This was our seventh trip in six years (or is it eight trips in seven years?) And also our longest stay ever. Two weeks seemed like a good idea when I put it together last summer, but in hindsight I’m thinking ten days (twice a year!) is just about right. Anyway this trip presented several unusual experiences and challenges.
Left Detroit on time and arrived in Miami to discover our connection to SXM had been cancelled, no explanation offered. Hustled around to the AA counter and found we had been re-scheduled through San Juan and then on to SXM with a corresponding 2+ hour delay in arrival. Managed to get a hold of Leslie @ Kenney’s Car Rental on his cell phone and inform him of our new arrival time of 10:45 PM. No problem.
Arrived, cleared customs, picked up luggage and Leslie was waiting outside with a friend. Leslie explained he was out of cars but Auls from Original Car Rental would take care of us. Leslie took off and Auls took us to our car. He then explained the rate for this car was $320/week (instead of the $240 car I had reserved) but he would let us have it for $280/week because of the circumstances. (Does this sound like a Seinfeld episode? Car looked exactly like the basic Corolla we always got) Auls said if it was a problem he might be able to find another car for us in the next couple of days. Well, it was after 11 PM, no other Rental Car booths open, and we still had to drive to St. Tropez on the French side. So I just smiled, gritted my teeth, signed the agreement and loaded up. After all, we are on vacation, right?
We were booked into the St. Tropez for three nights before we move to our timeshare at the Flamingo. St. Tropez is fairly cheap but basic. Biggest attraction is location. It was OK but probably try some other property next time. We settle into our routine of beach (Orient) and sand every day and going to a different restaurant every night.
On Saturday night (28 FEB) we travel over to Cheri’s for dinner and to see if the show has changed any. After dinner we spend an hour or so in Casino Royal, walk around Maho looking at the shops and then head for the car. And it’s gone!! Parked right on the main drag, bumper to bumper with all the other cars in front of the Royal Islander. Nothing there but a police officer and two tow trucks busily working there way down the street removing one car after another. I very politely asked the Officer what was going on and where was our car? He tells us that the road in front of the Royal Islander is a no parking zone, see that sign by the resort driveway ? (Blue sign w/white line through it, 200 feet away) Royal Islander has decided to enforce parking regulations at 11 PM on Saturday night. He says our car could be in one of two places, depending on which tow truck took it. He consults his list of cars and grabs the appropriate driver and we start negotiating. This is complicated by the fact we have now drawn an irate crowd with similar complaints. For $65 we can have our car back but it’s somewhere between Simpson Bay and Philipsburg, I was never quite clear on exactly where it was stored. Anyway, he would take some of us over to get them but he only had room in the truck for his wife and one other car owner at a time. But he kindly offered to have his wife drive my car back. So I gave him $65 and my car keys and he took off towards P-burg towing his latest acquisition. So we stood around with the other unfortunate souls without transportation and patiently waited. After about an hour our car showed up. I cheerfully thanked the wife of the driver, chalked it up to “lessons learned” and was happy to get back to the St. Tropez about 1 AM. After all, we are on vacation, right ? (You know, I drove through Maho half a dozen times over the next ten days and there were always cars parked in the same exact place we had been)
On Sunday we move over to the Flamingo and settle in. As the winds have picked up we move our beach operations to Cupecoy. I love to snorkel so I reserve a seat on Bluebeard for Tuesday to go to Prickly Pear. Wife will go to P-burg to shop and we both are happy. Bluebeard crew calls before 8 AM on Tuesday to say they have cancelled because of weather. I drive over to the travel office to re-schedule and they tell me the Lambada is still going to Prickly Pear that day. Great ! I run back to the room get my gear and get back in time to board. The Lambada is just beating itself against the 6-10 ft waves, spraying water the whole length of the boat. I love sailing and this was just great ! We get up to Anguilla and the Captain gets a call. The restaurant people can’t get to the island to feed us so we have to divert to the south side of Anquilla. So he motors us over to a bay to try to snorkel but nothing to see. A couple of taxi’s run us over to the other side of the island to eat lunch. We hang around a couple of hours then return to the Lambada and sail back to Kim Sha Beach. Pretty lame and disappointing. Maybe next time. After all, we are on vacation, right ?
That night we go to Ric’s for a hamburger and to watch our alma mater (MSU) take on Wisconsin for the Big 10 Championship (we lost). But there are two other Spartan fans there. And would you believe, it’s my wife’s former boss and his wife who she hasn’t seen in nearly six years! Small world.
Our next planned event is to take the Tiko-Tiko to Tintamarie on Friday for Day One of the Regatta. Both race routes takes the boats right in front of the beach. But on Thursday the Tiko-Tiko cancels the Friday trip due to weather, but promises to go on Saturday. So Friday we get to Cupecoy early and watch all 250+ boats go by. Wonderful sight ! Saturday we get over to the Tiko-Tiko with four other brave souls. Short but rough ride. Only one of the routes for the afternoon race comes to Tintamarie but they are the biggest boats and I get some great pictures. Met a fun couple on the boat who were on their first trip to St. Martin. They were having a ball. Even without the Regatta the Tiko-Tiko is a fun trip.
On Sunday we move from the Flamingo to Club Orient for our last four nights. Fortunately the winds have moderated and Orient Beach is pleasant. We let the sand gravity do it’s thing and we just mellow out. Did manage to break a tooth eating pretzels on next to the last day. But not so serious it can’t wait until we get home. What the hell, we’re on vacation !
Return home was thankfully uneventful. But as expected it was snowing when we landed.
Misc. observations. We ate at several old favorites, Green House, Cheri’s, Boo-Jams, Bananas, Captain Lee’s, Papaguyo’s, Ric’s. Ate at several new places, Bliss, Laguna, La Gondola, Le Escapand and Peg Leg Pub. Drank at SSBB, Buccaneer and Baywatch. Met Neil at Buccaneer and donated a license plate to Andy at Baywatch. Food was always good and frequently great. Bliss was number one, La Gondola number two. Gauvaberry Colada still favorite beach beverage. Lot’s of sand at Orient and enough at Cupecoy. Enjoyed meeting several new people. Bought my supply of Rum, and cigarettes for the in-laws. Made our donation to the local economy for shirts, spices and jewelry. Love the Boardwalk ! Euro is hurting my spending habits. Never shopped in Marigot. Only ate on the French side three times. Despite some not so positive events, once again had a great vacation and plan on returning next year.
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