just superb. I had two specials, the shrimp tempura appetizer and the dinner special, which was a Mahi filet topped with a Caribbean Lobster tail served over crab mashed potatoes with asparagus. No food porn, but d*mn it was good. You'll just have to trust me.
Dinner involved lots of wine, so a few of us were tipsy on the way home (like me). We debated going to a bar, but I think the group was just feeling kind of sad. We were trying to decide when our next group trip will be - 2010? 2011? We are on a once-every-three-years schedule, but may move it to every two years. We'll see. This was the first time to St. John, and I think the crowd was pleased.
We returned to the villa to chill and enjoy a round of cocktails to celebrate our last night. By 11:00 we were all snug like bugs in our bed. Rain fell hard off and on all night, which made being warm and dry in our villa beds all the better.
IS THAT A TRUCK?
I was waking up between 6:30 and 7:30 on this trip, mostly because the sun rose so early compared to home. I'm usually pressed to get out of bed before eight at home, even on weekdays. What can I say? Early doesn't look good on me.
My little eyes popped open on Saturday morning and I consulted with Mr. Clock. It said 6:30, which I thought was patently ridiculous. But see, I'd been asleep since 11:00 the night before, and nature came a calling. Please understand that I'm not trying to be gross or give TMI, but I'm just trying to paint a picture for you folks.
So, I get my bones out of the bed and head into the bathroom. I sit on the loo and within two seconds, I hear a very loud rumble. "Wow," I think to myself, "that's a big truck." Problem is, the rumbling isn't stopping. Then the roof starts rattling and I think, "did a plane coming from St. Thomas crash on St. John?" Then it hits me like a lightbulb -- this is an earthquake!
Dave yells from the bedroom and I quickly finish my, um, business. I run into the bedroom and explain that we're in an earthquake! I watch as the pictures on the wall jangle back and forth and have time to ask "should we go outside or something" just as the rumbling seems to fade.
Our house is awake by this point and Design Chick runs out of her room, saying "oh my God, did you feel that?" Mr. Design Chick spends every week in San Fran, and he's yet to feel an earthquake out there. He had to come all the way to the VIs for that adventure!
And that's the story of how I experienced my first earthquake: On the toilet. I aim for glamour.
After the excitement of the morning, we pack up and get ready. I attempt to style my "sleek bob" back into some semblance of its normal self, and by 9:00, we're on our way. The plan was to return the cars, drop off bags at Connections, meet at JJ's and then take turns leaving as our ferry times arrive.
THE RAINS, THEY COME
After we successfully drop off our cars at Courtesy, four of us head to Connections to store our bags. Dave and I needed to be on the 11:00 ferry, and Mr. and Mrs. Design Chick didn't have to leave until 1:00. The Accountant and her BF headed on to JJ's, as they planned to leave at 10:00. Connections is quite the place to be seen on St. John. All manner of people were conducting business, and we waited patiently for our bags to be taken. I was casually looking at the classified board, you know, for jobs and apartments (Any lawyers needed down there? Wait, let me guess, there are too many of them), when I saw the best sign of my life. See the post entitled, "Chickens: Beach vs. Townie" if you want to know what the heck I'm talking about.
We head to JJ's for breakfast. This was my first time at JJ's, even though I'm typically drawn like a moth to a flame to anything that has the words "Texas Toast" involved. We sit at an outdoor table and place our order. We're all feeling a little sad but can't help noticing that last night's weather seemed to have returned. What started out to be another perfect morning was starting to cloud over, and quickly.
Within five minutes Cruz Bay was engulfed in a downpour. A hard downpour. The outside tables mostly cleared as people waited out the storm. I saw SusanNJ at that point, but I didn't know it at the time. Once the worst of the rain was over, we sat down and ate breakfast in the drizzle. My "sleek bob" had turned into a wavy, frizzy nightmare, but at least I tried.
After breakfast, we said goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Design Chick and waited for the ferry. The Accountant and her BF were with us, having decided to chance the 11:00 ferry for their 2:35 flight. While we were waiting, we learned there would be a 11:15 ferry running to Charlotte Amalie. Would we rather... hell yes, we would.
So we ended up taking the Charlotte Amalie ferry for the first time. It is SO much better than the Red Hook ferry. If given the chance again, I'll take the longer boat ride any day. As we headed towards CA, we noticed that the impressive cloud formations were back, and rain fell intermittently. What a nasty day, and lucky us, we get to fly out in this mess.
Can you tell I'm trying to stall because the end is coming?
We get to CA and quickly arrive at the airport. Our check-in takes under ten minutes and within no time we're sitting in Cyril E. King's terminal, the most exciting place in the world. My favorite part about good 'ol Cyril is how, as the incoming planes disgorge their passengers, said passengers are paraded around the outside of the terminal, in plain view of all the folks waiting to go home. It's just mean. As Design Chick and I watched the Delta plane unload, we were behind the glass saying tormenting things like: "Enjoy your time in the sun, if you SEE any." We later regretted those words.
While we were waiting for our planes, bands of rain kept coming through, each one harder than the next. All our planes were late, but eventually they all arrived. As our plane was sitting on the tarmac waiting to leave, I noticed a Citation (not sure which number, but either V or X) taxiing the runway. It pulled around and as it came to a stop, a blue helicopter was landing right beside it. The high-rollers inside were out of that plane, luggage and all, in under three minutes. I watched as the blue chopper took off and realized that what I just witnessed was one heck of a pimp way to travel. Any idea what or who I saw? Maybe a transport to a private island?
Our flight home was decidedly bumpy. Our first hour was spent in dense, fluffy clouds, the kind typically not associated with smooth air travel. We were in a tropical wave that would later turn into Hurricane Omar, and within a few days we felt very, very sorry for those folks we saw arriving in St. Thomas on our day of departure. We had great weather, but our trip very easily could have gone the other way.
I really enjoyed this trip, though it was not without the normal issues associated with group travel. I've decided that, next time, Dave and I will have our own rental car. It just makes life easier. I'll also choose a different house (and probably a different rental agency) the next time around. But overall, I had a great time with awesome weather and good laughs. I noticed more closed businesses and seemingly homeless people than I recall seeing in 2007, which was sad. The result of a poor economy in the U.S., I suppose.
But I can't say the trip was without surprises: donkeys, sharks, dinghies, painkillers, bruises, cliffs, earthquakes and a tropical wave.
What an adventure.
Thank you for the reports and the photos. I really enjoyed reading all of them. Looks like you had a great trip.
I can understand that you were surpriced sitting where you did, when the earthquake started. Maybe it wasn't such a bad place anyway, for someone that got really scared
I mean in general, not you.
Can't believe I am going to see this beautiful beaches for myself in a few days
I can understand that you were surpriced sitting where you did, when the earthquake started. Maybe it wasn't such a bad place anyway, for someone that got really scared
I mean in general, not you.Can't believe I am going to see this beautiful beaches for myself in a few days
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piscesgirl0314
- Posts: 598
- Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 12:31 pm
- Location: Chesapeake, VA
Thanks for sharing your adventure - I now think that having lived your's vicariously, I can last until mine begins.
Sounds like you did a good job of dealing with the less than optimum aspects of your trip - and isn't that part of what being on vacation is all about?
I hope you get back to STJ soon - the donkeys and chickens will no doubt miss you!
Sounds like you did a good job of dealing with the less than optimum aspects of your trip - and isn't that part of what being on vacation is all about?
I hope you get back to STJ soon - the donkeys and chickens will no doubt miss you!
Come see us!
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David- n Hampton, VA
- Posts: 137
- Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2006 8:30 am
