We arrived on Monday and have gotten into the vacation mode pretty quickly. Renting a nice little condo in Orient Village which overlooks the village for the month of August.

We got a new VW polo from Sixt which is very nice. we pre-paid $601 for the month including 3rd party liability. They did put an extra 700e charge deposit on our card which is supposed to be refunded at the end of the rental.

There's a lot of traffic in the Phillipsburg area, much more than I remember for this time of year. We were disappointed in Cost-u-less for shopping. Somewhat expensive and the meat looked nasty. The petit Casino in Orient Village is very nice and Willie at the Perch recommended the big supermarket on the left as you enter Marigot from Grand Case direction. I believe that some of our TTOL friends told us that as well.

Nice (windy) day on Orient on Tuesday and we hopped around the island yesterday in the rain. Great Mahi Mahi at Lee's yesterday for lunch and great burgers at Bikini BB for dinner. The weather is supposed to improve each day, if fact the sun just popped out !Yea!.

Made a stop at Sunset BB yesterday and watched a few jets take off in the rain. There is a new fence right along the guard rail (on the runway side of the road) It's about 8 to 10 feet from the original fence which is still there. So, now if someone wants to hang on the fence they are standing right in the road. We did not see anyone hanging on the fence even when the big 4 engine Air France took off.

We'll try and work some pictures into the next update.

Cheers,
Jim & Laraine

Wow, a month!! Enjoy! The grocery store in Marigot is Super U. Do check it out! Best prices on the island.

Thanks for the info re the new fence, which I hadn't heard before. That was my first suggestion, to do away with any space between the road and the fence. Hopefully that will do the trick and stop this foolish talk of moving the road.

Thanks Carol. Good point on the fence, sometimes the simple solution to a problem is the best.

Forgot to mention, Seal was at Kon Tiki Tuesday night. A girl that we spoke with at Bikini BB had her picture with him. He was taking pictures with everyone, sounds like a nice guy.

https://www.facebook.com/LePelicanjourna..._video_guests=0

Thanks for the update and report.

Unless I am mistaken, the additional fence has been there for some time now as I am pretty sure it was there in March. A recent photo seems to show it there right after the accident. As you can see, it did not stop people from standing IN the road.

Fence

Actually, you're right. I guess I didn't pay that much attention in June. Those people were in fact standing in the road, and the lady that was killed had to have been standing in the road also.

I actually think it was added a couple of years ago if not more.

Makes sense, can't imagine the gov't would act that quickly anyway.

That second fence was added after the incident there in 2012. They still were hanging on the second fence for the last 5 years so it really had no effect on the thrill seekers!

Thanks Elizabeth. I felt it had been a few years but did not recall it being 2012, thanks for the clarification.

That is what I never understood , adding that second fence. The first thing I thought was now they will be standing in the street.

At least before if you was blown off the fence you had a chance of the guard rail stopping you before the road.

Wendell