Our B.V.I. Adventure

As we arrived in London and headed for Oxford, my parents woke up to a beautiful day in the BVI.  Even though they hit the town the night before, with dinner at BarFly and the sounds of Da Tree Men (minus Michael) at The Elm in Cane Garden Bay, they were no worse for the wear and headed for a day on Marina Cay.  And a beautiful one it was!


Little did my parents know what awaited them back at the house...an empty cistern.  Thus began their true BVI adventure!  Our neighbors Jonathan and Danielle had lived through their own water scare a few months prior and were able to assist.

The next day, a water truck found its way up Kingston Hill and its hose found its way through our house and into the cistern.  Ten thousand gallons of water and $650 later, the cistern was full...but that doesn't necessarily mean the water was flowing!  At least not yet.

Because the pump had continued to run until the discovery of the empty cistern, there had been some damage to the pipes.  What to do now?  My oh-so-resourceful parents remembered that our friend Tony who lives in our old house just down the hill is not only handy, but has experience with the mechanics of pumps and such.  Within a few hours, Tony had the water running at Gecko Manor II! 

He was most definitely the hero of this BVI adventure! 

Ashley and Gordon enjoyed a nice long weekend in the British Virgin Islands.  We were so happy to have them as our first visitors of 2011!  (My family was technically here in 2011, but we consider them our last visitors of 2010.  Ha!)

Well, here's their exit survey! 

Of the five Pusser's locations, which ones did you visit during your BVI adventure? (Road Town, Soper's Hole, Pusser's East, Marina Cay, Leverick Bay)

Answer(s):  Road Town & Marina Cay

Approximately how many cruise ships did you see pass by Gecko Manor II?

Answer:  Well, we should ask how many times did Milly bark???  A cruise ship wouldn't pass without her letting us know about it!

How would you best describe the bubbly pool on Jost van Dyke?
A) Boring...
B) Fun!
C) A must see.
D) A little dangerous!
E) None of the above

Answer:  Definitely C) a must see. But watch out for the machineel trees!

What was your most memorable meal in the BVI?

Answer:  The Anegada Lobster (whether grilled, on a pizza, or on top of pasta)

In the battle of the island drinks on White Bay, who wins the match-up: Soggy Dollar Bar Painkiller vs. Jewel's Party Punch?

Answer:  Jewel's Party Punch

Of all the islands you visited, which one was your favorite? (Sandy Cay, Jost van Dyke, Virgin Gorda, Great Camanoe, Marina Cay, Norman Island, Cooper Island, or Tortola)

Answer:  Sandy Cay

True or False. The girls dominated the board games the entire weekend.

Answer:  Gordon says "We'll let them think they did..."

What advice would you give to any travelers who fly into St. Thomas and take the ferry over to Tortola?

Answer:  Make sure you move toward the exit of the boat as the boat docks.  This way you will be at the front of the line when departing the ferry. Otherwise, grab a few drinks for the 1+ hour wait at Customs.

Great survey Glovers!  Michael and I loved having y'all here!  One of my favorite days of their trip was the excursion to Virgin Gorda. 
 We enjoyed a decadent lunch at Little Dix Bay, then explored the Baths...


We couldn't have asked for better weather!  They're surely taking some nice sun tans home with them!  Love y'all!!! 

We headed back out on the water Sunday, this time just across the Sir Francis Drake Channel to the Indians.

 This is one of our favorite snorkeling spots and it did not disappoint!
There were so many Parrot Fish, but they were a little camera shy...
We also scored a mooring just off of Norman Island and explored the caves there.  Very very cool.

After stopping off at Cooper Island for a lunch that consisted of mahi mahi sandwiches and chicken rotis, we headed for Marina Cay and Great Camanoe to visit with the Shands.  Here's our group at the iconic red phone booth:
We had the best day, and even saw a flying eagle ray on our way back to Nanny Cay! 

Our apologies...
This exit survey is somewhat delayed.  With the craziness of Christmas and the back-to-back house guests, this post has been sitting in the drafts folder for more than a week! 

We had such a great time with Sharon and Dennis and we're so grateful that their trip could be extended due to Mother Nature!  Not only were we able to share Christmas together, but Michael's parents celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary while in the BVI...Happy Anniversary you two!  {Thanks to the staff at Charlie's at the Moorings who made it so special!  Dinner was delicious!}

Answer: I believe there were approximately 18 cruise ships and a few awesome sail boats!!

Answer:  OMG!! A HUGE DIFFERENCE! We actually felt like we were in the states.

Answer: Hey Jude! They rocked the night we saw them perform – all their music was great, but Hey Jude was the best!!

Answer: Breaking out into a cold sweat and fainting really does get you through the line faster, but then you have to deal with the EMTs who will discourage you from flying.

Answer: TRUE!! When we saw Santa at Soggy Dollar and his three "hoes" it certainly felt like Christmas!! What a fun day!

December's full moon fell on Tuesday night this year!  Lucky for Sharon and Dennis, we had planned on having lobster at Marina Cay which is directly across from Trellis Bay where the Full Moon Parties are held.

Here we are on the ferry! 
It was a windy night which meant embers from the balls of fire were flying everywhere!  The jumbies were entertaining the crowd and dancing to the music.
All of the shops at Trellis Bay were open during the party.  That's really what makes Trellis Bay so unique.  The Caribbean Artisan Network is based there, along with Aragorn's Studio which brings artisans together from all around the world. 

What's wrong with that above sentence?  Well, nothing if you are in the United States of America today, which sadly, we are not.  I'm not going to let my latitude stop me!  In fact, I've used this salutation several times already.  We had a pre-Thanksgiving Feast last night with some of our American friends and I made a point to say it to everyone there.  (Huge thanks to Larry, Gabby and Tony for sharing your culinary skills with us!)

This will be our fourth American holiday celebration in the BVI and if the "celebrations" for the last three are any indication, today won't resemble anything like a traditional Thanksgiving.

Let's see...where were we on Memorial Day?  That's right - Michael worked and I took our visitors, KK, Lauren and JMac swimming with the dolphins then over to Marina Cay for an afternoon at the beach.  Not bad actually.

Fourth of July?  Oh, I remember!  Michael's band had a gig at The Elm.  That's the night Da Tree Men played the song, Jost van Dyke for the first time!  Not necessarily patriotic...but it was fun!

And the only thing I remember about Labor Day was the water shortage we faced at the time.

As I type this, Michael is already at work...no sleeping in, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, lounging around or watching football for him.  I will find away to keep one tradition alive and that's making my signature Thanksgiving dish:  dressing.  We've accepted the kind invitation of another group of friends and I get to bring the dressing tonight.

So, Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!  Even though we are away from our families today {which I have to admit is a lot harder than I thought it would be!}, we have so many reasons to give thanks today. 

I think Freeman Roger's list is a pretty good place to start...

Before you start humming holiday tunes, let me clarify...we're talking what's called "busy season" here in the islands.   Remember all of those closing parties we attended a few months back?  Excluding mother nature, things have been pretty quiet around here.  Well, we're happy to report all of the RE-OPENING events are happening now.

The bar-that-flies {a.k.a. BarFly} reopened on Tuesday night. We stopped in for some late night eats and thoroughly enjoyed a few items from the new menu.  Tonight, Al and the crew at The Last Resort will tune their guitars and welcome guests back to Bellamy Cay for the first time in two months.

Michael is over on Marina Cay today getting the inventory back in the Pusser's Company Store which will reopen when the Interline Regatta stops by next week.

Busy seasons brings with it a few negatives of course...the wait at the one red light gets a little longer and the tourists seem to get a bit tackier.  But for the most part, this is the best time in the BVI.  The weather improves (let's hope for no more hurricanes!) and it truly is a playground for those not only those escaping the cold, but for those of us who live here too.

Today, one of the most obvious signs that busy season is upon us???  Carnival Freedom is here.
While we've had some sporadic cruise ship activity over the last month or so, this marks the beginning of continuous stream of ships that will make their way through the US and British Virgin Islands. 

According to the cruise ship calendar on TravelTalkOnline.com, we can expect between 5 - 7 ships a week for the next several months.

In fact, one of my former colleagues from WATE-TV and her husband will be aboard one of the ships one week from today!  We plan to meet in Road Town for a painkiller!  Looking forward to seeing you Angie and Dan!

After a long week dealing with Hurricane Earl and his aftermath, we were anxious to get off island, at least off of our island.  Our cable was still out, so football watching at home wasn't an option.  {And it sure was brutal knowing that all of our friends in Gainesville and at home in Knoxville were tailgating their hearts out!}

In search of ESPN, Adam, Michael and I headed to Scrub Island which is a private island just east of Tortola.  It's been open for about the same amount of time that we've lived here...so it too is relatively new.  :)
Gorgeous right?  The marina there is impressive too.  Unfortunately, Hurricane Earl claimed this sailboat:
We spent the entire day at the pool - they actually have two pools.  The second one is up above the stone wall on the left side of the photo.  Oh, and there's a hot tub up there too! 
We had lunch at the swim-up bar and enjoyed the day immensely.  And don't kid yourself, we each took a turn down the slide.  It was nice to get away to a new place.  Former managers of Marina Cay, Joe and Karen work at the resort and we were happy to run into them that afternoon.  They took us on a tour of the island.  {Thanks y'all - it was amazing!}
We also made some new friends.  Joe and Karen invited the new managers at Marina Cay over for a drink.  Their names are Craig and Vanessa.  They're from the UK and just delightful.  Michael has spent some time with them in a work setting but this was my first time meeting them.  We were having so much fun together we decided to stay for dinner!  It was delicious!

Scrub will definitely make the list for our next visitor...are you reading this Courtney?!?  Get excited!
Oh, and about ESPN...they had taken down their flat screens at Scrub in preparation for Hurricane Earl but hadn't put them back up yet.  So no Gator football for me.  No football for any of us.  It was still a great day.

James tied a rope together to form a circle on the ground.  Standing inside the circle, he slid the rope up to his ankles.  Keeping the rop taut, James climbed a 30 foot palm tree in a matter of seconds, all the while yielding a machete in his right hand.  A few whacks later and the coconut was loose.

 Back on the ground, James swiftly shaved off layer after layer then presented it to Michael to drink.   

Michael said it was delicious.  Have you had milk from a coconut like this?   I think it beats the Coke machine at most offices, don't you?  James is his own Coconut machine!

Yum!

Sharon and Dennis were so kind to escort Michael's grandparents to the BVI for the trip of a lifetime.  We think they had as much fun as anybody...Check it out!


Of the five Pusser's locations, which ones did you visit on your trip?
Answer(s): Road Town Pub, Marina Cay



True or False: By the end of your trip, you were used to seeing cars drive on the left side of the road.
Answer:  Absolutely NOT!!!  Weird, weird weird!!!
I guess that's a "false" then?  :)


How often did YOU use the phrase "back in the states"? 
A) hardly
B) a few times
C) at least once a day
D) at least as much as Amelia and Michael
Answer: C) At least once a day!  I actually said it FOR Amelia and Michael!



Favorite restaurant experience on the island?
Answer: The very best was Amelia's kitchen!!! A close second was Pusser's Road Town Pub! Air conditioning was a plus!

We had such a wonderful visit with Michael's grandparents. This was their first trip to the Caribbean and from their answers in the exit survey, I think they enjoyed their time! 

Now to the questions and answers...

What surprised you most about your time in the BVI?
Answer(s):  We just couldn't believe the view from Amelia and Michael's house.  

What was the name of the gynormous hot dog, served at the Pusser's tent in the Regatta Village at Nanny Cay?
A) the big dog
B) the fried masterpiece
C) the great dog
D) don't remember, but it was gooooooooooood!
Answer: C) the great dog
They are correct and here's a photo to prove how "great" it is:

Approximately how many cruise ships did you see go by Amelia and Michael's house during your stay?
Answer:  At least 10 cruise ships and some really nice sailboats

Here's proof!



What was your favorite BVI experience?
Answer:  Drinking bushwackers {see below} especially the Brazilian bushwackers at Willie T's!  HA!  We loved it all - the mountains, The Last Resort, meeting Charles at the pub, and seeing the Michael Beans show on top of Marina Cay.

Thanks to Liz and Jeff for making it down for a weekend of fun in the sun!  We enjoyed your trip immensely and hope you make it back very soon. 

We've changed up some of the questions in this latest exit survey.  Hope you enjoy! 

Of the five Pusser's locations, which ones did you make it to on your visit? (Road Town Pub, Pusser's East, Pusser's at Soper's Hole, Marina Cay and Leverick Bay)

Answer(s):
Road Town Pub, Marina Cay and Pusser's East (in that order!)
Favorite dining experience on the island?
Answer(s):
Jeff: The Last Resort (other than the "J" is for gay comment, but now that I'm typing this I realize the word gay starts with "G" - take that, Geoff!)
Liz: The Dove - I love the romantic, island, rustic vibe, the chandeliers (so unexpected) and the amazing food! How can you not fall in love with a place that serves grouper WITH a giant braised beef ravioli?!? YUM!
What's the most bizarre thing you saw on the trip?
Answer(s):
Jeff: a dingy with wheels
Liz: Michael Beans
                                                       {Michael Beans, Marina Cay's pirate}

Charles Tobias, the owner of Pusser's, presented you with a limited edition bottle of rum. On what occasion, did he suggest you open the bottle and toast one another?
A) The 4th of July
B) Lord Nelson's Birthday
C) The birth of your first child
D) The night the aforementioned child is conceived
E) Whoops, we already opened the bottle of Pusser's!
Answer: Thanks to the Naked Lorna drinks at the Pub on Friday night, we're not quite sure what occasion Charles suggested (other than it clearly had something to do with our offspring) but we're going with C!

This next one is for Jeff!
True or False: Driving on the left side of the road feels as weird as I thought it would.
Answer:  True! Driving on the left side of the road is not that bad, unless the car you're driving stalls going up an incline on a blind curve.

What was your favorite drink of the trip?
Answer(s):
Jeff: Soggy Dollar's Painkiller (or anything with nutmeg...wink, wink)
Liz: To my surprise, Andre's frozen margarita!

How would you best describe Michael's boating skills?
A) Expert
B) Good
C) Safe (He even encouraged use of life jackets when such activity is prohibited per BVI code annotated 49-6582)
D) Novice
E) Michael? You mean, Captain Drinky Pants???
Answer(s):
10:00 a.m. at the marina = B
12:00 p.m. arriving at Ivan's on Jost Van Dyke = C
4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. returning to Nanny Cay = E


When are you coming back to visit us again?
Answer:
How does next week look for you guys?