Wow. What a trip. If you want the summary, here goes...We had high expectations for the BVI after spending the last few months on this board and reading everyone's comments...and they were absolutely exceeded beyond belief! We had an awesome honeymoon and are already planning our return trip for our first anniversary next July. Thanks to all for your advice and help in planning our trip. If you want to read the details of the trip, keep going, otherwise here are the pics:

our BVI pics

Day 1 - We arrived around 1:30pm on Monday at Beef Island. We went outside and our driver from Denzil Clyne's was waiting for us. We got in the car and I don't think we spoke 2 words in the 30 minute ride to West End. We were so much in awe and overwhelmed by the scenery! Absolutely stunning. We got our car and headed to the Lighthouse in CGB. I must say, from all of you who have been going to BVI for 10, 15, 20+ years, it's funny to hear you say how busy CGB has gotten over the years. I understand what you mean, but for BVI virgins, it was absolutely perfect! A couple hotels, some villas, a couple bars, and a beautiful beach. We got to our room and quickly headed out to the Roadside Bar for lunch (behind Big Banana). After that, we headed down to the beach and took our first dip in the crystal clear waters. We got a couple painkillers as we wandered the beach and were just so happy that we were finally there! For dinner, we went to myett's, which was very good. Decent sized crowd, and we were joined by a cat, a rooster and a puppy dog! Pretty fun time for 2 animal lovers. Afterwards we retired to our room and finished our complimentary bottle of wine from myetts (thank you, DMG!!!!)
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

Day 2 - Awoke at, get this, 5:30am! I have no idea how since I got NO sleep the sunday after the wedding, but regardless, we were out the door at 6. We headed down to Sopers Hole which was dead quiet but great to see all the boats. Some of them were unreal. Had breakfast at Pisces restaurant and looked around the shops. Then we went back to the room and got ready for some swimming at Brewers Bay (from a tip we heard on TTOL). Got to Brewers Bay and were amazed by how UN-crowded it was. Oh well, we'll take it! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> Had a great swim and tried out the underwater casing for my digicam, seemed to work alright. Then went back to the room and got ready for dinner at the Brandywine! What can I say? Davide, it was amazing! The place is gorgeous and the food is out of this world. While enjoying our drinks on the terrace we met a couple celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary who were staying in Brewers Bay and wanted to meet up with us later in the week! This is when we learned how NICE people are in the BVI! It was an amazing meal and and awesome night! But wait, there's more! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Cool.gif" alt="" /> After dinner, we headed down to Quito's to see him play acoustic. We're sitting at the bar when who walks in but Malcolm! I turn to my wife and say "honey, that's MANPOT! from TTOL!" she's like "huh?" next thing i know, i'm introducing myself to him (probably because i had a couple drinks in me) and we hung out all night...well, he hung longer than we did....i had too many quito's legends! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drinking.gif" alt="" /> but, he was kind enough to introduce us to quito and is an all around great guy! We would have more interactions with him later in the week, but for now, i had to stumble home across the street as we had another early day planned.

Day 3 - We awoke a little later than tuesday and quickly got ready for our 9am daysail with Patouche. Neither of us are sailors really, and we'd never been snorkelling, but when in Rome..... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> Anyway, the people at Patouche were great, Clive and his cousin Shane lead our tour, there were about 12 other people on the boat and we hit the Caves, another spot on Norman Island, and a spot on Peter Island. For first time snorkellers, this was quite an experience. Once you put your head down in the water, the rest of the world gets tuned out and it's like you're on another planet! The fish were awesome, we saw sea turtles, i saw a barracuda (and quickly swam in the other direction). It was a great day, I can't say the best day because there were so many, but we would definitely sail with Patouche again. After an exhausting day snorkelling, we hit bananakeet for dinner. I must say I was pleasantly surprised...It wasn't really what I expected. The view was awesome! We had dinner and drinks and then went back to the room for a nap, during which Emily made her presence felt. We were so sunburnt that we couldn't really sleep, so we got up and headed to Bomba's at around 10:30. It was dead. I guess power went out on most of the island so no one went out....I think there were 4 - 5 other people there and that was it. Sort of a letdown for our first Bombas Shack experience. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" />
We went back to the room and got some rest.

Day 4 - Thursday we took the ferry over to Jost Van Dyke. Arrived at the Soggy Dollar around 10:30 and promptly ordered up some painkillers. Met some folks sailing on the Mandalay and had some drinks with them as it started raining. It seemed we were going to get more of Emily today. After a few drinks, we headed down to the other end of the bay to rent some snorkel equipment (we were now hooked!!!) and snorkeled for about an hour. It was OK, got some decent pics, but we were still tired and the weather wasn't that great so we headed into one love. Once again, we were the only people in the bar, but we loved it. We met Racquel, and then Seddy came in! Quite a character he is. Then Emily really turned it on and the crowd poured in. We had MANY bushwackers and painkillers while Seddy performed his magic tricks! It really was a great few hours. We were still burnt from the day before so we needed some indoor time, and it pretty much rained all afternoon so it worked out perfectly!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> After a couple hours at one love, we headed back to Soggy Dollar for another drink and then caught our cab over to Great Harbour(?) to hit Foxy's before catching the ferry back to Tortola. While at Foxy's, my wife hit the gift shop and I had a couple drinks with Stephen and Jason from Catnap Charters. Very funny guys, they were a lot of fun to hang out with! Then we walked back to the ferry and headed home. For dinner, we went to Quitos. We were upstairs eating and saw Mal down at the bar but by the time we got down there he was gone! sneaky guy, that manpot!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Day 5 - Friday we sucked it up and went to Sopers to buy our own snorkelling gear. We couldn't resist and I'm so glad we did. We also took this opportunity to do most of our shopping for family/friends/etc. While eating lunch at Pusser's, we recognized one of our local (philly) newscasters on vacation. that was kind of funny. After we left Sopers, we were anxious to try out our new stuff, so we headed down to brewer's bay and had some GREAT snorkelling! This was turning out to be our favorite spot on the island. Friday night we hit the Palms Delight for dinner and both got the Gingerwine Chicken! Outstanding! After that we headed to quito's to see the edge and met up with Malcolm once again! Had some drinks and conversation and had a great time! Quito is awesome!!!! And we got 2 CDs while we were there (probably gonna order more now that we're home to help with the DIF!!!). At about 11pm, we got REAL tired and went home (too many quitos legends again I guess! damn, those are good!)

Day 6 - This is the day my wife said "we always do what YOU want to do, I want to go to Virgin Gorda". And off we went! And I am SO glad that we did. We took the 10:30am ferry from roadtown and hit the baths. Now, this was the most crowded beach we'd seen all week, but it didn't matter. It was unbelievable! So beautiful! And great snorkeling too! We really had a great time and got some great pictures. At one point we were in the water just relaxing without our snorkelling gear and these two fish kept swimming around us....for like 15 minutes...so i just stuck my camera in the water and snapped and got one of the best pics of the trip! We were so lucky. We then went to the Top of the Baths to have lunch and wait for our cab back to the dock. But since there was a 10:30PM ferry, we took the cab to the Rock Cafe and hung out there and had dinner! Great place! We really loved it there. The inside is VERY nice and they have nice outdoor seating (which we opted out of because of the bugs). Dinner there was great and we met the owners Paula and Dwight(?). It was funny, we were in the islands, they have a tequila bar, and the menu is italian! Quite a global experience! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" /> After many hours there, we finally caught the cab back to the ferry and headed back to the lighthouse for some much needed rest.

Day 7 - Our last full day in the BVI. We started off with breakfast at Sebastians, where I had quite possibly the best Bloody Mary I'd ever had in my life. Then we drove to Bamboushay in Nanny Cay so my wife could send more money....I mean, pick up more gifts for our friends/family... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> After that, we headed back to Brewers Bay for snorkelling and to meet up with MarkR and his wife, Paige, who we met earlier at Brandywine. We met them and headed up to their place which is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! If we're lucky, we plan on staying there next year when we go...the view is amazing and the place is really nice. They were so kind and gave us the number of the owner and everything (including wine, painkillers and beer!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drinking.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drinking.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drinking.gif" alt="" />) They were such great people and we're so lucky to have met them (as we were so lucky to meet all the TTOLers we met this week). After seeing their place, we headed home to get ready for our last dinner in tortola...at the sugar mill. The place is beautiful and the food...awesome. I had this smoked salmon roulade(?) appetizer that was delicious....it melted in your mouth! It was like salmon ice cream (i know that sounds gross, but believe me...IT'S NOT!!) We really enjoyed the sugar mill and will definitely return on our future visits. Afterwards we headed to Bombas, where it was a little more lively than wednesday....and then Malcolm showed up!!!! THAT'S when the party got going! We talked to him for a while, had some drinks, he took us over to meet Bomba, and then he took us to see his house!!!! AWESOME!!!! it's really a great place!!!! we saw so many cool places in one week, we have like our next 5 trips already planned!!! After a couple rum punches, we headed back home... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" />

Day 8 - took the car back to denzil and headed to the airport. DIF already setting in. The Quitos CDs and the red stripe are helping, but I don't know if we can make it another year.....maybe new years???? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />