This is our trip report from our trip from June 13 to 23, 2015. As we usually do these days, we stayed at Beachside Villas, where we enjoyed ten wonderful days of being ‘at home in paradise’. It doesn’t get any better than this!!



As usual, I have tried to divide this up in sections so you can ignore what doesn’t interest you. For those interested in food, I did a separate report on that.

FLIGHTS DOWN AND BACK

We booked with AA frequent flyer mileage and had waited somewhat late to book tickets, in April, for June flights. Initially we booked June 14 to 22, as those were the only dates we could get which included our anniversary, June 16. We were able to change our tickets twice to add a day on each end, the second time, only a week out from when we left home. So, it pays to keep checking! And, as of now, anyway, AA still allows you to change a date (only) on a FF ticket with no fee at all. Good job, AA! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

We live an hour and a half from Orlando, the same distance from Tampa, and three and a half hours from Miami. Since there are no non stop flights from either Orlando or Tampa to SXM, we normally just drive to Miami for the nonstop on AA.

As usual, we parked at Miami Fast Park . We feel this is the only way to go to park in Miami, unless you have free parking with a hotel room. It is right across the street from the airport, costs $10 a day, they pick you up and drop you off right AT your car, and they have shuttles that constantly run the parking lot and at the airport. When we arrived home, we waited maybe five minutes at the airport for a shuttle to arrive and that is the norm for them—NEVER a long wait at the airport for the shuttle. They give you a free paper in the morning when you arrive at the airport and free bottled water when you get back in your car. They have some (not all) covered parking and unless it’s really busy, we are usually able to get covered parking for no extra fee.

I’m not sure if it is the normal gate for the SXM flight now, but our gate was D3, and it was a LOOOOOOOOONG walk. We made the mistake of getting one drink apiece at the bar very close to the gate—THIRTY THREE DOLLARS LATER (including an 18% auto tip!! ) <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Shocked.gif" alt="" />, we said no thank you to the bartender’s offer to sell us a drink to take on the plane!! Airport prices are truly out of control when it costs more to drink on the ground than in the air.. Since we were on the evening flight and didn’t want to try to pick up something to eat once we arrived, we picked up a sandwich and a salad to share on the way down, which suited us fine.

The plane on the way down appeared to be fairly new, and had seatback entertainment consoles. Unfortunately, none of them worked!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Mad.gif" alt="" /> And they made the seats feel very claustrophobic, especially considering the power packs were under the seats, which took up close to half of the floor space under the seats. (On the trip home, we had a plane with the standard drop down TV screens in the ceiling, and no power packs under the seats, which made it a lot more comfortable.)

The flight was totally FULL, but was on time, and being the evening flight, there was no line for immigration. We had taken the evening AA flight down in December 2014 because it was all we could get on frequent flyer tickets and at that time, we hated arriving at 9 at night, especially since we had a problem with our car rental. Thus I was really loathe to do it again, but again it was all I could get. But in the summer, the evening flight arrives an hour earlier and we had no problem with the car this time. Since we have the 3 ½ hour drive to Miami, the evening flight allows us to get up at the regular time and leisurely head out around 11:30, so we don’t arrive worn out from getting up in the middle of the night. Thus, because of this, much better experience, I would definitely consider taking the evening flight again in the summer.

…FAST FORWARD TO THE FLIGHT HOME…

We decided not to go check in early this time, as we often do, but just go to the airport and stay. I had wanted to get there two hours before and go to the Souliga Lounge, but somehow we just didn’t make it around in time. We did waste an extra good ten minutes, sitting on the road by Sunset. The taxi cab drivers are just OUT of CONTROL there. One cab literally blocked the road in BOTH directions as he pulled into the middle of the road and loaded twelve people, a few at a time, into his cab. Maddening….

We arrived at the airport around 1:20 for our 2:50 flight, and were the only ones in the check in line, and were through immigration and security by around 1:35. We had brought a sandwich with us for the plane, but ended up eating it, along with a 375ml bottle of wine that we got from Bacchus, there in the airport before boarding. Our plane was totally full.

I’m not sure exactly what happened, but apparently a US Air flight never left SXM on Monday June 22, as we saw the US Air plane on the ground early in the morning of the 23rd. We heard the announcements for the US Air flight to Charlotte which was scheduled to leave around the same time as our flight. They were severely oversold on the flight and they were offering free roundtrip tickets anywhere in the WORLD that US Air flew, for anyone agreeing to take a bump… Wow.. I wish I could have volunteered for that!!

Our plane was loaded on time and then we waited, in a totally full plane, for approximately 40 minutes, something about one of the passengers onboard getting medical clearance to fly. I couldn’t understand why that hadn’t been taken care of before the person ever boarded the plane. We landed about 30 minutes late, but had no wait for a gate, and had a very short walk to immigration, due to the new Sky Train, which I know that we did not use when we came back from SXM in December 2014. Unfortunately the immigration machines were throwing a very high number of people into the “x” lines, so those lines were long, but customs was where it went totally to h*lll. The customs agents were examining EVERYONE and the lines were horrendous. It took a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes from when our plane landed until we were through immigration and customs. We have gone through Miami several times in recent years and this experience was by FAR the worst we have had. Hopefully the customs situation will get resolved soon, or we may consider getting Global Entry.

But, back to SXM..

CAR RENTAL through Triple A Car Rental
Upon arrival in SXM, with NO wait in immigration, we waited a bit for bags, and then were met by Triple A Car Rental with our vehicle. I was somewhat dismayed when I saw the vehicle, which was some type of an SUV, a nice new car, with no dings or dents and pretty BIG! The next day we called Alain and said “thanks very much for the free huge upgrade, but could we have an older, dinged up, smaller car, please??” Alain laughed and in a little bit, one of the guys brought down our substitute ride, which we thanked him very kindly for! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />




BEACHSIDE VILLAS

For those that may not be familiar with it, BSV is on Simpson Bay Beach, just by the airport. You get there by going as if you were going to Sunset Bar and Grill, and then you turn left immediately before you go through the entrance to (now) Alegria. You follow that road for a bit and make the first left and go all the way to the end. BSV consists of about a dozen individual villas, all of which are either two or three bedroom villas, with two bathrooms. If you rent the villa as a one bedroom villa, the back bedroom is shut off, but we have always had access to both bathrooms. We actually prefer the second bathroom to the (much larger) master bathroom because the second bathroom has just a regular stand up shower and the master bathroom has a tub with shower. There is a ton of storage in the master bedroom, with two full closets, plus a large dresser and bedside tables.

BSV is many things, but it is NOT glitzy or glamorous. There are no marble or granite countertops, no stainless steel appliances, no dishwasher, no ice maker, no a/c in the main room (although there is a/c in the bedrooms). BSV truly LOOKS like you’re in the Caribbean, with bright Caribbean colors all over the place, unlike many places, that you can’t tell by the décor whether you’re in New York or Miami or San Francisco. There is a lovely living room, with sliding glass doors that open wide to provide a six foot wide view of the lovely Caribbean sea, which is just down 3 or 4 steps to the sand. There’s a porch with loungers and a table in the shade out front, where we normally take most of our meals, although there is a regular dining table in the living area, as well as one in the atrium, where the most important cooking tool for us is located—the gas grill!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

The kitchen has a stove with oven, microwave, toaster, blender, toaster oven and fridge.




They provide a nice assortment of lovely Caribbean looking plates and glasses, and a great assortment of kitchen tools, with even SHARP knives, and almost anything else you could want, from several Tupperware containers, to bug spray and candles, matches, etc. They seem to truly provide everything that you need.

As always when we stay at BSV, I get a cooler and an umbrella from Craig at Packlight . BSV provides loungers for the beach, but not umbrellas. I always get a flat top cooler that we use as a table on the beach,




and I also use it in the ‘house’ next to me chair that I always spin to be directly in front of that marvelous view out the sliding glass door!




And per our usual, we got our phone from Sharon at Queen of SXM . Fortunately we didn’t use it much this time, but it’s a necessary evil these days, very much like a computer and internet. We have two businesses to attend to at home, in addition to TTOL. When our laptop died on us the died before we came home, we went by The Mailbox in Simpson Bay to check email and the board. BTW, the Mailbox computers DON’T have a program on them to keep track of how much time you use, so you do need to keep track of it yourself, as I’m sure the gal over-estimated how long I was online. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Mad.gif" alt="" /> I do miss the old days when going to SXM meant no phones, no newspaper, no internet, and no computer.. Sigh….


So, what did we do?? Not much!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> We didn’t go shopping, other than a BUNCH of grocery shopping and for I think the first time EVER, we never went to the casino. We just never made the time to go to the casino, just spending most of our days at BSV, and the evenings either out to dinner or at home, and usually watched a bit of TV, and then to bed. Man, we’re getting really boring in our old age!!!


My favorite past time on vacation is reading, which I don’t make the time to do at home, and I finished five books this trip. I love sitting in a comfy chair in the living room and reading or staring out at the ocean, or watching the passing parade of boats of all sizes and shapes including cruise ships




…the WWII landing craft that they are using these days to make shore excursions to Sunset





…the occasional passing sailboat…




…or pelican..




Being back in our favorite unit, #14, we were right by the pool, so I could pop around the corner and sit under the lovely gazebo




and read or watch the planes


[img]http://www.info-res.com/ehill/ttol/bsv062015/klm.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.info-res.com/ehill/ttol/bsv062015/aircariabes.jpg[/img]

or take in the uninterrupted view down the beach to Karakter

[img]http://www.info-res.com/ehill/ttol/bsv062015/airplaneandbeach.jpg[/img]



and beyond in one direction and to Beacon Hill in the other direction.

[img]http://www.info-res.com/ehill/ttol/bsv062015/nightsky5.jpg[/img]


It is interesting to me that tourists are not the only ones who love watching KLM land and take off. Eric and I were talking about whether KLM would be in one day and our maid commented that it was in yesterday. And as we were getting a carry out order at Captain D’s, the gal who was working there came out from behind the counter to take a picture of KLM taking off with her cell phone. Since I had my camera, I naturally had to follow suit! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

[img]http://www.info-res.com/ehill/ttol/bsv062015/klmafar2.jpg[/img]


As I said, when one has what we think is the best beach on the island right out front, with our own food, drinks and bathrooms right there, why go anywhere else?? However, we did go to Mullet one day. It was absolutely dead flat calm, with no waves, which was lovely.

[img]http://www.info-res.com/ehill/ttol/bsv062015/mullet.jpg[/img]


However, there was a five FOOT cliff of sand to get in and out of the water. Despite that, with help from Eric, I did go for a swim and made it back out.

We did bring our Daily Herald to read


[img]http://www.info-res.com/ehill/ttol/bsv062015/mullet2.jpg[/img]


…and some snacks and drinks. But as usual, we HAD to have some Rosie’s ribs (sorry, no picture!). As with everything, they do seem to have gone up, as 4 ribs and 2 small pieces of chicken with no sides was $12. It was good though!


We had brought a mini cooler from home with a few meats, and we spent an extraordinary amount of money at Grand Marche and at Super U. Grand Marche by Mark’s is our regular go-to supermarket and we made our big first run there the day after we arrived, for liquor and all our set up supplies. We were both very impressed with Super U, with all the great French products, and the prices at 1 to 1!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> We loved the handy-dandy shopping baskets. After Eric carried one around for a half hour, we saw other people ROLLING them around, by the handle!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> Stupid tourist!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> We bought some NY strip steaks there at Super U and a nice pork tenderloin that we marinated and cooked on the grill, but the thing we just couldn’t get over were the stupid cheap prices for French wine!!

[img]http://www.info-res.com/ehill/ttol/bsv062015/wine.jpg[/img]


(Good thing we went fairly early in the trip!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />)


WEATHER
The weather was somewhat unusual, it was cooler than normal for the summer and usually there was a nice breeze. Because of that, we spent a lot of time in the main living room at the unit during the day. We also had no problems watching TV in there at night, when the wind often normally dies down and makes it uncomfortable at night. We had one day that we had some rain, but otherwise the weather was rain free, but the skies were usually a little murky, I guess from the Sahara dust. We only saw St. Barts and Saba one day for a couple of hours during the whole ten days.

[img]http://www.info-res.com/ehill/ttol/bsv062015/saba.jpg[/img]

THE CAUSEWAY

It is amazing how quickly one can get from the airport to the French side with the Causeway. It took us 20 minutes to get from Grand Case back home one night! And while we still prefer the Grand Marche by Mark’s, the causeway makes the trip to Super U almost quicker!! I did notice this time that the whole causeway no longer changes colors, as it used to, just the center section, but it still is a pretty sight after night.

[img]http://www.info-res.com/ehill/ttol/bsv062015/causeway.jpg[/img]


Guess that’s it for the trip report. Nothing too exciting, but thanks for reading!