Well folks here it is, Saturday March 13, 2004 I've been home for 3 days now and all I can think of is sand gravity. I'm wreck at work because everyone wants no know how the trip was. Everytime I talk about it all I can think of is hanging around sxm and not doing a damn thing. So I guess I should write this trip report and tell everyone about it. I think I break it up a little so not drag out some boring details.
Flights;
Well Columbus, Ohio to St. Maarten can be interesting. But this year I had enough frequent flyer miles to cash in on Northwest Airlines but they only fly to San Juan, Pr. So I'm on my own from San Juan to St. Maarten, so I thought why not try Caribbean Sun and see what all the fuss is about. So after booking on Travelocity.com for @175 bucks I have my tickets and not I'm set for a great trip. (Side note a week or so later travelocity lowered the fare to like 100 bucks R/T but I never got a refund oh well)
Columbus to Detroit on Tuesday March 2, 2004 on time departure and arrival into the new terminal at Detroit. Great new terminal open bright lights coming in from outside and a modern feel unlike the old place (still occupied by Southwest, Spirit and some other smaller airlines) Detroit to San Juan 915am departure getting into San Juan at 245pm. Well I knew we were in trouble when I walked down the jetway and saw the 1st officer outside the plane with 2 oxygen masked (used by the pilot and 1st officer in case of a fire on board.) Sure enough departure time came and went and no takeoff an hour later still no takeoff and rumors from the flight deck that a change of planes was going to happen. Well that did happen, an hour later we departed for San Juan. So a 430pm arrival into San Juan. Caribbean Sun departure @645pm was on time and great, excellent service and a smooth flight. Immigrations was quick and easy an only like 20 people (our flight) were in line it took 2 minutes maybe to go through and believe it or not my bag was going around the baggage claim before I got there!!!!! All of my flights back to Columbus were perfect and my one piece of checked luggage returned with me to Ohio without being lost by Northwest.
Car Rental
Well lets see I rented from Paradise Car Rental, got there very shortly after my flight arrival and rented a Toyota Corrola, but alas they did not have a one at the time so they upgraded me to a Toyota Camery and told me to bring it back tomorrow morning (Wends) No problem mon'. So Wednesday morning returned to the rental agency and got my new "old" car. A green Toyota Corrola with 84000Km on it.
That lasted me all the way till Tuesday the 9th when suddenly it overheated and I had to return it for the standard white Toyota. The new car that I got had a serious transmission problem but since I had it for only a few hours I did not care to much and returned it on the 10th before my trip to the airport. $270 bucks for the time I was there with insurance, not bad but I drive a hard bargain.
Hotel;
L'Esperance Hotel Suites, great place for a cheap price. I paid 65 bucks a night for a one room place that had cable a 15inch or so TV, couch, 2 chairs and a dining room table and a kitchenette. I do have pictures of it and will post them along with all my trip photos shortly
Ok now the juicy stuff the island and all my fun;
Since I got in at a later time this year (my choice) all I did on Tuesday evening was check in the hotel and run down to the Greenhouse to grab a burger.
Wednesday morning ran down to the rental car agency and exchanged cars, drove down to SSBB and called my workplace back in Columbus just to harass my co-workers that I was on the beach and the weather was great. My next objective was mandatory! I had to get pictures of the Queen Mary 2. She is soooooo big it has to tender in because it will not fit at the dock. So I went up to Divi Little Bay (1st time here, kinda liked the area quiet and kinda remote and off the path.) I hiked up Fort Amsterdam and got some great picture of the ship. I then drove up to Grand Case Airport to see if the St. Barths Commuter flights were full for Monday. I spoke to the rep there (Christian Fardel) who advised me that he would call me if the flight was open for me or not. (Never did here from him and spoke about it later and decided not to go anyway) Hung around and had dinner that night over at Ric's bar excellent food as usual.
Thursday went down to Phillipsburg and DK gems to visit Deepti and Jeff and to shop around for a Emeralds for my friend. Well sure enough I found one. And bought it on the spot. Deepti then advised myself that well the couple standing behind me was from TTOL also I turned around and there was Jarhead and wife. We hung around phillipsburg until our jewelry was ready and they advised me that the Perch beach bar had happy hour and they were going sooooo I accepted the invite and ran up after dropping my items off at the hotel. At OB it rained and everyone ran up under the canopy and talked for a while. Meet another couple from the Boston area, and several cruise ship passengers. That evening I went down to Pizza Pasta and had dinner. Of course Survivor was on that night so I had to run back tot he hotel and watch it.
Friday went up to Marigot and did the city thing. That afternoon I went over to Dawn Beach and watched the regatta from the luxury of the beach chair and. That evening I went down to Hot Tomatoes and had an excellent dinner. Afterwards I went over to the Lady C and drank a few down.
Saturday I went back down to Phillipsburg to do some more odds and ends and stop back at DK Gems where Deepti advised me that She314 and Gsk were at the Royal Islander with Susan (Shelia sister) and Leslie (Gsk friend from down the road in Cinncy). So after completing the odds and ends I changed into a serious party mode and went over to the Islander. And found the party girls of the regatta! We sat around and caught up on each other over the past year, and then all hell broke loose!!!!! SXMWendell (Wendell) and Ruralcarrier (J.D) showed up the drinks started flowing. Several Heineken later we decided to meet up at Peg Leg Pub for dinner. Since I had not been there I was looking forward to it. Peg Leg Pub did not disappoint me in any way! Great steak and great lobster (Needless to say I had the surf and turf) BeaconHillAndrea finnally deicded to show up after the refridgerator repairman never did show up for her. I met Jack and Linda the owners of Peg Leg great people, Shawn was our waiter and what a cool guy, boy did Wendell harass him. After dinner we went over to the Lady C for a few drinks ok a few dozen. Gsk and the girls had to go drool over Colin the bartender, and Wendell, J.D and, I stayed in the background and had a few good drinks.
Sunday I decided to head over to a few different beaches i.e Long beach and Cupeocuy after talking to a few locals and hiking around the beach I headed back to Maho beach. Sheila and Susan were on the beach so I talked with them a while and waited for the Air France plane to come in. My digital camera has a movie feature on it and it was well used on the beach that day. I stood under the A340 when it landed and loved it, talk about scare the crap out of you, I love planes but that was extreme! That evening I met everyone on at BBB for the last night of the Regatta lots of fun even posted a note or two on the free internet service that Henieken provide. Great time had by all.
Monday went over to Mullet Bay beach met up with Wendell and J.D and watched the waves and clouds go by. Did go back over to Greenhouse that evening for dinner but that was about all I did.
Tuesday last full day on the island went back to Phillipsburg picked up some alchoal and cigerettes for people back home. Finally made it back up to Grand Case to tour the town in the afternoon. Interesting note a film or a commerical was being made on Grand Case beach stopped and watched it for a minute or two. I took a fall in Grand Case after I tripped over a curb. Kinda funny to watch I bet even I laughed at myself. The TTOL party was great at BBB lots of people there Augie and Sue, GSK who put on the party Tj Perkins, and well more people than I can remember. After the party a few of us went back over to the Lady C/Pizza Gallery and ate with J.D's friend Junior, great guy.
Well Wednesday arrived and well crap I had to go home. Check in and departure were easy. We took of on Runway 27!!!! Which was neat we then flew over the BVI's and USVI. Very nice! Customs and Immagrations back at San Juan was easy and painless and well I was back home before I knew it.
Final thoughts;
That just about wraps up the report. While I traveled alone to Sxm I did not feel as if I was alone, to many of us TTOL'ers there, and to many new people to meet. The Heineken regatta was neat never did make it out on the water to see any of it but I did see several boats on the water being battered around by the 10-15 foot sea's. Never did make it to the zoo but oh well there is always next year. Well St. Barth's hmmmm did not make it there maybe someday.
Things need improvement. Traffic yes I know I was there for the regatta but there was tons of traffic on the island, not sure how to improve it but it needed mentioning.
Motorbikes something needs to be done Wendell and J.D saw someone get taken out by his own fault on a bike, again not sure what should be done. This in my opinion is past oh well its a cute island thing. Why people there want to do this I'm not sure buy the local PD needs to put a stop to this.
Sand Gravity, they need to take away all the sand on the island because it really messes with you when you go back to cold Ohio. LOL sorry had to put that in.
Like I said two weeks ago not sure about next year. I love the island and the people but lots of places and people are calling me, and who knows what will happen in the next 350 days of mine and everyone's life here.
Words of Thanks
Big thanks to everyone at L'esperance clean room, towels and fresh linens everyday.
Thanks to J.D (ruralcarrier) and Wendell (SXMWendell), Andrea (BeaconHillAndrea), Gretchen (GSK) Sheila (She314) Susan, Sue, and last but not least by any sense of the word Leslie. (WOW)
And for anyone I know I have missed thank you also. It was another fun one!!!
.
