This will probably be the longest trip report/diary you have ever seen. My husband and me have been on vacation for 23 days, and the trip has been so eventful. I want to say thank you to the forum members on different boards, who have given me so much good advice. Hope you will like to read about our experiences even though it’s a long story.

As some of you know we are a Danish couple, who have had ruby wedding, and this trip is in a way a celebrating of that. We have chosen USVI as destination because the Danish history on the islands interests us (mostly me), and because we like nature and snorkelling. Our stay in N.Y. is due to a necessary stopover.

Remember that English is not my native language. I know, I am not perfect in English, but I like to practice, and you are free to laugh of my mistakes.

So here you have my diary:

TRAVELLING DAY
Woke up at 3 o’clock in the night, one hour before we needed to get up. Could not sleep any more.
Today is the day our vacation starts. Thousands thoughts in my head and butterflies in my stomach. Have used so incredible many hours as never before to plan a vacation. Hopefully nothing will go wrong. Thinking of the last days where we had a fright. Our son was suddenly hospitalised. Luckily he is now home again and feels much better. But what would we have done, if it was happened today? And my husband has caught a cold, and as usual he feels very, very bad. Hopefully it will help coming to the Caribbean. Also thinking of the flight to NY. Yesterday evening when I checked in via Internet, I found out that Continental has seated us in two different rows. Was very upset, could not bear not to sit beside hb in 9 hours and not being able to join hands. Hate the long flights, and this will make it worse. Must try if it is possible to change seats.

A lightly breakfast and packing the last important things, a frozen rye bread and my own flat pillow.
Off we go to Hamburg. About two and a half hours drive from our home, but it is cheaper
to leave from there. No problems, came to the right time. Found out that the flight has about 2 hours delay. Shit! That means 2 hour less in NY. Read in the book about STJ until the
departure was near. A lot of questions from a Continental man, why are we going, where to stay, which job we have and so on. Told him about our problem with the seating in different rows, he promised to look at it. Was not too optimistic, probably a standard answer. Now security. Before me stood an elderly man in a red jacket and with his long grey hair in a ponytail! He was asked the usual things, could not hear his answer, but first he has some bottles confiscated, after that 3 long screwdrivers and at last they found a multi tool among other things with a scissor. How foolish are you allowed to be? Srewdrivers and a scissor! But the employees were very polite, asked him to go back and have the stuff checked in.

Now boarding. There was a message for us. Met the Continental man again. He has found new seats for us besides each other. So happy. Would give him a hug, but in the last second I thought: perhaps he does not like a hug from me, so just before I reached him, I stopped. Must have seen strange out. The new seats were ideal, near an emergency exit, which meant that there was more space for hb’s long legs. The flight was not so bad as expected. Spoke with the nice businesswomen beside me, read in a book and slept a little. Arrival. Long rows and new questions at Emigration. After about an hour and a half we could finally say: NY here we come! Mostly me, hb has been here before.

NEW YORK
Took a cab to Best Western on Manhattan, arrived about 4 pm. Were very disappointed with the room, small, dark and with a queen bed. Not what they have promised. OK, should only stay one night. Off we go, I could not wait. After a short walk several people, who wanted to sell us a city tour, contacted us. Preferred to walk around but were short of time, so we paid 2x 37 dollars for a downtown tour and entered the open double-decker bus. The guide did not speak a clear English and the microphone was bad, I did not understand a word. Fortunately we were able to hop off and take another bus, which we did already at the first stop. Next guide much better and very knowledgeable. Saw many of the buildings I know by name plus Greenwich Village, Soho, Chinatown and little Italy, very interesting, but we were surprised over all the empty buildings. Why are they not occupied? Thought that there were a lot of people in NY, who needed a place to stay. On South Street seaport we went off again, I wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. Liked South Street Seaport, nice atmosphere, bought a hot dog, the worst we have ever tasted. Could not stay there too long, needed to take the bus again before it stopped for the day, but first I have to see, if we could find a place to buy a Neat Sheet. Know only the Neat Sheet from the forum, but it seems as if the sheet is indispensable. Had fortune, the very first drugstore we entered had them. Bought only one, have to try it first. Up the bus again, new guide, an entertainer, who told jokes more than facts, but still interesting. Last stop Time Square and now we were hungry. Tried to find an Italian restaurant we have been recommended by a forum member, found the street, but could see from the numbers of the houses that the restaurant was not in the nearness. Were too tired to walk more and found a place directly up to Time Square, where we had some food. Could see that it was correct, what I have been told, the portions they serve in USA are huge, eat only half of it. And there was no glass for the beer. What? A ”nice” lady does not drink of the bottle! Hb said that I have to get used to it, it’s custom here. The food was fine, and the beer(s) was just what we needed. Back to the hotel and in bed – 24 hours after we got up. The bed was terrible, both of us ended up in the middle and only a small sheet to fight about. Glad that I at least had my own pillow. Not much sleep even though we were so tired. Nevertheless, next morning ready to new adventures. Where to have our breakfast? Not much fun in the hotel, walked around for a while looking on the life on Manhattan, wondering that so many people were talking in cell phones, found a place with a breakfast buffet, very good. The flight to San Juan was 12.45 p.m., so not much more time to ”feel “ NY.

A cab to the airport again. It was Saturday and the trip took only half the time compared with yesterday. But the price was the same, about 65 dollars. And again the flight has a delay. Doesn’t matter if only we reach the flight from Puerto Rico to STT. Thinking of NY. Cannot say I know NY just because I have had a city tour on Manhattan, but I was not so impressed, as I have expected. Have seen many beautiful skyscrapers in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, and some of the buildings we have seen in NY definitely could need some renovation. But of course it’s exiting to visit a cosmopolitan city as NY and see all the people there, and some of the charm with NY is perhaps that you see new and old buildings disorganized between each other.

TRAVELLING TO ST.THOMAS
No problems with the flight from NY to San Juan and time enough to reach the next to STT.
Could not understand why so few people were waiting. Hb did the booking and suddenly asked me what my weight was. My weight? Never been asked about that before in relation to a flight.
Ok, it’s not a secret, so I told him. Then it was time to go to the flight. Surprise, surprise.
It was a Cessna plane for maximum10 people, and I was placed just behind the pilot. But no problems, funny to try. I had warned hb beforehand about the airport in STT, told him to remember that we will be on “island time”, he should just take a drink and wait and relax, it could be hot and so on. Everything that I had read in the forum. Surprise, surprise. We had our luggage about ten minutes after arrival, went out and not an eye to see. As if the airport was closed. Found a taxi driver and together with another couple from the flight we drove in the direction Reed Hook. Up and down it went and suddenly about 8.15 p.m. we were at Secret Harbour. Now the real vacation can begin!

SECRET HARBOUR, RELAXING DAY
It’s always exiting to see your room, but I was not so satisfied with ours. Some slats in the blinds were missing, so people were able to look in, and other things seems to need a renovation. And just beside Blue Moon. What about noise in the evening? There was a huge bed compared with the one in NY, but again only one mattress. I cannot understand why king beds and queen beds are so popular. I hate them. When hb moves, I jump up, feel as if I am on a trampoline. But hurry up, we need something to eat, and they close at 9 p.m. in the restaurant. They offered barbeque buffet, just what hb like, so fine with us. The buffet was good and the Heineken beers too. Unpacking and in bed. Next morning, when it was light, my opinion about the room changed completely. Not much noise from the bar, a nice terrace, and the best - only a few steps from a lovely beach. So why worry about missing slats? Relaxed in the beach chairs, walked a little around- not too much, just enjoyed to be here. Now it must be time for snorkelling! Have not used our gear for 5 years, looking forward to see corals and fish. Disappointment, not many corals or fish. Oh, what was that, a spotted eagle ray, and one more and one more and now a turtle. Very content with the “bag” of our snorkelling! In the evening Blue Moon offered beef and lobster. Not cheap, but we had to try it. This time with wine, not cheap either. Both the food and the wine were good. What a nice day we have had!

View from our room at Secret Harbour

CAR RENTAL, CORAL WORLD, SHOPPING
In the morning we phoned a car rental company nearby - E-Z car rental. They had an advertisement about renting a car for 35 dollars per day. They were very busy, the man said, the price was now 62 dollars per day, and we had to wait some hours. We accepted and about 10.30 he came. On the way to the office he asked, if we have been here before, and when he heard that we hadn’t, he drove us around for about 20 minutes, told hb what he should be aware of while driving, showed us restaurants, parking places, the ferry and where to buy food. In the office he gave us some maps and explained among other things which way was the best to C.A. Never had such a service in a car rental before, understand he is busy if he use so much time on every customer. But now the half of the day was gone, and we have to change plan about seeing C.A. today. Instead we went to Coral World. What a mistake! The main reason to come there was to see the Undersea Observatory. Fish in a tank we can see at home, and we do not like to see turtles or sharks in small pools. But the Observatory was closed that day! No one has told us! So annoying! Saw Coki Beach, many people were snorkelling there, but decided to go to Mountain Top. Problems! Never made out the road system and never reached Mountain Top. Why are there no signs with a name on instead of a number? Saw Drakes seat and Magens Bay on our way. How beautiful the beach is! Would have liked to stay there, but no time. Ended up near Havensigt. Impressively how big the cruse liners are.

Ok, let’s go shopping! Have discussed if we should buy an underwater camera. Asked in a shop what they could offer. Hb saw one, asked if he could find it cheaper in C.A., and when the answer was no, he bought it. I was so surprised. Normally when hb are going to buy something electronic, he can use a lot of hours to find out what the best buy will be, comparing prices and details, but buying this camera took maximum 10 minutes. It must be the heat! If it was the right he bought – Olympus 770 SW, I don’t know. I do not think that the underwater pictures are so beautiful, as I have seen in the forum. But like that it is so small, that he can have it in his pocket. Shopped in a food center on our way home and ended up at Moly Molone, where we had our dinner - prime ribs and some salad with shrimps. Delicious!

SIGHTSEEING IN CHARLOTTE AMALIE
Parked at Havensigt and took a cab to the city. The chauffeur stopped near the fort, he must have known our wish. So there it is. Fort Christian, the fort I have been reading about, the fort the first Danish governor began to build it in 1666. So fantastic to stay here.

Fort Christian

Could not come in, some renovation was going on. Next stop Legislature Building. The ceremony of transferring the ownership from Denmark to USA was held in front of the building in 1917. Have read the memories of the then Danish governor. He was very sad, when he saw the Danish flag go down. So hb took a picture of me by the flagpole, while I was thinking of, how it would have been, if we haven’t sold the islands

Will it be possible to buy the islands back?

Went to Emancipation Park, Crown House and Hotel 1829. Was allowed to have a cup of tea there even though it was only open for guests. So fantastic to see all the old things.

A room at Hotel 1829

Went up the 99 steps built of bricks brought from Denmark as ballast on the ships. Strange to think of the fates of the people, who went to the islands. Next stop Hagensen’s House, built by a Danish banker and building contactor, who was married with one from the Magens family. Spoke with a very proud and knowledgeable lady, miss Shulterbrandt, whose family has owned the house in several years. She knows her ancestors back to about 1700, knows that some of them were slaves. We had a special conversation:

“Where are you from”
“Denmark”
“You know that the Danish have owned the islands?”
“Yes of course”
“The Danish were very brutal”
“Yes I know, I am sorry”
“The Danish only gave orders, the African made everything on the islands, the furniture in this
house is made by the Africans”
“ Oh is it so? I have read that there were many Danish craftsmen on the islands”
“ The African made it all, and it was not Denmark who gave us our freedom, we freed ourselves”

Would not discuss, know that it in a way she was right. So perhaps it was not a good idea for a Dane to come in the house. But later on she told us, that she has been in Denmark, and she liked the country very much. So we ended up being nearly good friends.

Nearly good friends

After that visit we went to Villa Notman, Britannia House and Blackbeards castle with the nice view and on our way down we had a rum punch in the wine bar underneath. Were allowed to see parts of the Government house with a painting of Columbus’s landing on STX, one of Transfer Day and one of the daily life in the fields. Of course we also walked in the streets and enjoyed the old buildings. So beautiful the shops are kept, Royal Dane Mal, the shops in Hibiscus Alley, and what a wide range of goods. I am not a “jewel” girl, I think hb was glad for that. There were many temptations. Also funny to see the Danish names of the streets.

We have the same names on streets in Denmark.

Lunch was at Greenhouse near the harbour- Chicken sandwich and Caesar salad. The sandwich was one of the best, I have tasted. Latest stop in our historic walk was the old Danish churchyard with all the Danish names on the stones. Many died very young. Now we were filled up with impressions. Took a cab back to Havensigt and then home. In the evening Secret Harbour invited the guests to punch and appetizers. A steel band played and entertained, and the singer proved up to be the general manager.

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The manager is not on the photo

Also different competitions, and we won prizes (a useful bag) in two of them. Who has travelled the longest way to Secret Harbour, and who has been married in most years. The manager gave my poor hb the microphone and asked him to answer the question, why he has been married so long. Hb said some nice things, so sweet of him. Home again we began to pack. Had to be ready to go to St. John with the ferry at 9 o’clock. Have been so happy to stay at Secret Harbour. Perhaps we should have taken more days there instead of 10 days on St. John? So nice with the beach nearby.