For everyone eagerly waiting for this trip report, I may have finally figured how to post this baby, sorry if it kind of long. I have never written a trip report before, but I do appreciate others before me who have. Not only are they fun to read, but they can provide useful information to future guests and allows those who own businesses that were utilized an honest review which they can be proud of or make aware of certain issues they may want to improve.

A little background...this is our second trip to the USVI. We visited St. John last summer, thoroughly enjoyed it hence we decided to return, but to explore a different island and no...I did not write a trip report for that one. We are a family of four, Myself, Husband, Daughter-21, Son-17. We decided on St. Croix for the week of 7/25 - 8/01 because we could (Skymiles :)) and it seems STT and STJ get all the press and I wanted to know what the deal with St. Croix was.

First of all STX was a deal in a very good way. The villa we stayed at was comparable and was approx. $1300 less than the villa in St. John for the week. Gas prices were less (2.36) and were less than what we pay in Atlanta (2.39). The reason I mention this is because we love to explore and drive around a lot. Also there has been attention to the prices of island vacationing in past posts and the USVI does have reasonable pricing if you are willing to do the homework. This is all comparing of the two islands I am going to do because although they are similar they also have certain qualities that are very much their own and I would visit either one again in a heartbeat if the rest of my life didn't get in the way.

7-24-09 (Lawrenceville, GA)
Wrapping up loose ends in preparation, stopping newspaper, mail, squaring up things with petsitter (2 cats, 1 dog) confirming all reservations, I enter my closet to finish packing and my 12 year old kitty, Monet, is laying smack dab in the middle looking as if she is about to die. She lifts her head, tries to get up and falls right back down again. Thinking she may have pulled something jumping over a gate, I decide to wait a few hours to see if she miraculously heals ( by the way, she has in the past, the nine lives thing is TRUE). Not so lucky this time, 3:00 pm. I scoop her up and head to the vet who has a full schedule and is not sure when she can look at her. I leave her and eagerly wait for the dreaded call. Phone rings...It's not a muscle strain or broken bone and she is going to live 🙂 History on Monet...last year she had all her teeth extracted except four tiny incisors in the front due to some weird genetic predisposition (lymphonic-plasmac gingivitis stomatitis, if you were wondering). Well one of those little incisors, which is about the size of an island ant broke off, is infected, and requires immediate surgery. Great! Looks like Monet is going to be an unhappy camper while we are having the time of our lives in the Caribbean.

7-25-09 (ATL to STX)
Early to rise, got a plane to catch and have to arrive early to get seat assignments, plus Delta considers this International :S. Pick up daughter on way to airport, get to park-and ride, get to airport. Husband's in airport mode meaning...he is 30 yards ahead of the rest of us, has to stop, wait for us to catch up, repeat. Good news we make it to the gate with time to spare to grab some Chik-fil-A and we get upgraded to Business class! Uneventful flight, which I like, Daughter loves the complimentary Mimosas and we get to STX on time. No welcome bar :(. I head to Avis, husband and kids to baggage claim. Meet up with Vacation St. Croix greeters after some confusion and off we go to villa Amonoka on the east side.

After researching villas on the web and consulting with villa expert MargyZ (Margy, I hope you don't min the title) we definitely made an excellent choice. Although the driveway is rather steep and has a sharp turn reminiscent of another island, ahem, the view is spectacular! There is plenty of space and a very inviting pool with a multi-level deck that overlooks Buck Island. http://www.vacationstcroix.com.

After oohing and aahing, we unload and head west for some grub and to stock the kitchen. We eat at Cheeseburger in American Paradise which is very good (tu) and Son talks to some locals about where the best place to see the "Green Flash" then off we go to Plaza Extra. On the way there is the only time that I know of I piss off another driver. I was wrong, I apologized, was glad it happened seeing that particular intersection is unavoidable if you need to get anywhere West, and now I am keenly aware. I find that drivers on St. Croix are either normally very accommodating, letting you out although they are the only car on the road for miles or they are not. Sometimes it's hard to read. Mind you I would pick driving there any day than driving in Atlanta. Get back to the villa, relax by the pool sipping Black Cherry Cruzan/ Diet Coke...this is the life!