Monday, June 30th – We are up at 5:00 a.m., which wasn’t a problem since we had all weekend to pack and get ready, and we were at the airport by 6:00 a.m., easy curbside check-in, and we each enjoy a Kahlua in First Class before take-off. So what if it’s 7:00 a.m., we on vacation and on the way to the BVI! So-so food, but better than nothing and plenty more drinks.

We have a short layover in San Juan, then off to St. Thomas. Fun taxi ride to the ferry terminal (did you know it is a no-no to touch the AC vents in the taxi???) in plenty of time for the 1:45 ferry. Had our first beers in the islands at the Petite Pump Room (and so-so conch fritters).



Met TTOLer Suzy (“merlin”) and crew and chatted with them all the way to Tortola. Easy going through C&I except Customs Man very leery that we really weren’t bringing stuff for people since we had just been there in January.

We find the Jerry’s, no problem, and off to Jerry’s guy (nice kid, he ended up getting a five dollar tip from both of us!). Got a relatively new Jeep Liberty – Jerry, what a nice guy and what a breeze compared to Hertz! Headed to Cane Garden Bay (CGB) for food and stuff at Bobby’s, with a quick pit-stop at Sebastian’s little store for a couple of beers. We were at the villa in Brewer’s Bay by 3:45 p.m. – sweet! Put stuff away and I drove us down to the beach for our first swim in the sea. Nicole’s was hopping - lots of locals partying for Territory Day, including Nicole. Squalls instead of sunset:



Made some tortellini and marina sauce and garlic bread for dinner. Drank some wine and called it a night about 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 1st – Provisioning day. After a quick breakfast of bagels and coffee we head into Road Town. First stop, Riteway. There we encounter the 2-couple-aisle-hogs. I think they were provisioning for a charter boat, but they didn’t have a list and were clueless as to what they might need, not to mention under the impression that they were the only four people in the store Sheesh! Then on to try to find Caribbean Cellars, which should have been easier than we made it, where we were tempted by a bottle of Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rose’ – but $225 was a little too much. On to the fishing complex where we bought a decent snapper. It was not cheap - $35 – but it was enough for two meals. Next time we’ll stick with the frozen fish from Sailor’s Ketch though. Last stop was Tico for $350 worth of beer and wine (which was not enough). There was a young couple there that were “splurging” on a bottle of Absinthe. I commented that “someone’s going to have a good time” – the guy grinned and the Tico ladies giggled.

Back to the villa to put everything away (whew!), then down to the beach for burgers and beers at Nicole’s and a leisurely swim and interesting people watching. Grilled the snapper for dinner along with delicious Brabant potatoes and salad. There were lots of squalls that day, but hey, it’s good for the cistern.



Still had a great sunset. Is that a rabbit there in the clouds?



Stay tuned for part 2...