Sunscreen that is higher than SPF30. Don't forget something to ward off the bugs and something to sooth you after they get you. Blow up floats. See if the condo owner has a soft cooler and freezie pack thing to go into it. Zip lock bags. Water proof camera, disposable ones can be found for under $10. Bring your passport or birth certificates and drivers license if you plan on possibly going to the British Virgin Islands. Disposable cups so you don't have to do dishes. My husband always forgets this - a hat so his semi-balding head doesn't get burned(boy would he kill me if he found out I was telling people this).

Maybe we'll see you in the airport on the 8th. We will be one of the happy couples coming off a plane from Chicago around 2pm.

All of the items Kraushas mentioned were great suggestions and you will use them. We always bring our own music, ie: cds, or mp3 that is loaded up to plug into the radio or cd player at the house we stay at, that way we have the music we like.

One more item, a good attitude, I have observed many a first time visitor that ruins their vacation because they could not adjust to island time. Remember if you do not get it done today, there is tomorrow.

Relax

RM

Here is my two cents worth it may help you if this is your first trip

http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=471298&an=0&page=4#Post471298

There is a part II if you can endure it on day trips on the USVI page

Take a "neat sheet" (available is most grocery stores, Walmart, etc) for the beach. They're great if you're not planning to lug beach chairs (or there are no chairs to lug). They're light-weight and sand won't stick to them, so better than a blanket, and disposable, so you don't have to take it home.

Ditto with the ziplock bags--wicked handy! Also handiwipes, so you can wipe all the 30+ sunscreen off your hands before you each your sandwich out of the ziplock bags. Lip sunscreen so you don't burn your lips and get cold sores. Benadryl(or cortisone tabs) in case you have a bug bite reaction like I do. Bug repellent. Advil or equivalent for the hangovers. A bag of coffee, and microwave popcorn so you don't have to buy it there, if you're staying at a rental cottage. Tums or Prilosec, for upset tummies, and don't forget the immodium!!!!! A couple bathing suits, they get a bit grimy. Bandaids. First aid cream. Books to read. It sounds like a lot but most of it is small. Have fun!!!!!!!!

Many of these items can be pruchased here on island - no need to lug SO much stuff that ya have to pay extra paggage fees....which will negate any savings you'd have by buying some of these things stateside

Contact the condo owner and see if there are any water toys, chairs, etc that will be available for your use.

Personally I am 100 % against Immodium - the 'bugs' that get into your system are trying to get OUT, and the immodium just keeps them in for longer...but that is my opinion ONLY - and having taken it before I found with my constitution it's much easier to get it over with than feel miserable for a couple of days. The best way to avoid it - DRINK BOTTLED WATER!!! Cisterns collect rain water, and unless you're used to it or the lodging has a U/V filtration system - save yourself a lot of 'seat time' by getting bottled water - you can get half liters by the case at the Starfish Market, along with many of the other items.

One last item - ALOE GEL. Stick it in the fridge upon arrival. When you're burned, your skin is 'cooking' from the inside, and the cool aloe helps stop this effect.

I have to say that being prepared does indeed have its virtues. I really enjoyed all the helpful hints I discovered on this message board. Disclaimer, I’m not an overzealous environmentalist; however I must say, these are very small islands with huge populations that visit them. Maybe doing a few dishes, or wiping your sunscreen laden hands on a towel would be more appropriate than bringing things to the island just to throw them away. Let us try and keep STJ the beautiful paradise it is. Also, for all the people traveling there for their first time, don’t worry, if you forget something or find you need something, more than likely you will be able to find it on the island for a reasonable price. Please don’t attack me, just my two cents.

Take a FLASHLIGHT, it is almost a given that the electricity will go out! AND SOMETIME IT STAYS OUT FOR HOURS. And a reminder all dwellings in the VI have cisterns for water. No electrictiy No water!

What is Cisterns? Never heard of it.

Dawn,
A cistern is a receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Often cisterns are built to catch and store rainwater. You can think of
it as a huge concrete hole under a house. The rain falls on the roof runs down a spout to the cistern. A pump is needed to bring the water into the house faucets. So... no electricity to run the pump no water. I have in the past used a bucket with a rope to hull water up after a hurricane.

But why would it make you sick to your stomach? Does bacteria get in it?

I am at a compete loss where did you read anything about making you sick to your stomach? and bacteria?

Just boil the water or buy bottled water! If you have any concerns on unsafe water.

from a post up the thread. I thought she meant by save yourself a
lot of 'seat time' by getting bottled water.

I thought that meant you can get "diarrhea" if you are not use to cistern water.

My mistake

Lin this isn't an attack, just my two cents. What is the lesser of two evils? Use more water or create more trash?
The dishes are obviously washed in water that is scarce. We happen to reuse the same paper cup on the beach all day long. We find it much more convenient to bring to the beach than the dishes from the condo. And yes, I don't like doing dishes on vacation. That is why we eat most meals out on vacation.

In my experience wiping my hands on a towel will not get the sunscreen off, especially if you have the waterproof kind on. It also doesn't kill any germs. You need soap and water or an antibacterial handiwipe. I once unknowningly bought a sunscreen that took my nailpolish off my fingers. I certainly don't want it flavoring my lunch.

I want the islands to stay a beautiful paradise too. So at the end of the day, do I feel guilty because I just put a paper cup and my handiwipe in the garbage bin at the beach? Or do I feel good because I just conserved some water?

Dawn
About the cisterns. Rain water is collected and stored in the cistern where it's pumped directly to the water taps in the homes. Hopefully nothing gets into the cistern, but sometimes things do, such as frogs and other creepy crawlies. Also hopefully there have been some sort chemicals added to the water so it's potable. I believe bleach is commonly used, but could be completely wrong. I drink the water out of my tap daily and have not had any ill effects, but then again I lived in Mexico and became accustomed to the water there so perhaps now I just have an iron stomach.
We don't have streams here and desalinization is very expensive. I have a friend who lives in an apartment where she's charged 9 cents a gallon for water out of the tap. If you keep in mind that it takes about 2 and a half gallons of water to flush a toilet you can see why so many people are concerned about conserving water and why those of us who live here are happy when it rains as opposed to visitors who see the rain as a damper on their holiday.

The ziplock bags have my attention.
What are the uses for them?
nsalphadog

About anything - zip lock bags (big ones)

For all your goops and glops pack in a zip lock bag - You arrive not to find your clothes covered in your favorite passion fruit lotion when the plane did not quite reach the correct pressure in the baggage compartment.

For the left over crackers after a night of wine and snacks - they just frustrate the hell at of the ants

For that wet bathing suit when you have to have just one more swim before getting on the plane

For all the little things when you rent the dinghy and hit a wave. Your film and villa keys will float (for a little while anyway)

I have heard it said - When going to the islands all you need is a bathing suit, good sandals, and zip lock bags

to follow up on katetastrophee comments about water

Water without a doubt is a very precious commodity in the islands. Very few islands have fresh water as a natural resource – this is not unique to the USVI. For example: When I lived in Puerto Rico back in the 70’s I was told the island exports more water than rum. Pretty amazing when you consider Puerto Rico is the home of Bacardi and Don Q to name a couple - that is a lot of water! When we use to go over to STT for a weekend, many of the hotels would shut off the water from 1 pm to 4 pm as part of the rationing. Can you imagine paying a whooping $75 a night at Frenchman’s Reef to have your water turned off daily? Water rationing to that extreme is no longer done. If you have read Don’t Stop the Carnival one of the major sub-plots was how to get water to the hotel.

My son who used to live on STT had seven shells on his toilet. When you used the toilet you moved one shell back. When all seven shells had been moved – then you could flush the toilet. I knew water was short, but I thought that extreme. Then he showed me his water bill, which was pushing $250 for a month, and I became an environmentalist. Of course all the nursery rhymes about yellow and brown were in effect.

They do have to add chemicals as noted in post above, and bleach for sure. Although not very strong in science I do know bleach will kill bacteria, which is a good and bad thing. Good that it makes the water potable, but bad because it also kills bacteria inside you. Short term use is no big deal, but long term can truly mess up the internal workings of a female. Leading to more yeast infections than one would ever care for. One is too many – but when you live in the tropics they are hard to avoid. You do not want to kill the bacteria which will eat the yeast. Circle of life thing… Men tend just to get a little more time to sit and read the paper in the study.

The water is drinkable, but can have a very distinctive taste. Not necessarily a good one either. For a one week visit it will probably have little to no effect on you unless you have other medical issues. I would go with the recommendation to use bottle water to drink. Cook and wash with tap water. (Coffee we always use bottle also – mainly the taste thing) Finally keep in mind that when you rent your villa or hotel it is not the price of the room that cost – it is the water and power you use. So if you take long showers and keep the room and 60 degrees because of your sunburn the rates will continue to climb.