Traveling to the Islands

Brit's friend Sammie stayed over Friday night. At 3:00 a.m. Saturday morning we woke up and were out the door by 4:00. Thank you Sammie so much for staying and draggin our asses to the airport--you are a doll. But the biggest shout out goes to my very allergic, good friend Elizabeth who came once a day before work and several times in the afternoons to feed/water/pet my kitties. The cats didn't shun me when I returned from this trip like they usually do. They were well cared for. Thanks!

Delta Airlines in SA was a pain in the ass and disorganized. You can't precheck in for international flights anymore, but they have not helped the craziness that happens at the airport check in either--boo Delta.

Flight from SA to Atlanta was uneventful. We ate burgers and had bloody mary's at a bar in the airport in ATL because there was a 45 min. delay for our flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Why you ask? Because they forgot to bring the plane from the hangar. Did they forget that there was a flight or what??? Then there was a security check that had to be done once it arrived at the airport so at least I have the allusion of safety working in my favor.

There weren't enough people on the flight so we had the back rows to ourselves and spread out for a nap. We watched Confessions of a Shopaholic. I hate that I like movies like that. It was stupid, but like a rubber necker at a train wreck, I continued to watch.

We flew into San Juan and it looked filthy like a 3rd world country and not a U.S. territory. I will never want to go there. We waited for our luggage only to find out that our mom had misinformed us and our luggage had already been transported to the Cessna that would take us to the BVIs, a fact that she will dispute to her dying day because it would mean that she was wrong and that is like god being wrong and the world would have to cease existing. LOL.

We ended up being a lil bit late to meet the parents. Each plane could only carry 9 people so mom and Bruce went ahead of us. Our puddle jumper flight gave us a great view of the BV and USVIs. What was hilarious was the pilot kept glancing at the manual as he flew the plane. I will admit it made me a bit nervous. (I have since found out that he was going through a checklist and was exhibiting an action done by only the most conscientious of pilots)

The BVI airport on Beef Island was super small and the customs officials asked where the rum was!?! I said that is why we came here--to get the rum--so we didn't have any yet. Man! what a break from the seriousness with which one usually meets customs officials. It was also a break from the frustration I was feeling being separated from mom and Bruce who were out the door and in a taxi as I was stuck behind 3 older, slower, dawdling couples.

Finally we were past the rigmarole and in the taxi heading to the BVI Yacht Charter dock on Tortola. Our boat was cool. It was a center cockpit 40 ft Beneteau. We dropped off our stuff and headed out to dinner on the taxi that had waited for us to drop off our shit at the boat. We wanted to go to Spaghetti Junction, but it was closed so we settled for Pusser's Restaurant.

Brittney had conch soup, Mom had curry chicken roti, Bruce had shepherd's pie, and I had fish and chips (mine sucked, they have better F&C at Lion and the Rose in SA). I do not have a picture of the food since someone has informed me that pics of food on blogs is boring. J/j you know there will be some eventually. But the drinks were good.

Our waitress was from Jamaica. Most of the people in the service industry around here are from other Caribbean islands. What they say is that the BVIans are lazy; but really they are just too proud. Plus they have free higher education for all people born on the island and free healthcare. They aren't too proud they just have better jobs as doctors and businesspeople.

The same cabbie picked us up and we found that Bruce had left his cane in the taxi. He brought it along for the trip in case his back acted up. Once back at the dock, the price for the taxi had doubled--big surprise! We went ahead and paid it. Bruce forgot the cane again, but I picked it up. We have a tradition of being ripped off by cabbies the 1st night we are anywhere new.

Everyone was tired from a long day and settled down to sleep. The bed for me and Brit was too small for how hot is was without AC in the cabin so I grabbed some deck cushions and a blanket and slept on the foredeck of the boat. It was a little awkward sleeping next to an open hatch, the one that was providing Brit with air, but after shutting it and hearing her scream a couple of times, I managed to avoid it for most of the night.