OK, grab your coffee, or an island drink, and sit back. Our party of 4 is husband Dick, friends Jane and William. I will just use initials from here.

THurs 19th
Arrived at airport at 4:45am for 6:20 flight - had tons of time. Our boarding passes were already printed up from home on day before, and we used curbside check-in. Flight was uneventful. We had a 1hour and 15 min layover in Newark. They boarded us at regular time, then we sat and sat and sat on tarmack. After at least 30 minutes they announced we were 21st in line for takeoff - another 45 minutes!! All I could think about was that I was missing an hour of my vacation. Finally were off. On the way down I could see nothing but cloud cover, then as we approached the islands - sunshine!! Words cannot express the beauty of the islands, the color of the water, and the white edges around the islands that are the most beautiful beaches in the world! Arrived in STT at 2:00pm. Had our rum punch while waiting on luggage - cool. We weren't very efficient here. All four of us stood and got our luggage, then all four of us went to the Avis desk to get car. Kind of wasted time there. The men went after the car while we women waited for luggage. We'd rented thru Hotwire and got a midsize (Dodge Stratus) for a total of $204/week. Had some problems getting luggage loaded. J and W had packed WAY too much. Wow was the drive across the Island fun! well, for us ladies in the back anyway. D was a little stressed, especially in the downtown area. We found out then that W was not much of a navigator, so I did so from the back seat. (Like turn left here, right here, etc) and yelling KEEP LEFT! Missed turn off to Secret Harbour first time, and I knew instantly when were in Red Hook, so we turn around and tried to do directions backwards. By then, W was so confused, he thought we were really far from the beach, and thought we'd have to drive to the beach every day! ha! When we walked into our unit, and looked out the sliding glass doors - OMG!! we were on the lower level with the beach right off the patio. There is no more perfect location anywhere in my opinion! BTW - 2 bedroom/2 bath unit was $249/night with a free night if you book atleast 5 nights. We were staying seven. Total room charge was after taxes was $2345. Split in half - cant' beat it especially for the location.

first pic taken from our patio

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2555108410101202110qPTgtK?vhost=good-times

Our unit had just been redone, and we were like the 2nd or 3rd people to stay after. Granite countertops, flat stove, stainless steel appliances, pretty decor. It was nice.

here are some photos after we'd been there a few days (messy)

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2744660390101202110gfPvNA?vhost=good-times
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2813830760101202110CdLTtn?vhost=good-times

some pics after arrival -
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2892296110101202110LlJJSE?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2088755030101202110MmzWvG?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2609261960101202110FzqQmu?vhost=good-times

We hung out on beach for a while, then had dinner at the Blue Moon - EXCELLENT! I had the spinached stuffed portabello and it was awesome. Dinner for 4 - $150 after tip.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2820662580101202110tazOoo?vhost=good-times

pic of D, W, and J at Blue Moon
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2164058880101202110EkVyXu?vhost=good-times

Next we went to Marina Market for groceries. total $187. We get into car and look at reciept - $48 for a dozen eggs!! What??? so I go back in, scanner made mistake and charged for a whole case! correct price - $1.99. whew! make sure you check reciept. we were expecting it to be high, so we weren't really paying attention, but J caught mistake thank goodness. Milk- $7.49, 2 sticks butter - $3.09. Cruzan coconut - $7.50 I think. Bailey's - $11.99 for 750 ml. Bought ham/cheese, beer, rum, bread, cream cheese,. Later D complains that we didn't buy enough good snacks, and W says "I think they bought all liquid snacks" haha! our husbands are lightweights. enough rambing, this is going to be too long. Sat out on patio and crashed early.

Friday 20th
Cloudy at first then a beautiful day!! Limin on beach all day.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2901334660101202110rRjpia?vhost=good-times

J, me, and D on swim platform

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2071377050101202110WqgDjg?vhost=good-times

The men ate sandwiches they made for lunch, J and I had conch fritters from Blue Moon. They were the best conch fritters that I had all week btw. Dinner that night was at Molly Malones. very good. $45/per couple. The best onion rings ever.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2274697210101202110vpoRxh?vhost=good-times

Next was Duffy's and it was just what I expected. I had a Bushwacker, D had a pirates painkiller, J and some kind of blue lagoon thing, and lightweight W had a coke. $31 I think.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2679628180101202110NRDeYE?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2126761730101202110sQyymw?vhost=good-times

D with his pirates painkiller
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2824193170101202110xJhQxI?vhost=good-times

a table ordered the Volcano
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2342073510101202110FMWQJx?vhost=good-times

I want to mention that Molly Malones had OFF for people to use - thank goodness!!

Sat 21st
woke up to grey drizzle so we decided to get the shopping out of the way. Drove to Havensight. J purchased awesome diamond earrings. Me - liquor. Coupon for buy 5 bottles get one free (750ml) I bought 7, one free. total 8 bottles for $68. awesome. Picked up Chanel no.5 for sis-in-law (for driving us to airport at 4:00am!) and Brittney spears cologne for son's girlfriend. tee shirts, junk etc. Took taxi ($4/pp) to downtown and ate a Cuzzins. J and I had the seafood platter with local stuffing (some sweet potato stuff), conch fritters, and rice. I think it was about $45/couple with a couple beers. That was before tip. Walked to a Pirate place to get T's for boys and squeaky rat for our dog 🙂 Taxi back to Havensight, on to SH. We ordered pizza delivered for $21, I gave him $30, hubby was like WHAT? well, no one else wanted to get out in the POURING rain - it was worth it. Pizza was good. At this time it was raining like never before!! nothing to do but go to bed.

Sun 22nd
FABULOUS DAY! rain is gone, we take ferry to Jost. I just cannot describe the place except that it was the most beautiful place on earth. Ferry over to STJ, go thru line to "get name on list" back on ferry to Jost. Took half hour to get passport stamped (we were last in line) and taxi to Soggy dollar. Had no less than 4 painkillers 🙂 and some conch fritters. D ate their cheeseburger/pasta salad for $12 and said it was the best pasta salad he'd had. I think it had to do with the environment! I started walking without flipflops and over to Ivans - big mistake. I make it. J couldn't hang with me - she turned back. I had to get an Ivan's tee shirt tho. Gift shop there was not open but they unlocked it for me when I explained that I'd walked over there barefooted just go get a tee. He said "you like island woman!" yeah, that's me.

pics of Jost
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2832736030101202110KBkbgM?vhost=good-times

check out this month's issue of Caribbean L & T!! this exact same pic on article about Soggy dollar.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2199377140101202110GiZpNZ?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2921358160101202110djnRKA?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2155169350101202110ZqiMJF?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2515004500101202110jjubqb?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2842172900101202110kIQcMG?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2622580990101202110rONlFh?vhost=good-times

D going for a swim
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2078221250101202110NfZQVj?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2212396780101202110vytHtF?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2851560820101202110eDVQir?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2791436230101202110OzWpCR?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2627248580101202110OhMbLd?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2917496020101202110YBtvnW?vhost=good-times

Me (shirt says Girls Just want to have RUM!)
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2055611750101202110fbuoBD?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2768853070101202110NkwPFu?vhost=good-times

Mine and J's feet laying in the hammock
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2110512690101202110OdWDqN?vhost=good-times

on the way to Ivan's
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2552504720101202110gKHuGh?vhost=good-times

place where J gives up on me...I keep going
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2642689400101202110fJFRoZ?vhost=good-times

whoa! I click on post message accidentally - I'm not done yet!!

Ivan's
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2035629550101202110BExlBl?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2669227910101202110yVbjvl?vhost=good-times

Then taxi back to Foxy's for lunch (except D already ate one at Soggy Dollar)
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2007048020101202110BqBDeq?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2564012580101202110etgZHL?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2342539150101202110tOeRYa?vhost=good-times

Ferry back home - some pics
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2299581210101202110UhTuLY?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2098231630101202110nRWfqv?vhost=good-times

Dinner that night was at Latiude 18!! yeah! W said it was his best meal all week. He and D had steak, J and I had Mahi caught that day! It poured down the rain that evening, and the road was TERRIBLE esp. when wet, but it was totally worth it.. Live music was "barefoot Davis". His songs got kind of stupid after awhile tho.

How many restaurants have a sign like this as you walk in???
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2550340440101202110OyKLGI?vhost=good-times

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2716050880101202110uNlMDV?vhost=good-times
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2334761130101202110NQLGrF?vhost=good-times

view of Latitude 18 from ferry earlier in the day

Absolutely poured down the rain while there, but as I said, didn't bother us a bit.
This is getting quite long, so I will post the 2nd half on another post. I'm afraid people will get tired of scrolling down past a long post to read the comments!

OK, so why did none of the other pics post, just the last??crap!

look for part 2 coming soon!