Pics to follow on our website.
8:00 AM leave Rochester, actually supposed to leave at 8, bathrooms broke on plane and USAir screwed around for an hour trying to fix, finally left around 9 and bathrooms still borke, no big deal until they served beverages, brilliant!
Into Charlotte with 20mins before wheels up to San Juan. Nice 767 and only about 1/2 filled. Arrive San Juan around 4PM and take taxi to old San Juan for the night ($21.50 + tip). Tour El Morro in the AM, very cool, walk back down thru town and caught taxi back to airport to catch 1:30PM filght to Beef Island. Now things get interesting, stroll up to the Liat counter and are informed that they are not flying today. I said thats interesting since I have this ticket from Oct and cofirmed two weeks ago. They said they called on 1/19 and talked to Kathy (my wife is Kathy), I asked what # they called and it was not even close not even the correct area code. I said we were on a cruise off the coast of Belize on 1/19 and that you could not throw a dead cat without hitting someone named Kathy, she looked at me like I had 3 heads. I asked about a refund and they said no (wrong answer)I indicated that I WILL get a refund maybe not today, but I WILL get a refund, stay tuned for that. We would not let Liat get us down, strolled down passed Caribbean Sun, a mob scene at counter, down to Cape Air and was 2nd in line, asked about a flight to Beef Island and they had 1 leaving at 2:10, book it, would you like a round trip? (that was a no brainer) $428 for two and we are wheels up at 2:35 for that 2:10 flight on a 9 seat plane, that is a trip!
Finally in paradise, luggage and all. Found Calvin for the ride to Sugar Mill, waited for others for 1/2 hour until their luggage never showed and then we are off without them. Outside of Roadtown there was a police road check and Calvin has his papers in his other vehicle, great, but he gets us thru it and we get to Sugar Mill around 5:30 or so, sign up for dinner and go to our Garden Room. It was nice with a great view on the ocean. Dinner was spectacular! Off to bed.
2/16 3:14 AM, the rooster next door is off to an early start as well at a continuous seranade until 9:30AM. Had breakfast and booked a axi tour of the Island (2 1/2 hours and $60 pllus tip), saw entire island but the verbal part was missing from the driver, he could not speak a spit of english, so we took pictures and will figure out what we saw later. Off to Sugar Mill beach and lunch. Yes it is a small beach but it is beautiful and virtually empty. After a break we are off to another spectacualr dinner! Then back to sleep.
2/17 2:41AM, Foghorn Leghorn up again, got up shut door and turned AC on for balance of night. Off to Patouche for an all day snorkel/sail. Taxi to Patouche ($20) right on boat, only six of us and snorkeled the Indians, crew said it was the clearest water he has seen there. Then Norman Island to another sight, then Peter Island for the final sight. Got some major sun that day. Taxi back to Sugar Mill and turned corner and came upon an accident which just happened. A scotter was driving on wrong side of road and was hit by small SUV. Scooter was under SUV with driver sprawlled on road, he was alert but messed up. Of course driver was not going to wait for ambulance which ould take hours, so he was guided around the legs of the downed driver and the ditch on side of road and we are on our way again. Back to room for a break then off to dinner and bed.
2/18 2:58AM, you guessed it. Shut door and tuned AC on. After breakfast we went down to Road Town to see the botanical gardens ($20 taxi) and walk thru RoadTown for gifts and crafts. Taxi back and then our final dinner.
2/19 3:04 AM, shut door flip on AC. Breakfast then off to West End ($10) to catch noon ferry to JVD. Apparently it is a 1:00 ferry, downto Jolly Rodger to wait. Hop on ferry and we are off.
JVD to be continued......
