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What will yall do on your first night in paradise
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wontongirl
- Posts: 518
- Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2006 1:19 pm
We always start out trips at a hotel--different ones for different trips. This year we are starting at Gallows. So, the routine will be arrive, unpack, dinner at sunset at Zozo's. If we are up for it we'll go into town for a drink, but the more likely scenario is that we will go to bed early and John will sleep for around 14 hours! Then, up early to snorkel all day. We've not snorkeled Frank Bay before and I am looking forward to it.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
This will be our first time, so I'm still pondering some of the options.
Our plane is scheduled to land about 3:00PM on a Monday in slow season, so I think we may be able to catch the 4:00PM ferry. We'll meet the villa rep, pick up the rental, and drive to the villa on Gift Hill Rd. for the orientation.
After that we can either drive back to Cruz Bay and do some shopping at Starfish and Mixology, or have one of the provisioners deliver dinner and drinks to get us through the first night - we're still working that part out. Either way, the plan is to watch the sunset/lights of STT/stars from the deck/pool!
Our plane is scheduled to land about 3:00PM on a Monday in slow season, so I think we may be able to catch the 4:00PM ferry. We'll meet the villa rep, pick up the rental, and drive to the villa on Gift Hill Rd. for the orientation.
After that we can either drive back to Cruz Bay and do some shopping at Starfish and Mixology, or have one of the provisioners deliver dinner and drinks to get us through the first night - we're still working that part out. Either way, the plan is to watch the sunset/lights of STT/stars from the deck/pool!
Come see us!
This is a fun post -
We shoe the villa rep out the door asap and tear through the house, delighting in the surroundings.
Minutes later, we attack the welcome basket and booze, sit on the deck and relax! Much discussion concerning the view, the house, the neighborhood follows.
Even though we are usually tired from the travel day, we must go downtown, walk around and discuss the changes we see, more drinks and then dinner. We are creatures of habit and tend to eat at the same restaurant for the first night.
We shoe the villa rep out the door asap and tear through the house, delighting in the surroundings.
Minutes later, we attack the welcome basket and booze, sit on the deck and relax! Much discussion concerning the view, the house, the neighborhood follows.
Even though we are usually tired from the travel day, we must go downtown, walk around and discuss the changes we see, more drinks and then dinner. We are creatures of habit and tend to eat at the same restaurant for the first night.
It's cool listening to everybody's routines.
Hotel night-over in STT cause it's a long travel day for us. 2:00 or 3:00 ferry, whatever floats our boat. Arrive at villa and have some "wow" time. Villa gravity kicks in and I love provisioning and arrival dinner so we can sit on deck watching the little peeps play in the pool, view the sunset and start lushing and congratulating ourselves with high fives on another successful trip that we worked and planned so hard for.
The next morning it's up for breakfast and straight to the beach (Hawksnest Baby!) to start some serious limin in the moment because you never know what tomorrow may bring. I've been a lucky girl and try not to take too much for granted. It's been a good life and I hope to make many more island memories...
Hotel night-over in STT cause it's a long travel day for us. 2:00 or 3:00 ferry, whatever floats our boat. Arrive at villa and have some "wow" time. Villa gravity kicks in and I love provisioning and arrival dinner so we can sit on deck watching the little peeps play in the pool, view the sunset and start lushing and congratulating ourselves with high fives on another successful trip that we worked and planned so hard for.
The next morning it's up for breakfast and straight to the beach (Hawksnest Baby!) to start some serious limin in the moment because you never know what tomorrow may bring. I've been a lucky girl and try not to take too much for granted. It's been a good life and I hope to make many more island memories...
The last two visits, we've stayed on STT for the first night. From airport to island-time w/i a half hour!
Once we hit the hotel (this year it was the Green Iguana), we relax a bit then hit a restaurant then relax a bit more. Makes the travel day so much less
stressful.
The next day, we hit CA early (there's no one around), grab breakfast, hit some shops for liquor etc before the crowds arrive and then head over to STJ.
Now we have the entire day to settle into STJ instead of having to rush around getting off the plane, taxiiing to the ferry, picking up the car, groceries, getting to the villa, not knowing what to do for supper etc.
Instead we get off the ferry the next day, maybe get a bite to eat and/or a drink, pick up the car, maybe grab some groceries, take a slow drive around, go to Skinny's for a drink, meet villa rep, etc all on our own time and with plenty of it.
Once we hit the hotel (this year it was the Green Iguana), we relax a bit then hit a restaurant then relax a bit more. Makes the travel day so much less
stressful.
The next day, we hit CA early (there's no one around), grab breakfast, hit some shops for liquor etc before the crowds arrive and then head over to STJ.
Now we have the entire day to settle into STJ instead of having to rush around getting off the plane, taxiiing to the ferry, picking up the car, groceries, getting to the villa, not knowing what to do for supper etc.
Instead we get off the ferry the next day, maybe get a bite to eat and/or a drink, pick up the car, maybe grab some groceries, take a slow drive around, go to Skinny's for a drink, meet villa rep, etc all on our own time and with plenty of it.
Pick up the car rental, go to the villa, get changed and snack on some items from the welcome basket. Next, probably hit starfish market for some food and drinks and then back to the villa to kick back and relax for awhile. In December, we cooked in our first night. In times past, we've gone out for a casual dinner. Not to sure on this upcoming trip. We arrive on the 28th which is fireworks in STT, so maybe we'll end up at the beach bar or zozo's in the upstairs lounge to see if we can watch the fireworks from afar. I'm not really a creature of habit (that would be my husband), so any spontaneous decisions are fine with me. Ali~
STJ - I "get it"
Msgcolleen - I love reading the villa guest book too! There were a couple of older ones from Bayview Villa that were hilarious!
This year our first night will be a Secret Harbour. We plan on hitting their beach and having our first dinner at Blue Moon. Drive around STT the next morning, provision, have lunch and then ferry over to St John. I'm pretty sure our first night will be enjoying the view, dinner and drinks and a few more drinks, from the deck and or hottub at Villa Capiz. Can't wait - 22 more days!
This year our first night will be a Secret Harbour. We plan on hitting their beach and having our first dinner at Blue Moon. Drive around STT the next morning, provision, have lunch and then ferry over to St John. I'm pretty sure our first night will be enjoying the view, dinner and drinks and a few more drinks, from the deck and or hottub at Villa Capiz. Can't wait - 22 more days!
Well, first off the ferry someone goes for cold beers and another hits St. John Spice for hot sauce and rubs.
When we have the party group we send a couple folks to the grocery, a couple folks to Mixology and the rest get the villa ready for the fest. I think we'll get the Mixology order delivered next time. Then, it's time to get out of those travel clothes, fire up the blender, get the grill going, fire up the blender and enjoy the sunset.
When it's just Christine and I, we drop our bags at the villa and head out for a drink a few provisions. We are much less structured for just the two of us. On the 27th, we'll be meeting the forum group at the Beach Bar at 8 or 9.
Cheers, RickG
When we have the party group we send a couple folks to the grocery, a couple folks to Mixology and the rest get the villa ready for the fest. I think we'll get the Mixology order delivered next time. Then, it's time to get out of those travel clothes, fire up the blender, get the grill going, fire up the blender and enjoy the sunset.
When it's just Christine and I, we drop our bags at the villa and head out for a drink a few provisions. We are much less structured for just the two of us. On the 27th, we'll be meeting the forum group at the Beach Bar at 8 or 9.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
She said consent. I heard her.wontongirl wrote:Im not making you out to be the bad guy Jorgie- You are a sweetheart! The cosmos must have not been very strong because I made it up to exercise and went to bed by 10pm.
You better not post pics of me without my consent or you will be in BIG BIG BIG trouble!!!!
21 days !!!!!!
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
For the first time we'll be met by Christopher and taxi'd to Red Hook for Dohm's water taxi. (Usually if it were just me and the husband it would not be worth it but the simplification of the process with gram and 2 kids is tipping the balance).
I assume we'll arrive at the national park dock? Not sure. Anyway...we get off the boat in STJ. I am betting hubby, gram and baby Max will chill on the dock with what will be a MOUND of luggage while Ella and I head to get our jeep from Carmen. Ella recieved compliments last trip on her politeness, so I am hoping for more of the same there.
We get the jeep, pick up the family and luggage and head to our house in Maria Bluff. Since its so close I am betting we'll unload and leave either gram and the kids or daddy and the kids behind and the other two adults will head to the store to stock up.
We are getting in around 2ish so we should have plenty of time to stock up and pick up Uncle Joe's (or maybe Candi's) BBQ for dinner. Everyone will probably be bushed so I will get the kiddos in bed and then unpack. I like to make it feel like home so EVERYTHING comes out of the bags and goes where it would at home. The ipod dock is set up the tunes go on and I unload the capris, shorts, bathing suits, FLIP-FLOPs.
Once all that is done we'll probably find a drink and just mellow out on the deck until we can't keep our eyes open, deciding which beach to hit first on our first REAL day of vacation.
Ahhhhhh...you guys have taken me there mentally with this thread.
I assume we'll arrive at the national park dock? Not sure. Anyway...we get off the boat in STJ. I am betting hubby, gram and baby Max will chill on the dock with what will be a MOUND of luggage while Ella and I head to get our jeep from Carmen. Ella recieved compliments last trip on her politeness, so I am hoping for more of the same there.
We get the jeep, pick up the family and luggage and head to our house in Maria Bluff. Since its so close I am betting we'll unload and leave either gram and the kids or daddy and the kids behind and the other two adults will head to the store to stock up.
We are getting in around 2ish so we should have plenty of time to stock up and pick up Uncle Joe's (or maybe Candi's) BBQ for dinner. Everyone will probably be bushed so I will get the kiddos in bed and then unpack. I like to make it feel like home so EVERYTHING comes out of the bags and goes where it would at home. The ipod dock is set up the tunes go on and I unload the capris, shorts, bathing suits, FLIP-FLOPs.
Once all that is done we'll probably find a drink and just mellow out on the deck until we can't keep our eyes open, deciding which beach to hit first on our first REAL day of vacation.
Ahhhhhh...you guys have taken me there mentally with this thread.
Our biggest tradition is the group swim in the pool almost immediately upon arriving at the villa. Everyone picks their room, drops their bags, mixes their drinks, I pop in the Ipod and in we go!! The chorus of collective "ahhs" is a thing of beauty to hear! Normally, we do Zozo's our first night, but this year my brother and his girlfriend (who live on STJ) are stocking our villa AND cooking us dinner. How lucky are we!!!! We are an extremely amusing family if I do say so myself, so if you are in the Point Rendezvous area a week from Saturday, those roars of laughter you'll be hearing will be us.
Paula
