Let me start by saying thank you to all who gave emotional support to Amazing Grace in the days leading up to our vacation. Also SXM is not dead, slow maybe but definitely not dead.<br><br>Sunday we awoke at the god-awful hour of 3:30 but who cared. At LGA at 5 am for our 6:45 US Air to CLT and on to SXM. Kipplinger and miles got us first class tickets. The planed pulled away from the gate on time and immediately pulls back in. Seems some passengers got cold feet and they pulled us back to get their baggage off. Finally leave and get to CLT without further delay. 11 am from CLT to SXM an hour late for security checks. Arrive SXM an hour late, which wasn’t too bad. Pick up our RAV 4 from Mickey at Tropical and up the hill to Pelican. Stop to lay in some provisions, where we meet Delores and Jim who were starting 3 weeks in SXM. We are not too jealous. Off to a casual dinner at PLP where we met Neil and had some great conversation, food and beverages. Not a bad first day.<br> <br>Monday starts as an iffy weather day so we decide to head to Phillipsburg before the cruise ships make an appearance. Head for lunch at Turtle Pier for some conch fritters and a cocktail. Rain ends about 4 pm and off to the beach. Dinner at Rancho for steaks. Drove to Maho to see what was happening and found Cheri’s was open. I know some here don’t like it but we always have a great time there. Listen to music and sip some adult beverages.<br><br>Tuesday is a sand gravity day. Did nothing saw nothing drank some and ate lunch on the beach. SSBB to see the 747 but we were too late. Oh well just had to relax there for a while. Tutta Pasta for dinner which was wonderful and PLP for a nitecap and to see some baseball.<br><br>Wednesday we set off to find the butterfly farm and found Dawn Beach on the way. Funny, the moon wasn’t full but the gravitational pull of the sand could not be overcome. 75 cent Carib at Mr. Busby’s from 11 to 4. I had great ribs and Grace had conch salad. Mario’s Bistro for dinner ended great day.<br><br>Thursday starts in Marigot looking for a ring for my daughter. Got that out of the way and off to Dawn Beach again. Anyone who goes to Mr. Busby’s say hello to Jason, he couldn’t do enough for us. Real laid back dinner at Lee’s Roadside and off to PLP for more adult beverages and the Yankee game.<br><br>Friday total vacation mode has set in. Stayed on the beach at Pelican from 8:30 til 4;30. Can’t move the sand is holding us down. Funny how those 8 hours compare to the 8 hour workday. Tore ourselves away from the beach for dinner at the Boathouse and a trip to Cheri’s.<br><br>Saturday is a moving day for us for our extra night at Pelican so we decide to stay on the beach there again. We went tp PLP that evening and met Lorrie who had just arrived. Had a great time. Said goodbye to Neil, Miriam, Michele and Wanda. Went to the Hideaway for dinner. It is located at La Vista Resort on Pelican Key and was great. Off we went to Banana’s for the best frozen drinks on the Island. Make sure you see Fiona and tell her Miriam sent you. She will take good care of you. (Miriam, are you laughing yet?)<br><br>Sunday is a grey day and we head to the airport at 10 am. After check-in which went smooth but consumes a lot of time because of security we headed to SSBB for a good-bye cocktail. Boarded the 1:40 US Air for CLT and connected to LGA just fine.<br><br>Let me finish by saying although there was some anxiety about flying, we had the best vacation we have ever had. This was our 5th trip to SXM and it just gets better every time.<br><br><br>Every day is a great day<br><br>Rick and Grace<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Administrator on 10/29/01 01:58 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

Rick and Grace