Welcome to the Chronicles of
~ the St John Adventures ~
Friday 6/18/2010
Well, it is almost over, this trip into paradise. A serious squall came thru this morning, and it was pouring out! Luckily, it has cleared up a bit (still seeing some shower activity - hence why I am inside), and this was the final morning view of this trip:
We have already had our final dip in the pool, showered and dressed. Most everything is packed, so we are pretty much good to go. We plan on catching the 11am ferry over to Red Hook, then Rachel, the taxi driver, has arranged for someone to meet us to take us to the airport. We'll be early for our 4:55pm flight, but that is fine. Biggest issue is that Carol couldn't upgrade us on the first leg of our flight home, so she is bumming. Actually, she just wants to revolt and stay until either all our funds are expended, or they evict us forcibly. Not a bad way to go, if you ask me, but I am pretty much ready to get back into the real world. It feels funny to have pretty much no idea what is going on in the world, and I am used to that. Were I to move here, communications and the internet would definitely have to be upgraded! Well, that is about it for the moment! Pray that no planes crash today (St Thomas to Charlotte to Hartford especially!). And I might talk to you again in the air!
2246 - 10000 feet or so above North Carolina, Winging North Well, we are on the last leg of our trip, slated to land right about midnite. So I figure I will make this final entry into of the daily stuff, just to get you caught up (not that i canupload til we get home, but not matter...!). We left the villa about 10am, going to the rental office to drop off the keys to our beloved villa (Carol was entertaining the idea of staying until they evicted us!). Then we went down to the ferry pier, and I dropped Carol off with the luggage, so I could return the Jeep. Once she was settled (no, I didn't leave her at the curb!), I went up to Paris Car Rental and turned in the Jeep. I walked back to the ferry pier (it was all downhill), no problem. In fact, everything was going like clockwork! I was slightly concerned! I even stopped in a shop on the town square and bought a tee-shirt I had seen yesterday, before going to the ferry pier. I sat with Carol for a minute or two, and then went up to the ticket window (had to wait for a couple of minutes, but there were lots of people waiting, so I wanted to get in line before the hoards did!). They opened, and I got the tickets. A few minutes later, they announced the ferry, and we boarded. We took a couple of seats under cover, since it had been raining on and off all day, and getting caught topside in a rain is not necessarily my idea of fun (not dressed for it!). We watched them load our bags onto the ferry. A minute later, the skies opened up! There was a curtain of water falling off from the roof of the ship on the other side! Cisterns all over the island were filling up fast! As the rains slowed a bit, the ferry pulled out headed for Red Hook. The trip was pretty uneventful, as our path and the rains diverged. Being some of the last off the ship meant that we got on the pier about the same time our luggage did (since it was first aboard). Our driver was waiting for us, so that worked out well. It was a longish drive, all the while the driver was talking about things that were wrong with the world, how terrible kids could be (apparently he has 12, so he knew a thing or two about that!), and how he didn't trust the BP executives (does anyone besides the administration?). But we made it. Checking in was easy, getting thru Customs a breeze (had heard horror stories about that in St Thomas), and I didn't even get pulled for intensified security checks at the x-ray machine (they must see alot of my type down there, huh?). The terminal was even air conditioned (a concern, especially since the ticket counters are outdoors - under cover, but outdoors)! All in all, not too bad a time! We had something to eat at the one and only food option, which was a little something of an experience (remember, we are still on the islands!). But it was burgers and fries, so not bad. We shopped at the gift shop, and I got a magazine (which I have read while waiting for the flight and on the last flight cover to cover). The flight itself was fine - even though it was coach. I got to yell at some idiot who was still on his cell while we were taxiing to the runway (I figure if there is even a 1/10 of 1% added chance of crashing because of him being on a cell, then I get to make a scene. Besides, it was fun!). Lots of clouds - big tall clouds. Figure we were at 37000 feet or so, so these guys were in the 20-30,000 foot range. Pretty, though.
Then I start noticing that you can actually see the rain falling below the clouds, and hitting the water - must be the lighting angle or something. I never saw that before from a plane!
Now, you can call me crazy, and maybe I have been in the water too much these past couple of weeks, but don't these clouds look a lot like coral - just white?
We landed in Charlotte without incident, and the sun was playing peek-a-boo with the clouds, but this shot was kind of neat.
Dinner at the airport was Sbarro's (civilization at last!), and the pizza was much better than generally what you got on St John - and at about the same price! lmao! But that is traveling for you! Now, with DC probably off the port wing, we are here in first class, all roomy, with people offering you drinks like crazy! Definitely a different experience. Actually, the whole trip has been a different experience, and a very pleasant one, at that. Hopefully, we will be able to do it again sometime (soon), and that some of you can join us. I know Jeff and Kerrie say they are up for any deals we might find! So, on that note, I will sign off for the last time while still away. There are some things left to do with this blog when I get home, but it is, for the most part, done. I hope you have enjoyed coming along with us on this little adventure. I know we had a good time. I hope this entry finds all well in your world.
Keep Smiling!!!
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