TravelTalkOnline Forums Trip Reports (Read Only) SXM Trip Reports and Photos Memories of your first trip - continued

Stayed in #6B (3 down from the "cloud"?) at Mullet Bay 8/1985 - what a
beautiful resort it was back then... Went for a week. We knew nothing - no
internet to coach us on what to do every minute of every day. We winged it.
Awesome expedition! No one told us to be careful of walking around the resort
at night that your wife might trip and fall off the edge of the road and break
her arm on the first night of her honeymoon...
A ride to St. Barts on El Tigre - who knew it would be a rough ride? No one
warned me that some little kid would barf on my foot on the way over. I had
no idea! How did we survive without the internet??

"Those were the days, My Friend! We thought (hoped?) they'd never end....."

How did we ever manage to survive it all without all the things we find to be so necessary today?

Our first visit was November, 1973, and we, too stayed at Mullet Bay Resort - she really was the undisputed primo resort in those days - so beautiful - so peaceful, and so much to offer that we really didn't miss much (or so we thought...) if we were content to laze away most of our days on that beautiful beach with pina colada in hand.

Goats, sheep and other creatures everywhere. Mullet Bay Golf Course was beautiful and finely manicured - and tee times had to be reserved early. Caravanserai was the little sister boutique resort and people were happy to pay dearly for the privilige of staying there with little or no complaint at all over the lack of tv's or telephones.

The airport was a wonder to most of us and yet so many of us have returned year after year and now we remember it fondly and with a certain amount of regret at it's demise. I remember the friendly rivalry to see who would take off first - Eastern or Pan Am or some of the charters.

And when we actually managed to tear ourselves away from the beach to do some major exploring, we travelled the dirt roads and in some areas trails and we didn't care if we had a map and would happily pick up any hitch-hiker along the road. Getting lost was half the fun and oh the places we found to explore back then.

Those surely were the days and will linger in the hearts of so many of us as our beloved island becomes slowly but surely the land of expensive yachts and concrete monsters.

I can only say, I am so glad I was fortunate enough to have known her 'back in the day.....!!"

I am a relative "youngster" compared to you two veterans. First trip was in 1991 on a cruise. The group consisted of my wife and myself, her sister and boyfriend, her mom and dad and my mom and her husband. I had a driver lined up at the old pier but the others were not ready so he left. My father-in-law then negotiated a deal with another driver. This turned out to be Junior Bruney. Six of us (my mother and her husband did not join us) went with Junior for the day. Did the typical tourist stuff, Orient (which was not much in 1991), Marigot and finally Mullet Bay. My most vivid memory was being in the water at Mullet Bay and then my wife's dad buying his (we were taking turns) round of beers at the bar on the beach at Mullet Bay. Back in 1991 beer was $4 each (compared to $2 now at Rosie's) there and he about had a fit!! I knew right then that I was destined to go back as the demeanor of Junior Bruney and the beauty of the island, specifically Mullet Bay, had captured me. We then returned for our first stay (Divi) in 1994.

Hmmm, youngster? old veteran? Not so sure I'm liking those descriptions but considering the source I know they weren't intended in any but the nicest of ways. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

There are so many old and wonderful SXM memories - the shops and businesses all closing for the midday meal and rest period.

The great eateries now gone - Zacchary's, The Frigate, DaLavio's, Pinnocchio's, Maison sur la Port, and that list could go on forever.....

But the freedom of this island - the ability to come and go as you pleased, where you pleased; along with the beautiful and wonderful people we met back in the day and who still, today, welcome us back to our friendly island with open arms, will always be among the things that stand foremost in my mind and are what make this island so very special over so many other places we've been lucky enough to enjoy throughout the years. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, they're just looking for a Contessa hug! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

"Hmmm, youngster? old veteran? Not so sure I'm liking those descriptions but considering the source I know they weren't intended in any but the nicest of ways."

100% correct!!!

First trip back in the mid 70's, stayed in a waterfront hotel in Marigot next to the cemetary, don't remember the name. Our groundfloor rooms door lock was not working, complained to the front desk, they were somewhat amused that I was worried since there was virtually no crime back then. The main road thru Grand Case had a small bridge over the creek running to the ocean, kids threw nets at high tide to catch shrimp in the creek. Flew over to Barts, rented a mini moke from Hipolyte Ledee, never asked for a name or a drivers license, just when I would be returning the car. Risdons drive thru hamburger stand, couple of burgers and heines, couple of bucks. Nothing on Orient except Pedros which was a gutted VW bus with a BBQ next to it, grilled marlin steak on a hamburger bun.