Our B.V.I. Adventure

Amex in hand, we headed for the USVI on Day 353.  Normally, this means catching a ferry from either Road Town or West End, but our friends Louise and Richard elected to take their boat, Lady Sol since the conditions were so perfect.  Flat water and no wind made for a smooth (and more importantly dry) trip!
We "cleared" through Cruz Bay on St. John. This means we went through Customs there and got the necessary paperwork for the boat, which allowed us to legally motor in US waters.  We grabbed a coffee at a charming little bakery and headed for Red Hook on St. Thomas. 

Check out this member of the welcoming committee there...yikes!  He gave me quite the startle!  I think it's a he...
 We hitched a ride on the open-air "dollar bus" - Charlotte Amalie bound!
We enjoyed a yummy lunch at W!kked in The Galleria at Yacht Haven Grande.  The shops there include Louis Vuitton, Gucci, BCBG, just to name a few! 

The big winner of the day, however, was K Mart, yes K Mart.  When you live on an island where a generic microwave costs upwards of $250, it was fiscally responsible of us to shop there and stock up on essentials, from scotch tape to "toilet rolls."  :)
The most gorgeous part of day came as the sun was setting over St. Thomas. 
While boating in the dark isn't necessarily what any of us had in mind when we started out, it was a beautiful view.  We had to go back through Customs in the BVI and settle up with the Duty Officer before navigating the Sir Francis Drake Channel, again, in complete darkness. 

Richard did a stellar job as "captain" and returned us safely back to the docks at Nanny Cay.

You know, after writing this, I'm amazed at the energy expended in the name of retail.  While it was the most enjoyable day, don't get me wrong, I just think about the lengths people (in this case, us!) will go to when it comes to shopping.

SO, if a short car ride happens to separate you from a mall or shopping center, will you do me a favor?  Savor that convenient little drive, free parking, and selection of stores stuffed with the latest and greatest!

Reciprocally, we will savor the sunshine and warm temperatures this holiday season while many of you are bundled up and scraping ice from your windshields so you can take aforementioned trip to the shopping mall!

Merry Christmas!