Lucy and I ( Mike) did 1 week stay at Guavaberry Spring Bay and one week with 3 other DC area couples at a Bigger Splash Villa, all within walking distance to Mad dogs and Top of the Baths. If this gets too long , I will do it in parts:<br>Pre -planning lessons<br> Most of my pre-planning turned out to be overkill: I had my long evening clothes, netting, and tons of 100% deet Repel. So I was ready and covered with clothes and deet every night until our 6 friends arrived the 2nd week. By then I was confident enough that the bugs had for the most part flown to some other island. Overall I got 2 bites the whole time. Again our packing was 3x what we needed, and wore the same clothes most of the time. Brought no food etc and didnt miss it. Did forget an important prescription medicine and couldn't get it in the BVIs.This caused a stupid ruckus for us for a couple of days and for the staff at Guavaberry. Called my doctor in Maryland and he said just wait till you get back.[Linked Image]<br> Departure- had 7am flight at Dulles and 430am Mongomery airport shuttle arrived at 4am. We got 1 hr sleep that night. Check in took 45 minutes, security took 5 minutes. I got a ham and egg sandwich at airport Burger King, Flight 3/4 full, and we had 3 seats for us 2, and gobs of leg room. A new American Air jet of 4 months.<br>The time sprung forward an hour and we went to the gate at sju but I went around the airport looking for a pharmacy. No Luck. Almost got stuck cause a junior security guard didnt understand why my tickets said USAir and I wanted into the AA complex(it was a partner thing on the air miles deal) Our tortola plane was way full and hot and I took off my Hoyas sweatshirt and my Champion sweatshirt soon after sitting down. At Tortola we felt like we were home again as this is our 9th trip since 1977 and only our 2nd one without our son Joel who has begun a new job protecting water habitats and coastline, ( the BVI ecology efforts must have had a positive effect on him )<br> It was 1:15pm at Tortola customs on Saturday 11-24 and I thought how Valerie at Guavaberry was right that we would never make the 1:00pm NSX, but chill at Mongoose till the 3:45 Ferry. HOWEVER, by a stroke of luck the 1:00 had nobody, and the NSX baggage handler took us right to his van and right to his boat at the airport. We pushed off at 1:30 with a very nice Ms. Battle of Tortola who chatted with us, and several other residents. She was on her way to a Chamber of Commerce award ceremony at Bitter End since she is the executive director.<br> Arrival at Spanishtown dock was uneventful but impressive that Valerie had the taximan ready and waiting and greeting us as soon as we set foot there ( still amazes me how they do this when my ferry was 2 hours and a half early? Perhaps the driver was on his own there??? Any way Valerie lead us up to Banyan cottage - 2nd to the last up on the top of the Guavaberry Hill.. Enough for now: coming next: next mornings walk into Bath and Turtle and the morning sail aboard Spirt, on our first full day[Linked Image]<br><br>