I wasn't feeling too motivated this morning to get out and do something since we were up late last night. (Well, late for me anyways.)
I took Jenifer in to work around 8:30 so I could have her car again during the day. I was getting gas before heading back to the West End when I noticed she forgot her lunch in the back seat! So I ran it back to her, and on the way, ended up with another hitch hiker in the car. An older local lady asked me how far I was going (I had the window down and was stopped), and when I said West End, she literally just walked over and got in. No joke! Thankfully, she was going about a block away from Jenifer's, so it all works out. But man, brazen!
Back at the apartment, I spent most of the morning on the computer - texting with a friend and trying to work out some plans for next week. Bahamas? Turks & Caicos? Florida Keys? Home? So many decisions... Life is rough, right? ;)
Finally, around 12:40, I decided I should make my mom and get out of the apartment. So I put on my swim suit and drove down to the West End ferry to see about day trips to St. John for tomorrow. $40 one way or $55 for round trip. And it's only a 20 minute ferry ride away. Done. Too easy. I could do TWO day trips there for the cost of one hotel night. I couldn't find anything for under $125/night. So I will just go there during the day and ferry back to Jenifer's at night!
I was getting ready to leave when I thought I would just check to see if there were any boats leaving to Jost Van Dyke, a neighboring BVI island, that afternoon. When I went around the corner, there was a boat in the water, all loaded. I asked where they were going. Jost Van DYke. And when? Now. I literally ran back to the car to park it because I had left it running on the side of the road and ran back to the ferry and hopped on. Split second decision, but turned out to be a good one!
The ferry was $20 roundtrip, and about 15 minutes long. Once we landed in Jost Van Dyke, I hopped on a $5 "taxi" ride (in the back of a truck) up and over the hill to another piece of paradise. I went from couch at Jenifer's to amazing beach on a neighboring island in under 30 minutes. No joke. These islands are amazing.
I showered and washed my hair (again -- it's been getting a lot of washing on this trip!), and put on some decent clothes (i.e. not swim suit attire) to go pick up Jenifer from tennis lessons. Well, she was supposed to be at tennis. She had a lesson from 6 - 7, and I was supposed to pick her up at the tennis courts around 7. The internet was down at her house, so I decided to quickly stop by her office on the way in to town just to see if anything had changed. I hadn't been in touch all day. And good thing I did! When I pulled up to her office and got on the wifi from outside, her message came through that tennis had been cancelled and she was just at work! Still! At 7pm! I felt so awful, but she promised me she had lots to do and it was no problem that she was stuck there. (Either way, I felt terrible.)
I had to make up for leaving her at work all day, so we went out to eat at a sushi restaurant! (And I was hungry anyways...)
Finally, around 12:40, I decided I should make my mom and get out of the apartment. So I put on my swim suit and drove down to the West End ferry to see about day trips to St. John for tomorrow. $40 one way or $55 for round trip. And it's only a 20 minute ferry ride away. Done. Too easy. I could do TWO day trips there for the cost of one hotel night. I couldn't find anything for under $125/night. So I will just go there during the day and ferry back to Jenifer's at night!
I was getting ready to leave when I thought I would just check to see if there were any boats leaving to Jost Van Dyke, a neighboring BVI island, that afternoon. When I went around the corner, there was a boat in the water, all loaded. I asked where they were going. Jost Van DYke. And when? Now. I literally ran back to the car to park it because I had left it running on the side of the road and ran back to the ferry and hopped on. Split second decision, but turned out to be a good one!
The ferry was $20 roundtrip, and about 15 minutes long. Once we landed in Jost Van Dyke, I hopped on a $5 "taxi" ride (in the back of a truck) up and over the hill to another piece of paradise. I went from couch at Jenifer's to amazing beach on a neighboring island in under 30 minutes. No joke. These islands are amazing.
Jost Van Dyke is a happening spot. Kind of like Cane Garden Bay on Tortola. Lots of restaurants and bars and shops. And lots of boats and partiers. Such a gorgeous beach though!
I found a nice spot of sand a little removed from some of the madness, and set up shop for the afternoon.
About the time I was getting good and hot, the clouds rolled in and I just knew it was going to rain. It was breezy and cool for about an hour, and then the clouds disappeared and the sun came back!
I had been debating the whole time I was laying there about getting in the water or not. I didn't think there would be much to look at because the water was so turquoise and clear...which meant it was just sand beneath. But further to the end of the beach, there was supposedly some coral and there were snorkelers out there. I was just heading that way when an Italian girl who had been by me on the beach popped up out of the water and said there was a big stingray in there.
Off I went. Fast. I just ran in the water still in my shorts and sandals... All I had was my mask and snorkel and GoPro. No fins. I wasn't ready to go yet, but sting rays don't wait, right? Well, it turns out you also need FINS to keep up with a fast little stingray. So I didn't even get a good shot of him. Lesson learned. I did still enjoy swimming around some though. The water was so clear and calm and warm!
I decided I should eat something after that. Swimming/snorkeling really takes it out of you. ;) So I found a little beach bar and went up for some pizza. But they only sold entire pizzas. Not by the slice. Nothing else looked appetizing, and my dismay must have been visible, because a nice couple at the bar offered me two slices of their pizza for free! So nice of them -- and I of course accepted. No, it's not healthy, but options are limited on the beach!
I spent the rest of the afternoon baking in the sun, and loving it. Made it back to the ferry dock just in time to catch the last boat back to West End, Tortola at 5pm.
Check out my awesome tan lines! My feet look so crazy from wearing those Teva sandals every day - it's hilarious! And I have quite the board shorts tan line after today, too!
I had to make up for leaving her at work all day, so we went out to eat at a sushi restaurant! (And I was hungry anyways...)
We got there around 7...and around 8:15, our food finally came. I mean, I know sushi takes time, but over an hour!? I was not pleased... Good thing the food was delicious and made me forget all about that long wait!
Jenifer tried to talk me out of ordering 4 rolls. She said 3 would be enough. But you know me. Stubborn. I ordered 4. And we ate 3. BUT - now she had leftovers for lunch!
Oh, and it was so funny. She only ate like 4 little pieces of sushi. I crushed the rest. I told her I was hungry and that I eat a lot, and I don't think she really believed me. But when I finally put my chop sticks down, she was like, "Wow! You really do eat a lot!" Ha! And earlier we were talking about shopping and how she can't find anything that fits her here because she is so tiny. And how I wouldn't be able to fit in to anything in the Philippines because I'm too big! ;)
By the time we finished eating and paid the bill, it was about my bed time. 9pm, you know. ;) So back to the house and off to bed. Early morning tomorrow. Going to do a day trip to St. John!
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